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Project of the Week: SBID Awards Finalists 2019

This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a private underground entertainment space for an ambitious London client. Nice Brew Design were commissioned to design the 530 square metre space which was built under an existing 1920s detached home in London. Working alongside the Architect and dealing with various restrictions, Nice Brew Design came up with a large open space with the use of visual zoning to divide up each entertainment area, but also ensure the space as a whole was unified through the interior design scheme and layout throughout. 

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

Practice: Nice Brew Design

Project: Private Entertainment Space

Location: London, United Kingdom

What was the client's brief? 

The space needed to include a large gym and shower room, WCs, two-lane bowling alley, dance area and DJ booth, an IMAX cinema to seat up to 20 people, bar area that would double up as a meeting space, a wine room, pool table and various seating areas - including an area with five screens for multi-screen sport watching.  The space was going to have various types of end-users; the family, teenagers and friends – but was also going to be used for large corporate events and needed to have a sophiscated AV and lighting system, as well as be hard-wearing where possible.

What inspired the interior design of the project? 

The Art Deco style was our background inspiration, as well as creating the atmosphere and style of a traditional Gentleman’s club. However, the design concept actually resulted in a more modern, minimal take on this.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The opportunity to work on such a varied project was fantastic. At times it felt like 5 projects in one! Design work started in 2015 with construction kicking off early in 2016 and the project completing in November 2018. As such it was a detailed and an all time consuming project. Finally seeing the designs realised after so much time was definitely the highlight.

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

Two things stand out. Firstly the acoustics of the space. Noise from music, and in particular the bowling alley, needed to be retained within the basement and it was essential that it didn’t travel into the house or the gardens above, as it is a residential area.  Acoustic plaster from Stil acoustics was used on the ceilings; acoustic glass and doors were specified for the glass encased staircase that leads to the main house and the wine room, as well as to the floor to ceiling bronze doors that separate the house and bunker staircase. The bespoke bronze doors to the external entrance at underground level were also acoustic specified and a copper clad box that encases the external staircase from the garden level was designed to further ensure noise was kept below ground.

Another challenge we faced was that the space was restricted. Position was governed by the fact that The Bunker needed to link to the main house above as well as have an external entrance. Originally the project was designed as a two storey bunker but it was then discovered that the existing borehole only went down 6m and a further test resulted in the conclusion that this would be a complex construction and was updated to a single storey proposal instead.

Why did you enter the SBID Awards?

We felt the project deserved to be recognised and the SBID Awards are the one to aim for within the industry!

Questions answered by Charlotte Jackson, Creative Director at Nice Brew Design

If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring a stunning Shanghai residence located in the heart of Shanghai’s Pudong district, click here to see more.

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

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

The Society of British and International Interior Design’s inaugural SBID Product Design Awards has been honoured with the Awards Trust Mark at the Gold level, its highest degree of accreditation. This achievement is especially meaningful as only a handful of UK programmes such as The Diana Award for young humanitarians, the Investors in People awards, and SBID’s International Design Awards have been granted this recognition for their ethics and transparency.

The newly launched SBID Product Design Awards celebrate the finest design, innovation and functionality for products within the residential and commercial interior design sectors. Open until 13 March for entries from around the globe, the competition invites product, industrial and interior designers, as well as manufacturers and suppliers, to propose original products realised in the last two years across 17 categories.

The Awards Trust Mark certification was established by the Independent Awards Standards Council, a not-for-profit organisation made up of stakeholders in the awards industry. Created with the aim of raising standards and perceptions of trust in awards competitions, the accreditation encourages a focus on ethics with all aspects scrutinized including criteria, scoring, feedback, transparency and judging.

"The SBID Product Design Awards is an examplary demonstration of how awards should be operated..."

Chris Robinson, co-founder of the Independent Awards Standards Council, explains why the SBID Product Design Awards is a deserved holder of the Gold Standard level: “The SBID Product Design Awards is an exemplary demonstration of how awards should be operated with attention to every detail, from the transparency of the scoring system, to the quality of websites, the clarity of the entering process, and to the quality of customer service.”

Winners are chosen via a three-part process. A technical judging panel evaluates entries’ professional merit and determines the finalists to be announced 9 April. From this selection, an extraordinary jury of the foremost industry experts will decide 70% of the winners’ scores, with the remaining 30% the result of an online public vote that will be live until 30 April.

Recently appointed as vice-president of SBID, Chris Godfrey knows more than a thing or two about design excellence. The award-winning British architect and designer added another feather to his cap when he was named SBID’s 2019 Master of Design, an honour bestowed on a practitioner who has contributed greatly to the interior design industry. “SBID’s Product Design Awards support the visionary ideas, quality craftsmanship and integrity of materials that characterise the best in product design,” says Godfrey. “It’s appropriate that we should celebrate innovative products as essential parts of an interior designer’s toolkit for creating holistically-considered spaces.”

With winners announced at the glamorous Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London during an awards ceremony on Friday, 5 June 2020, entrants into the very first SBID Product Design Awards can be confident in knowing that the ethics of the judging process is as valued as the originality of their creations.

Click here for more information.

Discussing how the modern home has adapted to societal changes over the years, Henrietta Thompson, journalist and founder of Harth, will lead an insightful panel discussion alongside Maryanne Cartwright, Design Manager at Graham & Brown, and Vanessa Brady OBE, SBID CEO.

Date: Thursday 20th February 

Time: 6.00pm - 8.00pm

Location: House of Harth, Islington Square

SBID Panel Discussion
SBID Panel Discussion with Graham & Brown
SBID Panel Discussion

Year by year, decade by decade, our homes adapt to societal changes. An example of this is office areas becoming more and more part of the modern interior. As a society, many are increasingly working from home so naturally our homes have adapted to create flexible and comfortable spaces for work life balance. Aligning itself with the wellbeing trend, working from home is said to promote productivity - the use of indoor plants also help create a healthier environment. Over the last few years, we are gradually bringing the outdoors in, this is definitely a big shift from previous years. Discover more about how the interior landscape has altered to embrace such societal influences and environmental trends, so you can better adapt your interior designs for the modern world.

Meet the Panellists:

Maryanne Cartwright - Graham & Brown

Maryanne Cartwright

Design Manager, Graham & Brown

Vanessa Brady - SBID

Dr Vanessa Brady OBE

CEO and Founder, SBID

Henrietta Thompson - Harth

Henrietta Thompson

Journalist & Founder, Harth

Please note: Limited spaces are available.

To register your interest in attending, please email [email protected]

Project of the Week

This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a stunning Shanghai residence located in the heart of Shanghai’s Pudong district. Elicyon was commissioned to design a luxurious apartment in a contemporary British style. With sophisticated colour palette, lacquered veneers and marble, the design scheme blends perfectly with the existing architecture of the building, and by using joinery, furniture and lighting crafted exclusively in the UK – Elicyon created a home true to the client’s vision.

Practice: Elicyon

Project: Shanghai 

Location: Shanghai, China

Residential design by Elicyon

What was the client's brief? 

The client was a young Chinese professional who wanted to create an apartment with a real sense of British craftsmanship within this prestigious residential development. The client had a very strong design ethos with long-term vision – it was very important that the fittings, furnishings and palette chosen would be impactful but at the same time, wouldn’t date. It is always exciting to work with a client who has a defined vision and makes highly informed, considered design choices.

What inspired the interior design of the project? 

British craftsmanship definitely inspired the design of the apartment. This translated into our choice of suppliers – we worked with a lot of British and European artisans and suppliers. We also chose a colour palette with quite a British sensibility – lots of dove grey and pale blues which were then given a twist through contrasting against areas of high black glossy, lacquered veneers. We were conscious of not creating a cliché or pastiche of British design, so we also took inspiration from the Shanghai location, paying homage to the river and incredible views, to create a marriage between east and western influences in the final product.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

This project was very special for many reasons – the fit-out of the apartment was almost entirely built in Britain and then flat packed and air freighted to Shanghai. It was an incredibly challenging and exciting brief to transpose a completely British-made design for the client. The end result was absolutely fantastic, true to the initial vision of a space with a limited, and in most part, high contrast palette.

Questions answered by Charu Gandhi, Founder and Director, Elicyon

If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring a timeless explorer's lodge in Botswana built with sustainability and nature in mind, click here to see more.

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

Presenting an exceptional opportunity to celebrate the very best in global product design and set to culminate in the glamorous setting of the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London with an awards ceremony on Friday 5 June, the SBID Product Design Awards 2020 is currently open for entries.

With entries due to close on Friday 13 March, a strict 3-step judging process will ensure that all entries are fairly assessed and carefully scrutinised for their technical standards, as well as the creative delivery and ability to inspire those who appreciate and understand good design. 

A technical judging panel will evaluate entries’ professional merit and determine the finalists to be announced Thursday 9 April. From this selection, a jury representing a broad range of professional design skills will contribute 70% to the winners’ scores, with the remaining 30% taken from an online public vote that will be live until Thursday 30 April. The broad, international nature of the competition means the judges and public voters are able to choose from a spectrum of entries varying in product type, scale, value and creative inspiration.

A range of top-tier industry experts from across the creative sectors have been invited to lend their insights and experience to the SBID Product Awards’ judging panel.

This year's Judges include:

Karim Rashid

Karim Rashid  |  Designer & President, Karim Rashid Inc.

Karim Rashid is one of the most prolific designers of his generation. Over 4000 designs in production, over 400 awards, and operating in over 35 countries attest to Karim’s legend of design. His award-winning designs include democratic objects like the ubiquitous Garbo waste can and Oh! Chair for Umbra and interiors like the Morimoto restaurant, Philadelphia and Nhow hotel, Berlin. Karim has created noteworthy designs for clients Method and Pepsi, furniture for Artemide and Vondom, brand identity for Citibank and Hyundai, high-tech products for LaCie and Samsung, and luxury goods for Veuve Clicquot and Christofle, to name a few.

Vasiliki Petrou

Vasiliki Petrou  |  Group CEO and Executive VP, Unilever Prestige

Vasiliki joined Unilever in November 2012 after completing a 19-year career with Procter & Gamble. In P&G, Vasiliki led various global, regional and local roles mainly in the Beauty Category primarily working in skin, hair and colour cosmetics. Vasiliki’s first role in Unilever was creating the Pitch Co-Creation (Innovation) Centres in London and New York. Vasiliki also led the development of strategic macro space work that has been pivotal in defining the strategy, innovation pipeline and expertise of the Beauty and Personal Care Category.

In 2014, Vasiliki started the creation of the Prestige division from the beginning. Since then, Vasiliki led the acquisition of 8 companies Dermalogica, Murad, Kate Somerville, Ren, Garancia, Tatcha (to close August 2019), Living Proof, and Hourglass. Vasiliki leads a team of 8 CEOs and a central multi-functional team that decide strategic priorities, resource allocation and growth strategy for the portfolio.

Gary Clark

Gary Clark  |  Principal, Regional Leader of Science + Technology, HOK London Studio

Gary is an Architect with a passion for sustainable architecture and has over 30 years continually sought to bridge academic research, teaching and practice to create a sustainable future. In his role as Principal Lead for Science and Technology at HOK, his aim is to deliver a sustainable future not only in the science and technology but across all sectors of the construction industry.

Gary has collaborated and led sustainability with a number of leading practices including Wilkinson Eyre, Bennett’s Associates and Hopkins Architects. These collaborations have delivered award winning sustainable buildings across a range of sectors from Higher Education, Academic Research, Residential mixed use, Office and Cultural Buildings.

Letitia Fitzgibbon

Letitia Fitzgibbon  |  Head of Interior Design, Harrods Interior Design

With over 17 years’ experience in the luxury interiors industry Letitia Fitzgibbon heads-up Harrods Interior Design, a multi-disciplinary bespoke design service by Harrods.

In her previous role as a key player within the Harrods Home buying team, Letitia worked closely with the Director of Home in redeveloping the home and furniture offering from Harrods, creating new concepts and sourcing brands from across the world to provide a carefully curated range of products that hero provenance, craftsmanship and heritage in helping to shape Harrods Home into the exciting design hub it is today.

Dr Vanja Garaj

Dr Vanja Garaj  |  Head of Design, Brunel University London

Dr Vanja Garaj is Head of Brunel Design, where he also teaches on the Professional Design Studio module, a part of the MSc Integrated Product Design programme. He has co-ordinated a number of live project briefs, across design fields, with organisations including Cancer Research UK, NHS, Pan Macmillan, Help for Heroes, Friends of the Elderly, Corney & Barrow, Shell, Ibis and BT. Dr Garaj’s research is aimed at design, development and evaluation of innovative systems, products and services, with the focus on digital and digital-physical domains and the application of the latest technologies. His research activities have involved the areas of digital health, assistive technology, m-learning, e-government, social networking and the IoT and the immersive tech. The current research projects include Impacting Business by Design, funded by Research England, Story Futures, funded by Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and Inclusive Immersion, funded by Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

Herbert Lui

Herbert Lui  |  Partner, Dexter Moren Associates

Herbert has extensive experience of working on complex mixed-use developments on challenging sites. Along with a strong awareness of stakeholder aspirations, he has a proven ability to convert constraints into opportunities.

Herbert is a graduate of Westminster University and the Architectural Association in London, and the National University of Singapore. He joined DMA in 1999 as a Project Architect and was appointed a Partner in 2008.

Tim Bowder-Ridger

Tim Bowder-Ridger  |  Senior Partner, Conran and Partners

As an Architect and designer, Tim is passionate about creating authentic experiences centred around cultural spirit and personality. He brings his knowledge of the hospitality and residential sectors to design buildings and spaces that reflect contemporary lifestyle needs and desires with a sense of place and aspiration.

As Senior Partner, Tim leads the design direction of the practice as a whole, as well as being responsible for the finance and operations of the business. He directly leads on a number of strategic projects; large and small, at home and abroad. Most recently, Tim has completed the conversion of the brutalist icon Centre Point, from an unused office tower into a charismatic residential destination in the heart of London’s cultural district; and Kita Aoyama, a high-end residential development in the heart of Japan.

Monika Moser

Monika Moser  |  Regional Managing Director; London, New York and Paris, Wilson Associates

Monika is a hotelier at heart. With an MBA in Hospitality Management from ESSEC Business School and over 20 years of experience in hotel operations, she’s an authority in luxury hospitality. A German native who grew up across in South America, Monika developed a passion for art, music, literature and language. She is now fluent in five languages. As Regional Managing Director of Wilson’s atelier in Paris and design offices in London and New York, Monika is a brand ambassador who supports the firm’s strategic initiatives.

Can Tufekcioglu

Can Tufekcioglu  |  Principal Interior Designer, Arcadis

Can worked for 15 years in Istanbul before moving to Dubai as Principal Interior Designer for Arcadis. He has been involved in a wide range of multidisciplinary projects ranging from healthcare and offices to residential and educational. He is primarily focused on the technical aspects of the projects; however, his personal preference is space planning and design.

Stella Gittins

Stella Gittins  |  Co-Founder & Group Director, Accouter Group of Companies

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

Taking a lead creative role for the Group, Stella is responsible for all aspects of brand and design and has published four bespoke publications that discuss every corner of luxury life. Featuring the inspiration behind Accouter Design’s schemes and collaborating with iconic brands such as Rolls Royce and William & Son, the fifth publication is due for launch in 2020.

Chris Dezille

Chris Dezille  |  Founder & Creative Director, Honky

Honky is a multi-disciplinary, award winning architectural and interior design practice based in London. Founded by Christopher Dezille in 2001, Honky’s creative team is committed to providing a full design service, tailored to the project and the individual client’s needs.

Chris’s career in Interior Design extends over 25 years. Whilst most of his work is focused in Central London, he has undertaken private and commercial projects throughout the UK and internationally, including projects in Monte Negro, Marbella, Cannes and The Channel Islands.

Johnny Grey

Johnny Grey  |  Kitchen Architect, Johnny Grey Studios

Johnny has designed and built over 400 highly innovative kitchens in 10 different countries. He has authored four books on kitchens and the home that have been translated into 14 languages. His interest in how the space we call the kitchen shapes people’s lives, enabling us all to live happier and healthier, is lifelong. He has a growing interest in redefining accessible design into a multi-generational approach to embrace all ages and abilities.

As Visiting Professor of Design and Kitchen Culture at Bucks New University Johnny acts as a bridge between the kitchen industry and university research. He is academic lead and co-founder there of the country’s first-degree course for kitchen design.

Click here to view the full judging panel.

Entries for the SBID Product Design Awards 2020 will close on 13 March! 

To find out more about entering, visit www.sbidproductdesignawards.com

As January draws to a close, we look to the year ahead with great anticipation for the design industry at large. With the benchmark getting higher every year, we're gearing up to celebrate another year of global design excellence with the 2020 edition of the SBID International Design Awards launching soon.

In line with our mission to recognise, reward and celebrate design, each month we'll be throwing it back and featuring some of our favourite Finalist projects from SBID Awards 2019! This month, we're taking a closer look at public spaces...

Public Space Design

Sergey Makhno Architects - Academy DTEK

SBID Awards 2019 Sergey Makhno Architects
SBID Awards 2019 Sergey Makhno Architects

Academy DTEK is a business platform that specialises in corporate education and training of state sector employees. The interior design of the project was realised by Sergey Makhno Architects studio. It is eco-friendly and durable as more than 200,000 students visit the Academy throughout the year. All the learning spaces are mobile, versatile and can adapt to various tasks and audiences. The whole academy is designed to make the learning process a thrilling experience!

Elkus Manfredi Architects - Cathedral of the Holy Cross

SBID Awards 2019 - Elkus Manfredi Architects
SBID Awards 2019 - Elkus Manfredi Architects
SBID Awards 2019 - Elkus Manfredi Architects

Elkus Manfredi Architects designed a comprehensive renovation to bring new life and light to the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, the largest Catholic church in New England and a landmark in the South End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. Relying on a 3D digital model created from laser scans, renovations included reconfiguring the sanctuary platforms to project the altar closer to congregants, restoring/lightening interior finishes, and integrating modern infrastructural and ADA improvements.  Historical photos of the 144-year-old church helped inform careful replications of decorative wall patterns, while new liturgical appointments complement the original reredos. Discrete, all-new LED lighting brightened stained glass windows from within and illuminated formerly dark ceilings that were enhanced with gold paint on the edge bead of the elaborately carved wooden trusses. Dramatic and resplendent, the Cathedral of the Holy Cross once again stands as a beacon to the community, both day and night.

Diamond Schmitt Architects - Campus1 MTL

SBID Awards 2019 - Diamond Schmitt Architects
SBID Awards 2019 - Diamond Schmitt Architects

A 19-storey former hotel on the McGill University campus in Montreal has been converted to a student residence. The design challenge went beyond the bricks and mortar architecture; the space had to promote a sense of community and social engagement. The design integrates programmed and unprogrammed space, which allows students to make the space their own. A seating niche is located opposite the main security desk and is highlighted with a bold graphic that is now in the residence’s branding. The ground floor is pulled together by a multi-tiered mountain inspired by the city’s Mount Royal, which creates a hangout space that is highlighted by a cloud of curved linear Sketch light pendants.

Suzanne Barnes Design Partnership - Garth House

SBID Awards 2019 - Suzanne Barnes
SBID Awards 2019 - Suzanne Barnes

Garth House is an intimate Grade II-Listed building with meeting rooms and part of the University of Birmingham’s hotel and conference facility. It was built in 1901 and designed by William Bidlake who was an English Architect and a leading figure in Birmingham in the Arts & Crafts movement. It is distinct from Bidlake’s other houses in the simplicity of its design and is of international significance as it was singled out in Hermann Muthesius’ Das Englische Haus, which influenced the development of the Modernist movement. Before its restoration in 2018 it was used by the university in the same capacity as it is today, but now the interiors have been transformed from a standard educational environment to a stylish individual space with a sense of domestic scale and structure to celebrate a space befitting of its historical past and create pride for its future.

A.RK Interior Design - The Park Sales Gallery

SBID Awards 2019 - A.RK Interior Design
SBID Awards 2019 - A.RK Interior Design

The Park is a 1,000m² sales gallery that celebrates the past success and history of Rui Hong Xin Cheng in Shanghai, and also showcases their latest mixed-use development. Being in and around nature plays a large part in the concept of this project. Staying true to the naturalist concept of the entire development, this project strives to find the symbiotic balance of nature indoor and outdoor. 

Project of the Week: SBID Awards Finalists 2019

This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features the timeless explorer's lodge which beats with the pulse of wild Africa. Lying on the edge of Botswana’s mysterious Savute Channel and within Chobe National Park - where the big five roam, the skies are large and the land is washed with the muted colours of the Savute - the Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge has undergone a full redesign and has since become a tented retreat infused with the romance of a bush camp. This is the result of a robust collaboration among Belmond (owner/operator), Luxury Frontiers (project manager and architectural, infrastructure and back of house design), and Inge Moore of Muza Lab (interior design). Together, the team designed entirely new public areas including an arrival lobby, dining room, lounge and bar, library, pool, spa and game-viewing hide - while also refurbishing the guest accommodation suites. The resulting design is a contemporary tribute to the golden age of exploration. And while the design rightfully evokes a sense of adventure and discovery, guests are also drawn to connect with the natural world and slow down to the rhythm of the land that surrounds them.

SBID Awards: Hotel Public Space finalist sponsored by Viva Lagoon

Practice: Luxury Frontiers

Project: Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge

Location: Chobe, Botswana

Sustainable hotel design by Muza Lab and Luxury Frontiers featuring outdoor dining and seating

What was the client's brief? 

The Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge has long enjoyed a beautiful location within Chobe National Park, Botswana’s most biologically diverse park with one of Africa’s largest concentrations of game. However, the lodge had become tired, it was not engaged with its location as an experience and it did not reflect Belmond’s commitment to sustainable development and practices.

In addition to design responsibilities, as Lead Consultant and Project Manager for the project, Luxury Frontiers was responsible for the full coordination and contracting of the professional team, bringing on board the local expertise of general contractor Lodge Builders of Botswana and the hotel interiors talent of international designer Inge Moore. With the lodge’s state of affairs, Muza Lab and Luxury Frontiers were tasked with reinvigorating the resort not only to reflect Belmond’s principles, but to also engage guests through curated spaces and to showcase the natural beauty of the locale.

Sustainable hotel design by Muza Lab and Luxury Frontiers featuring living room

What inspired the interior design of the project? 

The goal was to create spaces which both reflect the greatest sense of place and are where people can embrace their surroundings, all while paying the highest respect to the environment through sustainable design. Materials are simple and natural, including limed and white painted saligna wood floors, rattan furniture and fabrics combining bright geometric prints with earthy tones. The tented public areas which include an arrival lobby, dining room, lounge and bar, and library are a collection of tented rooms which flow outdoors onto large terraces with magnificent views. The public areas have been designed to lend a comfortable, lived-in feeling with layers of collected artefacts, yet bring in plenty of local context with clusters of carved poles recalling the sticks used by the indigenous people, traditional decorative screening details and locally crafted lights inspired by the region’s clay pots.

Befitting to Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge’s location within an unadulterated wilderness area, all structures were designed to celebrate the great African bush, frame spectacular views and have a truly experiential function. Take for instance the game-viewing hide which allows guests to inconspicuously watch the area’s beloved herds of elephants and other exotic animals which gather around the lodge’s watering hole. Added to that are the hide’s beautifully simple design and its composite bamboo walls, which cast striking, spindly shadows throughout the space.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

A real point of pride for the team was the fact that the project was devoted to minimising environmental impact to the lodge’s stunning site and to supporting local businesses and organisations. All of the lodge’s structures were constructed on suspended, timber-based platforms and made of composite boarding and canvas. The previous lodge’s timber was recycled and reused, and the lodge’s decks were rebuilt using composite bamboo - one of today’s highest green timber alternative products. In the guestrooms, local thatching grass purchased from communities in Northern Botswana was chosen to cover the roofs. In fact, all the furniture, fixings and equipment at the lodge was sourced locally in Southern Africa, including gorgeously crafted pieces produced by The Blind Society of South Africa.

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

A design challenge - but one which was embraced - was the team’s commitment to making the lodge completely self-sufficient. As a specialist in infrastructure and back of house design in off-the-grid locales, Luxury Frontiers was excited to think outside the box and come up with efficient, cutting-edge solutions. Previously, the whole lodge was run on generators, which could consume up to 300 liters of diesel daily. This was replaced with a state-of-the-art solar farm of 665 panels and a Tesla battery system (one of the first in Botswana), and this has cut fossil fuel consumption by approximately 90%. Luxury Frontiers had installed a new anaerobic Sewage Treatment Plant, replaced the gas-fired hot water heaters with power-efficient thermodynamic geysers for each of the guestrooms, and put in an automated biodigester (the first of its kind in Botswana). The machine processes five tons of kitchen food waste monthly and turns this into compost, which is then bagged and used in local community-based farming initiatives.

Why did you enter the SBID Awards?

The Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge project team was excited to enter the SBID Awards to give credit to the complexity of the project, which was further heightened by the sensitivity of the project’s site (an unadulterated wilderness site within a national park). As projects are judged by SBID on both aesthetic creativity and technical merit, we knew the work done at Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge needed to be highlighted and heralded in the design community as world-class interior design was thoughtfully married to the utmost sustainable design considerations. Through our work here, we hope the design community (and the hospitality world) witness and strive to further the push the boundaries in sustainable design.

Questions answered by Graeme Labe, Principal & Managing Director at Luxury Frontiers with support from Inge Moore, Principal at Muza Lab

If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring Art Déco inspired interiors for a luxury residence, click here to see more.

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

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

Sustainable hotel design by Muza Lab and Luxury Frontiers featuring outdoor dining and seating

The Society of British and International Interior Design (SBID) announces the launch of its Product Design Awards celebrating the finest design, innovation and functionality for products within the residential and commercial interior design sectors.

Now open for entries from around the globe, the competition invites product, industrial and interior designers, as well as manufacturers and suppliers, to propose original products realised in the last two years across 17 categories: Accessories; Bathroom Product; Brassware; Cabinetry & Joinery; Fabric & Textiles; Furniture – Contract; Furniture – Residential; Heating & Cooling; Ironmongery & Metalwork; Kitchen Product; Leisure & Wellbeing; Lighting; Outdoor; Sanitaryware; Sound & Vision; and Surfaces & Finishes.

Entries close on Friday, 13 March 2020, with winners chosen via a three-part process. A technical judging panel evaluates entries’ professional merit and determines the finalists to be announced 9 April. From this selection, a jury representing a broad range of design skills and connections will decide 70% of the winners’ scores, with the remaining 30% the result of an online public vote that will be live until 30 April.

Truly extraordinary industry experts will lend their insights and experience to the SBID Product Awards’ judging panel, including Karim Rashid, president, Karim Rashid Inc; Vasiliki Petrou, group ceo and executive vice president, Unilever Prestige; Dr. Jeff Ning, president, Wanda Hotels and Resorts; Can Tufekcioglu, principal interior designer, Arcadis; Trevor Cotterell, managing director, Areen; Kar‑Hwa Ho​, head of interior architecture, Zaha Hadid Architects; Gary Clark, principal, regional leader of science and technology, HOK London Studio; Henry Reeve, director of interior design, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG); Heinz Richardson, principal, Jestico + Whiles Architects and Designers; Letitia Fitzgibbon, head of interior design, Harrods Interior Design; Herbert Lui, partner, Dexter Moren Associates; and Dr. Vanja Garaj, head of design, Department of Design, Brunel University London.

In the glamorous setting of Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London, the awards ceremony on Friday, 5 June 2020 will be an exceptional opportunity to celebrate the very best in global product design while mingling with top-tier industry leaders from across the world.

To find out more about the SBID Product Design Awards, visit www.sbidawards.com

Project of the Week: SBID Awards Finalists 2019

This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a truly magnificent residential design for a home befitting of its prime location in Wentworth; one of the UK’s premier private estates. This 6 bedroom, 7 bathroom detached house offers inspiration and excitement at every turn. Having worked extensively with the client over the last twelve years on multiple overseas properties and a limited edition Oyster yacht, Hill House Interiors were the natural choice to transform the home, using inspiring fabrics, innovative textures and complementary tones to seamlessly integrate the 3,000 sqft extension into the rest of the home.

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

Company: Hill House Interiors

Project: Private Estate, Wentworth

Location: Surrey, United Kingdom

Residential design by Hill House Interiors featuring luxury bar area

What was the client's brief? 

Hill House Interiors were commissioned to design the interior scheme for this prestigious property in 2006, since which, they have further worked with the owners on their stunning villa in Zagleta and limited edition Oyster yacht. It was, therefore, sheer delight to be contacted again to revisit the client’s Wentworth home to devise the scheme for a vast refurbishment and 3000 sqft extension of the already sizeable 9000 sqft home.

Initially born from the desire for a much larger, walk in closet and dressing area for the master suite, the clients swiftly realised their dream of considerably larger entertainment spaces to include on the wishlist; a stunning new dual aspect fireplace, feature bar, and sumptuous cinema room.

Residential design by Hill House Interiors featuring kitchen dining room

What inspired the interior design of the project? 

Hill House drew inspiration for this remarkable space from the Art Déco era – that fascinating period in history when bold geometry, artistic mirrors and exquisitely rich materials started to be incorporated into private homes.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The hallway is the first thing guests see when they enter a home, so it is always a key feature and starting point of any scheme. This transitory spot was the perfect place to sweep guests off their feet and was utilised to add elegant décor details that helped to elevate the overall ambience of the home.

Upon entering, guests are met with a stunning Jerusalem crema grey marble staircase with glass balustrade and leather handrail. This installation is a beautiful contrast to the bespoke, hand sculpted artwork – a single bonsai tree – spanning the 20ft wall. Specially finished in a shimmering hand-applied pearlescent coat, subtle, soft recessed lighting enhances the incredibly intricate detail of this favoured far eastern tree. The sublimely elegant hand-blown floating crystal leaf chandelier that presides over the space - apart from making a stunning sculptural visual centrepiece - creates a beautiful light and shadow play across its surrounding surfaces, enhancing the space further.

Residential design by Hill House Interiors featuring master bedroom

Why did you enter the SBID Awards?

The SBID Awards are highly respected within the design industry, and every year it’s incredibly inspiring to see such a wide variety of skills and styles represented across the various categories, showing the amount of diversity within the interior design industry.

The projects that take home an SBID accolade are truly the best in the business, and the awards evening is an event we look forward to every year. We continue to be delighted to take part in the SBID International Design Awards, and are keeping our fingers crossed for 2020!

Questions answered by Jenny Weiss, Co-founder of Hill House Interiors

If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring luxurious, golden age glamour for the Hilton Imperial Hotel Dubrovnik, click here to see more.

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

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

Residential design by Hill House Interiors featuring walk-in wardrobe dressing room

Residential design by Hill House Interiors featuring master bathroom

Head of Marketing at Yves Delorme UK, Prune Allain des Beauvais reveals how the heritage of the French luxury brand has shaped five generations of exquisite embroidered and bespoke bedding and linen homewares, from timeless classics and fashionable prints, to unique customisations and original hand-painted artwork.

What are the origins of your brand?

Yves Delorme is the French luxury linens brand for the home and our passion since 1845. Since then, the name Fremaux has been synonymous with home linen and the company is proud to be one of the oldest businesses of its kind in Europe. 1845 was a special year which saw the creation of a linen weaving mill near Lille by Ernestine Fremaux and her husband. Time and generations have gone by, the company has grown, consolidated its experience and know-how and achieved a strong authentic personality: creative, demanding and courageous. A creativity which was increased tenfold in the early 80's, with the association between Dominique Fremaux, the current president and Yves Delorme, who was then renowned for his bath linen collections. The excellence of the Fremaux-Delorme’s heritage can be found in the history of the men and women who have built the company, its expansion and all its products to the point that the passion and know-how of five generations are woven into every sheet, every towel and every tablecloth branded Yves Delorme. A member of the Comité Colbert since 2001, Yves Delorme today epitomises a lifestyle which is truly exceptional, when luxury living is a daily experience.

Yves Delorme luxury bedding collection
SBID Awards

How do you work with interior designers?

For their projects, Interior Designers usually use our classic collections; our percale (Athena collection) and sateen cotton (Triomphe collection) lines. We also have an amazing collection of luxurious quality towels called Etoile. Yves Delorme collaborates directly with interior designers, selecting from our Bespoke catalogue of fabrics, embroideries, monograms and colours to customise a truly unique set of linens. Begin the creative endeavor with a pristine canvas of the finest long staple cotton in percale or sateen, then build from a choice of distinct Yves Delorme embroidered designs, with a selection of 48 stunning thread colours and a range of monogram styles and placements for a personalised and made to measure design.

Yves Delorme Bespoke options apply to flat sheets, duvet covers and all sizes of pillow shams and cases. Monogram services are also available in our Etoile range of bath linens in 19 fashionable colourways. Yves Delorme also offers the option for made to measure sizes.

What value does your sector add to the interior design industry?

Our values are Poetry, Audacity, Excellence and Savoir-faire. Maintaining the highest standards in the selection of natural materials and fine fabrics, and in the excellence of finishings and attention to hand-made details, the Yves Delorme design is recognised for timeless classics and fashion prints, integrating original hand-painted artwork and heritage to Haute Couture. Yves Delorme shares with the designer community its passion for luxury linens!

SBID Awards sponsor, Yves Delorme luxury bedding collection

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

Our monogramming service is very popular. We can add initials, logos or bespoke designs on any of our products to enhance interiors with unique, personal touches.

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

Today, the desire for beautiful, embroidered and bespoke linen has never been so strong, which is why we founded Yves Delorme Couture. A timeless collection in endless white tones, fresh and delicate percales, silky soft white satins, featherweight cloths and classic linens. A collection designed to be transformed, played out by your imagination to take you beyond wonderland...

Why did you want to become a sponsor of the SBID Awards?

We are proud to sponsor the SBID Awards. We have been partners for the second year and it is a great opportunity to connect with other professionals from the interior and decor industry.

Hotel Bedroom & Suites Category Sponsor  |  SBID International Design Awards 2019

Sponsorship for the SBID International Design Awards 2020 is now open.

To find out more about becoming an SBID Awards sponsor, click here or email [email protected]

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