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Shrouds of professional, inspiration-hungry creatives from across the globe descended upon Milan Design Week to uncover this year’s pioneering projects, thought-provoking exhibitions, innovative new collections, product launches and exclusive collaborations. After boasting another tremendous turn-out, the 58th edition of the Salone del Mobile.Milano ended on a high note, both in terms of visitor numbers and in terms of the quality of trade relations. With 2,418 exhibitors across Salone Internazionale del Mobile, the International Furnishing Accessories Exhibition, Euroluce, Workplace3.0 and S.Project the fair saw an impressive 386,236 attendees over the 6 days, hailing from 181 different countries. We’re sharing exhibition highlights from this year’s edition of the insightful furniture fair, featuring some of the impressive displays by SBID members.

Arper presents its own interpretation of contemporary trends

Once again anticipating and seizing the evolution of everyday life and workspaces, Arper pursued a new direction embodied in their Soft(er) concept. Living in the digital era that demands our constant attention, we have never been more connected, on the move, going faster. That is why Arper felt the need to offset this overexposure to stimuli that leads us to a frenzied lifestyle, with the pursuit of people, places and objects that keep us balanced. In need of stability, softness, space, more air, and soft – or rather Soft(er) – objects. In our everyday interactions with the surrounding environment, Arper recognise that the quality of space has an impact on everything, from health to productivity, creativity to collaboration, and so on; as we look for places that can offer us comfort, authenticity, care, inspiration. This softer approach to living, learning, and working has framed their collections, introducing products which act as manifestations of essential human values – connection, sensitivity, comfort and ease.

Arper’s exhibition space at the Salone interprets the Soft(er) theme by using soft materials such as fabrics, transparent materials that allow light to illuminate spaces in a natural way, and streamlined, welcoming shapes. The project was designed by the MAIO creative team, under the artistic direction of Lievore Altherr and styling by Leandro Favaloro, featuring Arper’s new collections for 2019; Paravan Mood designed by Lievore Altherr and Saul design by Jean-Marie Massaud.

 

Dekton by Cosentino x Benjamin Hubert – RAYTRACE Installation

The global leader in the production and distribution of innovative surfaces for architecture and design, the Cosentino Group, was delighted to collaborate with British designer Benjamin Hubert of LAYER design studio on the immersive RAYTRACE installation at Milan Design Week 2019. The spectacular architectural installation showcased Cosentino’s latest launch, the game changing 4mm Dekton® Slim surface, bringing it to life with light in this immersive experience.

Set within the dark, atmospheric tunnels of Ventura Centrale, RAYTRACE comprised of a 25-metre long and 6-metre high triangular passage made using Dekton® Slim ultra-compact surfaces. These surfaces, seemingly balanced on a single edge, created a huge passageway in which visitors could walk under. A mesmerising pattern was created by 29 glass spheres and 87 LED lights, created by the UK’s leading art lighting specialists, TM Lighting, whilst two mirrors at both ends of the vault created the illusion of infinite space. RAYTRACE used Dekton® Slim, Cosentino’s latest surfacing launch with a thickness of only 4mm. Slim combines the durability and technology of Dekton® in a thinner and lighter format, making it one of the most innovative and lightweight surfaces on the market, perfect for wall cladding.

Elite Stone design with luxurious raw materials

The Elite Stone exhibition used ample spaces characterised by neutral colours, interrupted here and there by colour points and contrasting patterns. The display of precious materials included Calacatta Borghini, Coral Black Onyx, White Onyx, Sahara Noir, representing the most superior selection of stone made in Italy with the insert of metals for varying finishes. The elegant and sophisticated atmosphere was inspired by the Lobby of luxury hotels around the world to generate a contemporary and cosmopolitan atmosphere. The external architecture of the stand focuses attention on the statue in Statuary, by the famous artist Stefano Graziani, which invites you to enter and discover the Elite Stone world.

150 square meters divided into unique areas that invited the visitor into an engaging and unforgettable experience, from the Lobby and the Living area, to the SPA & Bathroom section. The wall coverings and wall art panels on the stand represent the new Sauvage Collection designed by Tetyana Kovalenko which is a recurring element of the stand, so much so that it has become the common thread that accompanies the visitor in the discovery of every single space, encapsulating the essence of elegance in design throughout.

 

The “ROYAL PALACE” Fountain by iDOGI; a ‘world first’ in luxury interior design

Presenting a monumental fountain in precious crystal and artistic glass, where light, water and colours merge in a fairy tale choreography. After the great success of the extraordinary light balustrade presented at last year’s edition, this year iDOGI® was poised to impress again, this time with a spectacular invention for the interiors of the world’s most luxurious residences. The unique and precious work have been designed and created to enhance the magnificence of the most exclusive salons.

The majestic creation, entirely hand-made with thousands of parts in crystal and artistic glass, gave the public an unprecedented show of plays on light and water which culminated in a central temple, and highest expression of the purest classicism. As well as the Fountain, iDOGI® presented many other splendid new works, confirming an always-lively creative activity at the disposal of designers and VIP customers: elegant walls with crystal columns, back-lit boiseries, giant chandeliers, princely balustrades, chairs and sumptuous light tables.

 

Roberto Cavalli Home Interiors unveils latest luxury furniture collections

A showcase welcomes visitors revealing to them the mood of the collection: the most authentic Roberto Cavalli style is displayed in the furniture selection showing captivating and sensual shapes and textures, this season made softer and more delicate through the light colour palette, dominated by pink shades juxtaposed to the ivory white of the walls covered with silk in a giraffe pattern.

The path of discovery of the new collection continues with a wide living area where neutral tones meet the shimmering lights of marbles and metallic details, while two bedrooms unveil the duality of the brand – elegant and refined with ivory and dove gray shades, bolder and more audacious with the combination of pink and black. The new collections will be available exclusively in the UK through Kings of Chelsea later this year.

 

Oasis presents it’s Academy Collection, inspired by the Canneté style sculpture and decoration

Oasis demonstrated its refined interior design vision for living, dining and exclusive bathroom areas at the Salone, promoting its coordinated global image that centres around the use of Canneté in furniture pieces and works of art, all exquisitely and carefully crafted using expert combinations of materials and finishes. The term “Canneté” refers to a particular decorative technique that is characterised by a series of narrow repetitive grooves, created by means of different production processes and the use of specifically chosen material combinations.

The Oasis booth let visitors immerse themselves into the mood and atmospheric aesthetic of the Oasis world and its different settings: from entrance and hallway, to dining room, living room, and luxury bathroom – showcasing the addition of the Academy Collection to the Oasis Home Collection in all its glory. The luxurious designs and decorations reflected across the Collection are inspired by the Art Deco period, crafting each design as an emblem of timeless style. Materials used are among the most precious and superior quality, with Italian manufacturing sculpting the final, valued and sophisticated touches. With ribbed detailing and decorative, diamond-like lacquering, the collection creates an exquisite blend of elements and includes mirrors, glasses, surfaces and marbles to furnish the most exclusive furniture; creating comfortable spaces to contemplate, relax, and pamper. Perfect for the most prestigious and elegant of locations, from luxury residences to character hotels.

 

Sans Souci share their most impressive Light Moments at Salone

Crystal glass, nano-coating, soda effect, slumped glass and extraordinary components, together with meticulous, handmade craftsmanship of glass-blowers. Our “Light Moments” collection, introduced at Euroluce 2019 in Milan, Italy at Salone is a collection is characterised by an unconventional play of material contrasts. Traditional glass skill meets modern technology, finding the true shapes and patterns in nature and everyday inspiration. Celebrating not only our masterworks and original installations, this year we proudly present a unique collaboration with world-renowned glass designer, Rony Plesl, introducing another dimension
in the world of lighting. A set of lamps levitating freely in the air. There is something rebellious about it, underlined by independence and freedom.

 

USM interior collections respond to the merging of home and work lifestyles

Where is the boundary between home and work today? Over the past year USM and UNStudio have been looking for it. From building absurd domestic rooms for the PlayGround at Salone del Mobile in Milan to building scenarios at the WorkHouse in Berlin, they’ve identified the drivers which are changing the way people work and live today, in order to paint a clearer picture of the future. Surprisingly, few people want to keep home and work separate. Work is more fun when we choose where to carry it out – it gives us freedom and self-determination. As such a third space is emerging between home and work – co-workspaces, cafes, hotel lobbies and libraries – where we work collectively alongside people we don’t know.

While diverse in design, what these third spaces share is community. Being together with others is just as important as getting the job done. The furnishings relax us and the ability to move between a variety of zones keeps us motivated and engaged. In many ways these feel more like spaces of leisure; undetermined and open to interpretation. More like a public square than an office or a living room.

 

The Dandy Collection, designed and developed by Giuseppe Viganò, becomes Concept

An exclusive living style of fashion design becomes part of every house-environment. The purpose of the research done in terms of material is to find solutions connected with the world of fashion and emphasise the character of every product.

Featuring Saks Leather sofa with a contemporary design for modern 21st century settings which fuses fine design and practicality. A bold silhouette and squared-off shape for this Saks leather sofa which seems made for modern contemporary surrounds. A style which stands apart for its exquisite special stitching details – a sartorial touch that bespeaks Gamma’s deep knowledge and artisan skills. Saks merges to perfection contemporary tenets of aesthetics and comfort so you can
revel in relaxation. The airily elegant base is available in our new finishes whilst the fixed generous armrests offer you plenty of room.

This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a lavish villa apartment in the coastal province of Southeast China which strives to harmonise people, space and nature by connecting the interior and exterior environments for the ultimate luxury vacation. A design which balances indoor and outdoor space; plays with light and shadow; combining neutral tones with dark accents; whilst juxtaposing decorative, oriental style elements with clean, modern lines and simple, yet sophisticated structures to incorporate themes of contemporary design, embody Southeast Asian craftsmanship and evoke a sense of exotic elegance.

Company: Daosheng Design Co.

Project: Poly Beiluo Villa C1 Apartment 

Project Location: Guangdong, China

Interior design scheme for Poly Beiluo Villa C1 Apartment by GuangZhou Daosheng interior Design Co.

What was the client’s brief? 

The Client’s main hope was to create a luxurious villa apartment which generates a relaxing vacation environment which connects people with nature in a simple and well balanced way, embracing the relationship between people, space and nature.

Interior design scheme for Poly Beiluo Villa C1 Apartment by GuangZhou Daosheng interior Design Co.

What inspired the design of the Project?

As the project is close to the seaside, the sound of the sea breeze can be heard in the distance and the smell of salty water hangs in the air, so visitors instantly get the feeling of returning to nature. Combining a simple, neutral colour palette throughout to evoke a calm atmosphere, with dark accents of wood and marble on selected surfaces and furnishings helps to balance the neutrals to exude a deep natural flavor. The project abandons complex decorative lines, replaced by simple structures and neat styling, balanced with subtle inclusions of more exotic elements such as Thai inspired cushions and oriental ornamental features.

Interior design scheme for Poly Beiluo Villa C1 Apartment by GuangZhou Daosheng interior Design Co.

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

1.Using a small selection of simple, natural materials and a harmonious layout throughout the project to create a comfortable life between people and nature; people and space; and also between people and people. Striking a complimentary balance of each of these core components of space, nature and people was the main challenge. Each space needed to be in touch with nature, create communal areas for socialising, as well as spatial divisions for privacy, allowing visitors personal time to reflect and connect with nature.

2.Because the project is near the sea, selecting the right materials required careful consideration to prevent any corrosion from the salty atmosphere.

Interior design scheme for Poly Beiluo Villa C1 Apartment by GuangZhou Daosheng interior Design Co.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

Seeing the careful marriage between indoor and outdoor, as architecture and garden combine to become an organic whole. Creating a space that will be in sincerity with Southeast Asia, through elements of solid wood and rattan to express and bring a heavy sense of culture, whilst incorporating themes of modern life with the essence of freshness and simplicity to reconcile the whole space and create a haven away from the hustle and bustle; returning to nature, inside and out. Every detail considered, even down to the white drapes hanging on the bed frame to give a therapeutic, dream-like vision of the gentle sea breeze fluttering as the space appears light, lazy and gorgeous. Also, seeing the play of light and shadow change room by room, so that each space transforms with the phasing of the day from dawn to dusk.

Interior design scheme for Poly Beiluo Villa C1 Apartment by GuangZhou Daosheng interior Design Co.

Why did you enter the SBID International Design Awards?

The SBID International Design Award is the World’s leading design award and enjoys wide popularity in the design world at home and abroad. We participate in the SBID International Design Awards in the hope that our design can be seen and shared with more people, so that ideas can collide across the continents and inspire globally with beauty and design excellence.

Interior design scheme for Poly Beiluo Villa C1 Apartment by GuangZhou Daosheng interior Design Co.

Questions answered by YongMing He, Design Director at Daosheng Design 

To ensure you are kept up to date with the latest interior design inspiration, sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Instagram @sbiduk 

If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring a stunningly stylish SieMatic kitchen design in the opulent Alderley Edge, click here to see more.

We hope you feel inspired! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire

Daosheng Design | SBID International Design Awards 2018

Interior design scheme for Poly Beiluo Villa C1 Apartment by GuangZhou Daosheng interior Design Co.

Interior design scheme for Poly Beiluo Villa C1 Apartment by GuangZhou Daosheng interior Design Co.

Bringing you the latest products to put in your design pipeline!

We’ve cherry picked the latest, must-have products that should be on any savvy interior designer’s radar for this month –  whether it be recent product releases, the latest innovations, new designs or exclusive collection launches, we’ve done the hard work for you.

 

Product update for designers in the interior design industry by Heritage Bathrooms; Caversham Vanity with Granley Basin

Discover stylish storage with the new Caversham Vanity Unit and Granley Basin from Heritage Bathrooms

Satisfying growing demand for stylish interior design storage solutions within the bathroom, Heritage is increasing its offering with a new vanity unit designed especially to co-ordinate with its best-selling Granley basin. The Caversham Freestanding Vanity Unit offers even more distinctive design options within the Granley range, and sits beneath the Edwardian style Granley basin; mirroring its angular edges and iconic shape.

We particularly love this piece because – in this day and age – space truly is of the essence! Heritage bathrooms have not only combined classic, understated designs with convenient storage solutions, but also made the collection available in a modern colourway with a selection of four on-trend colour options including Dove Grey, Graphite, Oyster and White Ash to give any bathroom a fresh, contemporary lift.

Click to shop

 

Product update for designers in the interior design industry by Bette bathrooms; Loft Ornament Midnight Bath

Bathroom and colour innovation from Bette at Clerkenwell Design Week

While we’ve still got bathrooms on the brain, let’s take a look at what Bette has in store. Bette exhibited at Clerkenwell Design Week this year, showcasing some of their most innovative products in the Design Fields exhibition space to offer even greater design freedom; introducing product lines, new functions, additional features and extended colour ranges. As extravagant styles and bold colours are becoming increasingly popular within interiors and the interior design industry, Bette has created a new ‘effect’ colours range which opens up a multitude of possibilities for eye-catching bathroom design.

The first of these is the sparkling new effect colour, Midnight: a new shade of anthracite that has been combined with sparkling particles, featured on the geometrically embossed BetteLoft Ornament freestanding bath. The new effect colours join the array of colour options offered by the Bette World of Colour. Hundreds of gloss and matt colours are available, as well as 22 exclusive matt colours that give bathroom designers the freedom to choose a Bette bath, washbasin or shower area to suit colour trends in tiles, natural stone and wooden floors.

Click to shop

 

Product update for designers in the interior design industry by YTM Funriture; Care Collection Prism sideboard

New contract furniture collection aims to bring hotel luxury to care homes around the UK

YTM Group, a leading provider of contract furniture to the care home industry, prepared to launch their first new range in over six years. Often neglected in the interior design industry and not conventionally associated with the most cutting-edge designs, YTM is proving the drab and dreary perceptions of care homes to be outdated by introducing their new, innovative and design-led range.

“We began this project more than a year ago with the intention to design furniture that would look just as at home in the country’s finest hotels as they would in a care home environment. It is our belief that care residents deserve every bit as much luxury as homeowners and hotel guests. Indeed, the benefits of improving design standards in care homes can be wide reaching and play a clear role in resident health and wellbeing.” – Damien Duffy, YTM Managing Director 

We always find it refreshing to see companies push traditional boundaries of design and creating hotel-standard luxury furnishings for care homes definitely represents a step towards change for the interior design industry as a whole. President of SBID, Diana Celella comments that “it is our role to celebrate interior design that reflects the highest level of competence. By bringing style and sophistication to the care environment whilst retaining functionality, YTM certainly achieve this.”

Click to shop

A new Smart way of controlling the air you breathe by Clairy

Combining IOT-ready technology, the power of plants and sustainable materials within a sleek, compact design to clean indoor air. The positive-social-impact company Clairy raised over $300,000 in only one week in a Kickstarter campaign for the new-to-market smart indoor air purifier, NATEDE. This simple but effective product looks like a plant holder, but serves as a sustainable air purifier, designed and crafted in Italy.

Plants placed in NATEDE metabolize a significantly higher amount of pollutants compared to plants potted in regular vases. The embedded technology allows NATEDE’s air flow system to quickly and quietly recycle air from a plant’s soil, helping to improve indoor air quality using its’ advanced sensors. It also has a photocatalytic filter, which doesn’t require regular replacement – reducing waste and expenses to replenish. Possessing the ability to eliminate 93% of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and 99% of viruses and bacteria, this smart little system is a prime example of how technology can be integrated elegantly into a home to promote healthy living and provide solutions for purifying the air we breathe!

Click to shop

The energy saving bulb has been with us for a number of years, but even though many of us elected to purchase them when our old bulbs blew, the phasing out of the incandescent bulb has meant that it is one of the cheapest and most readily available replacement choices for consumers.

Not that this is at all a bad thing – changing just one fitting to use an energy saving bulb could save around £3 a year in electricity. Multiply this across the fittings throughout the home and the savings soon begin to add up.

New lighting technologies are being developed and released very regularly, with highly efficient LED technology being packaged into a bigger and bigger range of fittings available to the industry and directly to the public. Price does still pay a big factor in the design and bulb chosen, but the increase in purchasing inevitably creates lower prices over time.

But the one bugbear of many a designer and client has been the overall design of the energy saving bulb – namely the ‘standard’ range available at the lowest prices.

The ‘column’ type bulbs can look rather stark and the ‘ice cream’ style bulbs also have a particular look which any not contribute to your scheme. This is, of course, a very personal decision between the designer and the client and we have used both of these low cost fittings to great effect – making no apologies for their shapes.

There is however, another choice for the energy saving bulb which addresses this design issue – the Plumen 001 bulb by Samuel Wilkinson for Hulger.

Working on the logic that the glass tubes that make up all of the standard energy saving bulbs can actually be bent in a whole variety of shapes, the Plumen 001 (and newly launched, smaller sized ‘Baby Plumen’) has rethought what an energy saving bulb can be.

Using ‘plumes’ of feathers as inspiration, the bulbs two twisting tubes create a sculptural form which changes shape as you move around the fitting.

The simplicity of the design actually creates a very complex and aesthetically pleasing form, which has been designed to sit, completely unclothed in a space, making it perfect for a statement ‘bare bulbs’ scheme.

It can however, be used to great effect when paired carefully with pendants – especially simple pieces which really let the bulb’s shapes shine, or enclosed glass fittings which ‘frame’ the bulbs like little pieces of art.

And this is exactly what Plumen’s new shade sets to achieve. The ‘Pharaoh’ shade has been designed for Danish firm Lightyears, specifically for the Plumen 001 and was launched at the recent Stockholm furniture fair. The simply shaped shade is mirror finished and appears a solid piece when the bulb is off, but as soon as the piece is illuminated the shade becomes transparent – enhancing the silhouetted shape of the bulb as the focus of the piece.

Alternatively, if you want to go super simple, the Plumen 001 can be paired with one of their newly developed pendant / drop sets, which are available in a series of colours and have been designed to completely contain the black section of the bulb, meaning that the form of the bulb sits directly beneath the fitting.

The beautiful thing about the Plumen 001 is just that – its beauty of sculptural form which brings energy saving bubs out of the ‘required’ box and into our ‘desired’ box when designing and specifying.

Visit www.plumen.com for details on their bulbs and pendant sets.

Written by eco interior architect & designer guest blogger Claire Potter

The Government’s consultation on copyright, addressed the regulatory impact and costs to business of the proposals to impose statutory codes on collective licensing societies, and to introduce new exceptions.

The initial assessments will be reviewed in the light of evidence collected during the consultation process. SBID participated in this process and is pro-active in the Government’s continuing research programme. The consultation published in December 2011 was accompanied by a set of initial impact assessments; the public outcome to date is available from the Intellectual Property Office website.

Great British companies such as British Airways, Shell, Unilever, the Co-op, Tesco, and Balfour Beatty have been investigated over several years for alleged price fixing, fined nearly a quarter of a billion pounds by the OFT, only for each case to collapse because there was no basis in fact, law or economics to support them. The net result is a huge bill for the taxpayer to pay the legal fees. There are 600 employees at the OFT costing us £60 million per annum, let alone compensation to the companies that have been improperly charged so a review is very much needed.

Last year, the Government consulted on proposals to reform the competition regime including merging the Office of Fair Trading and the Competition Commission to create a single Competition and Markets Authority. Among other things, the consultation sought views on proposals to improve the enforcement of the anti-trust prohibitions. The Government will announce their conclusions following the consultation shortly.

One reason why the review looked at merging the Office of Fair Trading and the Competition Commission is to make sure that they are right and fit for purpose for our times and that there are the right resources needed for the world that we live in today. There is no doubt about it that the Office of Fair Trading has had a wonderful reputation in the past, and we would like to think that the new merger, if it goes forward, will take forward the very best of the OFT and the very best of the Competition Commission.

The Government’s aims is to build on the best of the OFT and the best of the Competition Commission in the creation of a world-leading Competition and Markets Authority. The Government recognise that the system for the enforcement of the anti-trust prohibitions is not working as well as it should. Cases take too long and a strong challenge to decisions is often mounted on appeal. It is worth remembering that Britain has a reputation in the world as being one of the best places in which markets work. They are open and fair. We have to make sure that we have timely and effective enforcement. That is what the consultation has been about.

The government Ministry for Fair Trade agrees that whatever reorganisation of the competition authorities is to take place in the future, adequate resources must be made available to ensure that there is effective combating of price-fixing cartels and other anti-competitive practices. The record shows that, on the matter of liability as distinct from the precise amount of penalty, the OFT has been upset on appeal to the Competition Appeal Tribunal only relatively rarely. It has admittedly been told by the Competition Appeal Tribunal that the amount of penalty is sometimes too large and has been reduced. Last year, and I think the year before, the OFT brought in some £60 million to the Exchequer from fines. Fines that had been upheld by the Competition Appeal Tribunal! SBID has been actively involved in the programme to review and reform faults in the current system of interior design and propose methods for improvement over the past three years. The SBID report has been submitted.

The Office of Fair Trading is of course an independent body and is best placed to balance the work that it does; it is not the Government’s place to tell it what to do. However, it is almost impossible for the ordinary consumer trying to deal with the combination of the OFT, Consumer Focus, Consumer Direct, the CBA and the Competition Commission to know where to go when there is an issue and this requires further clarity.

With the restructuring coming, the department must decide where change will take place. It will shortly put some real clarity on its website to direct people under the current structure and with some clear indication where restructuring is going to take us.

The Government will reveal their conclusion in the next few weeks after the finalisation of the consultation…… watch here!

Vanessa Brady comments on SBID’s latest campaign, the Fair Trading Policy in Interior Design. © Copyright SBID 2012

Trade discount is for trade, not retail, and mixing the two is unfair to all parties. The SBID Fair Trading Policy does not recommend, support or promote passing on trade discounts to the public.

Historically some interior decorators and designers passed on their trade price to potential clients to obtain work. That is desperation, not a design commission. Such designers and decorators cause mass damage to the overall industry: they undermine the retailers’ position and they betray the supplier’s price structuring integrity. In doing so, they create grey billing procedures where the customer is unable to breakdown an invoice costs and assumes inflated pricing, leading to disputes. In addition, a lack of transparency on fees, discounts and project fee structuring has often prevented potential clients from seeking professional design advice at all.

Discover how SBID recommends interior design fees should be structured for best practice.

The common practice of designers passing trade discounts to their customers, i.e. the public, shrinks the development of interior design as a profession and ultimately costs each market sector profit and reputation. It is not surprising that those who trade in this practice are the largest sector in administration and bankruptcy. They are also the most boisterous when policies such as the SBID Fair Trading Policy are introduced. SBID’s aim in implementing the Fair Trading Policy is specifically to further separate hobbyists from professionals and, in doing so, raise the standards of the entire profession.

Practitioners who provide a design service free of charge undermine the overall design industry. It is neither appropriate nor financially sustainable for professionals to provide their key performance, their design knowledge and advice, free of charge. It is by charging a fee for the trained services of a professional designer, that a designer generates income.

Retail prices include the cost of stock and customer service. Trade prices are products supplied on business to business (B2B) terms by manufacturers, or professional industry partners (PIPs). Interior design has until now rarely respected the difference. Currently, two common unprofessional billing methods adopted by designers are:
1. Sharing trade prices as leverage to obtain projects;
2. Providing a free design service, creating income from ‘supplying goods’ only.

All too often a designer’s unrealistic recognition of project costs and random product supply between trade and retail-pricing generates customer complaints. This common practice is therefore a threat to the overall reputation and growth of the profession of design.

Other grey areas of passing on trade prices to one-time-purchasers make it impossible for retailers to compete fairly. Supplying goods has additional costs attached for different performances: retailers absorb costs such as showroom space, staffing, after-sales service and product training etc. which designers do not provide.

There is a clear additional cost in every sale a retailer makes when compared to the service provided by a designer. Designers may need to install, take delivery, organise returns of products, and so on, and this clearly has time (and cost) attached. Therefore the fee a designer earns in a trade price reflects some of the services the designer performs.

Under the SBID Fair Trading Policy, a clear charging system sets out procedures for other services such as sourcing and supplying products. SBID design professionals are encouraged to be transparent about rates for hourly, daily and project billing fees in their terms of engagement.

The policy supports SBID Designers and PIPs* and provides a fair, equitable industry plan for growth. Registered SBID international industry body members are supported by the policy to promote qualified services, however the policy does not advise, direct or propose what a fee rate should be.
*PIPs – Professional Industry Partner

About SBID

– SBID was formed in March 2009 meeting the European Councils entry criteria for Interior Designers and Architects and was inducted into the European Council of Interior Architects (ECIA) in September 2009.

– Until 2009, Britain remained unqualified to meet the eighteen year old EU standards in interior design

– The sixteen page Intellectual Property owned document* formed the basis of the registration of SBID under British Law and part of the terms of membership of the European Council of Interior Architects (ECIA)

– Andrew Rolfe is one of Britain’s leading (top 100) contract lawyers, a member of the SBID Advisory Board and partner of Clifford Chance law firm.
*The sixteen page business prospectus is the intellectual property and copyright of Vanessa         Brady and Andrew Rolfe; its joint creators. It may not be reproduced without written authority from its joint creators.

– The SBID Fair Trading Policy is part of a joined up business plan that creates the bases of a design professional through education, practice and control with the aim of protecting the consumer and improving the professional image and performance of design professionals.- SBID is a Professional body raising, promoting and setting standards to create opportunities for design professionals to trade pan-industry providing design advice products and support services. The SBID Fair Trading Policy supports and builds on the relationship between these market sectors to create a clear route to market for the professional sector of design. The outcome will be a joined-up industry.

British bespoke bed-maker and acclaimed SBID member, Vi-Spring, has become the first UK bed-maker to be awarded the Woolmark for its luxurious collection of all-wool beds.  Made using 100 per cent wool – from fillings to upholstery – Vi-Spring’s Shetland Collection is the first of its kind, with exclusive use of real Shetland wool; a naturally soft, warm and sustainable fibre.

Recognised around the world, the respected Woolmark is synonymous with quality and guaranteed wool content. Vi-Spring’s luxury all-wool range, The Shetland Collection, underwent rigorous independent testing to comply with the Woolmark’s quality and performance criteria.

Vi-Spring’s Shetland Superb with Wool Sovereign divan

Each and every bed is handcrafted in Vi-Spring’s Devon workshop using the finest mix of real Shetland wool and pure Platinum Certified British Fleece Wool and finished with hand-tied woollen tufts. A selection is available of the highest quality all-wool fabrics to cover divan base and headboard to create a stand out look in the bedroom.

A planet friendly fibre, wool is uniquely suited to bed-making thanks to its natural softness, warmth and durability. It is an effective insulator and works to keep you cool in the summer, warm in the winter, and to draw moisture away from the body before releasing it into the air, ensuring a clean, fresh and hypoallergenic sleeping surface. Wool is also naturally resistant to dust mites, making a perfect choice for allergy sufferers.

Vi-Spring is proud to promote the Woolmark with The Shetland Collection, which includes the Shetland and Shetland Superb (as well as the Gatcombe and Marrister bedstead mattress, which are exclusive to John Lewis). Vi-Spring is also a keen supporter of the Campaign for Wool, which is committed to preserving Britain’s precious wool industry.

An interesting and important discussion is being launched here by kitchen design expert and SBID member Darren Morgan. This blog appeared in Modenus, one of SBID’s media partner for which Darren contributes regularly. Please feel free to leave a comment below. For more information about Darren, his work as a kitchen designer, writer and speaker, please contact him through his website.

‘I, like many, understand the power of hope and the bitterness of disappointment.  The everyday exchanges that make up our lives are potentially loaded with both these emotions.  But no matter how proactive we are in trying to protect our hope from disappointment, inevitably sometimes our valiant efforts are unsuccessful!

The funny thing about hope is that you only experience it when looking forward while disappointment always occurs in the present or past.  It therefore seems appropriate as we look back at 2011 to consider the impact of both disappointment and hope upon the kitchen industry.

It is true that one of the main disappointments of 2011 has been the inability to shake off the global debt crisis which has not only hung around like a bad smell but has decided to act like an evil hobgoblin and dig its claws deeper into an industry that is reeling from an uncertain Euro zone.  This uncertainty has stifled opportunities; well any that involves spending money, and even if corporate cash has been spent, those responsible for signing the cheque may well decide to change their mind as uncertain financial fear spreads like a disease.  There have been one or two high profile companies who have decided to rethink their investment lately with Indesit deciding to abandon visionary plans for Scholtès UK and Lechner deciding to consolidate their efforts as opposed to spreading them wider.

But sometimes the darkness of disappointment can encourage us to look for the light of hope in places and ways we never imagined.  Adaptation in the face of adversity is a basic human evolutionary principle that can be applied to our lives and our work. Although these shock disappointments cause further uncertainty and fear they also create gaps and market opportunities for other brands.

Because of wider economic pressures and disappointments the kitchen industry is now undergoing a pubescent change.  Gone are the good old days where companies could have it how they liked, acting like spoiled kids who didn’t need to adapt or change.  The kitchen industry is currently undergoing a period of introverted reflection and beginning to appreciate core values which will make it stronger in the future.  And this new found maturity is certainly offering hope.

With less money around in the economy the kitchen industry is now driven by a clear need to deliver stylish value.  And this determination brings with it better products, better service and better design.  We are currently in the process of redefining the evolutionary path of kitchen design and therefore the industry as we know it.

Technology is driving the change with manufacturers using it to increase efficiency and market share.  The products delivered by the flamboyant research and development budgets of the past are now being reconsidered, adapted and transformed in order to make them better and more cost effective.  This is particularly evident in the production of laminate materials where choices and design options have bounded forward giving designers a cost effective alternative material to work with.  The change in market conditions may also see a long term re-investment in Western industry as Eastern manufacturing regions like China may not seem as economically appealing to large scale producers.

For years kitchen designers have been seen as a consequential by-product of kitchen sales but now design is finally being accepted as a fundamental part of the process.  2011 has seen a surge in the number of associations and groups focused on the promotion of kitchen design as an important and influential discipline.  Although it is disappointing that these groups appear to have different approaches and objectives, their very existence does provide hope for the future, encouraging new talent to get involved and changing the public perception of the lowly kitchen designer.

Because of the new importance given to kitchen design as a facilitator of sales software companies are investing heavily in order to make their products better.  A major hope for the future is that 3D technology will begin to redefine the interface between retailer and consumer allowing designers creativity to flourish and consumers understanding to grow.  The advancements in 3D technology will not  involve standing in a showroom wearing funny glasses either as the technology already exists to experience 3D without them.  Clients will experience kitchen design in an augmented virtual reality where they can use online resources and Apps to create photorealistic visions of their future space.

Imagine using your iPad as a window into the future, allowing you to stand in a pre-fitted architectural space and appreciate the post installed results.  Simply by moving and rotating the iPad you will be able to see what your new kitchen will look like before it is even made.  These advancements may well impact the current retail model with showrooms becoming smaller and in some cases, virtual spaces!  The reality of remote showroom accessibility and newly “qualified” kitchen designers acting as design and product translators may well be just around the corner!  Who said change wasn’t exciting!

Every cloud has a silver lining and every problem has a solution so don’t let the industry failings and disappointments of the past 12 months dampen your hopes for wp-content/2012.  If you are inventive, passionate and persistent your hopes for wp-content/2012 could deliver your best year yet!’

Gloster is proud to receive the acclaimed label
“Interior Innovation Award – Winner wp-content/2012” for
two of its new outdoor collections:
NOMAD & ASTA
Funky, Cool and colour ful – This is the motto of
these stylish collections, embodying the current
trends of relaxed lifestyles and informal socialising.
Removable and easily replaceable, multicoloured
covers are central to both Nomad and
Asta collections – adding an environmentallyfriendly
twist to their stylish themes: Want to
update that out-door space? A simple facelift is
easily achieved… just add new covers instead of
purchasing completely new garden furniture.
The Interior Innovation Award organised by the
German Design Council was launched in 2002
by IMM Cologne and is recognised as one of the
most prestigious awards of the furnishing sector
world-wide.
Want to see for yourself? The award winning
products will be on display in a special exhibition
of the Interior Innovation Award wp-content/2012 during
the trade exhibition IMM Cologne wp-content/2012 and
Living Interiors. Additionally, both products are
automatically entered for “Interior Innovation
Award – Best of Best wp-content/2012″ due to be selected at
the awards ceremony during the 16th Januar y
wp-content/2012 in the “Alter Wartesaal”, Cologne. We’re
hoping for the big win!
www.interior-innovation-award.com

Major furniture company and SBID PIP Gloster is proud to receive the acclaimed label “Interior Innovation Award – Winner” for two of its new outdoor collections: NOMAD & ASTA.

Funky, Cool and colourful – this is the motto of these stylish collections, embodying the current trends of relaxed lifestyles and informal socialising.

Removable and easily replaceable, multicoloured covers are central to both Nomad and Asta collections – adding an environmentally friendly twist to their stylish themes: Want to update that out-door space? A simple facelift is easily achieved… just add new covers instead of purchasing completely new garden furniture.

The Interior Innovation Award organised by the German Design Council was launched in 2002 by IMM Cologne and is recognised as one of the most prestigious awards of the furnishing sector world-wide.

Want to see for yourself? The award winning products will be on display in a special exhibition of the Interior Innovation Award wp-content/2012 during the trade exhibition IMM Cologne wp-content/2012 and Living Interiors. Additionally, both products are automatically entered for “Interior Innovation Award – Best of Best wp-content/2012” due to be selected at the awards ceremony during the 16th January wp-content/2012 in the “Alter Wartesaal”, Cologne. Gloster are hoping for the big win!

More information here: www.interior-innovation-award.com

Like at any big show, some stands at SIA Guest 2011 stood out. Here’s a list of our favourite products and manufacturers…

1 – Concept: dimension beauty
SCHÖNHUBER FRANCHI is proposing the Total Look at SIA GUEST. It is the original concept that sees the hotel as an experience that states its personality and brand, and with a new business unit for creating personalised spaces. The company also took part in the “Specchia” installation by De-Signum Studio Lab, an area dedicated to outdoor design inside the 100% HOTEL exhibit. (SCHÖNHUBER FRANCHI, Pav. C3 Booth 127)

Sia_Guest_2011_Pubblico_0381

IMG_6720A

2 – Turnkey restaurant, luxury within reach

Relying on the enormous experience it has acquired over the years, CARAIBA has enlarged its wealth of offers with the prestigious acquisitions of CARAIBA LUXURY to clad new openings and renovations of restaurants and hotels with the sophisticated design of its brands. At SIA GUEST 2011 CARAIBA LUXURY presented a genuine showroom of tasteful and quality products: Spiegelau glasses; Pot, Robbe & Berking, Cutipol and Robert Welc cutlery; Staub, Zwilling, Sha Ra Ku Mono, Kitchen Planning, Joel Robuchon and Forge De Laguiole kitchen products; Hering Berlin, Sieger By Fürstenberg and Fürstenberg, Dibbern, Feeling and Figgjo porcelain; and Mono, Amabiente, Daff, Opussum Design, Nick Munro and Jaur accessories. (CARAIBA LUXURY, Pav. C3 Booth 046)

caraiba

3 – Mission culture… of textiles

Spreading the culture of textiles amongst everyone who loves to surround themselves with sophisticated atmospheres, making furnishings of impeccable quality by using the best processing and manufacturing techniques. This is the mission of GAMBA MANIFATTURE, which with the new project Contract completes what has been its commitment since 1918: meet every requirement with innovation and professional competence. (GAMBA MANIFATTURE, Pav. C3 Booth 166)

gamba manifatture

4 – The kitchen flies with the robot

Innovation of outstanding value comes from ALESSI. The Dressed line proposes white porcelain dishes with relief decoration and stainless steel cutlery, also with relief decorations. From KitchenAid (distributed by Alessi) comes an innovative robot with lifting mechanism complete with 6.9 l bowl, all in metal and highly versatile. (ALESSI, Pav. C3 Booth 041)

alessi dressed procelain

5 – The green room

The Daniele Menichini architectural firm is presenting the make-up of a real project in the development stage at SIA Guest. Every product and every technology in the “green room” meets all of the “eco” standards demanded by the low environmental impact ecological and energy qualification. It is increasingly the starting point from which hoteliers in Italy as well take off on the course of choices for interventions both on new buildings and renovation of existing buildings. (GREEN ROOM, Pav. C5 Booth 081)

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6 – Love in a room

The love room to you. Love Suite Love places the bed in the centre and raises it off the ground to make it the focus of an 85-metre suite, a private theatre for a journey somewhere between dream and sensuality through the exclusive circle of sustainable products. (HOTEL SPA DESIGN, Hall A5-C5 Booth 005).

love suite love

love suite love 2

7 – An electric… table!

Waysol is an innovative line of tables – among other products – that capture the light and turn it into electricity. The surface is a photovoltaic panel protected by a pane of glass, and its simple exposure to light lets it generate energy that can be used to supply a lamp, charge a smartphone or iPad, and even light the room. Solutions are also available for outdoors: during the day a table in the garden captures the light and is illuminated during the night. Other variants seem incredible: an open book with miniature panels in place of the pages set on the windowsill during the day becomes a battery to supply a floor lamp inside the house. Italian technology boasting extraordinary creativity offers SIA GUEST a tasty novelty. (DELUXE DREAMING, Hall A5-C5 Booth 032)

waysol

8 – Beautifully made carpeting

EGE, one of the most prestigious European carpet manufacturers, is presenting the EGE PHOTOGRAPHY collection of art carpeting decorated with black and white photographs by the Milanese artist Elia Festa, which EGE was able to reproduce on top quality carpeting. In this way the works of art become a textile floor. No longer just a designer for industrial design, but an artist for Industrial Art. An idea that leads us into a new era in which art repeats itself thanks to the industrial potentials of EGE. The result? A collection of art carpeting and rugs. Complete with certifications. (EGE, Hall A5/C5 Booth 014)

ege-–-Carpet-Collection

9 – Heating a hotel while protecting the environment

Heating a hotel with natural gas and renewable energy-powered ROBUR heat pump. Two goals in one: not pollute and save on costs. Indeed, the heat pump proposed prevents the emission of 4.2 tons of carbon dioxide and increases the value of the property by increasing its energy class. It also makes it possible to save up to 40% on heating costs compared to condensing boilers. Last but not least, it is modular and flexible. (ROBUR, Pav. C7 Booth 199)

heat-pump_ROBUR_pro-GAHP-A

10 – ‘Mediterraneo’, the wooden house that loves nature

A natural oak laminated wood and solid Ipé wood house finished with non-toxic and non-polluting paints. ‘Mediterraneo” is a real Luxury house that includes a wellbeing area fitted out with Whirlpool Bath Spa and chromotherapy, made resistant by a steel load-bearing structure and innovative by a new-generation photovoltaic system. Low electricity consumption and domotic management make ‘Mediterraneo” a house truly on the cutting edge. (SPRECH, Pav. A5 Booth 172)

sprech mediterraneo

11 – The bed that rocks even adults to sleep
Its name is Sway and is one of the most relaxing new products presented at Sia Guest 2011. This bed, made by the company Klafs has the feature of slowly rocking its lucky guests, who can also enjoy absolutely relaxing atmospheres of lights and music. (KLAFS GMBH, Pav. A3 Booth 049)

The-Relaxing-Bed-by-Klafs1

12 – Mini pools, super wellbeing

Your guests deserve the wellbeing of the FabarPool mini pools. The well-known company ensures and reintroduces it while asking the hotelier, “Do you know what is the must that attracts more customers to your hotel and makes them come back? Wellness.” FabarPool produces mini whirlpool baths, nothing less than mini spas with an innovative design that turn the hotel into an oasis of wellbeing at a low cost. (FABARPOOL, Pav. A3 Booth 056)

fabarpool mini pool

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