Nostalgia special: ten minutes with Vivid & Punch

The Affinity chairs. Image credit: Vivid & Punch

Remember the name Vivid & Punch. You will be hearing a lot more about them over the coming months. Based in the Channel islands, design duo Jayne Herbert and Karen Allenet have made their name re-upholstering antique furniture in bright, bold and beautiful textiles. Each piece is unique, and even comes with its own number etched on a discreet brass plaque.

We caught up with the pair and quizzed them on the design process and how they achieve that nostalgic charm.

Our journey began with… our combined love of art, antiques and vintage textiles. We are both artists, and after completing a degree in Fine Art and Design we decided to combine our common interest of collecting interesting items, particularly things linked to the past. We explored the meaning of ‘nostalgia’, and produced a small film on the theory. We constantly scour our islands, France Spain and Itlay, looking for historical needlepoints.

image credit: Vivid & Punch

Our work was similar in that… we used collage and layering techniques, using photography and paint to produce two dimensional objects. We wanted to find a way to make our art functional, fresh and exciting. The combination is powerful and striking –  quirky, yet distinct and modern, tapping into nostalgia and our past. No two are ever the same.

We liked the idea of upholstering original antique pieces… as they are unique in both the way they were made and the design. There are many cheap copies around today, all the same, but Vivid & Punch furniture is completely bespoke. Our pieces are collectable in their own right; each one is numbered with a small brass plaque placed discreetly. We consider them to be heirlooms, and to complement this we also offer a customized service using personal effects.

We work quite primitively… in an old semi-derelict bungalow which is so cute! We are surrounded by our beautiful tapestries, vintage fabrics and antique clothing, from fur coats to ballet dresses, which all hang neatly surrounding us.

Image credit: Vivid & Punch

We source the period pieces at… auctions, antique shops, second hand shops and from private clients.

When it comes to sustainable design… we think there is more of a trend now to recycle and be more innovative with what we already have, and there are some truly superb designers out there creating furniture from all sorts of weird and wonderful things.

It is difficult to choose a favourite Vivid and Punch piece because they all so different… but at the moment we both love the pair of 1950’s chairs called Affinity (pictured, top). The design is slick and very comfortable, the curved back wraps around you, with the four faces creating a sort of narrative. The mixture of traditional studding on a contemporary shape is jarring yet stylish.

We are currently working on… designs for smaller items, soon to be launched in time for Christmas. Our ideas are endless for the future….but one step at a time.

A house becomes a home when… you achieve sense of ease and comfort, mixed with a little bit of chaos!