With lockdown lifting, projects resuming and new clients on the horizon, we're sharing the latest product news from SBID Accredited Partners. Featuring premium, Mother of Pearl decorative wall panels; a table collection inspired by a new wave of Brazilian music, and an ecological collection of advanced natural paints with sustainable options for any project!
Introducing Siminetti's Mother of Pearl decorative panels
Siminetti’s Mother of Pearl Decorative Panels are the next generation in Mother of Pearl surface finishes. Handcrafted by Siminetti’s team of artisans, the ‘Golden Pearl Drop’ Decorative Panels capture the stunning natural beauty of Mother of Pearl that has for centuries been associated with luxury, sophistication and elegance. Utilising a combination of Siminetti’s ‘Bianco’ and ‘Golden Promise’ Mother of Pearl, every panel carries its own bespoke appeal.
Produced from fully sustainable Freshwater and Saltwater Pearl, each decorative panel is assembled to the clients exacting dimensions and can be produced in almost any shape up to maximum size of 240cm x 120cm. The individual Mother of Pearl pieces are hand placed onto a lightweight, robust, honeycomb backing which ensures they are also fully waterproof, making the decorative panels not only suitable for kitchen splashbacks and furniture inlays, but equally wet-room and shower environments. Siminetti Decorative Panels are the luxurious alternative to tiles and are available in over 30 stunning designs. Siminetti also offers a bespoke design service, allowing Designers, Architects and Specifiers to develop their own unique style.
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Cox London presents the Siren Chair for Collect at Somerset House
The Siren Chair was created by Cox London for Collect at Somerset house in March 2020. This generously proportioned chair is traditionally upholstered with natural lamb’s wool for great comfort, supported by sculptural cast-bronze arms and a forged iron frame. Both visceral and flocculent, the beguiling chair is signed and numbered by the artist. Special editions available in different finishes and different fabrics. The founders, Christopher and Nicola Cox take inspiration from the great traditions and techniques of making; their work is craft orientated, sculpture based and infused with historical references.
Christopher and Nicola make their artwork and furniture in their north London atelier and workshop. Having studied fine art sculpture together they set up their studio early in 2000, they have since taken on a wide variety of commissions from the worlds of fine art, craft and interior decoration to produce bespoke or limited-edition pieces that combine creativity with the best of British craftsmanship and artistry. Cox London’s unique designs are on display in their Pimlico and North London showroom’s.
Kassavello features elite brand's Bossa table collection
The Bossa collection is taken from a range of curated products from the portfolio of elite brands that are available through luxury furniture design atelier Kassavello. Inspired by ‘Bossa Nova’, the new wave of musical genre and culture that emerged from Brazil in the 1950’s, the Bossa table collection is defined by a sleek finish and subtle curved edges. Constructed from high gloss solid mahogany wood with contrasting natural cane and matt mahogany detailing, these unique pieces are subtle enough to compliment a myriad of schemes whilst adding a distinctive sense of style and flair.
The Bossa square coffee table combines natural cane with a practical glass top whilst the Bossa side table is completed with an elegantly crafted inset matt veneer. Designed with flexible grouping in mind, the taller side tables combine beautifully with the shorter coffee table creating a stunning composition and centerpiece. Bespoke options and finishes are available across the collection.
A New Era for advanced natural paints with Graphenstone
As a customer rightly stated, "Graphenstone offers a range of stunning colours, all of them Green.” Using 100% recycled and recyclable packing and delivery materials, Graphenstone is proud to hold 'Cradle to Cradle Institute' Gold and Silver Certifications, as the ultimate validation of its dedication to green products and processes. With natural ingredients combined with graphene technology, Graphenstone offer the most advanced, durable and ecological ranges of paint available on the UK market. The absence of toxicity makes the paints virtually odourless. LEED, WELL and BREEAM Compliant, Graphenstone’s products are ideal for any large or small-scale project seeking healthy and sustainable paint options with trusted certifications.
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Ana Azevedo, founder of SBID Accredited Partner, Kassavello shares her insight into the interior design industry as a supplier of high-end brands and bespoke furniture solutions to interior designers.
What is your current job?
I head up Kassavello’s London office and manage sales and customer relations with particular focus on the interior design community. I founded Kassavello with my business partner Renata in 2015. We offer a selection of curated products from elite brands and bespoke furniture to interior designers, architects and end clients.
What is your background and how did you get into interior design?
My previous career was in business management within the hospitality sector where I managed a number of high-profile restaurants and bars. I had always had a passion for design but having exposure to such a variety of prestigious venues ignited my interest and I enrolled in a series of interior design courses at the University of Arts in London. Moving from client-side within hospitality to client-management within design was a hugely rewarding transition where I was able to transfer and combine old and new skills whilst working in a creative industry that is constantly evolving and never fails to inspire me.
Describe an average day in your job role..
My business partner Renata is based in Portugal, the location of our key suppliers and manufacturers and it’s critical that we stay aligned at all times so that there’s a consistent and seamless workflow. Every day begins with a video conference call where we run through current priorities, project status and actions required. I then follow up client-side, more often than not this is with a UK based interior designer, on any decisions required for bespoke furniture production such as discussing design detailing or scheduled fabric deliveries. Whilst we often receive DWG drawings from our clients, we always produce detailed technical drawings for approval working closely with a team of dedicated craftspeople in Portugal who have decades of experience and can often propose sleek solutions to practical design problems. Most days also bring new enquiries which I follow up on often whilst juggling the logistics of overseeing white glove installation on site. I also dedicate time each week to keep abreast of industry trends and developments too as its critical that designers can trust us to be one step ahead of the game when it comes to innovation and evolution within the luxury design space.
Which elements of your profession do you enjoy the most and/or find the most rewarding?
We frequently use different artisans to deliver individual elements for one piece of furniture – for example an exquisite brass handle crafted by an exemplary metal artisan combined with beautifully inlaid veneer from our expert team of joiners. Facilitating a designer’s unique vision through our trusted network of craftspeople is always rewarding when you see the vision from conceptual drawings through to final installation.
Is there anything new you are excited to be working on?
We’re currently working on a proposal for a significant number of bespoke items for a project in Malta in collaboration with one of our favourite designers. She has a passion for bold design and colour and is always looking to push the boundaries in terms of shape and form which is thrilling for us and the team of experts that we work with. There’s nothing like a creative challenge!
What do you find the most challenging aspects of your job?
Managing expectation versus budget is a familiar challenge to everyone in the industry and our sector is no exception. Our clients consistently want to deliver exceptional pieces but sometimes you have to set expectations and find the best solution in terms of materials or a design tweak that offer a very good result and one that also comes in on budget!
The logistics of delivery can also be very challenging. Whilst we work with outstanding white glove delivery teams, we can often be faced with logistical issues and dependencies on a 3rd party in terms of access or red tape, particularly in central London. Always surmountable but always a challenge!
What do you wish you knew before working in the field?
How much attention to detail interior designers have. This is certainly not a criticism, in fact far from it - we work with some exceptional designers who can sometimes request a change of design equivalent to a few millimetres. When we first developed the business, we had no idea how particular clients could be but with the benefit of experience behind us we are now able to guide and collaborate on those decisions, knowing when they will and when they won’t matter to the stability or aesthetics of a piece.
What would you tell your younger self if you had the chance?
Follow your gut feeling… if a project or a client does not feel right, it probably isn’t
What has been your favourite project to work on?
We were very fortunate to be given the opportunity to work on an exceptional project in Kuwait with an end client who had no budget constraints and an appetite for luxurious finishes and styling. Having the opportunity to work alongside her and her family to furnish their beautiful villa was a design dream and allowed us to select hand-crafted pieces that are rarely accessible but are truly timeless heirloom items.
Conversely, we recently worked on a project in Chelsea with high client expectations but challenging budget constraints. We spent a lot of time with the designer developing solutions and alternatives that did not detract from the exceptional result that was required and ultimately delivered – hugely rewarding.
What do you think is the biggest problem the interior design industry faces?
The access to information for end clients via social media has become overwhelming. It can make the decision- making process extremely drawn out when the client suddenly spots something new they love, or when they have seen a cheap copy of an atelier piece of furniture and fail to appreciate the value in the time and craftsmanship that is put into bespoke pieces. It’s something that the industry is working hard to address and a conversation that we are always happy to be a part of. With close and long-standing relationships with some of Europe’s finest artisans we absolutely appreciate the skill and dedication that goes into every piece of bespoke furniture.
Who do you admire the most in the industry and why?
In terms of furniture design, Kelly Wearstler is a personal favourite of mine. Her curation of vintage, contemporary and architectural forms within her pieces is truly exceptional. She is always innovative, inspirational and evolutionary – outstanding traits in a designer that consistently pushes the boundaries and is a leading industry narrator. Architecturally it has to be Joseph Dirand, his eye for volume and space underpinned by classical proportion is unsurpassed – a true master of his craft.
Want to become SBID Accredited? Click here for more information.
Sponsors of the SBID International Design Awards for the Residential House Under £1M category, Kassavello supply curated and bespoke luxury furnishing solutions for interior designers. The Director and founder, Ana Azevedo shares insight into how they work directly with designers to help them source the right furnishings for their projects.
What are the origins of your brand? Launched in 2015, myself and Renata Teixeira spotted the opportunity to bring high quality, handcrafted yet fairly-priced Portuguese furniture to the UK market. Kassavello has since become a luxury furniture design atelier dually based in both England and Portugal. Our roots are firmly entwined with Portuguese craftsmanship and artisanal design and, over time, the business has organically grown to encompass two complementary areas of expertise: Curated products from elite brands and Bespoke furniture production.
How do you work with interior designers? We offer a high-end, bespoke furniture design service for interior designers and architects that includes complex finishes and detailing. Our extensive portfolio of manufacturers have been carefully selected for their quality, reliability and craftsmanship and we frequently use different artisans to deliver individual elements of one piece to guarantee the highest possible standards of workmanship.
We also have an extensive portfolio of curated products from elite brands and often work closely with our clients to select items for their projects. Our services range from producing all technical drawings for bespoke projects, to personally organising and supervising shipping and installation.
What value does your sector add to the interior design industry?
We supply high-end furniture for both residential and commercial projects, offering a very personal and tailored service to help designers source the right furnishings for their projects. We believe that beautiful handcrafted furniture and design should be accessible to all. From covetable sofas to striking mirrors, our expert team have hand-picked the brands that we partner with and the curated pieces that we sell.
How does your offering enhance an interior designer’s projects?
With a strong focus on customer service, Kassavello offers a premium and tailored service. Working closely with discerning clientele and leading interior designers, we have developed a reputation for delivering products and designs of the highest calibre to residences across the world. We have a team of experts available to advise on every step of the process and we work collaboratively with our clients from specification phase to the installation of a project; ensuring a full level of support throughout the project development.
What are the latest trends you’ve noticed in your client’s requests?
More recently, we are noticing that organic shapes and textured materials are increasing in popularity among our clients. Also, the desire to use natural materials like cane, stone and brass is growing significantly.
Why did you want to become a sponsor for the SBID Awards?
We wanted to sponsor the SBID Awards because it’s a very prestigious event that celebrates design and serves as a fantastic opportunity to network within our target market.
Sponsorship for the SBID International Design Awards 2020 is now open.
To find out more about becoming an SBID Awards sponsor next year click here or email [email protected]
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