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This May, Graham & Brown brings art into the home with the launch of its exclusive TATE collection, in the form of 32 fully customisable wall murals. These showcase some beautiful works of art by artists, including J. M. W. Turner, Claude Monet, Ethel Walker, Jessica Dismorr and Vincent Van Gogh.

Pasmore - Spiral Motif. A pioneer in British abstract art throughout the 1940s and 50s, Pasmore’s Spiral Motif in Green, Violet, Blue and Gold.
Monet - Poplars on the Epte. Part of a series of paintings completed in 1891, his impressionist style captures the trees’ leaves with strong directional brushstrokes.

Rosey Blackmore, Licensing and Merchandise Director at TATE:

“We are thrilled to be working with Graham & Brown on a collection of murals which gives people the chance to live with the art they love. Our mission at Tate is all about encouraging the enjoyment of art- and we believe that these products will truly do that.”

Kandinsky - Swinging. Kandinsky rejected realism in his abstract pieces, believing instead that art should mimic music and avoid all references of the material world.
Turner - Chichester Canal. This tranquil oil painting depicts the beauty of Chichester canal in rich ochres and subtle blues, and captures the reflections casted by the setting sun.

Alan Kemp, Head of Brand at Graham & Brown:

“We [Graham & Brown] are privileged to have had the opportunity to browse the TATE collection and choose some exquisite works of art to create some of the most stunning custom murals available. It has been a truly exhilarating project to work on. As TATE has a vast archive containing some of the most iconic pieces of art in the world, we had some tough decisions to make, but we are thrilled to be able to bring these great pieces into the home. Why frame your favourite painting when you can have a wall full of it, or your very own ceiling mural? Your favourite piece of art your way, is only limited by your imagination.”

Turner - Lucerne. This piece is one of many studies of the Swiss lake which the artist visited during his extensive travels around Europe.
Gilbert - Blackmore Vale. Gilbert captures the lush greenery of the Blackmore Vale of Dorset in this oil painting.

This exclusive range of murals includes works from Dutch pioneer of abstract art, Piet Mondrian, who developed from early landscape pictures to geometric abstract works such as Composition with Yellow, Blue & Red (1935). Contrastingly, Victor Pasmore’s Spiral Motif in Green, Violet, Blue and Gold: The Coast of the Indian Sea (1950), presents a harmony of colourful curvilinear forms, a striking piece, perfect for creating a focal point in any room.

Turner Gateway to the Flower. This intricately detailed etching depicts the elaborate gateway into the flower gardens of Farnley Hall in Yorkshire.
Whistler - Nocturne. Adorned with Whistlers characteristic butterfly signature, Nocturne: Blue and Silver - Chelsea depicts the River Thames at dusk.

British artist, Jessica Dismorr’s, Abstract Composition (1915) features a series of pastel-coloured geometric forms, reminiscent of architectural components, overlapping on a black ground. A dark yellow triangular prism with a curved side provides a vertical focus and splits the composition in two. Another mural featuring Dismorr’s works is Related Forms (1937), an abstract nature of works comprising of cooling blue hues.

Osborn - Beach at Dusk. With a muted colour palette of blues and browns, Beach at Dusk, St Ives Harbour showcases the tranquil scenery at twilight.
Crane - The Renaissance of Venus. Inspired by Botticelli’s famous Birth of Venus and painted during his honeymoon, Crane depicts the emergence of the Roman goddess of love.

Fully customisable to meet customers’ specifications and dimensions, Graham & Brown’s online easy-to-use, made-to-measure tool allows customers to personalise each of Graham & Brown’s unique mural designs to their walls, making them easy to hang with minimal waste.

The range of Graham & Brown paper substrates allow the mural to be personalised even further. Handpicked by Graham & Brown studio, the selection of premium paper finishes each offer a key feature or benefit. From ‘Premium Fabric Effect’ , a woven textured finish perfect for masking existing wall imperfections, to ‘Mica Fibrous’ a luxurious lustre which shimmers in the light, you can choose a finish which is guaranteed to suit your personal style. The mural production is powered by renewable energy, it uses water-based inks and all papers come from sustainable sources.

Duncan - Bathing. With each figure appearing to represent the various stages of movement of one lone figure, this piece is full of motion and life.
Buhler - Carlyle Square. This rich green oil painting depicts the gardens of Carlyle Square, Chelsea.

Cover image: Sleter – A Representation of the Liberal Arts. Designed for the ceiling of the State Dining Room of Grimsthorpe Castle, this early 18th century oil painting created the illusion of a golden, coved ceiling which spills into the godly world. It features Minerva, goddess of wisdom and the arts, and Mercury, identified with reason and learning.

About Graham & Brown

For over seventy-five years, Graham & Brown has inspired people to think people differently about their walls through continuous innovation, creativity, and craftsmanship. Graham & Brown has created an extensive archive of over 30,000 pieces, comprising of in-house designs and historic works, some dating back over two hundred years. Each day this archive grows as the Graham & Brown design team create artwork in Blackburn, Holland, and France.
The UK’s leading wallpaper manufacturer, Graham & Brown has expanded its collection to include paint, murals, wall art and soft furnishings. The brand leads the way in technology and innovation with an augmented reality app that enables users to visualise pattern and colour on a wall.

If you’d like to feature your product news here, get in touch to find out more. 

If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.

Introducing Bellissimo – a collection of sixteen distressed leathers designed to be remarkably livable, strikingly relaxed, and best of all, unexpectedly tasteful. Each uniquely beautiful. Bellissimo is designed to take what life dishes out, including the busy, active movements of kids, pets, and people. Its classic colors, casual appearance, and virtually scratch-resistant surface make it an excellent option for all upholstery applications, especially high traffic areas. It passes IMO flammability requirements for private yachts and may be treated to pass FAR requirements for aviation use.

This is a sophisticated leather with warmth, personality, and a one-of-a-kind appearance that seamlessly blends the best of both old and new, urban and rustic in one effortless design statement. The distressed surface of Bellissimo reveals a unique depth of color, soft luster, and a richly satisfying hand unlike anything that grandfather would recognize on his favorite recliner. Comforting? Absolutely. Boring? Never.

The rich and relaxed character of Bellissimo features a natural grain, which is accentuated as part of a multi-step tanning process and is not created by embossing. Bellissimo’s distinctive aged and distressed appearance is obtained by using a blend of waxes and dry milling. This important step breaks the wax finish and creates the unique pattern and personality of Bellissimo. Like all classic leathers, this natural and scratch-resistant surface will only improve with age.

Whether it’s used to adorn your client’s prestigious office space, comfortable home, relaxing yacht, or private jet, this remarkable leather will endure all of life’s precious moments with ease and grow even more beautiful over time. Liberate yourself and embrace the noncurated, unembellished moments in life, without worry.

That’s Bellissimo.

Live your life. Love your leather.

Please contact your local sales representative to learn more about this exquisite collection and to request samples, or visit our website at www.garrettleather.com.

About Garrett Leather

For more than 30 years, interior designers, upholsterers, and manufacturers have used Garrett Leather products for private and corporate aircraft; corporate, hospitality, and residential interiors; luxury motor coaches, high-end cars, and private yachts. They are a privately-owned company dedicated to building relationships and earning their customers’ loyalty by providing the highest quality leather and a superior customer experience.

If you’d like to feature your product news here, get in touch to find out more. 

If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.

In this week’s interview with SBID Awards Interior Design judge and Design Director EMEA at Tetris, Nuno Fernandes discusses the connection between technology and built environments. He shares his insights on specifying products for different environments and gives valuable advice for approaching design projects.

How important is innovation and technology when it comes to the future of our built environments?

Innovation is the overarching priority when responding to our clients. Now more than ever it’s about connecting people to the building be that a residence or an office and technology should make people’s lives comfortable and easy.

Astra Zeneca, Italy

Driving the development of virtual reality and the design of digital environments – what opportunities could the metaverse provide for the interior design world?

The metaverse really opens a whole new world of work opportunities for designers and architects. We can now also offer our clients a digital experience as there will be a transition between physical and digital in our day to day lives moving forward. Perhaps, for culture and identity consistency, those two projects are designed concurrently.

When designing for commercial projects across hospitality, retail and the workplace – how do you approach the product specification? Does it differ between specialisms and what are your key considerations?

Yes, it differs. Whereas in hospitality there is a big effort in economy of scale and procurement optimization, for retail, at the high end as is our case, many elements are custom built or even one-off’s. Workplace product specifying is now becoming much more diverse meaning that in one project we have now more products driven by all the different work environments within the same project.

Diageo, The Netherlands

How do you ensure the interior designs you produce are powerful and inspiring, whilst meeting the core needs of your client, their business and the ultimate end-users?

A combination of rational and emotional is our weapon. Our designs should be anchored on the needs of the clients and the users of that space hence why our design is data driven, we then love to tell a story that meets the business and users’ needs while close to their hearts.

Finally, what advice can you give to designers entering the SBID Awards?

Always push your concepts beyond your comfort zone, design is about innovation whilst providing a solution.

Questions answered by Nuno Fernandes, Design Director EMEA, Tetris.

We don’t just create inspiring spaces for businesses. We create inspiring places for people.
As a leading design and build company with global reach, we create environments that are beautiful, functional, inspirational and sustainable.
We deliver our services to businesses of all sizes on projects in the office, retail and hotel sectors, among others, counting many of the world’s most iconic brands as our clients.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features modern and fun bathroom designs for a contemporary apartment by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Studio Modha.

SBID Awards Category: KBB Design

Practice: Studio Modha

Project: Royal Docks

Location: London, United Kingdom

What was the client’s brief? 

The client wanted a complete refurbishment of his flat, opening up the space as much as possible, drawing inspiration from hotel suites and nature around it.

This flat had not been updated in over 10-15 years. We completely refurbished the flat, transforming it from a two bed, one bathroom and one wc to a three bed property with two full bathrooms. The client requested a modern and fun scheme, which we layered with complimentary colours and features. We revamped the whole apartment, from the kitchen to sanitary ware, flooring, lighting, window treatments and hardware.

What inspired the design of the project?

The Project was based in the docklands, surrounded by so much nature, e.g. river Thames and local parks. We wanted to bring in the earthy tones and textures, for example with the terrazzo effect tiles and the warm greys, browns and blues throughout. In addition, the client wanted to feel like he was in a different space through-out the property so we used different colours and textures in each space, including dead salmon from farrow and ball. Not a colour we get to use often and definitely a brave one!

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

We had a soil pipe that was really far off the ground in the guest bathroom, and because it was in a flat we couldn’t move it!  This created a huge issue as the client had his heart set on a wetroom shower. We ended up having to raise the floor significantly (a whole 25cm)  which brought up the issue of ceiling height (which wasn’t huge in the first place). We ended up having to increase the height of the shower head and create 2 step ups instead of 1 to make it look like the ‘step up’ was intentional. Luckily it all worked out in the end and made the shower area feel even more lux!

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

It’s got to be overcoming the hurdle I described in the previous question, we went back and forth for weeks thinking of a solution so you can imagine the joy when we finally came up with one. Another thing to mention is that our client didn’t want to see any of the progress on site, so the look on his face when he saw it all finished was really rewarding to see.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

Honestly, it was Studio Modha’s first year running and one of the first projects we completed. I have always admired the caliber of designers/studios and projects within the awards and only dreamed of being a part of it. It was a huge shock when I received the congratulatory email!

Questions answered by Neha Modha, Director, Studio Modha.

We hope you feel inspired by this week’s design!

If you missed the last instalment of Project of the Week, featuring an intricate historical bar design by SHH, click here to read it.

While the name may seem like interior designers are restricted to indoor spaces, they can actually be used for outdoor spaces as well. While some aspects of interior design only apply to indoors, a lot of design elements are just as easily applied to outdoor spaces.

For more about what an interior designer can bring to an outdoor space, read on to find out.

Patio

A patio is commonly seen as an extension of the home, so should be designed in collaboration with an interior. This is where an interior designer can bring their skills to an outside space, creating a unified look and feel to the space. Elements such as furniture and flooring are essential to a patio, so an interior designer can help pick items ideal for your vision that will match up with the rest of your house.

Just like they do with interiors, an interior designer can design a patio that maintains a great flow. This is great if you intend to use your patio to socialise regularly. An interior designer’s eye for creation will have to be slightly different when working outside, especially in terms of furniture. They’ll have to make sure they think about elements such as the weather, picking items that are durable in the case of high winds and also weather-resistant in the case of rain.

Lighting is another important aspect a designer can help with. Outside spaces are constantly dependent on the weather, with certain parts of it only in sunshine at certain hours of the day. A designer must consider how to light a space so it can be used all day/night and in all weather conditions.

 

Plants

Plants and wildlife have become an essential element of interior design over the years, as many seek to bring the outside inside with plants and other wildlife. This is why a talented interior designer should have the skills to expertly design a space incorporating plants, including outside spaces.

 

Focal Point

Many gardens are constructed around a focal point, a technique also commonly used in inside spaces. An interior designer can help you enhance your garden by making a focal point. This could be an outdoor pool, a pizza oven or a BBQ.

Find Interior Design Experts

If you’re looking for an interior designer for your indoor or outdoor project, The Society of British & International Interior Design can help. Our members have the training, experience and expertise to deliver a project brief to the highest professional standards. You can use our Designer Directory to browse an extensive database of accredited interior designers for your needs. You can search by location, keyword and specialism to find a designer near you that you can collaborate with to achieve your vision.

To find out more about SBID and how an interior designer can help with your design project, visit our website today.

Cover image credits: Fenton Whelan – Lonsdale Road, Notting Hill

The modern and contemporary furniture brand, Viva Lagoon has recently launched a range of new furniture lines that will help customers maximise their outdoor space and create a stylish and sustainable escape in their own garden.

Viva Lagoon are the retailer of a range of high-quality garden furniture brands that have continued to launch new and exciting lines this season. Existing brands include Vincent Sheppard, Talenti and Gloster, who have launched their Lento, George, and Saranacc collections, respectively. In addition, the online retailer has started supplying new brands such as Isimar, Vondom, and Diabla.

Leaf Sofa, outdoor leather cushions
Grill spring

These exciting new brands that have been added to the Viva Lagoon roster all share a similar passion for sustainability, which is a theme that permeates through the luxury retailer’s business. For example, Diabla use 100% recycled and recyclable material in their Galvanized steel and aluminium products, as well as Vondom who use their unique ‘Revolution’ material which is made from recycled plastic from the Mediterranean.

New technology in furniture manufacturing has led the way for Viva Lagoon’s brands to prioritize the environment at all stages of their production process. With advancements that allow manufacturers to develop new, sustainable materials and recent technological innovations, brands have been able to repurpose and give a second life to pre-used plastic products that would have otherwise ended up in landfill.

Ibiza sunlounger, made from recycled plastic found in the Meditarian Sea
Zenith lounge
Zenith lounge

Viva Lagoon carefully select brands and products that fuse contemporary and traditional, with functionality and durability at the heart of everything they do to provide the best quality products for their customers possible. The beautifully crafted and timelessly elegant furniture pieces are revolutionising any pre-conceived notion of what garden furniture is and looks like. Each of Viva Lagoon’s brands have created show-stopping products in sublimely sophisticated designs that make garden furniture look like indoor furniture without compromising on weatherproofing and durability.

Leaf Dining Table (square)

Popular new collections include the timeless leaf collection from Talenti that includes luxe leather and velvet scatter cushions for outdoors, plus tabletops and dining tables that feature the brand’s signature compact laminate that comes in a range of attractive colours and textures. The brand has also recently launched their Reef Sunbed and exquisite George Collection.

Leaf Lounge Chair, outdoor Velvet Scatter Cushions
Leaf Table and chairs, table top with Vitter

Kheira Benchekor, managing director at Viva Lagoon says, “Over the past year our existing furniture brands have launched some beautiful collections that are shaking up what typical garden furniture looks like and brings a sustainable spin to traditional designs. We’re also thrilled to be working with new brands, Vondom, Isimar and Diabla, who all come from Spain and share our mission of creating beautiful and functional garden furniture. We can’t wait to see what else they launch over the coming months.”

To find out more about Viva Lagoon and shop their new arrivals, visit www.vivalagoon.com.

About Viva Lagoon

Viva Lagoon was started by Kheira Benchekor and Edmund Eldergill. Kheira has a passion for good design and over twenty years experience in the modern furniture industry. Edmund is a perfectionist and brings attention to detail and a resolute desire to make the good better. Lagoon is committed to offering for sale contemporary furniture that exhibits the best in modern design. It is equally committed to dealing with customers and suppliers fairly and ethically.

If you’d like to feature your product news here, get in touch to find out more. 

If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.

VitrA introduces Liquid – a new bathroom range designed in collaboration with Tom Dixon. Liquid is the first ever bathroom range by the acclaimed British designer.

The range is the latest addition to VitrA’s portfolio of designer collaborations, part of a long-standing programme of working with world-renowned designers to create distinctive, modern bathroom collections to complement any washroom space. The Liquid range is founded on round-edges, generous shapes and timeless designs. Described by Tom Dixon as ‘contemporary without being of the moment’, it offers an alternative to the widespread skinny, minimalist designs.

Liquid encompasses all elements of the bathroom – sanitaryware, furniture, taps, tiles, showers and accessories – designed to work together or as stand-alone pieces.

The range includes a variety of washbasin options, including round basins, a butler sink and a double washbasin, as well as a statement monoblock washbasin which is moulded as a single piece of ceramic. The furniture units are available in either a fluted glass or a black metal mesh door finish. Alternatively, for a striking contrast, there is an open-storage unit with impressive blue glass shelving.

Liquid’s taps combine conical handles with exuberant tubular bodies. Ten different styles of taps include wall-mounted, deck-mounted and built-in options, as well as touchless, are all available in gloss black or chrome. The all-in-one shower column includes a hand shower that connects magnetically to the body, while the stainless steel floor-mounted shower can be used inside or outside.

Liquid’s range of toilets, bidets and urinals carry the collection’s monumental curves. The toilets and bidets come in wall-hung or floor-standing designs, and the urinal uses touchless technology.

The range also includes a suite of accessories including a hook, toilet roll holder, toilet brush holder and double soap dispenser. The accessories also incorporate ceramic pieces, including shelves in two lengths and a stool which can act as a practical addition, not just for the bathroom, but in other living spaces too.

The wall tiles in Liquid feature four different styles of embossed dots and waves that reflect ripples in the water, and can be creatively configured in an almost endless possibility of ways. Available in five colours – white, black, ecru, grey and sage green.

About VitrA

With a capacity to develop and manufacture all the products that may be needed in a bathroom, VitrA secures its position in the industry by giving priority to R&D and working with leading international designers. Earning approximately three quarters of its revenues from foreign markets.
Born and raised in the cultural motherland of ceramics and baths -a.k.a. the ‘hammams’- VitrA is among only a few companies in the world which is able to design, develop, and manufacture all the products that are used in a bathroom.

If you’d like to feature your product news here, get in touch to find out more. 

If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.

Riviera Home UK are a subsidiary of Rivera Home furnishings, a world leader in the manufacture of luxury quality textiles. Specialising in broadloom carpets and rugs for the UK market, they offer a unique twist on luxury naturally sustainable and ethical floorcoverings.

How would you describe your style?

Our ethos and style of the brand at Riviera is all about function, suitability, sustainability, inspiration, fashion, and exclusivity. Our products include innovative flat woven collections, tufted wool loops in solid dyed and heather blends along with blended fibres such as Tencel and Bamboo. Our carpets and rugs are textured using plain, natural colour shades to easily fit in with today’s residential environment. The styling of Riviera Home’s carpets works beautifully with many on-trend colours and interior schemes. We want to be different from the mainstream and this is one of the main reasons we work so successfully with interior designers, offering their clients something which is unique to them.

What are the origins of Riviera Home?

Riviera Home began as a family-run business, with the first generation of the Singla family selling cotton fabrics from their own shop in India’s historic city of Panipat. In 1984 the third generation of the Singla family members ventured into the export of handcrafted products and earned the Gold Medal award from the Handloom Export Promotion Council. The UK office opened in 2013 and we are proud to be running our UK sales and stock operation from the home of carpets in Kidderminster, Worcestershire.

The origins of the brand are embedded in design for functionality with style. At Riviera Home, we spend a great deal of time working on textured carpets in different effects, styles, options to offer something different and exciting to an interior design project.

We use soft, subtle, and natural colour shades which work fantastically well as a foundation base for a new interior design scheme along with the security of high-quality manufacturing in both handmade and machine techniques.

How do you work with interior designers?

Relationships and developing strong trading partnerships are very important to Riviera Home, working very closely with interior designers who we encourage to work with our national network of professional flooring retailers (authorised dealerships), all of whom are highly skilled and experienced in floorcoverings and who can support them with handling and fitting of our carpets. This relationship is supported by our national network of sales professionals and our dedicated team working Riviera Home’s Head office.

We work with designers by utilising a professional display sample box which has a backup sample postage service. We also have a nationwide sales team which can connect, meet, discuss, and help where needed to maintain a constant dialogue and ensure we meet evolving project needs and requirements.

What value does your bespoke offering add to the interior design industry?

At Riviera Home, we can convert all our ranges into bespoke rugs available in the size of your choice. Utilising your choice of tape, finish, texture, colour, style, whether you’re utilising a wide border to compliment or contrast or discreet blind stitching for a unique finish. This service is hand-finished and offers endless options and flexibility. We provide the highest quality products and manufacturing processes, combined with knowledgeable sales staff.

Examples of recent installations are proudly posted on our Riviera Home Instagram page (rivierahomelondon), and we really value the support from all our partners. There is a consistent social media output to help further connect, present, and represent new design ideas and styles available.

How do your services/offering enhance an interior designer’s projects? 

Our products and services add huge value to an interior designer’s project by utilising carpet floor coverings and unique design solutions which are design-led, soft, hard wearing, and fashionable along with the greater exclusivity offered by the brand.

There are also a number of completely eco carpet ranges which utilise renewable materials and sustainable manufacturing techniques to create carpets which are biodegradable. We see the use of sustainable manufacturing increasing in the future as we all become more responsible towards our planet.

What are the latest trends you’ve noticed in your client’s requests?

We see the latest trends heading towards a more natural style and look with renewable materials such as wool continuing to be important for warmth, wear, softness, and security.

We also see a return to some of the softer colours coming through in natural cream and champagne colour shades, along with some stronger sand shades to work with bronze and brass tones are becoming fashionable.

To find out how to join the SBID professional membership, click here 

About Riviera Home

Riviera Home is at the forefront of the design and manufacture of traditional handloom and contemporary luxury broadloom carpets and bespoke rugs, aimed at the premium end of the market. We are always looking to stand out from the crowd and to have a unique point of difference in the market. We will be showcasing all our products, including new range introductions at the very popular Design Central Luxury Interior Shows held in March and September each year.

In this week’s interview with SBID Awards Interior Design judge, Chief Executive at the Design Council, Minnie Moll discusses how the interior design industry can work towards combating climate change and the importance of good design, sharing details about the Design Council’s mission toward more sustainable design practices.

How would you define the value of good design? In what ways can it enrich our lives and enhance user experiences?

Good design makes life better. It makes things easy, attractive, comfortable, beautiful. And often inspiring and joyful. You don’t always notice good design. It’s bad design that gets noticed because it doesn’t work, or it’s ugly. Good design is inclusive design and people centred.

The Design Council launched its’ mission, ‘Design for Planet’. What does this initiative aim to achieve, and how can designers get involved?

The climate crisis is the biggest challenge of our era. Design has been part of what got us to this place and it has a critical role to play in achieving net zero and beyond. Our Design for Planet mission seeks to support and galvanise the 1.97 million people in the UK design community to put planetary concerns at the heart of their work. Design shapes the world we live in, and designers have huge power and responsibility to use design as a force for good.

What are some of the key ways the interior design industry can work to combat the impacts of its operations and meaningfully address climate change?

It starts with the brief. Give the planet a seat at the briefing meeting and make sure planetary needs are considered. Being informed and intentional about use of materials – hard to keep up to speed on this I know. Thinking in a circular economy way. How long will this last? Can it be modular and easier to fix/update/refurbish? Understanding the supply chain and sustainability implications of all the elements of a proposed design.

How important is the role of an interior designer when it comes to influencing consumer lifestyles and driving the future of our built environments?

The interior design of the places we live and work has become even more important since covid. We understand even more how important it is for our homes to be a sanctuary – a comfortable and relaxing place to be. And in a hybrid world our workplaces need to be attractive, enjoyable and magnetic places that colleagues want to come into. In both instances great interior design can be sustainable and attractive and aspirational.

Finally, what advice can you give to designers entering the SBID Awards?

If design shapes the world, then the design of the spaces where we live, work and play has such potential to shape how we interact with each other, and how we feel. It can inspire and bring joy. These exciting and high profile awards are a chance for the best design to shine so it’s important to showcase the value your entries provide and explain key design considerations clearly.

Questions answered by Minnie Moll, Chief Executive, Design Council.

Design Council’s purpose is to make life better by design.
They are an independent charity and the government’s advisor on design. Their vision is a world where the role and value of design is recognised as a fundamental creator of value, enabling happier, healthier and safer lives for all. Through the power of design, they make better processes, better products, better places, all of which lead to better performance.

This week’s instalment of Project of the Week series features an intricate historical bar design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, SHH.

SHH created new design strategies for The Bar at The Dorchester alongside proposals for transforming an adjacent under-utilized space into one that complimented the function of The Bar. Proposals needed to ensure that each of the spaces be versatile in that they could be used comfortably by guests, and that these guests’ needs could be functionally provided for, during mornings, afternoons and through into the evening, guaranteeing constant usage of the space throughout the whole day.

The requirements for The Bar included an ability during the day to operate as a lounge serving small plates and bar snacks, and doing so without compromising its essential use as an evening cocktail venue. The design proposal balanced display, visibility, intimacy and privacy with seating flexible enough to adjust to smaller pairings and larger groups.

Making use of a richly detailed palette of materials, the design interwove references to the history of the bar and hotel, references to the sites pre-hotel past, and to the stories and events that have taken place within its walls.

SBID Awards Category: CGI & Visualisation

Practice: SHH

Project: Dorchester Hotel Mayfair

Location: London, United Kingdom

What was the client’s brief? 

A significant amount of time had passed since The Bar had been refurbished, so the first part of the brief called for a new design that better reflected the character of the hotel and its brand, the buildings architecture, and the interiors of the other public areas within The Dorchester.

Secondly, a solution was needed that would allow the space to extend its operating hours beyond solely evenings, enabling it to be used comfortably by guests throughout the whole day.

The third part of the brief was to propose uses for an adjacent mezzanine area, and for which we designed a day-service tea room that could transform into an intimate evening whiskey and cigar bar.

What inspired the design of the project?

Honestly, we were spoilt for choice when it came to inspiration.

There was the personality of the bar manager Giuliano Morandin and stories of past guests and long-term residents like Sir Percival David, the collector of Chinese porcelain who kept large parts of his collection in his suite at the hotel and which was subsequently bequeathed to the British Museum.

There is the building itself which is that hybrid of Art Deco and Classicism. And period interior details such as fluted panelling; hand-painted wall panels depicting equestrian activities in Hyde Park; colour palettes combining gold, blues and greens.

And then there was Dorchester House that use to occupy the site and was the home of the Earl of Dorchester, the 3rd Marquess of Hertford, and towards the end of its life the home of the American Ambassador whose guests included Mark Twain and Theodore Roosevelt. When the house was demolished one of its chimney pieces entered into the collections of the V&A.

What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?

The Bar at The Dorchester was last refurbished in 2006 and whilst the refurbished bar had a character of its own it felt alien to the rest of the hotel. The bar manager emphasised that existing guests and patrons were very attached to spaces in The Dorchester, meaning that any proposed changes needed to be done with sensitivity, addressing the desires of these existing guests at the same time as creating new appeal to attract a new generation.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The most amazing thing was designing a space within a building that had a history of its own, with its own stories to tell, architecturally and about the people who have and continue to pass through its doors. Digging into this past created extremely fertile ground around which we could build our design.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

The SBID provides a great platform for recognition to practices who wish to showcase their work to a talented audience by bringing together high standards of work from across the world.

Questions answered by Brendan Heath, Director Hospitality & Commercial Interiors, SHH.

We hope you feel inspired by this week’s design!

If you missed the last instalment of Project of the Week, featuring a colourful CGI kitchen design by Pikcells, click here to read it.

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