Scotland’s very first YOTEL, centrally located in Edinburgh’s bustling Queen Street, perfectly combines contemporary modern interiors with the classic design of the city’s famous Old Town architecture. Its playful ‘cabin’ style rooms feature bathrooms using a bespoke solution and innovative solid surface material Surfex® exclusively from Roca.
YOTEL Edinburgh is the brand’s first city centre opening in Europe. Its premium location is perfectly placed, allowing guests to experience all of the city’s historic charms and top attractions within walking distance of the hotel. The sleek and modern interior is testament to the ethos of the brand; creating an innovative, smart hotel for tech-savvy travellers.
The hotel has 276 compact cabin rooms, inspired by the feeling first class travel provides in terms of luxury and comfort. Each room is equipped with YOTEL’s signature features including luxury bedding, relaxing mood lighting and Smart TVs. This helps to enhance the smart experience YOTEL is renowned for and evokes contemporary style and convenience. The rooms are designed to have a modern feel, and its minimalist white interior highlights the brand’s close attention to detail.
During the launch, YOTEL Edinburgh General Manager Stuart Douglas said, “The main purpose of the cabin rooms at YOTEL is to provide guests with functionality, practicality and above all, high quality. The uncompromising design of the rooms and bathrooms ensures guests have the essential elements of luxury hotels but redesigned into a compact, smart space.”
Working closely alongside YOTEL at the design stage of the project, Roca created a bathroom solution that closely aligned with the brand standards. This included the Gap wall-hung WC and a bespoke vanity unit, in addition to bespoke washroom countertops for the public areas of the hotel.
Manufactured in Poland, the bespoke units were made using Roca’s innovative Surfex®, a malleable solid surface material formulated from a combination of minerals and resins. The unique properties of Surfex allow it to be poured into a production mould, enabling complex designs with no joints or seams. The materials properties also permit ‘on-site’ changes to the finished product, catering to different guestroom sizes and configurations. At YOTEL Edinburgh the advantages of Surfex were harnessed to create a wash basin bowl with an integrated unit that maximises countertop space, providing ample storage space for toiletries and grooming products.
The addition of The Gap wall-hung WC further complemented the design aesthetic. Created by renowned industrial designer Antonio Bullo, The Gap features modern and stylish lines whilst delivering both a compact and functional bathroom solution.
“We worked in close partnership with the YOTEL team to deliver a bespoke solution that fitted their requirements and those of their guests,” comments Jon Bond, Head of UK Projects at Roca. “The end result is a bathroom that seamlessly integrates the modern feel of the cabin rooms, with the contemporary ethos of the YOTEL brand.”
About Roca
Roca began in 1917 as a manufacturer of cast iron radiators at its factory in Gavà, near Barcelona. From humble origins, the company has grown into a global business driven by a firm focus on improving the quality of life for its customers. Roca began producing innovate new designs, products and materials to provide the complete bathroom solutio. Today, Roca manufactures at 78 facilities around the world and is active in over 170 markets.
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As consumer lifestyles and the significance of the bathroom sector evolves into stylish (and hygienic) wellness-driven sanctuaries in the home, discover how the innovative bathroom designer and manufacturer, Kohler collaborates with interior designers to enhance the product specification process for transforming bathroom environments with luxury and functionality in equal measure.
What are the origins Kohler?
Kohler is a now 4th generation family business which was started in 1873 by John Michael Kohler. Today it is a global business operating across various sectors and headed by David Kohler, President and CEO. Kohler Co. designs and manufactures kitchen and bath products under renowned global brands like KOHLER and KALLISTA; engines and power systems; luxury cabinetry and ANN SACKS tile; and is the owner/operator of two, five-star hospitality and golf resort destinations in Kohler, Wisconsin, and St. Andrews, Scotland.
How do you work with interior designers?
We work with designers through collaboration as a partner to help them achieve project requirements within the brief. We do so in the first instance by introducing them to our bathroom ranges designed for UK and global project specifications. This is supported and underpinned by our London Clerkenwell showroom, the Kohler Experience Centre, where we invite A&D to learn about our brand, experience our products and participate in talks and events that support the design community.
What value does your sector add to the interior design industry?
The bathroom today, as most designers will agree, has become an increasing focal point of specification with a far greater demand on design and function while delivering upon the dimensions of wellbeing we all strive to achieve in today’s modern world. It is now considered by many that the bathroom is the most integral part of the home to specify. More bathrooms are being added to projects and no longer the clinical white box but a need to ensure the space provides an environment that is tactile, stylish, modern, and offers a seamless transition from one room to the next. Above all, it’s creating a space of wellness as well as function. As such, the bathroom sector has adapted to offer products that reflect the different materials and colours often reserved for products seen in living spaces while bringing luxury, functionality and technology to new levels of possibility.
How do your services/offering enhance an interior designer’s projects?
As a manufacturing business, and in particular with respect to the bathroom specification sector, we manufacture products to simplify the specification process, so that wherever possible we can be a one-stop shop for bathroom specification for the designer. From basins, furniture, WCs, and taps, to shower enclosures, fittings and accessories we can help to make specifying a much more gracious experience.
What are the latest trends you’ve noticed in your client’s requests?
Metal colour finishes and the variety of choices available for tap and shower fittings have been hugely popular. We are seeing a resurgence in gold whilst the emergence of black and brass coloured finishes are now commonly requested across various levels of specifications, and not just at the very top end of specification. In light of the ongoing global situation with Covid, we are also seeing more demand for hygiene technology across specifications, whether it's intelligent toilets, touchless products or in the very material of the product itself.
Why did you become a sponsor for the SBID Awards?
Kohler is a well-established brand within UK project specification, and we want to recognise the amazing work created by the UK design community which is driving global project design – many of whom we work with regularly on specification for various hospitality and residential projects. Kohler remains positioned as a global leader which continues to evolve and adapt to meet the needs and demands of both the specifier and consumer not just today, but also well into the future.
Sponsors of the KBB Design category for the SBID Awards 2021!
Entries are open until Wednesday 30 June.
To find out more about entering, visit www.sbidawards.com
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From the flooring to the furniture, this month's round up of product news from SBID Accredited partners has got you covered. Featuring new variations of natural limestone floors, an impressive collection of ceramic wall tiles and luxuriously handcrafted furniture inspired by great American design movements.
Karndean Designflooring introduces five new stone designs
Karndean Designflooring is celebrating the understated colour tones found in natural limestone by introducing five new stone designs to its modern Korlok collection. The new limestone hues create a neutral backdrop for any interior design scheme!
Designed to offer quicker installation times and enhanced acoustic benefits, it is the first time the brand has added stone to its rigid core portfolio. It enables architects, interior designers and contractors to specify a wood and stone rigid core design in the same space when looking to support wayfinding. Like all Karndean floors, the designs are handcrafted to reflect the understated colour tones found in natural limestone and have been developed to include subtle veining, delicate mottling and a chalky appearance to create a realistic finish.
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The latest ceramic wall tile collection from Parkside
Designed in collaboration with a leading colour consultant, Matrix is the latest ceramic wall tile collection from specification company Parkside. Inspiring creativity, Matrix offers an unprecedented portfolio of 23 tile colours, available in matt or gloss finishes, accompanied by matching grouts and trims. With the Matrix collection, Parkside wanted to create a range of colours that would allow the design community to curate co-ordinated looks or mix and match colours to create striking design statements.
The Matrix colours were developed in collaboration with colour consultant Vanessa Konig, who wanted to ensure that they would complement natural materials as well as work across a range of environments; from warm, cosy restaurants and bars to more pared-back, minimalist designs.
Bette offers over 400 colours for bathroom inspiration
German bathroom manufacturer, Bette, offers its baths, shower trays and washbasins in over 400 colours and also creates bespoke colours for large projects. A new colour reference fan, featuring its most popular colours, is also available. Bette can create its bathroom components in over 400 colours because of the way its products are made. Each item is individually manufactured in titanium-steel, before its durable BetteGlaze enamel finish is applied and fired. Bette mixes colour pigments into the BetteGlaze enamel finish, prior to application, which is why such a huge range of colours, including gloss, matt, shimmering and glittering options, are available.
Bette’s unique finish not only allows over 400 colour options, but the glazed titanium-steel results in products that keep their good looks for many years, are easy to clean, 100% recyclable and come with a 30 year warranty, making them ideal for both contract and residential projects.
Luxury furniture brand, Linea Luxe offer bespoke service for any brief
Linea Luxe believe that all life’s greatest luxury products can only be crafted by hand. Attention to detail, care and respect for how they treat each creation allows the masterpiece to develop. With an experienced team that works with the best tools and latest technology, they employ traditional techniques learnt from a lifetime of experience. Every piece that leaves the workshop carries with it a sense of pride and commitment that it has been produced in the best possible way.
Their collections have been inspired by the great American design movements covering Retro, Art Deco, Mid Century and Regency periods; taking inspirations from the design icons of the time and adding a unique modern twist. Linea Luxe produce case goods and upholstered items, all made 100% in the UK. In addition to their furniture collection, they are also known for bespoke and one-off furniture with a skilled team to take almost any brief and effortlessly transition idea to reality.
Elite Stone showcases its 'Bond' Calacatta Borhini interior collection
Elite Stone curate innovative spaces in the kitchen and living area to create unique environments in perfect harmony. The kitchen enters more and more into the living space, becoming the cradle of conviviality. ‘Bond’ Calacatta Borghini interior collection is produced in marine multi-layered wood with a maple coating and backlit E-Light panels to light up the space. The exterior is entirely covered in washable quality leather, with hand stitching and steel handle inserts. A contemporary design with an illuminated sliding-top that opens up a worktop with integrated sink. The island, which can be opened from all sides, includes several extractable cupboards and internal drawers, and is complete with appliances with a smart ‘knock-to-open’ opening functionality. At the centre, an evocative winery space with a double door that can be opened fully to create a precious and modern lounge bar inside the home.
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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.
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.
SpeakEasy with Oli Stephenson
In this episode of the SBID podcast, our host Grant Pierrus catches up with Oli Stephenson, founder and director of Life Kitchens. Oli shares his experiences of running a kitchen showroom business in the wake of the coronavirus, and how the implications of the pandemic will continue to affect the future of the sector.
Life Kitchens utilise some of the best kitchen craftsmen in the business, with decades of expertise in the design and manufacture of contemporary kitchens. Launching the unique and interactive kitchen showroom in London Waterloo, and only in the third year of business, Oli reveals how he has approached the challenges of running a relatively new business during the pandemic. Discussing how the coronavirus outbreak has not only impacted operations, but also what that means for the future of the industry as a whole.
As retail outlets and showrooms begin to re-open, Oli shares his unique perspective on diversification and adaptation - from exploring new ways to engage with customers to shifting their approach to sales and marketing in the digital realm.
Oli continues to comment on the importance of rising to the challenge with a positive attitude as he gives advice on how to be flexible and remain relevant to embrace the fundamental lifestyle changes and societal trends that are yet to come as 'normal' life develops post Covid-19.
Tune in to the whole conversation to discover more.
Oli Stephenson
Oli Stephenson is the founder of Life kitchens. He is the 5th generation of a family business established in 1909 supplying the UK home and interiors trade. Having spent 6 years in kitchen design and sales, Oli launched Life kitchens, as a fresh approach to kitchen retail in London. Now in its third year, Life works directly with clients as well as with interior designers, architects and developers.
Leading global kitchen and bathroom supplier GROHE has reported unprecedented demand for hygienic touchless taps in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. At a time when the pandemic has pushed the everyday necessity of hand washing into the spotlight, it would seem finding solutions to optimise hygiene in both the workplace and at home is spurring the demand.
Leading figures within the design community are also considering how hygiene will come to the fore in the interior spaces of the future. Coen van Oostrom, Founder and CEO of EDGE, a company that specialises in developing a new generation of buildings that focus on the health of people and the planet, predicts that new health measures will play a key role in a new generation of workplaces. “Together with sustainability, health will define the way we build and design homes, offices and places where people meet. Touchless products and speech-driven technology will play a key role in making healthy and safe offices. Consumers will want to minimise contact to surfaces as much as possible”.
Having specified the healthcare, hospitality and commercial sector for many years, where hygiene-optimised products are already far more commonplace, GROHE is braced for the vast changes ready to hit the mass marketplace. “With our wide range of touchless and hands-free products, we at GROHE have the right response to the increased need of hygiene in sensitive areas such as kitchens and bathrooms”, says Jonas Brennwald, CEO LIXIL Water Technology EMENA, Deputy CEO Grohe AG. “Currently, we can say that we are already experiencing a higher demand for our hygiene enhancing products – from both our private and business customers.”
In the UK market, the transition to a more hygiene-focused workplace and business environment has already been in motion since the beginning of the year. Elina Enqvist-Twomey, Category Manager at GROHE UK says: “Feedback from the commercial market in the last three months tells us that hygiene is top of the agenda for specification, with a large proportion of projects specifying more hygiene-focused products such as infra-red taps , infra-red flush plates, and shower toilets. In recent weeks, we have seen an increase in customers purchasing infra-red taps as a result. Likewise, in the kitchen, several of our tap designs which use advanced technologies to minimise physical interaction with the handle of the tap itself such as our SmartControl kitchen mixer and Zedra Touch range have also seen an increased interest. When the industry returns to a sense of normality, we expect the increasing scrutiny of hygiene in the workplace and public buildings to continue. This pandemic has encouraged all of us in some way to rethink our hygiene practises and consider new lengths to protecting ourselves and those around us.”
Why an infra-red touchless tap is more hygienic
In recent years, the property market has seen a shift to include more alternative housing settings such as grandparents living with their children and families, or groups of young professionals co-habiting together. This is when infra-red technology first began to be demanded in the residential sector and its benefits have continued to strengthen demand ever since. Infra-red taps require minimal, if any, human contact with the tap itself unlike standard taps where germs from unclean hands could linger on tap handles, unless continual thorough cleaning was carried out after each use. The GROHE Bau Cosmo E, a strong robust design made using composite polymer, uses motion sensors to detect movement, which then activates the water flow. A mixing valve on the side of the spout can be used to adjust the temperature if required and a temperature limiter can also be installed if desired. Once the user removes their hands from the basin, the sensors will detect this and stop the water flow.
About the Author
SBID Accredited Industry Partner, GROHE is a leading global brand for complete bathroom solutions and kitchen fittings, with every product based on the brand values of quality, technology, design and sustainability.
Drinking water no longer has to sacrifice design to fill a purpose. That’s what a variety of top interior designers are discovering after installing the perfect drinking water solutions into their own homes.
The kitchen tap industry has seen a boom in growth over the past five years, fuelling competition between brands as they innovate and redesign their best-selling products. Interior designers can now find taps to match seamlessly with all the latest kitchen trends in a range of styles, finishes and functionalities - including the ultimate all-in-one tap.
A clear favourite for a variety of top interior designers, the Zip HydroTap is capable of delivering up to five water options - filtered boiling, chilled and sparkling plus unfiltered hot and cold water - from a single tap and under-counter command centre. With seven tap designs and seven on-trend finishes to choose from, Zip’s premium drinking water systems lead the way in both style and functionality to offer the perfect solution for all environments.
Known for bringing modern interior creativity to hotels and commercial spaces all over the world, Jason and Jenny Rose MacLean of Studio MacLean were thrilled when they found the Zip HydroTap after struggling to find an all-in-one tap that would be striking enough for their own kitchen refurbishment.
“We’ve come across all-in-one taps through work before, but the design has never really been eye-catching enough,” Jason said. “That’s until we came across Zip’s All-in-One Arc. We couldn’t believe we’d found a tap that could give us filtered boiling, chilled and sparkling water as well as unfiltered hot and cold. It meant we could keep our kitchen uncluttered with no need for a kettle or any bottled water - which we are very keen to avoid anyway from an environmental perspective.”
Owner of interior design company Studio Fortnum, Rebecca Wakefield has been gradually renovating her own home to create a light, airy and calming living space after purchasing it in a dilapidated state in 2016. After spotting that the number one luxury, top of the wish list item in her clients homes is a boiling water tap, Rebecca started to consider how much she’d benefit from one, as long as it could fit in well with her green and brass colour scheme.
“Zip had been on my radar for a while, so I was thrilled to discover they offer taps in brushed gold,” Rebecca said. “But I know from experience that style can often outweigh performance and there’s nothing worse than something that looks great but just doesn’t work. Luckily Zip is a trusted brand so we chose the Zip HydroTap Celsius Arc in brushed gold.”
Much more than just a boiling water tap, Rebecca loves the additional benefit of having unfiltered hot and cold water alongside filtered boiling: “Because it is my regular kitchen tap as well as my boiling water tap, the kitchen has retained a clean, minimal feel. My counter tops aren’t cluttered and we have no use for a slow-to-boil kettle. It really has transformed daily life for us.”
Discover more about how a Zip HydroTap could change the way you design on their website: specify.zipwater.co.uk
SBID Accredited Industry Partner, Zip Water is a provider of award-winning technology that transforms water instantly with filtered, chilled, boiling and sparkling drinking water solutions for home and business.
On the look out for new product inspirations in lockdown? This month we're sharing the latest product news from SBID's trusted network of Accredited Partners. Featuring a new collection of customisable wallcoverings, sustainable kitchen tap solutions for contemporary interiors, and a unique designer range of luxury cordless lamps inspired by Earth!
Graham & Brown launches customisable wall mural collection
New for 2020, Graham & Brown launches a collection of bespoke digital wall murals, printed to fit in a range of paper finishes. Spanning archive artworks and trend-led contemporary designs, the collection offers a striking feature wall solution for a variety of interior styles. The charming Balloon Race design is ideal for nurseries, bringing walls to life with the spectacle of well-heeled ladies and gentlemen dressed in their finery up high. For a more subtle approach, the Ombre wall mural is available in muted Anthracite, Blue, and Duck Egg. Using an easy to use online made-to-measure tool, each mural can be customised by simply specifying dimensions and selecting a crop.
The range of Graham & Brown paper substrates allow the murals to be personalised even further; the premium Fabric Effect paper has a woven textured finish making it perfect for masking existing wall imperfections, whilst the Mica Fibrous paper has a luxurious lustre which shimmers in the light. Each mural design is partnered with four complementary paint shades, selected by the in-house Graham & Brown colour experts to make decorating all four walls a breeze.
Zip Water’s stunning HydroTaps transform homes
Found in the homes of interior designers’ Rebecca Wakefield of Studio Fortnum and Jason MacLean of Studio MacLean, Zip Water’s stunning HydroTaps are proving themselves to be style pieces as well as being indispensable kitchen appliances.
Rebecca’s HydroTap Celsius Arc combines filtered boiling water with unfiltered hot and cold for family convenience. And thanks to Zip’s range of finishes, her kitchen of sage green units and brass accents could be perfectly complemented by a brushed gold HydroTap. Equally, Jason’s super modern, bright yellow kitchen benefited from a brushed chrome HydroTap All-in-One Arc, this time with an extraordinary five functions. Not only can he and his family enjoy the tap as a regular kitchen tap with unfiltered hot and cold water, but this is combined with filtered boiling, chilled and sparkling water. With only one under-counter unit, and no need for a kettle or unsustainable bottled water, this is a truly space-saving product.
Alexander Joseph releases its latest designer collection
The world’s only luxury cordless lamp maker, Alexander Joseph released its latest range of lamps with the Earth collection, consisting of 14 different designs. Eva Baron of Eva Baron Design created the collection focusing on high-end residential interiors and furniture design. Her cutting-edge pieces embrace contemporary design, taking inspiration from futuristic building forms and haute couture fashion design.
The collection highlights some of the more unusual materials our planet provides with includes rough, smooth, warm, cold and layered textures, just as you would expect from the raw materials. Rather than use well-trodden path of polished materials, the team researched and tested ways in which metals, ceramics and silks could be distressed or altered to produce unusual patinas. Many of the lamps in the range are a result of unique techniques using hand tools created specifically for this collection.
Kings of Chelsea introduces the Roberto Cavalli Antigua Dining Table
The Roberto Cavalli Antigua Dining Table is just one of the exclusive furniture pieces that have now become available online at Kings of Chelsea for the first time. This stunning retro-styled Italian design piece is composed of abstracted brass rods with a shiny gold finish and a smoked bevelled glass tabletop, complete with the classic Cavalli logo. This statement table is perfect for a modern dining room setting, and as a sociable centre point for dinner parties and gatherings. You can now browse many of Kings of Chelsea's stunning showroom pieces online at discounted prices, while unable to visit the showroom in person.
Brand New Brassware by Roca
The new Escuadra collection from Roca offers a contemporary design, providing a modern alternative to the traditional basin mixer. Brassware is a key addition to any bathroom space, not simply for its aesthetic value, but also for innovative functionality; Roca continues to invest in the latest technology to align its ranges with the latest water-saving and eco-friendly initiatives.
SBID Accredited Industry Partner, RAK Ceramics will be exhibiting its exclusive designer collections, RAK-Cloud and RAK-Variant at the upcoming KBB Exhibition in Birmingham from 1 to 4 March. With the prestigious product designers set to attend, we wanted to find out more about the collections and what inspired them. Read our interview with Giuseppe Maurizio Scutellà, Daniel Debiasi and Federico Sandri to discover what makes their designs so unique.
Giuseppe Maurizio Scutellà was born in Alcamo, Sicily. His collaboration with RAK Ceramics begins with RAK-Cloud, a project that continues the creative thinking of the Italian designer and that integrates perfectly with his other projects such as the collection of lamps “Pirce” by Artemide (Good_Design 2008, Red Dot Award 2009, IF Design Award 2010) and the “Metropolis” collection of crystal and ceramic tables by Tonelli Design.
What inspired the collections? RAK-Cloud, born from my love for sculpture, soft and organic and sensual lines, and marries with a speech that I have been carrying on for some time, in fact I designed a tap for Gessi, which is called Equilibrio and is inspired by the stones and nature. Identical process for my perhaps most famous project, in the world of light, with the Pirce suspension lamp, made for Artemide. While RAK-Petit is a specific request addressed to the architectural world, the need to combine washbasins in confined spaces, which do not renounce glamour, and the elegance of solutions that can be developed in larger spaces.
What was the design process? All my projects are born on paper. I like to explore different solutions quickly and instinctively. On paper I already imagine the finished volumes, identify the solutions that convince me most, 3D model the whole collection in order to have a coherent overall picture. I submit it for technical verification, from which I receive the feedback that I transfer to the collection. Then we proceed to 1:1 scale prototypes and if everything works, it goes to final production.
What is unique with these designs? There is a word in English, which does not have an exact equivalent in Italian, and it is understatement, which for me means creating a proposal, made of elegant but not screamed details, to give rise to unobtrusive, timeless proposals. A careful search for volumes and proportions, combined with cuts in the surfaces to create dynamism and at the same time sensuality, in an environment such as the bathroom increasingly inserted in a modern and contemporary living context, completes the number of projects.
Daniel Debiasi and Federico Sandri founded their own design studio in 2010 and work within various fields of design, ranging from objects to spaces. Multiple experiments and the relationship between manufacture and craftsmanship form the basis for a much broader thinking. They have created work for Antoniolupi, Lema, Ligne Roset, Normann Copenha-gen, Offecct, Rosenthal, Stelton, Villeroy & Boch among others. Together with Rak Ceramics, Daniel Debiasi and Federico Sandri present the project RAK-Variant (2019).
What inspired the collections?
RAK-Variant, like many of our projects, was born on the basis of a specific material. In this case, ceramics, a material, whose production must combine two supposedly distant worlds: the serial production, precise and standardized; but also a need for manual sensitivity, which cannot be ignored.
What was the design process?
Designing is never a linear path and very often, in one single project we have to process, bring order and translate all the different thoughts that flow together into actual products. In the specific case of RAK-Variant, we set ourselves the goal of achieving a formal synthesis that would allow the collection’s various elements to be easily integrated into different types of interior. In order to achieve this, we played around with the balance between the expressiveness of a product and its attribute of being consciously silent.
At the same time, we focused on some details that convey the quality while enhancing the intrinsic beauty of the ceramic material itself. The result is a collection of 25 basins in different shapes and dimensional variations that offer multiple installation possibilities.
What’s unique with these designs?
The top views of the washbasins, with a geometric and controlled matrix, interact with the very thin edges evoking, in this way, the delicacy of the material while creating a new timeless three-dimensionality, well suited to any interior context.
It's time to talk toilets. Are you wondering what to do with your next guest loo? As the old saying goes, big things come in small packages - and in this case, the toilet! Usually the smallest room of a residential project, SBID Accredited Designer, Richard Dewhurst of Richard Dewhurst Interior Architecture has much bigger ideas. Who said the guest lavatory can't be just as lavish as the rest of the house? Richard explains why guest washrooms deserve their time to shine and how he has designed these small, often overlooked spaces with maximum impact - making a statement that will leave a lasting impression on any visitor!
Having worked on many residential refurbishment projects over the years, I’ve come to realise that the smallest room in the house can offer one of the best opportunities to get creative and interestingly, it seems that even the most conservative of clients can be convinced that the guest loo is a wonderful way of showing friends and family that they not only have a fun side, but are willing to push the design boundaries, giving them a bit of added kudos to boot.
On many occasions I’ve been able to spend a disproportionally larger budget on this room than anywhere else in the house, allowing myself to try out new ideas, use interesting materials or simply to specify an item I haven’t had the chance to use before. With the seemingly unending supply of new and exciting products coming to market, this room provides a perfect platform to let one’s creativity shine.
Here are three guest loos I’ve recently designed, which incidentally, are in different but identical houses on the same side of the same street, creating a touch of loo envy between the neighbours!
In this room I decided to go for a strong monochrome look, creating a bold and powerful statement by using different versions of the same hex tile from a range by Mandarin Stone. I further accentuated the geometric feel by using Duravit Vero Sanitaryware and a facetted, brushed & pierced brass ceiling light from Tom Dixon. The moody and sultry atmosphere was further enhanced by painting the walls and ceiling matt black and by using a matt black tap by Dornbracht.
My clients wanted a more traditional look in their loo so I lined the room with new tongue and groove panelling painted in Farrow & Ball Off Black, complimented by a fun but sophisticated Fornasetti feature wallpaper from Cole & Son. The floor was covered in wonderfully patinated Victorian floor tiles salvaged from a recently demolished conservatory and laid in a pattern of my design. I sourced the Victorian sink & stand from English Salvage and after a light restoration, it looked amazing! A pair of lovely art deco taps supplied by Architectural Antiques, a vintage mirror and articulated wall lights by Dowsing and Reynolds completed the look.
Sometimes it’s fun to design a completely unexpected space and I certainly had the opportunity to on this project. The stunning backlit stretch ceiling by Barisol created a perfectly uniform light spread, and the seamless curved polished plaster walls gave a feeling of spatial infinity. This was offset by the handmade turquoise Czech tiles; adding a burst of deep colour and lushness to the room. The concrete sink was by Kast and space-age looking wall-mounted toilet from CP Hart.
Award-winning designer, Richard Dewhurst of Richard Dewhurst Interior Architecture specialises in quality interiors for the residential and commercial sector. After recently relocating his practice to Portsmouth, Richard is now taking project enquiries in the South Coast.
This article was written by Richard Dewhurst of Richard Dewhurst Interior Architecture.
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