The last five decades seem to have encompassed a stratosphere of
change. As Martin comments: 'The 1970s may have been the decade
that taste forgot but it was also an age of exuberant expectation
of a future that has only come to pass in part. Food has improved
beyond recognition and communication has exploded but hover cars,
lunch in a pill, England winning the World Cup are all as far away
as ever. Mortgages, Mick Jagger and Star Wars are still with us,
Communism, Concord and cassettes are not.'
Here we travel back and celebrate some of the Andrew Martin's
highlights: from championing African kuba cloth to repaving the
Silk Route; pairing battered leather trunks with flashing neon
posterboards. Coining the Andrew Martin brand of Fusion Interiors,
where influence is forever taken from an assortment of styles,
cultures and eras, see how Martin's multilayered approach to design
has become a cornerstone for today's aesthetic - the era that he
names the Kaleidoscope Age.
1970s
The stylised outlines of Mid Century Modern paired with
shinier, bolder colours. The cultural obsession with space and
futurism seeps indoors.
1980s
The 80s saw the rise in Indian motifs as our Jehangir elephant
print becomes a bestseller. A throwback to heritage crests, think
rich reds interweaved with cream and yellow. Chintz and Laura
Ashley style florals are in full swing.
1990s
Asian fusion sees zen-faced buddhas and the launch of our
Chinese calligraphy inspired fabric, Tang, which has since migrated
all over the world. Neon posterboards and model monochrome bring us
into the Millennium.
2000s
Vintage one-offs, battered leather armchairs and trunks mix
with tribal artefact and African safari-inspired fabric. Open plan
loft style leads to the pared-back industrial trend which straddles
the next decade.
2010s
Martin coins this the Kaleidoscope Era, where heightened
globalisation allows for the beautiful amalgamation of styles,
cultures and influences. In this decade we've seen a resurgence of
the 60s and 70s, colour and geometric pattern from South America
and industrial minimalism turn to ecelectic maximalism.
Forty years after its launch, this British brand still champions innovation