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NEW DESIGN: BLOCKLEY CUTLERY

NEW DESIGN: BLOCKLEY CUTLERY

Blockley has been created to be perfectly balanced and satisfying to hold and use, with no uncomfortable edges. It is a straight forward, minimalist pattern with no fussy detailing, decidedly suited to the contemporary table.


Inspired by the clean lines of modernist design and architecture, Blockley is a slender, linear cutlery pattern. Each piece has a distinctive hollow running down the length of the handle which catches and reflects light.

In 1961, Robert Welch bought a plot of land, the former kitchen Garden of Alveston Leys near Stratford-upon-Avon. He worked with London architects, Elie Mayorcas and Patrick Guest to create a one-storey, modernist house. His home reflected his central design ethos - economy of form, priority of function, but not at the expense of aesthetics.

The house was open-plan and minimalist, but decorated eclectically. One of the few pieces of modern furniture in the house, their ‘museum piece’ as Robert’s wife called it, was a black chaise longue designed by architect Le Corbusier in the 1920s.

“Early on I was inspired by architecture, by Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe, and Marcel Breuer. I went to see Corbusier’s Ronchamp chapel just after it was built. But lately, my sources of inspiration have been painters and sculptors, Brancusi and Giacometti, for example.” Undated article, Sources of Inspiration, Robert Welch talking to Jeremy Myerson

Inspired by the clean lines of modernist design and architecture, Blockley is a slender, linear cutlery pattern. Each piece has a distinctive hollow running down the length of the handle which catches and reflects light.

In 1961, Robert Welch bought a plot of land, the former kitchen Garden of Alveston Leys near Stratford-upon-Avon. He worked with London architects, Elie Mayorcas and Patrick Guest to create a one-storey, modernist house. His home reflected his central design ethos - economy of form, priority of function, but not at the expense of aesthetics.

The house was open-plan and minimalist, but decorated eclectically. One of the few pieces of modern furniture in the house, their ‘museum piece’ as Robert’s wife called it, was a black chaise longue designed by architect Le Corbusier in the 1920s.

“Early on I was inspired by architecture, by Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe, and Marcel Breuer. I went to see Corbusier’s Ronchamp chapel just after it was built. But lately, my sources of inspiration have been painters and sculptors, Brancusi and Giacometti, for example.” Undated article, Sources of Inspiration, Robert Welch talking to Jeremy Myerson

Robert Welch Designs has been creating beautifully designed, thoughtful pieces for over 65 years. The company has always believed that intuitive design is transformative, and at the heart of every piece is an understanding of form and texture. Form - the three-dimensional shape of an object – is the sculptural aspect of a piece; the way a knife sits in your hand or how a jug pours. While texture defines the surface and gives an object its tactile nature. With these two design elements in mind, items are painstakingly designed and crafted, fashioned from the best possible materials.

The inspiration for each and every piece that has been created over the years comes from two initial thoughts – what to create and how will it look. The vision lies in seeing a new possibility and being inspired to translate that into something tangible and beautiful.

Where does one draw one’s inspiration from? “There is no one source, one just sort of reacts to life. Inspiration can come from anywhere; from bubbles, from looking at a beehive, from looking at a bird’s nest... Anything can happen. It’s just one of these things that cannot really be pinpointed, you just are alert and aware and receptive, and somehow things just happen. Inspiration comes from all around, be it natural or manmade. Often when I least expect it.”

Kit DeBretton Gordon - Head of Design, Robert Welch

Inspired by the clean lines of modernist design and architecture, Blockley is a slender, linear cutlery pattern. Each piece has a distinctive hollow running down the length of the handle which catches and reflects light.

In 1961, Robert Welch bought a plot of land, the former kitchen Garden of Alveston Leys near Stratford-upon-Avon. He worked with London architects, Elie Mayorcas and Patrick Guest to create a one-storey, modernist house. His home reflected his central design ethos - economy of form, priority of function, but not at the expense of aesthetics.

The house was open-plan and minimalist, but decorated eclectically. One of the few pieces of modern furniture in the house, their ‘museum piece’ as Robert’s wife called it, was a black chaise longue designed by architect Le Corbusier in the 1920s.

The tactile nature of Sandstone is a unique texture that can be compared to stippling painterly effect. Sandstone uses a blank canvas on which a random sand texture has been applied using a small punching tool into the master tools. This resulted in a subtle feature, by incorporating a gradual fading of the texture into the neck of each piece.

The beautiful surface reflects the light with a gentle glow, creating a statement on the table alongside both formal and casual tableware.

“Early on I was inspired by architecture, by Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe, and Marcel Breuer. I went to see Corbusier’s Ronchamp chapel just after it was built. But lately, my sources of inspiration have been painters and sculptors, Brancusi and Giacometti, for example.” Undated article, Sources of Inspiration, Robert Welch talking to Jeremy Myerson

The pared back, linear design of Blockley has firm foundation Robert Welch’s legacy. As with all of Robert Welch Designs inspiration does not impose on functionality and each pattern is created to be perfectly balanced and satisfying to hold and use.

 

The pared back, linear design of Blockley has firm foundation Robert Welch’s legacy. As with all of Robert Welch Designs inspiration does not impose on functionality and each pattern is created to be perfectly balanced and satisfying to hold and use.

 

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