Studio Levien

17/04/2026

It’s not every day that we are asked to design a “masterpiece” and certainly not every day that we can design one. What Patra in Thailand were asking for is what we call a signature item, or a talking piece. Our Harmony range for Patra is inspired by the Zen Gardens in Japan. We put “Zen Gardens” and “Tableware” into AI and were amazed by what it generated. This serving platter is our design, not designed by AI but definitely influenced by it.

16/04/2026

I was delighted to see that our Isola range was Editor’s Choice in this month’s Tableware International. 20 years on, Costa Verde celebrated with a drinks reception at Ambiente this year and we launched some new pieces for tasting menus.

https://issuu.com/lemapublisihng/docs/tableware_international_march_april_2026

10/04/2026

It’s that time of the year again! We always grow hundreds of Tulips and get a lot of enjoyment out of them. They are a bit early this year but as always they feel like a springboard to the summer.

02/04/2026

My new favourite pastime is metal detecting. I’m looking for a Saxon hoard, bronze age axe head or even a Roman coin or two, but so far have only managed to find a load of old iron, including a couple of horse shoes from the 1800s. Hope springs eternal!

31/03/2026

Our friend Graeme Carr was featured in this lovely film on the Homeworthy Website in the US. It’s a great house and wonderful to see all the things he’s collected over the years.
Graeme has a really good eye, and combines what he finds and what he creates in the most fabulous way. He continues a British tradition of bringing together objects from around the world. In my view, his home and its contents should be listed!

In rural Wiltshire, a former 19th-century schoolhouse has been transformed over four decades into the home of artist and designer Graham Carr, where the original classroom now serves as a soaring great room layered with objects gathered from a lifetime of travel. Italian ceramics, French carvings, I...

27/03/2026

I occasionally lose myself in these Phaidon books, there are three and I stopped turning the pages when I got go this fabulous car in the Mass Production book.

It is an R-Type Bentley Continental and made in 1952, the year of my birth. Only 208 were produced including the prototype which now belongs to a dedicated enthusiast.

The rear wings are muscular and complimented by the fine tapering step detail that runs across the door. A good example of small detail making a big difference.

This has to be one of the most elegant cars ever designed.

25/03/2026

I find things like this fascinating! This is the remains of a ladybird which turned up on my window ledge. It has been wrapped up by a spider and then the spider has managed to eat the insides just perfectly, leaving the shell intact. Spiders are “external digesters” who inject their pray with a sort of venom that starts the digestive process. This spider has done rather a good job – I’m glad I’m not a ladybird!

18/03/2026

We can all think of people who have had a significant positive impact on our lives / careers. Here are two at the very top of my list.

Over a 20 year period working for Ideal Standard in the UK, John Laughton, Head of Design (in the middle) and Roger Cooper, Marketing Director and CEO were hugely supportive of me as a Designer. I will never forget in the early days Roger taking me to the railway station in Hull and his parting words; “we are counting on you Robin”. That was so motivational!
John made huge creative contributions to our projects whilst shunning the limelight. He made an astute observation that I have dined out on ever since; “so Robin, you design products for both ends of the alimentary canal”!

Thank you John and Roger. I am indebted to you both.

12/03/2026

We were curious to find this perfect patch of white on the side of one of our buildings when we recently pruned back some of our buddleia. We turned to our favourite AI bot to try to find out what it was and it led us to this website which told us it was a lichen called Milky White Variolaria, describing it as having a “thick thallus” and being “rimose, areolate and slightly verrucose.” We are none the wiser although we do know that it likes this particular stone.

https://www.westglamorganflora.org.uk/lichens/varicellaria-lactea/

10/03/2026

It was lovely to see that one of my favourite bowl shapes was trending at this year’s Ambiente fair.

06/03/2026

We were delighted to be included in this article in Tableware International. Isola was designed 20 years ago and to celebrate we have brought it up to date with some new pieces for tasking menus.

https://tablewareinternational.com/costa-verdes-robin-levien-designed-isola-collection-celebrates-20-years/

-International-Magazine

The classic Isola collection from Costa Verde, designed by none other than Robin Levien, marks 20 years in production this year. Celebrated with a drinks reception at the recently held Ambiente, Costa Verde also took the opportunity to present new extensions to the collection as it embarks on its ne...