Discussing Design with Stella Gittins, Accouter Group

Meet Stella Gittins

co-founder and group director, Accouter Group of Companies

Stella Gittins is the co-founder of Accouter Group of Companies (AGC), London’s fastest-growing portfolio of award-winning international interior design companies. Creating the benchmark in luxury living, Accouter Group of Companies is home to Accouter Design, A. LONDON and BoxNine7 delivering world-class interior architectural and furnishing services to the private clients and the global property market.

With 15 years of experience mentoring and directing diverse teams within the field, Stella has spent the last seven building AGC into one of the best places to work in the property industry, as voted on multiple occasions.

Taking a lead creative role for the group, Stella is responsible for all aspects of the brand and design. She has published four bespoke books that discuss every corner of luxury life and feature the inspirations behind Accouter Design’s schemes and collaborations with iconic brands such as Rolls Royce and William & Son. The fifth publication is due to be launched in 2020.

What are some of your secrets for designing a show home that will entice buyers?

There aren’t necessarily secrets, but there’s definitely a method. Designing schemes for private clients in houses they’ll live in themselves is a very different to creating show homes where the ultimate goal is to maximize the value of properties and make them extremely desirable for quick sales or lets. Our job is to ensure buyers or tenants immediately fall in love as soon as they enter.

We are storytellers providing a look into their futures. The easiest way to do that is to develop a design that projects a new lifestyle, spaces that let them imagine how they would live there and utilise each area. We analyse the best characteristics of the location and the kind of lifestyle buyers would expect given these features and the property value. For example, someone buying a property in Chelsea would have different expectations than someone living in trendy Shoreditch: where do they work, where do they shop, what do they read, what do they wear, what do they eat, where do they eat, and what is their social life like? The trick is to imagine who that character is. We brainstorm quite a bit to figure out who the person is that’s going to be walking in the door, and then develop a floor plan accordingly.

It’s a myth that you need less furniture in small spaces. The best solution is to create zones that each have their own purpose. People walking into a large home might think, “Oh, we don’t need furniture because the house is so big and amazing.” But actually, people get scared thinking about what they’re going to do in every single room. We have to provide ideas for what they’ll be doing so they can imagine how their lives would play out in the property.

We like to bring local elements into the rooms to create suggestions that potential owners or renters might get to know the barista in the independent coffee shop or support the neighbourhood bakery.

It’s also important to make a show home memorable. We don’t like to follow interior trends, not only because they might not be right for the area or the specific property, but also because they might not allow the show home to stand out. When someone spends only a little time in a place and then walks out, there must be something that causes them to remember it. For example, we incorporated many amazing antiques into an historic Chelsea Waterfront property by Lots Road in London, plus there was tailor-made furniture we designed ourselves. In one corner was an organically shaped loveseat that would inspire someone to think it was an amazing space. Or it could be an incredible headboard fabric that catches the eye because it’s just a little bit different.

How is design evolving in response to lifestyle changes?

Without a doubt the biggest influence is sustainability. In fact, we publish a book every year and this time it’s entirely centred around this subject. Everyone is becoming more environmentally conscious, including in their interiors. It’s not just a trend, it’s something for life that people are really becoming quite aware of in their homes’ designs. We use a lot of antiques where we can, and people are getting more into upcycling. Our companies are working towards ISO 14001 accreditation, so we’re looking how furniture is packaged in the warehouse, how can we offset our carbon footprint, our paper usage in the office, all those types of things.

Our book also explores how the luxury market is evolving with Bentley, Lotus and Tesla producing electric cars, not just lower-end manufacturers. Sustainability is also affecting where people go on holiday, whether the 1 Hotel in Brooklyn or the world’s first “energy positive” hotel being built in Norway.

Interiors and fashion tend to change side by side, with people investing a bit more in higher quality pieces that last over time. Rather than following trends, our designs for private clients are more timeless with items people will keep for generations. Across all our brands, we try to incorporate old forms of craft as well as things made in the UK, for example art by Nat Bowen who layers resin on recycled acrylic. At our Chelsea Waterfront project, she hand painted gold leaf directly onto the walls. It’s an amazing skill to have because she only gets one chance to do it. But again, it’s not mass manufacturing. It’s just her. We also work with Jennifer Manners who designs amazing rugs made from recycled plastic. Our goal is to think about our projects’ environmental impact and how we can make them sustainable, because it’s important to everybody. And if a developer sees this as a selling point, we can also make it part of the marketing brief for a show home. I think we’re going to see this more and more, and it’s something we push them towards.

Other factors include the growth in healthier lifestyles and the need for convenience. I recently designed a five-bedroom property with timber floors so that a room could be changed into a gym in the future. Its ensuite bathroom was designed like a spa, and its landscape contained a Zen garden.

Our market is very international, and our clients may only stay in their London homes from one week to a couple months per year. So we need to think about full turnkey packages for them, including what bed they’ll sleep in, their sheets, their towels. We make sure they have all the elements needed to live in their homes.

How do you feel about young Instagram design stars who have large followings but don’t know how to write a spec?

Ultimately, everyone has to start somewhere, and I have no concerns about people promoting their passions especially if it helps the design industry. I follow some people myself - but there are different tiers to design.

A lot of these Instagram stars are more into styling, which is one of the hardest things to be trained in because it’s subjective. You don’t necessarily need a qualification to be a stylist because some people just have a natural eye. Some of the best designers aren’t always the best stylists.

It is possible to be an Instagram design star who is good at dressing an interior. However, if they want to evolve that passion into a profession, it’s important they have the correct skillset and training behind them. Being an interior designer and interior architect is very technical. I wouldn’t mobilise a team to work with our clients that didn’t have the correct skills or support.

When working with developers, you don’t have carte blanche to design whatever you want. What are some examples of when you didn’t get your way, and how did you reach a compromise?

Designers can be very passionate about their designs, and developers can be very passionate about what they want. That’s why the briefing stage is so important. The way we overcome it is to always show clients what they want, because they want to know we can deliver what they asked us to do. But if we are passionate about another direction, we need to share our suggestions and try to inspire them in some way. Then the debate starts. It's about saying, yes, we can do what you want, but actually, this is what we recommend. We constantly try to encourage clients out of their comfort zones. For example, in a recent show home, the developer was extremely keen to have artwork that reflected the view, while as designers we wanted something that would contrast. The compromise was an abstract piece that hinted at the form of the buildings around the area. Some of the larger developers have a bigger track record and their own “look” because they have a clear idea of their target market. So this is when we go back to basics, have a bit of a debate, and meet somewhere in the middle.

Stella is one of the prestigious experts invited to join the extraordinary jury for the SBID Product Design Awards, alongside other renowned professionals across industrial and interior design, brand development, architecture, educational research and forward-thinking enterprise.

Click here to view the full judging panel.

Project of the Week

This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a contemporary loft apartment situated above the famous Soho Theatre. Angel O'Donnell redesigned and reconfigured this central London duplex apartment on behalf of a private client. The apartment, which spans 1750 sq ft across two floors, boasts a generous open plan living and entertainment space with a spacious kitchen centred around an island and a large, yet cosy living room providing the perfect place to relax above the hustle and bustle of Soho. The show stopping centrepiece of the space is an 20 ft tall retractable roof which can be pulled back almost entirely, opening the room up and flooding it with natural light, creating a sense of inside/outside living.

Practice: Angel O'Donnell

Project: Soho Loft Apartment

Location: London, United Kingdom

What was the client's brief? 

The client hadn’t touched the property for 15 years and needed to bring it up to date before putting it on the market. They wanted a fresh looking scheme that reflected the location of the apartment and were concerned that the apartment lacked proper zoning – currently arranged as a totally open plan, one bedroom, totalling 1750sqt  - they wanted our help to maximise the cost per sq ft.

What inspired the interior design of the project? 

Soho provided us with a wealth of inspiration, from its architecture, nightlife, creativity and its unique blend of old and new that works so perfectly in this part of town. We took inspiration from nearby venues like Soho House Dean St which is directly opposite as well as of course the theatre downstairs. We don’t have a ‘house style’ as such, we prefer to take our lead from the properties we work with and the nearby surroundings to create an environment that we believe best suits each particular project.

To further enhance the feeling of bringing the outside in, we adopted an organic and natural colour palette in the living room with green, blue and turquoise hues. A dramatic feature wall was painted in Farrow & Ball’s Inchyra Blue and creates ambience at one end of the room, whilst bar stools in a forest green velvet provide a subtle reminder of Soho’s nightlife. An ivory coloured sofa is also decorated with a mix of cushions in Mulberry and Zinc textiles.

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

The toughest hurdle was how to turn the huge open plan space into something more commercially viable without breaking the bank & keeping that airy, light filled feeling. Our proposition was to build a wall across the original snug area, with sliding pocket doors. This created a separate room which was multi-functional; snug, study or second bedroom. We also advised the client to keep the kitchen and spiral staircase. These looked dated but by adding the dramatic dark paint colour behind them, gave them a new lease of life and made them look contemporary once again.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

Really the highlight was the client’s reaction at the result. They were literally lost for words when they saw the transformation and even though we had created a second room in an open plan space they thought that the space felt bigger. They genuinely felt like this was the home they had been wanting to create for years.  Hugs all round !

Questions answered by Ed O’Donnell and Richard Angel, founders of Angel O’Donnell

We hope you feel inspired by this week's Residential design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire

If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring beautifully bespoke, authentic and consciously curated interiors for a boutique hotel in the mountains of Italy, click here to see more.

Meet Graham Robinson 

showroom and design manager, Halcyon Interiors

Graham Robinson is the showroom and design manager at the Halcyon Interiors flagship located on London’s Wigmore Street, a road that has become the epicentre of kitchen design.

Over the last 20 years he has developed a passion for contemporary design and honed his eye for meticulous detail, allowing him to create practical kitchens that look stunning for many years to come. Whilst he likes to be aware of current trends, he prefers to give his clients classic looks that transcends fashion.

How can a well-designed kitchen reduce food waste?

When you design a kitchen, find out how your clients are actually cooking. Generally, there are two types of people: those with really big fridges and hardly any freezer space, and those who freeze leftovers. It’s best to have a practical kitchen with spice racks and visible, accessible storage. I like to design larders with pull-up storage features so you can see what food you’ve got. A lot of people have old things hidden at the back of their cupboards, but if items face forward you see all there is and don't let anything go out of date.

People are eating more fresh food now, so it’s good to have refrigeration with nought degree, low humidity drawers that provide filtration so things like salads, green vegetables and meat remain edible longer. You get an extra couple of days and don’t end up just throwing things away. It’s also possible for kitchen cabinets to include a vacuum drawer, so if only half of something has been eaten, you can vacuum seal what’s left inside a clear bag. The vacuum feature can also be used for marinating food or steam cooking in a water bath.

How do your designs anticipate your clients’ future needs, including gadgets and appliances they might acquire?

Most kitchens we create are for houses our clients live in rather than somewhere they plan to sell. We advise them to invest in quality brands because they're won’t go wrong. Talking to them about how they cook is important. Do they need a steam oven? Do they really need a microwave oven or are they anti-microwave? We find out what they’re actually going to need long-term, because maybe in three- or four-years’ time they might no longer use microwaves and move towards steam cooking that’s more healthy.

Most people seem to want taps that provide boiling water, it's definitely growing in the market. Also, it depends on the age of the client, but sometimes features like pull-out storage are integrated so they won’t need to bend down as they get older. When creating a kitchen for a woman in a wheelchair, we looked at details such as oven height and how it opened, how the fridge was configured and where she put her tap. We designed a long thin hob, and because she couldn’t reach the hood, its fan and lights automatically turned on when the burners did. It’s also more popular to have appliances with technology that lets them be monitored and controlled remotely, for example from your phone you can track the progress of your washing machine, your dishwasher, turn your oven on and some ovens let you look at what’s happening inside. Say you have meat in your oven, you can actually see remotely a clear picture of it every 30 seconds. It's slightly gimmicky, but it's there if people want it. Others have a door that opens slightly after the oven’s s turned off so an item doesn’t carry on cooking from retained heat.. The hot air is pushed out and cool air is drawn in so food isn’t overcooked. Some people talk about the fact that gas might not be around forever, so if you’re going to futureproof a kitchen, induction hobs are good to have.

With kitchens at the heart of the home, how do you design for inclusivity and the wide range of activities that take place there?

You initially need to get a real understanding of how the kitchen will be used every day, and then build from there. It’s making sure the kitchen works for the customer in every scenario. For example, will it will be used for functions, and will they cook when entertaining a large number of people or get caterers in? We offer layout ideas for when it’s breakfast for two, how to change it for four people, when doing homework with the children, or if they’ve got the whole family around. You’ve got to make sure there are the right amount of cooking elements and enough storage for however many sets of plates they’ll have for dinner service.

A kitchen has to be right for how someone is going to cook – or not cook. At the moment we’re creating a large kitchen where day-to-day it’s just the four of them, but every Sunday they have a big family function. We’ve designed it as an open-plan space where the island can be moved into an alcove so the table can be extended. Others have separate dining rooms and secondary kitchens for caterers to use when the client hosts large events. Some people are desperate to have places for their cling film, tin foil or store their rubber gloves. One client argued with his wife because she always used a tea towel rather than rubber gloves. In our showroom, we demonstrate the physical space so that clients get a feel for how much room they’ll have between their island and cabinet run. They might see a picture that looks really nice with a row of four barstools behind an island, but in reality, those barstools are never going to be in line and you don't really want to sit in that line, although you might want to sit facing each other.

What’s on the horizon for kitchen design?

Kitchen features are becoming more like furniture. They’re still quite sleek, but with warmer colours and added textures that make them a bit more comfortable and friendly. We’re seeing mechanisms for opening doors in different ways, but some of them are just for the sake of doing things differently rather than an actual invention.

In recent years, the real innovation has been with ceramic worktops you can put hot things on and that are completely non-porous. Whether synthetic quartz or manufactured ceramic, modern counters have lots of interesting patterns and veining that appears realistic, or others look like concrete. These manufacturers copy the stone, marble, and quartz that occurs in nature, but the textures, colours and finishes all match.

Graham is one of the prestigious experts invited to join the extraordinary jury for the SBID Product Design Awards, alongside other renowned professionals across industrial and interior design, brand development, architecture, educational research and forward-thinking enterprise.

Click here to view the full judging panel.

When designing a room, the details can make all the difference, from the perfect paint colour to that dreamy flooring. It can be frustrating when essential fixtures and fittings, such as plastic light switches, affect the end result. Well, wouldn’t it be great if these electrical fittings were part of a solution and not the problem? Step forward innovative stylish switches that stand out for all the right reasons.

Check out four key styles for switches that are breaking all the rules and turning electrical accessories into cool interior must-haves.

Choose a design that blends in yet also stands out

Whether you choose to make a feature of an elegant switch, or give it a quieter role in your scheme, we guarantee it will still make a design statement in any space.

Take a super-sleek and simplistic design, for example. With clean lines, matt finish and LED-lit push buttons, it will fade into the backdrop of a soothing living space, yet will bring a designer elegance that a basic plastic switch just couldn’t match.

Show it off in a prominent position. Forget having to hide switches behind doors or curtains where they won’t be seen. With a sophisticated collection, you’ll be encouraged to fit them in eye-catching spots that not only pull focus but are also convenient to use.

Stay ahead of the game with the latest technology

Create a coordinated look in every room. With a complete range of switches, outlets and electrical accessories, including fan controls and cooker switches, you can ensure your home is style-ready as well as future-ready.

About the Author

SBID Accredited Industry Partner, Schneider Electric is a global specialist in energy management and automation providing energy technologies, software and digital automation solutions for efficiency and sustainability in the home, buildings, data centres and more. 

This article was written by Louisa Buckley, Residential Segment Marketing Manager at Schneider Electric.

If you'd like to become SBID Accredited, click here to find out more. 

Remote working is far from a new concept and has been rapidly on the rise for the past decade. In fact, according to Global Workplace Analytics, 80% of employees want to work from home at least some of the time and over a third would take a pay cut in exchange for this option.

Although many of us may already be familiar with working from home as a part of our regular work-life routines, most companies have been forced to test-drive remote working on a mass and unexpected scale (where possible). As working from home now becomes the ‘new normal’ under these very abnormal circumstances, we start to wonder what this means for the future of flexible working and how this could alter the landscape of the way workspaces operate.

Looking to the future with great uncertainty and wondering what life will be like post-lockdown, both employers and employees may be considering if working from home is a viable practice for them moving forward, and we may see even more companies adapting this operational flexibility into its business model with a more long-term view.

Whether an increasing number of us plan to continue working from home on a full-time or part-time basis after the lockdown has lifted, our daily lifestyles will have a significant impact on the interior design industry in many ways. For interior designers, consumer lifestyle trends are a significant influencer on how they design and curate interior environments for their clients. Is there likely to be an increased necessity for incorporating home offices into the designs of our homes? Will carving out space for study areas become an essential part of our new interior requirements? A report on the ‘State of Remote Work’ by Buffer showed that though remote workers have location flexibility, 84% of respondents still choose to stay at home as opposed to using co-working spaces, coffee shops or libraries.

From a dedicated office space to the corner of a bedroom, home studies can come in many shapes and sizes, and like most environments, there is an art and expertise to designing an effective workspace to suit your home, meet your needs and inspire productivity. The impact that social distancing measures will undoubtedly have on business and lifestyles is far reaching, but how we embrace remote working when the lockdown lifts - only time will tell. In the meantime, we pulled together a selection of inspirational home office designs from previous SBID Awards finalists to help keep you feeling inspired and start planning for a potential rise demand for home offices post pandemic.

Project of the Week

This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features the beautifully bespoke, authentic and consciously curated interiors for the re-design of Miramonti; a luxury boutique hotel in Brescia, Italy. Located just over two hours away from Milan, the hotel is surrounded by stunning natural beauty and is popular for seasonal activities including: skiing, ice climbing, hiking, fly fishing, porcini mushroom picking and wine-tasting at the vineyards nearby.

The London-based, proactive and purposeful design studio, Boxx Creative completed a timeless design for the hotel’s new minimalist contemporary interiors. Inspired by the scenic Italian mountains, the interior design provides a tranquil place where guests can experience total relaxation, reconnect with nature and re-balance.

Defining a new standard of boutique hotel design for the local area and beyond, Miramonti celebrates the achievements of conscious design, showcasing the spectacular results that can be achieved when design is fully considered from all aspects; aesthetics, functionality, innovation, social and environment impact.

Practice: Boxx Creative

Project: Miramonti 

Location: Brescia, Italy

What was the client's brief? 

Originally built in 1958, Miramonti is a family-owned hotel that had recently passed onto the third-generation. The hotel’s new owners had a clear vision for what they wished to achieve, great design style and taste, an appreciation for quality, timelessness and longevity, as well as a desire to support the local community and minimise the environmental impact of the project.

The hotel was to be totally transformed, with space maximised to increase bedroom numbers, flexibility of room use and defined room types created for couples and spacious suites with connecting bunk-bed rooms for families with children. The existing bedrooms provided for self-catering with kitchenettes and dining tables, which were to be removed. In the ensuites, small shower cubicles and bidets were to be replaced with walk-in showers.

The hotel was to be fully modernised, offering guests something completely different in terms of room layout, furnishings, lighting and materials. The design had to be a real game changer and ensure that Miramonti could continue its proud legacy and be enjoyed by future generations of guests and locals.

What inspired the interior design of the project? 

Miramonti, meaning mountain view, draws its name from nature. Its holistic design was also inspired by the beauty of its surroundings and every design detail was thoughtfully considered to reflect this connection, including the colour palette, hard finishes, bespoke furniture, textiles, artwork and accessories.

The deep terracotta facade evokes the changing seasons and rich natural Italian colour palette. In the twenty-one guest bedrooms, the complementary green and blue colour schemes are both balanced and calming.

The design concept draws on the natural elements of earth, fire, air, water, wood and metal. Materials were selected for their authentic properties and link to the surrounding environment and feature in the natural stone wash basins, solid trunk coffee tables, round metal bedsides and soft natural fabrics of the sheer linen blinds and cotton bed throws.

Consideration was also given to all elements of the hotel’s design to ensure quality, longevity and minimising environmental impact. Everything was designed and built-to-last. Locally sourced, sustainable materials were used wherever possible and carpet made from recycled fibres line the corridors.

The majority of the furnishings were made completely bespoke by the contractor and his team of talented artisans in his local Tirano-based workshop. The bedrooms feature headboard panelling and wooden beds, metal framed open cabinetry storage and sturdy desks, wooden flooring, panelled doors and shuttered windows, each thoughtfully hand-crafted.

The build contractor was chosen for his energy saving principles and employment of workers within the area. All the wood chips left-over from his workshop were burnt in a furnace to heat houses in the village.

Lighting was a key part of the project where the clients wished to make an impressive statement. Layers of lighting with iconic FLOS feature pendants and Scandi-inspired statement wall lights make strong visual impact and create focal points in the guest bedrooms and ensuites. For the light switches, electrical sockets and ironmongery, Buster+Punch’s architectural hardware was the perfect companion with its strong design edge.

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

We experienced three main challenges with the project - time, distance and language barrier.

Time: The project had a quick turnaround, once the project got the go ahead, we had just over one month to do all the design work and produce all the technical drawings. The build work had to be completed within a 3-month time frame during the low season and finish on time for the start of the busy December ski season. We flew out in the final week to snag the build, install the furniture and artwork, then dress and style all the rooms for the professional photoshoot, before the hotel opened its doors to welcome guests. It was an extremely tight schedule, however the project was successfully completed and delivered on time.

Distance and Language Barrier: Unlike all our other projects where do regular site visits during the build phase, for Miramonti we worked remotely from London. Unfortunately, we can’t speak Italian and the Italian contractor couldn’t speak English, so we developed different ways of working and communicating. We setup a WhatsApp group, which was great for quick questions and sending pictures and used GoogleTranslate to translate each other’s messages. These smart phone apps were invaluable to us working together on the projects.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

In the guest bedrooms, one of the highlights for us is the intricate details of the wooden furniture and joinery hand-crafted from our bespoke designs by the contractor and his team of skilled local artisans. Two of our favourite design details are the elegant curves of the wooden bed frames and the rippled effect of the under-sink cabinets, which are replicated in the ensuite pocket doors with reeded glass panes. These small, thoughtfully considered and beautifully made details may easily go unnoticed, however for us these are a great delight to see and experience.

Questions answered by Nicola Keenan, Co-Founder and Co-Director of Boxx Creative

We hope you feel inspired by this week's Hotel design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire

If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring a memorable hotel public space with playful and immersive design, click here to see more.

As we all adjust to a lifestyle of remote working amid the coronavirus outbreak, confined to our own homes, we begin re-evaluating our new working environments. SBID Accredited Designer, Katie Malik, founder and creative director of Katie Malik Interiors offers her expert advice for how to make home offices work for you or your clients, no matter the space or size.

Making 'working from home' work

Many of us face the challenge of the limited spaces we inhabit. In addition to this, our needs usually change with time as our jobs, likes and family life continues to evolve. This means we might need to transform an existing space to ensure it is suitable for new activities that have to take place there. This brings us to the current situation, while a lot of us are facing the reality of remote working. So, I'm sharing my tips for designers and homeowners, to help us create working spaces as efficient and as pleasant as possible, even without a dedicated 'office' room.

When planning a home office, we must consider a few important factors:

1) Position - where is the best place to make office space; consider distractions, surrounding noise etc.

2) Comfort - how to make the space as comfortable as possible.

3) Lighting - how should the space be lit; consider working hours and access to natural light.

4) Overall Look & Feel - how to make the space still look and feel like an extension of the home.

1) Consider the positioning wisely

Ideally, you would have a separate dedicated space which you can lock at the end of the day. However, many of us, don’t have that luxury and need to think ‘outside of the box’. First of all, if there isn't a spare room we can convert into a home office, we need to be realistic about where we can fit everything we need in order to be able to work. Do we have a big screen or maybe even two? Can we work on a laptop? How much space are we going to realistically need? This is a number one question that’s going to determine a lot where you can or should position a home office.

The next big factor to take into consideration is where you can actually afford to ‘spare’ some space for a desk? By desk, I mean any form of desk, which doesn’t need to look like a traditional top with four legs. If you have any flexibility here, it's advisable to choose a place in the back of the house, or the place where people tend not to flock to all day long. This could be part of the living room or a corner of a bedroom. For some of us, it might be a guest bedroom or other part of the house. We’ll develop this point further, but whenever possible, chose a space with plenty of natural light; filling the space as much natural light as possible is better for your eyes and mental well-being. We have designed small home offices where they were either part of the joinery and disappeared when they had to, or were freestanding multi-functional pieces that blended in with the surroundings.

2)  What does comfort mean for you?

Asking questions will help you understand what is needed to make the space comfortable and fit for purpose. Ask questions like; Do you have a comfortable chair to sit in? Can you regulate the chair’s height? Does the chair have the armrests? Do you have enough space on your desk to put all the essentials out without being disrupted or creating the mess?

I would say planning and organising space is one of the most important factors. Make a list of everything your client needs and then think about what would make them happy working there. Is it having something on the desk, such as a photo that brings back nice memories? Or maybe you just a few pens and a coaster for a cup of tea? Do they need a pinning board to pin ideas/reminders etc? Knowing these things can help you plan and execute the right space for a home office.

3) Lighting the desk and working space effectively

Apart from ambient lighting, a task light and informed light selection is a must. Opting for a flexible energy efficient LED reading light is ideal for use as a task light for specific areas. A type of lamp with dimming features is also suggested, so the strength of light can be regulated for different purposes / times of day. Look for lamps which produce natural white light (especially if your access to daylight is limited). Another handy tip is to use a lamp with a base or shade that can rotate 360 degrees to facilitate more flexibility over the positioning of the light, allowing it to be directed wherever it is needed.

4) Achieving the right look and feel of the space

Especially if it’s part of a bigger space. In this case, consider blending the working area as much as possible with the existing design of the room; think similar finishes, colours, shapes etc. If you use completely different pieces style and colour wise, they will stand out more, and probably become an eye sore with time. Whenever we have designed a home office space, no matter how big or small, we would always blend it in as much as possible so it looks natural in its surroundings.

To support the community, Katie Malik Interiors are now offering FREE design consultations for those struggling with the design and organisation of their home office during the Coronavirus pandemic to help us find/create suitable spaces to work from home.

To arrange your consultation, drop an email to [email protected]

About the Author

Katie Malik is the creative director and founder of Katie Malik Interiors; an award-winning Cambridge and London based interior design studio, specialising in private residential, developments & hospitality interiors. Katie’s aim is to bring authenticity to each project.

For more information about becoming SBID Accredited, click here.

Project of the Week: SBID Awards Finalists 2019

This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a vibrant, cinematic inspired design for a memorable hotel experience in Dubai. Unleashing an unprecedented dimension to Studio City in Dubai, the aptly named Studio One Hotel sits perfectly within its demographic as its entire narrative plays tribute to nostalgic touches and cinematic expressions. Bishop Design crafted a dynamic interior scheme, boasting an intoxicating arrival experience where guests are greeted with playful features such as an old-school vintage TV installation and unique lighting solutions in the form of figurines carrying umbrellas. Along with an eclectic mélange of loose and fixed furniture and vivid artworks, the hotel lobby and public space reinvents people’s expectations of how a hotel should feel, look, and function, while complying with local standards; casual, comfortable, ultimately stylish, somewhat provocative, memorable to all and a hybrid between art and function through its visually striking interior and subliminal messaging.

SBID Awards: Hotel Public Space finalist sponsored by Viva Lagoon

Practice: Bishop Design

Project: Studio One Hotel

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

What was the client's brief? 

The Studio One Hotel as prescribed in the Client Brief was to create and establish a new language and philosophical approach to a modern, current, 4-star hotel environment. The hotel was to feature 5 different room types, which would include a selection of extended stay studios and apartments. Creating a comfortable and homely environment was at the heart of the projects conception with careful consideration dedicated to self-service pantries on each floor, in-house launderette and a grab & go counter. Space allocation was paramount to best utilise the area available still adhering to DTCM standards and guidelines, however, playful, cheeky and diverse in its application and design styling. The clients desired to create a fresh hotel offering unique to the region and to the star offering in spirit yet establishing an individual identity as a home-grown brand that would set the precedent of subsequent future outlets to follow. The approach taken was to create something fresh, original, multi-faceted in its function allowing the guest to stay either on a short-term or long-term basis. We were also commissioned to design two F&B units within the hotel.

What inspired the interior design of the project? 

Encompassing guests in its strong narrative, Studio One has become a real home-from-home environment through its immersive cinematic character, naturally enforcing an authentic connection to every guest. The narrative has resulted in a cozy space that everyone can relate to and feel comfortable within. Nostalgic senses exude from the entity’s cinematic expressions right from the old school TV feature that greets guests from the onset of their experience through to the playful “on air” lighting features that illuminate whenever a room is occupied. This thematic continuity enhances an effortlessly loveable charm between guests and the hotel, and is what sets the guest experience far beyond other hotels in the region.

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

The desired design direction was to be ultimately cost-effective, considering materials which were unique, recycled with a strong use of graphic and visual connectivity throughout, thoughtfully provocative however synonymous with its demographic yet also possessing the versatility to be rolled out within different regions on a global level.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

Studio One was designed to unleash an unprecedented dimension to the city’s DNA which would eagerly entice residents and tourists alike, from surrounding residential areas and Dubai as a whole. Now fully established, Studio One compliments yet stands out from its surroundings through its cinematic context and striking personality, instantly becoming a desirable hotel and F&B hotspot in Studio City, which was somewhat previously absent from many alluring traits. It is an honour to have introduced something so unique and vibrant to the region that brings the community together.

Why did you enter the SBID Awards?

Showcasing projects of the highest calibre all over the world, the SBID Awards stand as a desirable platform for every designer to share their work. It truly is a privilege to be able to submit a selection of our projects, as we become inspired year on year with the unprecedented talent and expertise that that the awards influence.

Questions answered by Pail Bishop, owner & founder, Bishop Design by Paul Bishop

We hope you feel inspired by this week's Hotel design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire

If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring decorative details and oriental architecture for an innovative Chinese classical style, click here to see more.

SBID Awards 2019 | Hotel Public Space finalist sponsored by Viva Lagoon

It's more important than ever to focus on our health and wellbeing during this challenging time. With this in mind, this month we're serving up some interior inspiration from last year's SBID Awards Finalists with their award-worthy designs across the healthcare and wellness sector; from gyms and spas, to care homes and health clinics.

Healthcare & Wellness Design

Suna Interior Design - Beechwood Grove

This ‘Extra Care, Over 55’ development was to be something people aspired to rather than settled for. There were numerous communal spaces to design but also numerous special sector considerations to factor in. Suna was determined to avoid the stereotypical institutional look this sector often falls into. Colour and contrast have been used carefully throughout the spaces to ensure they look beautifully designed but help support people with visual impairments and dementia. Flooring has been carefully chosen to work with the overall design, while being practical and assisting natural flow between spaces without distractions. Suna worked alongside a specialist sector supplier and designed and manufactured items to support comfort, mobility and safety while still feeling ‘designed’. The client proclaimed the scheme a “gamechanger for the sector”.

Elkus Manfredi Architects - Equinox Seaport

Embracing Equinox’s luxury lifestyle brand, designers at Elkus Manfredi Architects reinterpreted select standards to introduce light and inspirational views at their newest location in the Boston area, Equinox Seaport. Designers resolved a significant challenge of the leased space – unifying two non-contiguous floors– by creating a monumental staircase leading from the ground floor retail and reception area directly to the members-only workout and gathering spaces on level three. Members climb to an upscale lounge and co-working area immediately adjacent to exercise areas beyond, reinforcing the brand’s holistic live/work/play lifestyle experience. Natural light streams deep into the interior through the floor-to-ceiling windows, an effect that designers amplified by painting ceilings and exposed ductwork white – a first for the high-performance wellness brand. Abundant daylight and harborfront views distinguish Equinox’s 35,000-square-foot fitness club in the heart of Boston’s booming Seaport District, while offering an on-brand fitness-as-lifestyle experience.

Rien Kuan Interior Design Group - Dosha Spa

The site was in a 15 years old modern designed building, the original thoughtwas to rejoining the natural atmosphere within the construction.The project is to design the main lobby of the Welldosha spa. The main design concept of the space is to create a multi-functional space which many events can take place in the space. Therefore, we created a space that can be fully opened up suites for different purpose.

Rockwell Group - Tia Clinic

The Tia Clinic pairs science, technology, and community with real-world healthcare services to create a radically inclusive, highly personalised, and compassionate experience. The clinic’s lobby and entrance convey convenience and clarity, signaling that Tia is frictionless, clear, and accessible and puts patients at ease. When patients arrive, they are greeted by a curved white, ribbed wood reception desk with a terrazzo surface. A graphic environmental mural covers the walls with speckled, amoebic shapes in pastels and grays. Rather than a typical waiting room, Rockwell Group created the Living Room as a space that encourages members to choose their own adventure. Wellness and educational talks will take place here, and the Living Room softly and warmly assumes holds space for those events, while also creating a safe feminine universe.

Catalyst Interiors - Emerson Grange

Emerson Grange is a luxury Cinnamon Care residential home situated in Kent. Cinnamon asked Catalyst to create a home with ‘understated elegance’ throughout, with a focus on the entrance and reception areas. Emerson Grange has been designed with the social needs of the resident in mind. Providing a luxurious space in the foyer and reception designed as a hub for the local community. A piano bar, gym and salon offer a destination for residents whilst providing the sense of being in a public space, without sacrificing the safety of the home. As you travel through the building towards the communal areas the design takes a noticeable change. The focus takes a shift towards a more personal and connected environment that creates the true feeling of a home.

Project of the Week: SBID Awards Finalists 2019

This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features Interior design that synthesises Eastern and Western styles. The interior design plan of this luxury property unites the Eastern and Western classical elements, giving it a bold and alluring character. The captivating Roman vault structure built at the entrance creates impact thanks to its remarkable detail and decor. The achromatic colours soften the visual impact, the soft whites, which serves the main colours, blend with oriental natural landscape scenes. YZ Environment Design used decorative details diversely to incorporate elements from the oriental architectural while infusing the Western design style with ink-based art, creating a blended and innovative Chinese classical style.

SBID Awards: Residential Design Over £1M finalist sponsored by THG Paris

Practice: YZ Environment Design

Project: Synthesis of Eastern-and-Western Classical Styles

Location: Beijing, China

What was the client's brief? 

The proprietor is China Resources Group, a respected developer in China. This case is a model room of high-end luxury apartments, located near Beijing Medical University - which is an excellent location. The main customers have rich wealth and knowledge. The proprietor’s request is to make the clients feel elegant and to provide a unique experience.

What inspired the interior design of the project? 

Chinoiserie is a decorative style in Western art, furniture, and architecture, especially in the 18th century, characterised by the use of Chinese motifs and techniques. European countries absorbed the Chinese culture; particularly the symbols and cultural elements, however, the meaning and value of the elements are often ignored. Such surface-level cultural input made “Chinoiserie” not able to be widely applied and it eventually disappeared into the history of design. Although the Chinoiserie style represents the Europeans’ yearning for China, the imitation of Chinese art crafts and the shallow understanding of the culture make it hard to get deep into and extend the Chinese culture. People just see what they want to see about Chinese culture instead of the whole picture of it. Capturing the essence of Chinoiserie therefore was a key inspiration for this project's design scheme.

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

The toughest challenging was how to let the engineers and product processing staff understand the concept of the theme and intrinsic classic detail to create a transformation which is great enough to compete with the classics. The design involved many important craft processes such as hand-printed wallpaper, stairs, and mosaic with a large number of sketches and 3D drawings to develop.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

Visitors are introduced to classics from different periods and different regions when they enter the property. There are design distinctions and differences among the classic features, but they have been curated to blend so naturally and elegantly they are not noticeable. It gives people a whole new feeling. At the same time, exquisite and rigorous technologies have helped provide technical support to creating these new classics.

Why did you enter the SBID Awards?

We found SBID Award is a high-quality competition when we entered the award in 2015 for the first time. The judges are concerned not only about technology, materials and the undergoing changes in them, but also value highly culture and art and human spirit.

Questions answered by YZ Environment Design

We hope you feel inspired by this week's Residential design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire

If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring a Victorian family home with modern, industrial aesthetic & open plan living, click here to see more.

SBID Awards 2019 | Residential Design Over £1M finalist sponsored by THG Paris