HAMPTON Court Castle will be the setting for a unique event on Herefordshire’s creative calendar, as the first Design for Living Show takes place in the grounds over the weekend of July 14-15.

Featuring more than 50 quality makers and creative businesses, the show, from the organisers of the Hereford Contemporary Craft Fair, focuses on the contemporary home and garden.

More than half the exhibitors work locally and include some exciting new enterprises, such as Belatrova, a collaboration between painter Peter Arscott and potter Stuart Houghton resulting in porcelain dishes, bowls, squeeze jugs and in table paintings all combing the artist’s touch with a keen eye for practical use, and shown for the first time at the Design for Living Show.

While each piece is distinctive, they also complement each other when used in combinations.The ceramic pieces are all made in Belatrova’s studios in Little Marcle and Bishop’s Frome, where each unique table painting is also created.

Many years after qualifying at Birmingham College of Art and Design – and after having run a highly successful gifts business for more than 30 years – Stuart is now once again enjoying focusing his creative instincts on the Belatrova collaboration.

Peter is a self-taught artist and has had a number of solo and group shows – including exhibiting at the Royal Academy Annual Exhibition, at the Jerwood Drawing Prize and at a number of galleries in the UK and abroad.

Husband-and-wife team

Another local company exhibiting to the public for the first time is Lippicker Designs, started by husband-and-wife team Deborah Allison and David Williams to create a solution to their own interior challenge.

“We needed to tackle storage in our own home,” explains Deborah. “We don’t live in a large house and with two adults and two children we needed to be clever with the available space.

“Having worked in the arts for many years we also wanted storage solutions that were special and unique, handcrafted as well as practical. So we designed a storage box, inspired by our interest in the decoration of illuminated manuscripts.

The business is a good combination of our skills as a husband and wife team – carpentry, painting and long experience of working in the arts.”

The Hampton Court event will also offer the opportunity to explore the MorphPOD, an innovative small timber building with a number of applications, from glamping to garden office.

As well as work from established makers and businesses, a selection of work by graduates of Hereford College of Arts will be on display, including unique vessels made by artist-blacksmith Stuart Makin and woodcarvings created by Sophie Walker.

With demonstrations throughout the weekend of woodturning and artistblacksmithing, the awardwinning gardens to explore, and pottery demonstrations for the children, there’s plenty of inspiration on offer.

Entry to Hampton Court Castle provides free entry to the show, which runs 10.30am to 5pm both days.

For further details, contact the community arts officer on Community Arts Officer 01432 260182 or Hampton Court on 01568 797777.