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We interviewed the SBID International Design Awards sponsor for the Residential Design Over £1M category. Alexandra Lewis-Singer, UK Managing Director at THG Paris shares insight into the history of THG as a growing family venture lead by three successive generations. Since 1956, THG has evolved its designs and product lines, but their ethos remains the same. Representing timeless luxury and celebrating the art of living with a high-end collection of bathroom fittings and accessories.
What are the origins of your brand?
Since 1956, THG Paris has established itself as the brand for high end bathroom fittings and accessories. THG Paris resulted from the meeting of three men, André Tétard, Julien Haudiquez and Alexandre Grisoni, who in 1950 created “Robinetterie de la Poste” in Béthencourt-sur-Mer. A few years later the company moved to new premises and changed its name to THG. The brand was active at that period in standard tapware. In the 1970s, THG turned to design valves and has since developed a large range of collections and a extensive catalogue which today, three successive generations continue to work on.
How do you work with interior designers?
We endeavour to assist with providing expert knowledge, quality products and outstanding service. We also provide advice on specification for private properties & larger projects.
What value does your sector add to the interior design industry?
The bathroom has become one of the most important areas of a home. It is now the only room that remains private as open plans appear everywhere. As a result, clients turn that room into a Jewellery box and our luxurious brassware allows for bespoke designs.
How does your offering enhance an interior designer’s projects?
Our sales consultants’ knowledge is both technical and aesthetic, and designers can rely on the service provided. It brings them peace of mind that nothing will be missed. Also, the vast range of products we offer (150 ranges of taps available in over 20 finishes!) goes from the most classical style with crystal and semi-precious stones to cutting-edge and contemporary.
What are the latest trends you’ve noticed in your client’s requests?
Gold is back, but with a twist. A lot of bronzes, brushed finishes – and our pale gold is this year’s best seller!
Why did you want to become a sponsor for the SBID Awards?
We wanted to support the design industry and champion magnificent interiors. Craftsmanship is why we are in this industry and without these properties, we wouldn’t be able to manufacture these goods.
The SBID International Design Awards winners for 2019 will be announced on Friday 25th October!
Tables to attend this year’s SBID Awards are now sold out, but a limited number of individual tickets are still available. Book a seat now!
To find out more about sponsoring the SBID International Design Awards next year, email [email protected]
This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a four-bedroomed, new-build residential property in Berkshire. Allison Pidgeon Interiors worked together with the developer on the specification design throughout. Using their many years of expertise to uniquely tailor the interior design to flow seamlessly with the specification, reflect the aspirations of the purchaser profile, and also the Client’s vision for the development. This resulted in the delivery of a super stylish, yet exquisitely comfortable interior through a stress-free and enjoyable process enhanced by the collective commitment of trusted tradespeople, meticulous project management, and outstanding service. These carefully managed interiors were delivered on time and within budget without compromising on quality, craftsmanship or superior design.
Sector: Residential Design
Company: Allison Pidgeon Interiors
Project: Oak Apples Drive
Location: Berkshire, United Kingdom
What was the client’s brief?
We offered a uniquely personal service to our Client, drafting suggested furniture layouts for all plots on the development. These enabled him to plan functional heating, lighting and electrical layouts for all plots. We also assisted in specification selections throughout, ensuring a nice flow of palette and a high quality of finishes. We joined our Client in numerous meetings at various show rooms to select kitchen and bathroom products and finishes, floor and wall tiling, carpets and hard flooring, paint colours and internal doors and door furniture. We even selected paint colours for the front doors.
Once all these selections were made we used our extensive expertise in residential design, and our research in understanding the target market, to curate timeless interiors which reflect the high quality specification on the development.
What inspired the interior design of the project?
The choice and quality of the specification, the purchaser profile, local competition and the Client’s own vision inspired the remainder of the project. We avoided whimsical trends, garish patterns and colours, and instead focused on providing tactile, comfortable interiors in a muted soothing palette, which are aspirational and sophisticated. We believe this direction was correct for the target market.
Many of the items we supplied were made bespoke for the project including upholstery, soft furnishings, window treatments, furniture, artwork and florals, and we sourced beautiful objects with which to complete dressing of the property.
What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?
To be honest the project was a dream with a delightful Client and we didn’t have any major hurdles.
What was your team’s highlight of the project?
We were delighted to see the property installed and complete, but this was surpassed by our Client’s sheer delight when we handed the property over to him (a day ahead of schedule). The positive feedback we’ve received from the selling agents and interested buyers and the fantastic testimonial our Client has written have all been highlights of the project.
Questions answered by Allison Pidgeon, Director of Allison Pidgeon Interiors
If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring a lavish interior for an new residential development, click here to see more.
We hope you feel inspired by this week’s residential design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
Image Credits: Photography by Chris Snook
This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a lavishly designed interior for an exciting, new residential development in India, providing luxury living in the heart of Mumbai. Elicyon designed this beautiful three-bedroom apartment, due for completion in late 2019, to blend a premium London aesthetic with the eclectic, Art Deco heritage of the city. Contrasting chevron marble flooring, brass details, bold colours and vibrant prints reflect the property’s tropical positioning and complement its surroundings.
Company: Elicyon
Project: Mumbai Development
Location: Mumbai, India
The client’s vision here was to create a ground-breaking project in Mumbai – a luxury apartment building which is on the same level as the world’s leading residential developments. We therefore brought our vast experience in working on such developments – One Hyde Park, Chiltern Place – and combined it with my personal knowledge of the local surroundings in Mumbai. We were brought on board to design the show apartment, so it was our role to create insight into how spaces within the development could be used and to tell its story to future residents.
We were inspired by both our previous work on some of the world’s leading developments – selecting the best suppliers and designing for a global, discerning client in mind – as well as the architecture, colours and textures of Mumbai. A fusion of bold, vibrant colours and tropical prints contrast a striking chevron marble floor with brass details, blending a sophisticated London aesthetic with the Art Deco heritage of the city. The luxurious and eclectic scheme is designed in perfect harmony with its setting.
As sometimes happens with longer-term projects, changes within government and building regulations presented a significant challenge on this project. The local authority in Mumbai amended the fire regulations and so fundamental changes to the layout of the building needed to be made. We are accustomed to such speedbumps and know how to work around them – either the current design can be transposed to the updated layout, or we simply have to start the story again. We work closely with our clients in these situations to ensure that the process is handled as smoothly as possible.
Having grown up in India and retaining strong roots, working in my home country had been a long-cherished ambition. It was wonderful to combine my knowledge of the city, culture and way of living to the project with a strong influence from my design studies, which are European in origin. The project’s vision represents a moment in my personal design journey, a confluence of east and west, celebrating both without detracting from either.
Questions answered by Charu Gandhi, Founder and Director of Elicyon
If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring a warm and welcoming co-working space with a unique approach to office design, click here to see more.
This September, we’re sharing the latest innovations from sustainable bathroom products and modern tap technology, to luxury cellaring options and commercial surface solutions. Polyflor prove that materials matter as their latest vinyl tile collection champions the balance of aesthetics with durability to offer design-led and easy to maintain flooring for commercial environments, while Bette puts sustainability at the forefront as they invest in energy-efficient manufacturing and 100% recyclable materials.
Polyflor relaunch their premium heavy commercial Luxury Vinyl Tile collection, Expona Design
Polyflor, the UK‘s commercial vinyl flooring specialist has announced the relaunch of Expona Design, their premium heavy commercial Luxury Vinyl Tile collection. The new collection now features 30 stand out shades, including 24 brand new designs that incorporate the latest trends in industrial materials, salvaged timbers and rustic metals. Blurring the boundaries between wood and stone with harmonious colour tones across designs, shades can be mixed and matched to zone, transition and make statement in a variety of heavy commercial interiors, across multiple sectors, including retail, leisure and office spaces.
The introduction of four outstanding reclaimed timber designs balance the range by beautifully capturing the natural extremes in colour variation of authentic salvaged wood. It is clear to see this playful, stand out collection delivers individuality alongside practicality and longevity. All Expona products are enhanced with Polyflor PUR, Polyflor’s exclusive and robust polyurethane reinforcement which is cross linked, and UV cured to provide superior cleaning benefits and a cost-effective maintenance regime.
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Housebuilder CALA ensures its latest luxury development has boiling water on-tap with Zip Water UK
Housebuilder CALA Homes turned to Zip Water for a recent development in South Lanarkshire, knowing that having a HydroTap would be a key selling point. Eileen Kesson, interior designer at Envision for CALA Homes comments: “Because of its exclusive nature, it was imperative that all the homes on this development included the most up-to-date product on the market. After Zip was recommended to us by our kitchen supplier Creative Designs, we had no hesitation in including it as standard.”
The product chosen was the Zip HydroTap Celsius Cube in matt black, providing filtered boiling water alongside unfiltered hot and cold. This WRAS-approved 3-in-1 tap ensures the homeowner can not only keep their stunning kitchen worktops free from drink-making clutter, but can enjoy the time-saving benefits of having filtered boiling water in an instant.
Spiral Cellars are passionate about creating elegant, creative and distinctive luxury cellars for wine collections of all sizes
With 35 years of knowledge and expertise under their belts, Spiral Cellars have created more than 4,000 luxury wine cellars in the UK alone and numerous others across the globe. Their portfolio of cellaring options is unrivalled, including bespoke walk-in wine rooms, state of the art wine walls, elegant wine cabinets and of course, their eponymous underground Spiral Cellars. Each and every Spiral Cellar wine room, cabinet or cellar offers the perfect cellaring conditions for both bottle aging and ready-to-drink wines.
Bette’s head of marketing, Sven Rensinghoff (centre) being presented with the EPD by Hans Peters (left) and Dr. Alexander Röder of independent assessors, IBU.
Bette bathroom products’ sustainability standards confirmed
Glazed titanium-steel bath, shower tray and washbasin manufacturer, Bette, has had the sustainability of its products confirmed by a new Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). The EPD, which is based on the ISO 14025 and EN 15804 standards, covers the entire life-cycle of Bette’s products, and their functional and technical qualities. It provides quantitative information on the environmental performance of Bette products, and independent verification of their sustainability.
Bette ensures that sustainability and product durability are central to its manufacturing. Its baths, shower trays and washbasins are made from glazed titanium-steel, which uses only natural materials in its production, and they are so durable that they come with a 30 year warranty. When Bette products do, eventually, reach the end of their life, they are 100% recyclable. Bette has invested in energy-efficient manufacturing and creates 2/3 of its own energy requirements with electricity that it produces itself from renewable sources.
SBID caught up with this year’s SBID International Design Awards sponsor for the KBB Design category. Margaret Talbot, Marketing Manager at VitrA UK shares more about the story behind the brand; from its very beginnings as a Ceramic Factory in Turkey to it’s current standing in the international sanitary and brassware market, VitrA highlights some of the incredible work they do with interior designers and the industry.
VitrA’s heritage can be traced back to 1909, when the renowned Turkish pharmacist Süleyman Ferit Eczacibaşi began producing bathing and cologne products in his pharmacy in Izmir. The Dr Nejat Eczacıbaşı Ceramic Factory, as it was then called, was the forerunner to VitrA. After the Second World War, there came economic revival and an increased demand for ceramic sanitaryware. In 1958 the company opened its first modern production plant and by 1966 became known as VitrA. In order to diversify the company, a brassware plant was opened in 1979. The brand, now an uncontested force in the market, was launched internationally in 1983.
When working with an interior designer, a clear and open dialogue is crucial. The VitrA team immerses themselves in each project, gaining full understanding of the designer’s aims, as well as the challenges that any individual project may pose. To ensure the VitrA team clearly understand the designer’s vision, the first step is for them to provide a brief and an initial mood board to define the scope of their work and provide valuable details on materials, colours and their initial considerations for the bathroom design.
Then follows the conceptual development stage. At this point, a layout design with more technical information and specifications is produced. A specification manager from the VitrA team will use their technical expertise to anticipate and solve any potential problems before they arise to ensure the project runs smoothly all the way through to completion. The designer is heavily involved and works closely with the VitrA team at every stage – this means that both parties, as well as the end client, are pleased with the finished project.
VitrA is passionate about challenging traditional views of the bathroom as a purely functional space and enabling designers to express their creativity in an often-overlooked area.
Led by our Design Director, Erdem Akan, VitrA’s highly accomplished in-house creative team represent the backbone of our design philosophy and culture. They are supported by the multi-disciplinary teams at the VitrA Innovation Centre, which was built as a place for architects and designers to free their imagination and express flair in their product design, while also feeling safe in the knowledge that our specification managers are on hand to ensure that all products meet both the technical and aesthetic demands.
This creativity manifests itself in VitrA’s collaborations with world-renowned designers such as Claudio Bellini for Equal, Ross Lovegrove for Istanbul, Terri Pecora for Plural and Matteo Thun & Partners for Water Jewels.
Superior quality, supply of product and reliable versatility are hallmarks of the VitrA brand, and every component of the bathroom benefits from VitrA’s strong focus on advanced technology and imaginative design. The dedicated team of VitrA product designers collaborate with top global experts to establish new and innovate ideas that enhance not only bathroom aesthetics and functionality, but also each interior designer’s projects.
The new ‘Living Bathroom’ concept presents the bathroom as an informal living space. This evolution of the bathroom ritual celebrates wellness and the joy of spending time in the bathroom. American designer Terri Pecora’s Plural collection for VitrA presents the bathroom as a social hub where people can meet and reconnect. Another big trend of note is the use of geometric shapes and monochrome tones, as used in the Equal collection by Claudio Bellini. Using clean, minimal borders and industrial, metallic accents, Bellini’s designs emulate the structures found in modernist architecture.
We are pleased to be a sponsor of the SBID Awards as they are one of the most prestigious interior awards in the design calendar. VitrA is keen to support interior designers and their fantastic work in the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom sector.
To book a table to attend this year’s prestigious Awards, click here
To find out more about sponsoring the SBID International Design Awards next year, click here
This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a prestigious residential property in the heart of Mayfair with the restoration of a grade II listed townhouse in one of London’s most illustrious addresses for the rental market. Working in close collaboration with Schiller Beynon Interior Design, Shape London, and Cumming Corporation, Portview applied their artisan skills in craftsmanship to uncover a plethora of classical, period features that complement the chic, contemporary interior. Spread over five floors, the spacious property is the perfect retreat from the hustle and bustle of city living, with large, expansive rooms that boast opulent ceilings and ample natural light. Positioned just 0.1 miles from Hyde Park and 0.6 miles from Bond Street, the property offers the city’s most popular leisure destinations just around the corner.
Company: Portview Fit Out Specialists
Project: Mayfair Townhouse Restoration
Location: London, United Kingdom
The brief was to inject the house with a new lease of life by restoring the beautiful period features throughout the property and combine them with new, premium quality finishes and a contemporary colour palette. Essentially, our task was to mix the old with the new to create a very understated, yet luxurious interior that is compatible with modern living.
As this was a residential refurbishment for the rental market, we used our experience in restoring listed properties to deliver an interior that retained its historical integrity to uncover and develop period features into a number of unique selling points.
The house comprises of two reception rooms, a large dining room, and a ground floor drawing room that is located just off the main entrance hall where a stunning console table made of marble, metal and painted wood, awaits. The vestibule area on the first floor – dressed minimally with beautiful basket weave oak flooring – is particularly impressive as an ideal space for entertaining guests.
The master bedroom occupies the second floor and benefits from a separate dressing room and marble clad bathroom that has been finished with a bronze trim and matching brassware. An additional three bedrooms are located on the third floor, each tastefully dressed to the same exacting standard.
From top to bottom, elements of surprise await guests at every level. A great example of this is a roof terrace which boasts stunning views of the surrounding area, ideal for relaxing in the sunshine or socialising casually with friends.
For the lower ground floor, a further bedroom (and bathroom) can be found. In addition, the family kitchen offers a more informal dining space and features a rear, private entrance via the patio garden.
Working with a listed building presents a number of unique challenges. In this case our biggest challenge was the grand nineteenth century staircase, which was actually installed in the mid-1800s from another building. To make it structurally sound, we had to work closely with our engineers and the listed building officer to position the staircase in the correct place, level it out and make it fit for purpose.
In addition, the basement comprised of a lot of small, tiny rooms that needed to be opened out to create more classically proportioned spaces that are in keeping with the architectural style of the building.
The transformation has really been quite remarkable and it’s all largely down to the great relationships we have with our project partners. The Portview team work tirelessly to ensure every detail is carefully considered and that every finish is crafted to the highest standard. The biggest highlight by far is the fact that we exceeded the client’s expectations and that they are very happy with the finished look.
Questions answered by Simon Campbell, Managing Director at Portview
If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring Discovery’s new, inspiring and 5-star green rated head office which stands as an architectural landmark in South Africa, click here to see more.
Portview Fit Out
When it comes to the bathroom, homeowners are increasingly prioritising designs which are not only functional, but also luxurious. Charlie Williams, Interior Designer at Heritage Bathrooms, thinks about how to blend form and function within your clients’ bathroom spaces and shares her expert advice on how best to do so; keeping your bathroom designs ahead of the curve and in line with current client demands and expectations.
Spa-inspired bathrooms are rapidly growing in popularity, providing a relaxing space for homeowners to relax and recharge. But moving away from traditional structures and blurring the lines between vanity areas, bathing areas and the bedroom can be an effective way of creating an immersive space.
You don’t need to knock down walls or reconfigure rooms to achieve this look. Simple additions such as an upholstered chair, statement mirrors or warm metallic accessories can help to redefine the boundaries between different spaces.
Space is a highly valuable luxury and, with smaller homes on the rise, a commodity that is often hard to come by. Storage solutions, such as wall mounted vanity units, like those available within the Caversham range from Heritage, are ideal for providing a sleek finish alongside the storage required for an organised space.
A luxury freestanding bath is the epitome of boutique style, and a popular choice amongst both hoteliers and homeowners for bathrooms of all types. They look beautiful when positioned in the centre of the room alongside a side table or chair.
The Madeira freestanding bath by Heritage is perfect for achieving this look, and combines traditional simplicity with on-trend opulence. The cast iron material is paintable, allowing for designers to select a custom shade of their choice. Or, why not opt for a bath with a metallic finish such as the Holywell from Heritage, which is available in copper, gold and stainless-steel effect finishes. For smaller spaces, opt for ‘baby’ version of the cast iron roll top baths, which are smaller than the standard size and provide spa style that fits the space without compromising on luxury.
Basins are often viewed as a basic essential and can be easily overlooked when bathroom planning. However, a bold, on-trend basin can provide a striking, but subtle focal point for a washroom space, while options like double console basins help to bring a hint of hotel-chic style.
The Victoria double console basin from Heritage Bathrooms is a beautiful example of this style. The design draws inspiration from the Victorian era with beautiful, curved sculpted legs which offer a striking upgrade to a standard pedestal, giving an on-trend twist to traditional styling.
Alternatively, for rooms where space is not an obstacle, two identical basins in a ‘his and hers’ formation can be used to create a Jack and Jill style arrangement. Increasingly in demand, this design will not only aid busy morning routines, but provide users with the luxury of an independent space.
For more inspirational tips on how to create elegant bathroom designs or to see Heritage Bathrooms’ full range of functional yet luxurious bathroom products, visit www.heritagebathrooms.com
This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a harmonious blend of artistic, Oriental concepts with modern design. The environment, light and temperament of the space was designed to imbue occupants with a sense of calmness. Elegant materials set the tone while the design strives for simplicity with an undercurrent of Oriental influences. The furnishings are also simple in style, their lightness, outline and clean lines of the interior scheme achieves a perfect balance. The pure colours, rustic materials and changes in light and shadow are unique, graceful and restrained throughout. Together they combine a modern design language with traditional culture, infusing the Oriental artistry with the minimal aesthetics.
Sector: Show Flats & Developments Design
Company: INNEST Interior Design
Project: Foshan Green Island Lake Villa
Location: Foshan, China
This project was designed for our client, YANGO Group. Established in 1995 in Fuzhou city, Fujian Province, China, YANGO has now become the top 500 enterprises in the world, providing services in real estate, business operation and property management. It has now set up more than 30 branch offices around China.
As designers, we think to convey a cultural temperament through a space is necessary for interior design. Every era has its own design language. This particular project brings an oriental artistic conception into each room with unique design techniques so as to enable more people to enjoy its artistic atmosphere, which us designers hope can also exert positive influence on the next generation with a nod to the heritage which inspires it.
Integrating all the design concepts we developed for the space to convey the right tone and impression for the interior. As the images demonstrate, in the shape of modernity, the project portrays Oriental connotations, integrates elements of nature and architecture, as well as cultivate an atmosphere of tranquillity and prosperity. With history and culture reflected in the details, it emphasises the simplicity and low-key oriental luxury. The overall space conveys a subtle and restrained temperament. The project also uses the changing natural light and shade in the space to achieve a balance between oriental perception and fashion.
The environment, light and temperament of the interior creates a supreme sense of calmness and underlying luxury. The materials used create the luxurious temperament of the space while the overall design strives for simplicity. Furnishings, which are also simple in style and structure to complement the minimal aesthetic, are placed in careful alignment together to create synergy; with amiable styling and the integration of oriental design features, we achieved a good balance so this is a key highlight for us.
Why did you enter the SBID International Design Awards?
To share our design concept with others around the world in the interior design industry and to better improve ourselves.
Questions answered by Yu Chao and Guanghui Zeng, Founder and Creative Director of INNEST Interior Design
If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring a fun family beach house with a vibrant, colourful aesthetic, click here to see more.
We hope you feel inspired by this week’s design for show flats and developments! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
INNEST Interior Design | SBID International Design Awards
This July, our product highlights for the month offer design solutions for a range of spaces; from kitchen to bedroom, bathroom and home office! With sustainable storage and furniture solutions to add practicality to home offices, or functional modular wardrobe systems to create stylish spaces for organising bedrooms, we’ve got the latest recommendations for every room! Scroll to find out more.
Since USM’s very beginning, sustainable development has been a keystone of its business
As a furniture company, that means two things. Firstly, it holds itself to the very highest standards when it comes to the materials and production methods it uses and the energy and emissions it produces. Secondly, USM does everything it can to provide its customers with furnishings that allow them to live in a sustainable manner. USM build and frequently redevelop its factories and workshops to meet a high standard of environmentalism. The steel at the heart of its products is highly recyclable, and its manufacturing processes are carefully built around the goals of energy efficiency and almost total recyclability at every stage.
In 2007, USM became the first European company to be certified by the Greenguard Environmental Institute for the low particle and chemical emissions of its products. Low emissions make home and work environments healthier by reducing indoor air pollution. In 2018 its continued dedication to sustainability awarded USM the Cradle to Cradle® certification for its USM Haller and USM Kitos M ranges.
USM build products that endure: wear-resistant materials, fine craftsmanship, durable designs, and timeless style all ensure that USM furniture lasts a lifetime.
A functional, designer model with a strong contemporary accent: Martini presents the Essenza wardrobe
Choosing the right wardrobe plays a fundamental role in the organisation of the bedroom. Martini offers flexible, modular systems to meet every need, creating the ideal solution for keeping clothes, shoes, accessories and jewellery in order, and the new Essenza wardrobe has been conceived to allow the project designer to create furnishings with no limits, with or without doors. For a functional, designer setting with a strong contemporary accent, the Martini programme of walk-in and closed wardrobes in Titanium Oak and Platinum White is given an extra touch of elegance thanks to the leather coverings and metal details. The light-coloured interiors are completed with an endless variety of accessories and LED lighting.
With shoe and clothes racks, accessory compartments and shelves available, the Martini wardrobe can be customised for both him and her. The composition designed for him is in India Rosewood, with dark leather and metal profiles with a brass finish. Dividers, rasters and shoe holder elements help optimise space and keep clothes and a whole range of different clothing accessories in perfect order. The wardrobe for her is light and sophisticated, with Platinum White lacquering that highlights the brushed steel details. The spaces are equipped with painstaking detail, and the island features an elegant, supremely practical make-up area. The matte, satin-finish steel adds a vintage touch to the whole structure, and the pull-out columns and parts fitted with doors offer a stylish environment for belongings.
Introducing the THG Paris West Coast Collection with Timothy Corrigan
With offices in Paris and Los Angeles, Timothy Corrigan’s timeless design philosophy combines European elegance with California comfort. Timothy comments on his recent collaboration with THG Paris:
“I have always been so impressed by the beautiful design and extraordinary attention to detail that one finds in all of the THG Paris products, that one cannot but compare them to jewellery for the bathroom. The intricate details and pleasure that one feels when touching the handles turns a routine and often mundane experience into one that is special. For me, beauty and detail are a basic part of the THG Paris DNA. With that thought in mind, I looked back at a period when jewellery and decorative objects became a greater part of a everyday life: the 1920’s and 30’s. When some of the most beautiful silver and jewellery pieces were created by such leading French and American jewellery makers as: Cartier, Christofle, and Tiffany’s.”
Cosentino’s Dekton® Stonika blends with nature to create 4 classic colours of a hyper-realistic beauty
Vibrant veined patterns and textures with the highest technological performance of a revolutionary surface. Dekton® Stonika upholds Cosentino’s high quality standards with its thermal and scratch resistance; belonging to the XGloss collection, it retains the same scratch properties as other polished colours. Base and surface react in the same way to temperature changes, avoiding common cracks caused by the difference in expansion between the two elements.
Inspired by the quartzite of the Taj Mahal, the Dekton® Stonika Taga is an interpretation adapted to current trends while maintaining the character of natural stone. The general greyish tones with marble and crystalline veins enhance its natural structure. Its splendid sheen and aesthetic quality contribute to making this a premium model.
Bisque launches competition to find the next generation of stylish radiators
Named one of The Observer’s CoolBrands three years in a row, Bisque paved the way for a radiator revolution. Notable models include the Leaf and Cactus radiators, while partnerships with the likes of Paul Priestman have kept Bisque at the forefront of cutting-edge radiator design ever since.
The pioneering British design brand has announced an exclusive competition to find the ‘next big thing’ in luxury radiators and celebrate its landmark 40th anniversary. Budding designers and Bisque fans alike will be invited to join the movement and make their mark on the design industry by creating the brand’s newest model. Eagle-eyed Bisque fans may recall the last time Bisque invited the public to design a new model to join its repertoire. The prize model, the Archibald – designed by Italian Leo Salzedo – went on to win the 2006 designboom competition and is still one of the brand’s most iconic and instantly recognisable radiators today.
Find out more
This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a timeless residential design for a young family of three. Inspired by 1930’s American luxury interiors, the apartment incorporates stylistic Art Deco influences as well as classic New York city design qualities throughout in light of the family’s vision after returning from a recent trip to NYC. Alexandr Shepel Architecture and Design worked closely with the client to create a design scheme which complimented their needs, requirements, lifestyle and tastes, whilst also reflecting Alexandr’s signature style as an interior designer.
Company: Alexandr Shepel Architecture and Design
Project: Private Apartment
The project was designed for a young family of three. At that time, the owners of the apartment had recently returned from a trip to New York and were still fresh in the memory of the impressions, designs and inspirations found in the local interiors, architecture and atmosphere of this fascinating city so naturally, they wanted us to capture this ‘New York city vibe’ in the design of their new family apartment.
Based on the client’s travels, the inspiration for the project was found in the American luxury interiors of the twentieth century, namely the 1930’s and the rapid flowering period of Art Deco with bright memories of Manhattan and New York.
The client’s fully shared and provided us with their stylistic vision and gave us full freedom to its realisation that in result was embodied in a perfect and verified, modern but classic interior.
I had a goal to create a timeless interior within my signature style as an interior designer. I worked closely with the clients to ensure the process from initial concept to final completion were both easy and to their requirements.
We were given very short time frame to implement the design of the project. We had only one year from project’s inception itself to develop the concept, designs, logistics, implementation and final fit-out.. Just 12 months and a 200 m2 space in which also needed some repairs before proceeding to implement the final interior design scheme.
Our task was to develop a design project and place orders at all factory contractors so that they could produce products and deliver them on time. All departments of our bureau worked cohesively and together, so that we coped and delivered with the task on time!
Luckily, despite the time constraints, our client trusted us completely so our work was easy and successful. To me, it is very important when the customer can fully trust the creative flow of the designer and not make adjustments during the implementation of the project. I think this is the greatest achievement!
Throughout the design process our priority is always to exceed our client’s expectations and to ensure that they enjoy the journey as much as we do. And with this project, we certainly achieved that!
Questions answered by Alexandr Shepel, Chief Designer at Alexandr Shepel Architecture and Design
If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring stunning CGI visualisations for an apartment building near the sandy coastline of the Baltic Sea, click here to see more.
Alexandr Shepel Architecture and Design | SBID International Design Awards
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