If psychedelic, colourful and memorable design is your jam, then you’re going to want to check out the work of Mr. Buckley. From commercial to residential interiors as well as forays into fashion and product design, Mr. Buckley delivers an electrifying injection of colour, patterns, shapes, materials and life into everything he touches. Its like looking through a kaleidoscope of beautifully curated styles and aesthetics.
Sam Buckley grew up in the English county of Yorkshire, not far from Leeds. He was a regular at The Henry Moore Institute & YSP (Yorkshire Sculpture Park), ingesting the works of Henry himself and Barbara Hepworth to name a couple. He studied Architectural Technology at Edinburgh University and after a number of roles in architecture and engineering he studied for a masters of interior design in Milan. He then interned at Adidas HQ as a corporate designer and has ever since worked concurrently in interiors and fashion - at this moment in time he is leading Hancock Of Scotland through a big rebrand and change of direction with the first new pieces launching in early 2021.
...he admits his ideas can spring from anywhere...
It was after Milan that Sam really started playing with colour, fascinated by how it could dictate the ambience of a space. Over time he has become increasingly more adventurous and this vivacity has become a real emblem of his work and one of his many defining features. A lifelong interest in eye catching stuff, as well as considerable time spent sourcing things, means there is no shortage for inspiration in his eclectic arsenal - he admits his ideas can spring from anywhere, cruising instagram just one of his hunting grounds. For someone who relentlessly browses and traverses the creative world you won’t be surprised to hear that Mr. Buckley has many idols, too many to name in fact. There’s Italian radical designers Ettore Sottsass and Joe Colombo nestled amongst residential studios Flack and Kingston Lafferty Design and let’s not forget a sprinkling of Studio Milo and Sella Concept - a formidable assortment indeed!
...his design process is adaptive and tailored to the nature of the project...
Though Mr. Buckley's stamp is unmistakable, his design process is adaptive and tailored to the nature of the project - a commercial project needs research into the background of the business, its history and the local area - particularly for a branding/art direction job. Residential projects require more time with clients and dipping into their lifestyles, what they want to achieve and their personal taste. Then there’s the fashion assignments, it's the balancing act of designing things that will sell so they are commercially viable but somehow making them interesting enough to stand out. This leads to inevitable and necessary experimentation - Sam admits to pushing the clients in order to find out what is too far as it can set a boundary which he can then draw back from slightly to provide them with a design solution that is both interesting and beautiful whilst also challenging, whether by subject, scale or material. That way he hopes to expand his own interests and appreciations but also those of his clients.
"Today, ridicule. Tomorrow, really cool"
Before you ask, Sam's home is very much in the style of Mr. B - Coates Place. Formerly a four bed student flat that had seen better days, it underwent a complete home renovation and is now a contemporary city pad fit for todays living. Walls are adorned with unique art throughout, pillows and rugs make the space truly pop, the furniture is timeless and classy fixtures and fittings coupled with the high ceilings create a real atmosphere of grandeur and elegance.
Mr. Buckley’s work is mesmerising and thought provoking...
Being an art collector, we are not surprised that Sam has such a good grasp of specifying things for both himself and the clients he works for. His other passions are painting and DJing - we wonder if his music is his usual vibrant, energetic taste transformed into audible form?
Next up for Mr. Buckley is the collaboration with Hancock coming to fruition, restaurants to be completed, the biggest residential job he’s done to date, furniture, some rebrands and a rug or three. If the rugs are anything like the one in Coates Place he can sign us up for one straight away! Mr. Buckley’s work is mesmerising and thought provoking and he signed off in similar fashion with one of his favourite quotes from Nathan Barley for us all to mull over - ‘Today, ridicule. Tomorrow, really cool’.
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To find out more about this artist: http://mrbuckley.co.uk
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