News — news
Old Narratives Rewoven
Raw Luxe Collection 2020
We're delighted to announce the launch of a NEW COLLECTION of our designs - the Raw Luxe Collection. This collection offers luxurious antique and vintage textiles given the Utopia treatment to bring them into the contemporary fold.
Raw Luxe specialises in creating contemporary atmospheric interiors that exude a faded grandeur with a twist of casual chic. The Collection celebrates the tactile and sensuous qualities of old fabrics with their natural imperfections and worn narratives. We source antique and vintage textiles that capture a palpable sense of history in their weave and drape, then mix them to create new interfaces for interior accessories - thus making enduring and unique style statements.
All the creations in the Raw Luxe Collection are one-offs, we may be able to find and make something similar that happily partners another, but none will be exactly the same.
Raw Luxe Collection: Luxury Vintage Velvet & Handwoven
Antique French Linen Cushions
Sumptuous cushions created from softly faded, vintage velvet that has been utopiaised to create unique patterns on the front face of the cushions. The velvet is 'framed' with a flange of French antique handwoven linen with a great natural slub texture. The reverse is made of the same antique fabric with a deep envelope to contain the cushion pad.
A British-made cushion pad is included in the price.
A variety of sizes are available in this design.
Raw Luxe Collection: Embroidered Antique Linen Cushions
Little cushions created from finely embroidered vintage/antique cloths with linen envelope backs.
We love the sophisticated texture of white embroidery on white cloth and enjoy how the light plays on the surface creating shadows.
A British-made, duck feather cushion pad is included in the price.
A variety of sizes are available.
The Best of British Design and Craftsmanship
We are passionate about harnessing traditional British trade and craft skills to make our exclusive designs, so expect: well made creations with a strong attention to detail.
Holt Here We Come
We’re on the move to new and bigger premises in Holt, Norfolk.
After 5 years of building a unique business at Creake Abbey, it was time for us to expand and relocate. Hence, from mid November, the high street in the pretty Georgian town of Holt will have us as a new independent retailer. Based in a listed Victorian shop, with its stunning facade: ornate cast iron windows and creative brickwork, Utopia will bring a wealth of new design and creation to the town.
Holt is famed for its plethora of independent shops and cafes, historic architecture and wonderful festivals. We have always loved the town, since we first visited some 12 years ago, so now to join this vibrant community is a real treat.
The expanded site will enable us to showcase more of our designs, concepts and art.
Expect more:
- Original & limited edition fine art from Jac Scott and guest artisans
- Unique lamps and lights, from Michael Slaney, making strong style statements and dynamic focal points
- Curated collections of interesting and unusual antique furniture
- Utopiaised vintage & antique finds
- Decorative interior ideas and accessories
We look forward to welcoming you to our new gallery very soon.
Find out more about Holt here
A Little Festive Thank You - Mini 4 DAY Sale with BIG Discounts
It's been another very busy year at Utopia with many new exciting collections and creations launched.
The Arboretum Collection has particularly been appreciated by our clients, so we aim to expand this in 2017. Jac Scott plans to grab her sketch book and camera soon and head out to find some fresh locations.
The burgeoning Raw Collection will further develop in 2017 with many nautical inspired lights joining the elemental nature of the range.
COMMISSIONS AND CLIENTS
It has always been our intention to create a gallery of inspiration with concepts that spark and stimulate fresh ideas for client commissions. So it has been gratifying that Utopia's list of private, retail and commercial clients has hugely grown in the two years we have been open at Creake Abbey in North Creake. Commissions have been interesting and diverse from transforming a clarinet into a lamp to framing a saw. We also continue to work with selected interior designers and to supply Osprey London with our bespoke table lamps for their flagship Regent Street, London store and St. Albans lifestyle shop.
THANK YOU MINI SALE WITH BIG DISCOUNTS
As we prepare to hibernate for two weeks we would like to say thank you to all who have supported Utopia in 2016 by offering a mini 4 day sale on selected products.
20% off all shades - to attract the offer apply a special code at the checkout.
Utopia wishes everyone a healthy, happy and prosperous new year.
Lighting Up the Arboretum
At Utopia we relish studying the great outdoors and thinking of new ways we can bring that inspiration inside in a stylish and timeless way that will make our creations truly coveted. So we are delighted at the response to the Arboretum Collection of fine art prints of Jac Scott’s original black and white drawings. Many clients have asked for the same beautiful trees and clean, contemporary aesthetic to be designed for a lampshade. As we pride ourselves on listening to our customers, we have launched the Arboretum Lampshade Collection.
Unlike our other shade collections this one is not limited to only 100 shades. Hence, this unlimited edition enables us to still create a handmade shade using the same top quality materials made by British makers, but also to retail it at a lower price.
This lampshade collection captures original black and white drawings of trees by Jac Scott, with a band of colour along the base and black suede trims. The design is printed on parchment, the same material as on our other designs, which creates a semi-translucent effect and dreamy quality when illuminated. The 30cm drum shade features real trees from the estates of three of the best stately homes in Norfolk: Holkham Hall, Felbrigg Hall and Blickling Hall. Discover a pair of cedars and three holm oaks from Holkham, a multi-trunk beech and a sycamore from Felbrigg, and a grand oak from Blickling Hall.
There is a wonderful palette of earth colours for you to select from – all which compliment most interior schemes.
The designs are available in drum and oval shape shades in five configurations.
The Arboretum Lampshade Collection is a complementary range to our Arboretum Collection of fine art prints which feature a unique study of living trees that can be easily found in the Norfolk landscape.
Our lampshade designs are exclusive to Utopia – each designed and beautifully crafted in Britain. It is our innovative designs and attention to detail (we match up the design at the join, so there is no back and front to our shades) that makes Utopia's lampshades so special.
Please note that the shades are made to order and may take 15-20 working days from receipt of payment.
Lampshade specifications
- Professional manufacturers of over 20 years experience make all our shades in Britain.
- The designs are printed on parchment to create a subtly translucent effect.
- Each shade is finished with a fabric edging ribbon/trim to add a dynamic accent.
- Every design includes the designer’s signature.
- All designs are available in lamp or pendant fitting.
- Each shade carries a bulb wattage recommendation label as standard.
- All lampshades comply with BS EN 60598-2-2:2012 - the British Standard for Luminaries, WEEE and COSSH regulations. All shades have passed the glow-wire test and are made from fire-retardant materials.
- Each shade is wrapped in protective, clear cellophane and includes a trademark Utopia wooden label.
Hurray! New Website Launched
The vision and reality of Utopia has grown significantly in the last two years - we are proud to announce the launch of our new website utopiatheunexpectedgallery.co.uk. (Yes, it is a long URL, but it distinguishes us from the other Utopia’s out there). The new website showcases our products in the same signature ‘utopian style’, but with a more friendly user interface across platforms, plus there is more room for the fine art side of our company which is continually growing.