Making Spaces at Decorex 2026

The Making Spaces programme at Decorex 2026 brings together approaches to production ranging from traditional craft techniques to biological materials. Now in its fifth edition, the programme features 14 independent makers selected from more than 200 applications.

Taking place at Olympia London from 11 to 14 October, Decorex 2026 focuses on the processes behind designed objects through its Making Spaces programme. Working with materials including ceramics, glass, textiles, wood, stone and paper, participants present their work while sharing their production methods with visitors through live demonstrations and workshops.

Launched in 2021, the programme aims to establish direct connections between independent makers, architects and interior designers. Participants are selected by a committee of seven specialists from the British craft and design sector.

Traditional Techniques and Material Knowledge

Among the notable participants in Making Spaces 2026 is Gary Drostle, who has worked in mosaic art for more than thirty years. Using traditional Roman hammer-and-hardie techniques, the artist produces mosaics entirely by hand, without machinery, for public spaces, private commissions and architectural surfaces.

Stone artist Zoë Wilson works with British stone using a mallet and chisel to produce geometric wall sculptures and freestanding objects. In both practices, the shaping of materials depends directly on manual skills and technical knowledge developed over many years.

Porcelain artist Helen Johannessen explores the tactile qualities of her material, while Michèle Oberdieck investigates the relationship between light, colour and organic form in glassmaking.

Waste Materials and New Approaches to Production

London-based designer Matt Kavanagh collects fallen hardwood trees from across the city to create functional sculptures. The origin of the wood, its history and the production process play a defining role in the design of each object.

Furniture designer Eleanor Pickin also works with reclaimed and waste materials. Using marquetry techniques, she approaches furniture not only as a functional object but also as a carrier of personal narratives.

Multidisciplinary designer Julia Brière works across bio-integrated design, material systems and interactive environments. Brière’s approach introduces a different field of research alongside the traditional production practices represented in Making Spaces.

Glass, Paper and Textile Production

Glass artist Verity Pulford develops kiln-formed and cast glass works informed by marine life and the structural characteristics of non-flowering plants.

Paper artist Catherine Hammerton uses paper, wire and found objects to create botanical sculptures. Her work combines detailed floral forms with everyday and previously used objects.

In textiles, Megan Leech’s woven works and Nowshin Prenon’s handwoven designs, informed by her Bengali cultural heritage, bring different production traditions into the programme.

Making the Production Process Visible

Making Spaces is not limited to the exhibition of finished design objects. Live demonstrations and workshops allow visitors to examine directly how materials are processed, which techniques are used and how makers develop their design decisions.

At Decorex 2026, this approach provides a setting for considering contemporary craft not only through decorative objects but also through production knowledge, material use and independent design practice.