For the interior designer, the first step when working with clients is establishing a vision — to understand the client’s intent for the space. First, ask: what deficiencies are they trying to address? What attributes do they desire? We often refer to this as “space planning” and the goal is to generate efficiency for the final design.
Once you determine how they’d like to use the space, work to understand the client’s aesthetic desires. Here, it’s about creating the client’s vision, which involves so much more than just selecting paint colours, sofas, and chairs. It should be a back-and-forth to ensure the client trusts you. They should know you’re wholeheartedly considering their wishes.
This is where it's essential for designers to utilise software for interior design. With Vectorworks, this kind of collaboration is not only obtainable, it’s a prime feature of the software.
An interior rendering extracted from a panorama. Image courtesy of Vectorworks.
In the latest software update, Service Pack 3 (SP3), Vectorworks introduced an immersive panorama feature for viewing interiors. It’s an interactive, 360-degree model. It feels like you’re actually there, and you can invite the client to experience the rendering with you. The 3D views are photo-realistic and change in real-time as the designer makes edits. Once you make a change, it reflects everywhere in the project.
This feature is incredibly useful — it means the designer can incorporate the client’s feedback in a matter of seconds, then send a shareable web link whose file size is even compatible with social media.
It comes as part of an ever-rising design trend of cloud technology workflows — where data exists in nebulous space, accessible to anyone with permission. It’s simultaneously practical and feasible, with a reasonable learning curve. It makes working with clients easy, and makes realising their visions even easier.
Written by Wes Gardner
Vectorworks Architecture Industry Specialist in the US
(Cover image credits: A rendering of the Parramatta City Centre, a design by McGegor Coxall. Image courtesy of McGregor Coxall.)
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a typical Cape Dutch style house with a traditional thatch roof in the village of Franschhoek with a quirky, residential design. The vast white walls in this sunny Cape Town home takes full advantage of the abundance of sunlight to create and accentuate the feeling of space, letting the light flood throughout the property. With the bright, white freshness of this stunning holiday home, ACID+ integrated the client's love of street art to inject the property with personality. Using authentic South African artworks and hand painted murals by South African artists to punctuate this white-washed home with vibrant splashes of colour.
Sector: Residential Design
Company: ACID+
Project: Franschhoek Cape Winelands
Project Location: Cape Town, Africa
What was the client's brief?
To create a comfortable, creative interior and make good use of the fabulous outside space and views. The house was purchased on a whim by the clients when they visited Cape Town and the Western Cape for the first time and saw it advertised on their way to the airport to fly home. They fell in love with the area.
The house is a typical Dutch Cape style house with a thatch roof in the village of Franschhoek - beside the fabulous DeLaire Graff wine estate and extraordinary Babylonstoren wine farm in the Cape Winelands. The house also comprises of a separate guest suite with its own entrance, garden, terrace and even its own kitchen for guests to use, so they are able to enjoy privacy and meet up with other friends for sundowners [South Africans are avid Sundowners. Meeting up to drink the fabulous local wines and craft gins in the evenings while the sun sets]. The house is named ‘Rehoboth’, meaning a place to flourish. It was therefore important to balance social spaces whilst also offering privacy throughout the interior design scheme.
What inspired the interior design of the project?
It’s really all about the views and the garden. The garden was designed by the previous owner and the renowned, late landscape architect Anne Sutton when the house was built 12 years ago. Fragrant Lemon blossom, lavender, Iceberg roses, Murraya exotica, rosemary and snowdrift Thyme make for a perfumed Mediterranean garden.
The weather lends itself to almost year-round alfresco living, and that's exactly what appealed to the clients; a Mediterranean climate in beautiful surroundings with excellent food and wine. The garden wraps around all sides of the house with various sitting, lounging, sunbathing and dining options to be used at different times of the day. The owners inherited the full-time gardener whom has cared for the garden since its creation. The house and gardens get sun all day from early morning to sunset and the separate entrances to the bedrooms means there is no post pool dripping through the house.
The client is a lover of street art, so we wanted to integrate this into the design of the home - bringing this concept throughout the interior, as well as on the exterior. The mural in the front garden was executed by a local street artist Wayne Becks. The mural in a guest bedroom is by Ana Kuni, a Ukranian model and artist living in Cape Town. Both artists works captured the owners eye instantly.
What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?
The time of year the interior fit out was being done was over the Christmas holidays which was - unknowing to us - the only time of the year when everything closes down. It's like Europe in summer when factory orders close. Everything closes down in October to February. It was their summer holiday! The time when everyone goes home to visit their families. This meant we had to ship furniture into Cape Town from Hong Kong which was fraught with difficulties and not something we would wish to repeat. This caused an ongoing saga for about 5 months!
What was your team’s highlight of the project?
When the furniture finally arrived it was in perfect order. Not a single scratch and everything fitted in perfectly. All the art used to punctuate the property with pops of colour was purchased in South Africa and is by South African artist, filling the home with unique and colourful art which they loved. Again - everything came together in the end and worked together perfectly!
Questions answered by Anji Connell, Design Director at ACID+ Anji Connell Interior Design
If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring a contemporary and environmentally-friendly design for a sustainable family home in Mexico City, click here to see more.
We hope you feel inspired by this week's residential design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
ACID+
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a contemporary and sustainable design for a family home in Mexico City. The project employed the concept of re-architecture; a concept that defines the re-use of buildings, through a contemporary and often environmentally-friendly design, to rescue architectural objects that otherwise would be obsolete. The ALD2 House project consisted of stripping an existing house, respecting a large part of the exterior due to rules of the complex where it is located, and from that skeleton rethinking the use of the materials and finishes in the design of the new version of this house.
The client, a lover of cars, art and literature, wanted a contemporary style but cosy, that would showcase his taste and those of his three children. A house where he and his children can enjoy themselves and grow. The project was planned with a variety of “monotone” materials and colours with a masculine emphasis in the use of colour and exploiting the use of iconic pieces of furniture like Barcelona chairs or Eames lounge chair.
Company: SpAce Arquitectura
Project: ALD2 House
Project Location: Mexico City, Mexico
It was important to the client that the house would strike a balance between modern architecture and a cosy home. With 3 small children, the owner wanted to achieve 'transparency' throughout the design so they would be able to see the kids all the times. The client also wanted a sustainable house, with emphasis on water and energy consumption. The design of the house therefore needed to be carbon neutral, with solar panels and work off the grid. It's one of the first off the grid houses in the country that follow LEED standards. Part of the brief was also to factor in enough car garage space for the owner to store the classic cars they collect.
The inspiration came from the intersection of two volumes; one made of glass and the other one made of wood. Cuernavaca, the city where the house is located, benefits from amazing weather so we wanted to give the house the ability to be opened up, blending the interior and the exterior. As the owner has a love for cars and art, these two elements needed to be integrated into the interior design scheme. All design aspects, from the main elements to the smallest detail use the golden ratio as a guide, almost like there is an invisible grid connecting everything that is important in the house. In the same lines we decided to incorporate a mixture of finishes and materials. With all of this considered, the overarching concept of the house was to implement self-sufficient and sustainable initiatives. All architectural inspirations therefore had to merge with its concept of sustainability, from figuring out the correct angle to position the solar panels to designing a system to concentrate the rain water to be treated and used within the property.
The toughest hurdles we faced stemmed from the balancing of two differing ideals; designing very modern house without creating an environment which feels too cold as well as achieving transparency, whilst also maintaining a level privacy - all of which needed to be realised with a relatively tight budget. To design and build an off the grid house in a country where sustainability is not integrated as a standard on residential projects was also a real challenge. To combat this, a group of interdisciplinary experts were part of the team, to analyse the land, the sustainable solutions and the design. Fortunately, a positive aspect of this challenge became the client's understanding in giving us enough time to the design which enabled us to spend time conceptualising and researching to ensure the right design and sustainable solutions could be achieved.
There are a few. One of them has to be achieving the successful integration of sustainable solutions which is a factor that much of the time, people don’t even see or notice. Another highlight to this, is that the house doesn't necessarily scream that is 'green' meaning we were able to incorporate these solutions subtly and seamlessly.
Why did you enter the SBID International Design Awards?
We think that the project has exceed the client’s expectations in creating a cosy environment with a clear contemporary feeling; the house could act as a good example of how design can accomplish aesthetics and sustainable design with a relatively tight budget and in a country with an emerging sustainable design culture. Hopefully this project will be a source of inspiration for other designers wanting to achieve a similar outcome.
Questions answered by Juan Carlos Baumgartner, Founder and CEO at SpAce Arquitectura
If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring the BBQ-themed restaurant design for a new dining destination in Dubai, click here to see more.
SpAce Arquitectura | SBID International Design Awards
The SBID Awards 2019 is officially open for submissions. Paving the way for a new wave of innovative and exciting project entries across the industry; from Healthcare and Hotel Public Space to Retail Design and Residential, designers and design practices world-wide will once again compete for the chance to claim a prestigious SBID Award and receive global recognition in a ceremony that is set to be bigger and better than ever before.
We caught up with Firas Alsahin, Design Director for 4Space Interior Design, the Dubai-based interior design and architecture firm - and not to mention last year's esteemed Overall Winner for the SBID Awards 2018. Find out what he had to say about his experience receiving the highest accolade in not only the SBID Awards, but the wider interior design industry for their project, VR Park Dubai Mall.
What does it mean for you to have been named the ‘Overall Winner’ at the SBID International Design Awards?
It was truly an honour to be named as the Overall Winner at the SBID Awards. It gave us leverage in getting new, potential clients. It widened our network and gave us the chance to promote our name internationally. The team's hard work finally paid off!
How did you find the entry process when submitting your project for an SBID Award?
It was easy and very straightforward. The SBID team helped us in every step. Emails and notifications were received to ensure that we were updated throughout the process. They even called us to check the status of our submission and give different options. SBID has an excellent team indeed!
Did you expect to be announced as SBID's ‘Overall Winner’ for 2018?
We expected to win on a category level as we were confident about the project we submitted, but announcing to be the SBID Awards Overall Winner was very overwhelming. Our team was shocked and speechless when we heard 4Space - it took time for it to totally sink in!
Has winning the Overall Winner Award resulted in any additional interest / project enquiries for your practice?
Yes, definitely! It gave us this position in the market where we are now recognised widely in the design industry. It opened a lot of opportunities locally and abroad because of the additional media coverage. The network became huge for us as a lot of big names and companies in the industry gave us the limelight. The results were, and still continue to be amazing.
Do you have any exciting projects you are working on / have completed since last year’s Awards that you’d like to enter this year?
Oh yes! We have around 3-5 projects that we will be submitting to the SBID Awards this year. We are very excited and will be looking forward to the next event.
What advice would you give to any designers or design studios who are considering entering for an SBID Award?
Focus on the entire submission process. Details are very important - from the sketch to renderings, up to the final photos (professional and high quality). A great story of the design is a must! We started as being shortlisted. Every time we submit an entry, we are always confident that we will win. But regardless of the result, what's important is that you believe in your team and that you appreciate their hard work. The event itself makes you a winner already. From the venue to the management, everything is perfectly planned. Public voting and social media give each entry a chance to be exposed worldwide. SBID offers a great opportunity to all designers or design studios (big or small) to showcase their skills.
The deadline for entries into the SBID Awards 2019 is Monday 8th July.
To see more SBID Award winners from 2018, click here.
For more information about how to enter, visit www.sbidawards.com
If you're still on the hunt for design inspiration and innovation to spark your imagination, we're sharing a selection of design events to add to your agenda for June; helping to put a spring in your step this Summer as you set foot on new project territory for the year ahead. London Festival of Architecture introduces its new theme of 'boundary' for 2019, whilst San Francisco Design Week draws the focus to the sense of 'commUNITY'. Scroll to discover more!
1st - 30th June
London Festival of Architecture - London, United Kingdom
The London Festival of Architecture (LFA) will take place from 1–30 June, featuring exhibitions and installations, talks and debates, open studios, tours, family activities, film screenings, student shows and architecture evenings which focus on the importance of architecture and design in London today. The London Festival of Architecture is Europe’s biggest annual architecture festival.
The theme for 2019 is ‘boundary’: of people, buildings, places and experiences. The metaphorical, physical and literal connotations of ‘boundary’ will be explored through architecture and its multitude of forms across the capital. From exhibitions, installations, open studios, talks and debates, to cycle rides and guided walking tours across renovated London estates, London Festival of Architecture celebrates the many meanings of boundary.
6th - 7th June
The Wellness and Biophilia Symposium - Watford, United Kingdom
How can nature-inspired design foster office occupant wellness? What are the key interventions that can capitalise on the return on investment in an office refurbishment? These are some of the questions that will be addressed in this launch event for BRE’s Biophilic Office, a world leading research project to gather the evidence for the impacts on people and business of nature-inspired design and technology. Featuring an array of speakers on biophilic design at the immersive and interactive two-day event, guests will be given exclusive site tours to ‘biophilic’ themed satellite projects and showcases in the nearby Greater London area. Click here for the programme.
SBID members can claim 20% discount to attend, just register using your unique discount code.
Email [email protected] to request your code
20th - 28th June
San Francisco Design Week - San Francisco, USA
Collaborations among creative professionals are on the rise, creating a dynamic community of purpose in today's complex world. This year, San Francisco Design Week (SFDW) returns, June 20 - 28 at Pier 27, announcing its 2019 theme: CommUNITY. CommUNITY highlights inventive new services, products and experiences that affect the daily lives of billions of people
The community event is organised by AIGA San Francisco, the professional association for design in partnership with industry organisations IDSA, the Center for Architecture and AIA, SFFAMA and IXDA. The eight-day celebration highlights San Francisco as the world’s most influential design centre, offering visitors a rare opportunity to engage with the region's thriving design industry. Over 350 events across the San Francisco Bay Area, from Silicon Valley to San Francisco, will be promoting dynamic design-led ideas from more than 60 partners.
26th - 28th June
Design Tokyo 2019 Design Products Fair - Tokyo, Japan
Design Tokyo is one of Japan’s leading design events and trade show for “marketable” design products, focusing on design products with a clear native market. All items showcased must pass a screening process by a panel of leading designers and stylists in order to be displayed at the fair; for this reason, Design Tokyo has become a popular choice for key buyers looking for fresh Japanese trends. The show attracts key buyers coming in flocks to find new vendors and see what’s fresh in the design and lifestyle fields, providing the opportunity for new products to enter the design conscious market of Japan.
Cover image photo credit: BAMPFA 2019 - Masako Miki “Forest of Yokai” (shapeshifters)
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a brand new classic and, at the same time, trending BBQ restaurant design concept for a fast-growing city in the Emirates. New to Dubai, it includes a central open barbecue fire-pit with six different grills from around the world. As visitors enter, they are stunned by the spectacular sight of brick brazier spanning from floor to high ceiling, taking centre stage and serving as the focal point of the entire space. Together with the striking open-fire barbecue-pit, guests are entertained and as much a part of the culinary action as they spectate their carnivore feast being prepared; AtmosFire is more than just a restaurant – it is a dining destination.
Sector: Hospitality Design
Company: 4Space Interior Design
Project: AtmosFire
Project Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Our client, already firmly established within the F&B industry and owners of its own famous and prestigious brand – Barbeque Nation, was seeking to build a BBQ restaurant with a design that is inspired by the traditional grilling techniques from all over the world.
The main inspiration is the fire pit – where people gather around to enjoy a sumptuous meal while sharing life stories. We pitched the concept of having a central open fire pit with 6 different grills that will cater the best meats around the globe.
There were a few hurdles we had to overcome to make sure the restaurant design could be executed safely and effectively:
The spectacular sight of massive brick brazier spanning from the floor to high ceiling, taking centre stage, serves as the major highlight of the entire restaurant design scheme. Another highlight will be the fire pit itself. It came from a well-known brand in UK – Clay Oven. They customise different grilling techniques depending on the requirements of their client. In addition, the seating area on the central pit can be a highlight as well. It was designed to socialise and be part of the action. Guests can experience the finest meats prepared and aged onsite and then grilled and roasted to perfection.
Seeing how the individual design elements we specified came together was also an exciting moment for us; the terrazzo material that had been applied to most of the spaces - floor, walls, tables, and counter tops was as a result of our design vision and gave us the ability to achieve a contemporary yet classic look. We added corten steel walls on the ground level with ember linear lighting inspired by the grilling effect on the meat. The ‘broken bricks’ effect on the ceiling and walls creates a shift between the sleek surfaces to an aged appearance to create an atmosphere of classic history in one of the world’s youngest cities where residents and visitors crave a vision of heritage. A mild black steel was applied to the meat agers cabinet; also around the pit area. This design continues to provide the design theme of contemporary and aged imperfection. The mezzanine floor presents a pleasant surprise as the detail of the upholstery, joinery and finishes is punctuated by perfect lighting to create light yet a calm dining atmosphere. Our materials were used to allow maximum creativity from several viewpoints at every angle of the dining area and bar. The dining chairs are 100% leather upholstery.
Questions answered by Firas Alsahin, Design Director at 4Space Interior Design
If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring a contemporary kitchen design in sleek, bold tones to blend into its surrounding architecture, click here to see more.
We hope you feel inspired by this week's hospitality design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
4Space Interior Design | SBID International Design Awards
Upgrade your interior designs this month with the latest product releases, collection launches and designer collaborations. Featuring unique dying techniques for durable yet design-led wallcoverings, the art of flowing dining tables to meet evolving needs and high-end bathroom fittings combined with artisanal know-how and the latest technological advances.
New designs from Newmor Wallcoverings
Newmor’s Spring launches this year are all about playing with light – inky ethereal prints and shifting, gleaming block textures. All of the new designs are wide-width fabric backed vinyl wallcoverings suitable for commercial interiors and high traffic areas. Rising Tide showcases soft painterly horizontal plumes. Inspired by dying techniques that bleed and spread into ethereal overlapping gradients. Reminiscent of ocean waves or rolling early morning fog, the subtle colour shifts in brush strokes resemble the way light dances and floats across a misty landscape. Available in both matte and shimmering mylar colourways in a soft natural colour palette.
Click to shop
Make a statement with a freestanding bath from Heritage Bathrooms
A statement freestanding bath is a wonderful centrepiece for any bathroom, providing a splash of colour or added intrigue to the space. Wow your client by opting for a piece with a striking finish, such as the new Wenlock marble-effect double-ended bath from Heritage Bathrooms. If space is a concern, why not pair it with Heritage’s new Caversham wall-hung furniture. The modern take on a traditional aesthetic looks beautiful and maximises the available space. It’s also available in three on-trend finishes, Ivory Lace, Graphite and Dove Grey. You can explore Heritage’s extensive range of beautiful bathroom products in their new brochure.
Click to download
The Zeus Extending Dining Table
Living in a digital age, our living spaces are constantly evolving to meet the needs of today and tomorrow. Understanding these needs, NAOS encapsulates Italian craftsmanship and moving mechanisms to create the art of flowing tables.
The “Zeus” extendable dining table is as strong and intelligent as its name suggests. The painted steel legs too, are arranged in a manner that reminds you of Zeus’s lightning bolt. The table is equipped with an easy mechanism that allows the glass or ceramic top to extend laterally in synchronised movement. It’s indeed a table that lets you make the best use of your dining space while stimulating the senses with its beauty and practicality. To make the experience even better, this futuristic dining table is also available with a remote controlled system.
THG Paris collaborate with French architect to create the Nihal Collection
THG Paris's desire to maintain a fresh and evolving aesthetic through unique designer collaborations is continued in their latest collaboration with Xavier Cartron: a French architect who specialises in projects in the Middle East. An integral part of 'Nihal's' DNA is expressing this dialogue between cultures and the mixing of tones and materials which are associated with each. 'Nihal' is inspired by the landscapes, marquetry and rich tones and textures found across Moorish architecture in the Eastern hemisphere. Named after a star in the Lepus constellation symbolising spring water, artisanal know-how and technological advances lie at the heart of THG Paris's new 'Nihal' collection.
Manufactured in collaboration with Maison Havilland, 'Nihal' was produced after eighteen months of research and development, with the final result requiring a total of eleven manufacturing steps. Crafted in Limoges porcelain, the braces reject the traditional scrollwork of Middle. This desire to imbue 'Nihal' with a certain diversity is anchored through five colourful versions (green, blue, ivory, black) and metal, because Xavier Cartron wanted the design to have a “timeless aesthetic, meaning it can be part of many universes: contemporary and classic”.
Introducing MeThD, the new custom range from Mark Taylor Design
MeThD incorporates Mark Taylor Design (MTD) design elements borne out of over 20 years’ expertise curated to produce 3 custom kitchen ranges and an innovative movable island. All of which are available with a number of bespoke adaptations. MeThD combines the quality, beauty and aftercare of bespoke with the affordability, speed of production and ease of installation that befits a custom range.
With MeThD, MTD are leading the trend for movable island units. You can simply wheel this piece of furniture into place anywhere in this open-plan kitchen.
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a contemporary London kitchen design in sleek, bold tones to blend into the distinct style of the surrounding architecture within a recently extended building. Halcyon Interiors designed the kitchen with symmetry and clean lines as this was the client’s desire, yet the architecture of the finished building would be asymmetrical and on differing levels. Along with Architect, Jason Coleman at Robert Dye Architects, Halcyon developed a dramatic, monolithic design in a graphite hue, with wood elements to add warmth. Precision planning of the lines of the furniture and appliances create the desired symmetry of this space. A striking effect, fitting with the bold architectural style of this newly extended home.
Sector: KBB Design
Company: Halcyon Interiors
Project: Warwick Road
Project Location: Pinner, United Kingdom
Our London-based client briefed us to design a kitchen with symmetry and clean lines to work with the asymmetric architecture of the new building layout, and balance tonally with its surroundings.
The monolithic look of the kitchen was inspired by the striking architecture of the building, which was instrumental in deciding on the layout and design of the overall kitchen. Working closely with the Architect, Jason Coleman at Robert Dye Architects to develop the design, we achieved the dramatic look we were aiming for by choosing a dark graphite for the wall units and continuing the colour and lines of the design up and over the ceiling and into the skylight, which further emphasised the architectural elements. Over hanging the doors to completely hide the plinth and create a small shadow gap between the doors and the poured concrete floor added further to the striking effect.
The main hurdle was getting everything lined up. As any designer will know, working with materials such as plaster and brick means there is no such thing as a dead straight wall or perfect angle. It was key to have everything perfectly in line, without this the monolithic look would have been interrupted. We worked extremely closely with the builders and architects working on this project, and were able to ensure the entire project was supremely exact, maintaining the project’s perfectly aligned look.
Seeing the final result! As wonderful as CAD images are nowadays it never completely captures the end result in all its glory. Especially once the external details had been completed. It’s not just about seeing our work complete, it was seeing the hard work of the whole team bringing together the completed look. This was such a great project to work on.
We truly believed this was a great project to show our skills as a team. It took a lot of organisational skills, design knowledge and a fantastic fitter to take it from an inspirational design on paper to an inspirational kitchen in real life.
Questions answered by Louise Reynolds, Lead Designer at Halcyon Interiors
If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring a luxurious residential refurbishment with an elegant design scheme imbued with character, click here to see more.
We hope you feel inspired by this week's KBB kitchen design! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
Halcyon Interiors | SBID International Design Awards
This week's instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a luxurious residential extension and refurbishment in Sevenoaks for a young, growing family. SGS Design worked closely with the Client, Architect, Contractor, M&E designers and a Project Manager for approximately 18 months to turn an ugly duckling of a house into a swan with an elegant design scheme, focusing on clean-lines and touches of character; imbued with the client's love of art. Raw and honest materials were utilised throughout to compliment the property's beautiful surroundings.
Company: SGS Design
Project: Dell House
Project Location: Kent, United Kingdom
The Client had purchased a house which they really didn’t love. It was a bargain for the location and plot but the existing property was a bit of an ugly duckling, we were asked to work with the Architect (Open Architecture, Sevenoaks) to create curb appeal and find the inner-swan. The Client wanted a home which worked for their two children and newly purchased puppy but also a space which converted well for parties and their large extended families. The Client wanted to balance clean-lines with character and address some of the layout issues, so our starting point was to work on the interior layouts to benefit from the established garden and address the ‘two-wing’ structure.
One of the Client’s is an artist and takes much of her inspiration for her work from organic natural form. We worked to create a scheme to reflect her love of raw, honest materials whilst ensuring a level of polish and luxury.
There were a couple; firstly the windows. We inherited badly proportioned, dark-stained timber windows with lead-glazing. We proposed Architectural Bronze Casements in dark bronze with a horizontal glazing bar. It was a large chunk of the architectural budget but the bronze patina and fine-lines of the frames instantly transformed the building and the Client fell-in love with the property for the first time. Secondly, the ‘L’ layout of the building meant the flooring had to turn and travel in different directions from the centre point of the house. On the ground floor we used large format parquet panels which could be diamond-laid and worked whichever direction you walked in. At first floor level we used the same timber in wide-planks and made a feature of the floor turning direction with the boards pieced into each other on the corridor direction change. On both floors this floor treatment helped tie the two wings of the house together and improved the interior flow.
The Clients’ had an extended stay on site in the converted garage and art studio while the project was in process, they lived every moment of the build. There was such excitement when they moved in and having been in very close-quarters for the build period, the youngest daughter was so excited she locked herself in her bedroom and refused to come out she was so happy.
Questions answered by Sophie Stevens, Founder and Interior Designer of SGS Design
If you missed last week's Project of the Week featuring an inspiring and thoughtfully designed children’s educational centre and a picture book library, click here to see more.
SGS Design | SBID International Design Awards
Two of the biggest problems designers usually face in business are lining up the next project and getting paid the final instalment of the project in hand. The latter is rarely talked about but after a recent experience, I feel it is time to end the taboo and discuss this issue more openly.
I recently won a legal case against administrator Keith Algie of RSM UK Group LLP acting against my client who was unfortunately pursued relentlessly by the administrator’s solicitor; Matthew Whyatt formerly of Cassell Moore Solicitors (no longer trading) now trading as Alexander Whyatt LLP. They wound my client’s company up for a debt of £13,000. Unfortunately, they had failed to correctly serve the payment request at the correct address provided by the client. Papers were served at an address entirely unknown to my client which resulted in their rightful ability (due to non-payment) to wind up the company and also bankrupt my client for non-payment. The claim was unopposed (due to my client not receiving the documents served by Whyatt).
After my client was put into administration, together they (Whyatt on instruction from his client Algie) tried to reclaim the designer’s fee I’d received by incorrectly claiming that no design work was carried out and that the fee therefore belonged to the administrator. My client ceased works when administrator’s fees were added to their sole debt of £13,000 for court costs. The administrator claimed £7 million. Proof of design boards, research and sourcing materials and prices was provided as evidence however it was rejected without explanation.
The solicitor, Whyatt, and his client, Keith Algie of RSM UK Group LLP, seemed hellbent on destroying my client’s business. Together they were relentless in their claim to recover the first payment of my design fee (£32,500), claiming it was a deposit and no work had been carried out. Despite supporting evidence confirmed that was not the case, they ignored this and continued to pursue me tirelessly for the repayment across a total of three years, finally ordering me to give financial evidence in court, which I did this year.
Why would I give someone my money purely because they demanded and put pressure on me over a long period of time to do so? That’s bully tactics, which I absolutely despise. I had earned my fee and proved it, so was not going to back down. When it became clear to me that they would not stop, I instructed law firm Mischon de Reya. After three years of unrelenting pursuance generating almost £150,000 in legal fees and other costs to me and £100,000 in fees for RSM, they lost their case and I was awarded over £100,000 costs.
In the vindictive pursuit of £32,500 the tables were turned. Now Mathew Whyatt’s business, Alexander Whyatt LLP, is itself in administration, just weeks after the order was made.
The first payment of £35,000 has since been received from RSM Group via Algie, the claimant, complying with the court order and advising that his solicitor had since gone into administration.
I will never walk away from a bully. When things don’t make sense to me in finance and compliance there’s usually a reason more complex than the surface suggests. Sometimes it takes years to conclude as in this case but over many years in the past, I have won several successful cases where I have challenged a bully or a conglomerate.
It is my right and my duty to stand up for my profession and for myself. I could not walk away from an injustice, regardless of personal or financial risk.
If you find yourself in a legal dispute, especially when it comes to being challenged for your work. My advice would be to stand your ground if you know you are in the right. You can buy insurance to cover legal costs, you can use mediation and you can lean on the SBID for support on legal direction and introduction without prejudice. Designers are often caught up in the issue of non-payment; largely due to the misunderstanding of the role of an interior designer on a project; and in some cases it can destroy a designer’s business. When you are paid to provide a service and fulfil the brief, regardless of gender, age or industry, you deserve to be paid.
Written by Dr Vanessa Brady OBE
Award-winning Interior Designer, CEO & Founder of the Society of British and International Design
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