Winners Announced for SBID Awards 2022

Alexander Purcell, a notable British architectural designer, is pleased to introduce the Henley Collection—a sleek and nautically informed array of furniture. Inspired by the racing boats that enable one to enjoy the river, sea, or lake, the Henley Collection is perfect for contemporary homes looking for a sophisticated yet welcoming aesthetic. With its aquatically inspired designs and luxurious materials, the Henley is ideal for any modern home looking to add some flair.

The Henley collection debuted in London with the opening of the new Pavoni flagship showroom at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour on September 5. The showroom carries the entire collection, with all of the upholstered pieces customized with Pavoni’s fine Italian vegetable tanned luxury leathers.

The inspiration for the Henley is both quite personal as well as a result of Purcell’s fascination with classic boat design. In fact, the seed for the collection goes way back: In 1998 he and his teammates entered the famous Henley Regatta. His college having not won since 1962, this year proved to be different. Established in 1839, the world-renowned rowing event is held annually on the River Thames in the town of Henley-on-Thames and attracts participants from all over the world. Purcell and his eight ended up winning the extremely competitive Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup. Celebrating that feat a few years ago as the team marked the 20th anniversary of their win, Purcell was driven to bring the aqua-dynamic forms and language of racing boats into his furniture collection and so was born the Henley.

The iconic Riva yacht also makes its mark on the collection. Purcell has always loved the luxury wooden runabout built by Italian yacht builder Riva. The shape, speed, beauty, and craftsmanship of their namesake boat, produced from 1962-1996, earned it praise as the Ferrari of the boat world. The vintage yachts are now coveted by boat lovers worldwide.

With the new Henley collection, the formal nods toward the shape of oars and rowing boat hulls, as well as the elegant silhouettes of the Riva boat are obvious. It all started with the chair arm and its upholstery detail—the rest of the array was built off that one detail with the goal of creating pieces that can be enjoyed both functionally and visually. The collection launches with four designs:

• The Henley Dining Chair - the jumping off point for the whole collection, the chair features a gently rounded back composed of an upholstered upper half and cut-out lower half, all framed in walnut or oak, that wraps around the sides to meet the upholstered arm front. Particular attention has been paid to the back of these dining chairs as ultimately that the direction in which you actually view them when around a table. Tapered wooden legs and elegant chamfer details add to the stylish look and help create a dashing silhouette when viewed from any angle. The dining chair has a sleek appearance and is a unique piece that will add personality to any space.
• The Henley Dining Table - the exquisitely crafted warm walnut top gently tapers at the edge, a slope modelled on boat hulls, particularly that of the wooden back of a Riva yacht. The dramatically bisected base utilizes its negative space to create the dynamic illusion that the table is gliding through the water. The two feet are made of an aluminium which can be lacquered or brushed. The table is available in a round or rectangular shape and an array of Atelier Purcell oak and walnut finishes.
• The Henley Lounge Chair - an elegant chair that would be equally at home welcoming guests in a living room or sitting fireside in a den or bedroom. Informed by the nautical detailing of the Henley dining chair but with a lower profile and featuring a roomier seat with a gently sloped back that wraps the sitter in a graceful embrace. A back pillow is included and an ottoman will be added to the collection soon.
• Henley Bar & Counter Stools - slender armless stools with the same maritime inspirations as the Henley dining and lounge chairs. These stylish and effortlessly modern stools are available in bar height (36 inches) or counter height (40 inches) and are made from 100% solid hardwood. This contemporary stool is perfect for any setting: at home, in your office, bars or restaurant.

The Henley Collection is available now at fine to-the-trade showrooms in the U.S. including B. Peterson in Palm Beach, De Sousa Hughes in San Francisco, Dennis Miller in New York, MOD in Denver, Thomas Lavin in Los Angeles and Laguna, and Paul+ in Atlanta. For more information on the Henley and Alexander Purcell, please visit atelierpurcell.com

Cover image: Henley Dining Chairs & Henley Rectangular Dining Table

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Continuing to expand on its contemporary design offering, sofa.com is delighted to introduce its AW22 collection to a trade audience.

Comprising of four new designs across upholstered seating catering for a range of design specifications across commercial and residential projects. The collection includes the new hero range, Tiffany, a vintage-inspired armchair, Shelby, and two new stylish dining chairs, Lola and Piper all available in 75+ fabric options as well as COM to create bespoke options to allow designers breadth of choice.

Inspired by modern renaissance design - a trend which integrates contemporary shapes with classic detailing to bring together refreshing pieces with a sense of refinement, glamour and a touch of charm from the Art Deco era - each piece incorporates an element of pleated stitching which unites the new look across the collection.

Also including expansions upon two of sofa.com’s bestselling designs, the Larsen armchair and Teddy chaise join AW22. All-time favourites in the sofa range, these pieces offer a more traditional aesthetic to cater for a variety of residential projects.

The new colour palette for the season includes velvets in warming autumnal tones – vibrant oranges, forest greens and salmon pinks - alongside a range of weaves in pared-back neutrals and subtle blues and greens. These palettes will help create differing interior styles from modern luxe to a more organic, minimalist aesthetic.

Speaking on the collection, trade development manager Laura Tarratt comments:

“Seating is at the core of this collection and we wanted to ensure each sofa, dining seat or armchair would stand alone as a beautiful, functional residential piece but also work to create a statement within restaurants, bars, office meeting room or set the scene in a hotel lobby. The continued expansion of our dining collection has proven popular with sales increasing season upon season. We also wanted to ensure we weren’t compromising on comfort or style, and have focussed on ensuring optimal dimensions and fillings to create the ultimate design combination of ergonomically sound and elegant. Boasting over 75 fabrics and the option to upholster all pieces in COM, our in-house team can fulfil any project brief becoming a one-stop shop for our growing interior designer clientele base.”

Handmade-to-order in just 4-6 weeks – now available online and in store.

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Siminetti has announced a partnership with Plastiks, whose mission is to connect people around the world to fight global plastic pollution. Plastiks is a recovery-guarantee marketplace that enables sponsorship of projects in a new initiative to help reduce plastic waste in the environment. In line with its ethos to produce products that are sustainable and natural, Siminetti, is working with Plastiks to prevent plastic waste from invading the oceans, while improving the quality of life of local communities involved in collecting plastic.

Siminetti works with the world’s leading interior designers, architects and private individuals to offer Freshwater and Saltwater Mother of Pearl luxury mosaics and decorative panels in a range of colours, styles and patterns. Their Saltwater pearl is sourced from Pacific communities who depend on sustainable relationships with ocean lagoons; the shells are a bi-product of the food and pearl industry, which Siminetti sources directly, using shells that would otherwise be discarded.

Under the Plastiks initiative, for every m2 of Siminetti product sold, a kilo of plastic will be recovered from the ocean, which provides communities with additional income, while creating a circular economy model, around recycling the ocean harvested waste and upcycling it into new products.

Plastiks launched earlier this year as the world's first utility NFT dedicated to revolutionising the fight against plastic waste. Each NFT created uses data to certify that a corresponding amount of plastic has been recovered, thus ensuring that it does not end up in the environment.

About the project

Siminetti has chosen, via Plastiks, to specifically support the Second Life project; a social enterprise in Southern Thailand that teams up with coastal communities to collect plastic waste from the sea. The objective is to provide those communities with additional income, while creating a circular economy model, around recycling the ocean harvested waste and upcycling it into new products. It’s known that plastic can have many lives beyond the single use given to it and that’s the goal of Second Life project, which aims to maximise social impact by engaging in geographies where waste infrastructure is underdeveloped.

All of these environmentally beneficial investments are showcased using Plastiks' Sustainability Dashboard, a real time view of plastic recovery that clients can view via the Siminetti website. Clients will receive a certificate that provides information about the amount of plastics recovered by the project on their behalf.

Simon Powell, CEO of Siminetti, said: ‘Our collaboration with Plastiks represents an additional and powerful step in our joint goals of sustainability and regeneration. In conjunction with Plastiks and our chosen project, Second Life, we have a unique opportunity to reveal the value of plastic, share this with our clients and together make a direct impact in the effort to stop ocean plastic pollution.

The NFTs allow our clients to directly contribute to the global fight against plastic waste and improve the lives of the people on the ground. I am immensely proud that Siminetti is able to work with these groups through this fantastic project’.

Andre Vanyi-Robin, CEO of Plastiks, said, ‘We’re delighted that Siminetti has chosen Plastiks to help it lead the way in sustainable living and plastic recovery. We hope to expand our network of companies across the globe who are dedicated to reducing the amount of single-use plastic ending up in the environment, while enabling them to demonstrate to their stakeholders that they are fully committed to tracking, measuring and fighting plastic waste’.

Siminetti is committed to the climate action agenda and this initiative with Plastisks allows them to address plastic pollution as part of their sustainability journey. The company will now have its positive footprint recorded and openly available in the marketplace, to be shared with its customers and the global community.

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Sustainable Swedish design company, Bolon, has expanded its long-standing and best-selling collections, Artisan and Botanic, with new colourways, which were unveiled at the brand’s Clerkenwell showroom for London Design Festival.

Inspired by traditional craftsmanship, yet produced using innovative fibres, Artisan is a fusion of old and new. Designed for high-traffic areas, such as offices and hospitality spaces, the collection has been selected for use in a diverse range of projects, both in the UK and internationally.

Bolon has now expanded the collection with ten new dynamic and lively colourways, that complement the existing collection’s vibrant and expressive energy and add to the brand’s portfolio.

The Artisan collection

Play is a summery and vivid orange that looks stunning on a larger scale. Love is an intensely warm red. Alive and happy, it is bursting with energy. Fresh is a cool, almost transparent green that appears new and thrilling when paired with natural tones. A deep green, Wild, has the capacity to soften other hues. The one-of-a-kind, yellow toned green shade, Spring, shines and brings other colours to life. True is a noble blue that complements the red options within the Artisan collection. Water is a brave colour that appears youthful and energising. Ink is a deep blue, nearly black tone, that appears neither sharp nor silky when combined with other colours. A powerful and assured black, Noir, can stand alone or be styled with neutrals or brights. The collection is completed with Chalky, a shade between beige and grey, that is nearly white with a feather-like sensation.

Inspired by the natural world, the Botanic collection consists of a varied range of soft, warm and intelligent tones. Having proved popular since its launch, Bolon has now expanded the collection’s colour palette with eight new shades that transcend what first meets the eye.

The Botanic collection

Blanche is creamy and mild and brings a sophisticated softness that belongs to a new kind of luxury. Caramel and golden, Honey, is thoughtful with a natural warmth. It is a new type of beige with its own identity. Rich and dreamy, Chestnut is an intriguing kind of brown and an elegant evolution of colour. Inspired by the desert, Canyon is a heated terracotta. The reddish-brown tone adds timelessness to any room. Attractive and compelling, Vintage is both soft and dark and is the colour of the full moon. Rain is a refined blue tone with a hint of purple, which reflects how rainwater can shimmer. Fresh and nourishing, Spearmint, is a brightening colour, which can work like a white tone, as it contrasts and enhances. Library is supreme and luxurious. Just as the name suggests, it is a classic green.

Throughout LDF, the new Artisan and Botanic colour palettes were displayed at Bolon’s Clerkenwell showroom, as part of a collaborative installation of furniture, flooring and lighting, created in partnership with Moooi.

Cathrine Ahlenius, Head of Research and Design at Bolon commented, “Artisan and Botanic each have their own identity. Artisan is a lively and expressive collection and the Botanic range is soft and warm with intelligent tones. We want to highlight those characteristics with new colours that provide more combination possibilities, both within the collections and with other items in Bolon’s product portfolio.”

Sarah Herman, Marketing Director at Bolon UK, added, “We are delighted to introduce the new colourways for these popular collections.”

Headquartered in Sweden but globally renowned, Bolon is passionate about sustainability which is woven into the brand’s DNA. Botanic is made in Sweden, only with renewable energy and using a mixture of recycled and new material. The designs are available in roll, 50x50cm tiles and as Bolon Studio tiles.

Cover image: Bolon Circle, Ivory, Garnet, Quartz

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Dulux is celebrating two decades of Colour of the Year and has just launched its colour for 2023: Wild Wonder^TM  - and four complementary, versatile colour palettes that can be used to create stunning spaces across all sectors.

Wild Wonder^TM - a soft gold with hints of green inspired by fresh seed pods and harvest grain – is Dulux’s Colour of the Year 2023. Its upbeat glow connects us with nature, creating a sense of energy and positivity.

The name Wild Wonder^TM was created on the basis that ‘wild’ conjures up the freedom of nature and ‘wonder’ conveys the natural magic we see all around us. Wild Wonder^TM is a positive, natural tone that, by connecting us with the natural world, can help us feel better in our homes.

Four decorative paint colour palettes have been designed around Wild Wonder^TM:

• Lush Colours - beautiful forest hues that are inspired by the plant-filled habitats of gardens and woodlands
• Buzz Colours - upbeat tones of pinks and ochres that capture the bustling biodiversity of a wildflower field or grassland
• Raw Colours - harvest shades that mimic nature’s raw materials
• Flow Colours - warm neutrals and deeper seashore tones that bring a sense of fluidity and momentum

Lisa Pilley, Dulux Trade Commercial Colour Consultant, adds: “Wild Wonder^TM and its four versatile colour palettes reflect the natural world and intuitively connect with nature’s supply of substrates and materials - whether structural or aesthetic. As the world strives to re-use, rescue and build sustainably within commercial design programmes, placing humanity and environment at the heart of design is becoming increasingly essential.

“Colour can be transformational and guide occupants’ feelings and emotions. This year’s Colour of the Year and associated palettes open opportunities to connect the natural world with our everyday lives in the built environment.”

The year 2023 brings two major milestones to the Global Aesthetic Centre. Its ColourFutures^TM trend forecast will celebrate its 20^th anniversary, while the team also reaches three decades of trend analysis, colour research, colour design and art direction at AkzoNobel.

The launch of Wild Wonder^TM is supported by the Dulux Trade Colour of the Year 2023 Specifier brochure, designed to inspire commercial design professionals working in all sectors, from hospitality to healthcare.

This brochure is part of Dulux Trade’s ongoing dedication to supporting specifiers with their latest projects, and is part of a wider package of ColourFutures^TM content. The package includes design mood boards and advice videos that can be harnessed by professionals looking to create the perfect space – in any setting – using Wild Wonder^TM.

To download the Dulux Trade Colour of the Year 2023 Specifier Brochure and for more information visit www.duluxtrade.co.uk/COTY23 and follow #CF23 on social media.

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The UK’s market leader in luxury vinyl flooring, Karndean Designflooring, is giving designers greater flexibility to create engaging industrial interiors with the introduction of concrete design flooring in an extra-large tile size.

From 27^th September, its popular LooseLay range will include three concrete designs in a larger 1000mm x 1000mm tile format, offering the ability to create an on-trend streamlined look quickly and with less environmental impact. A realistic alternative to poured and polished concrete, Karndean’s LooseLay range is designed to not only meet but exceed expectations in commercial spaces.

Expected to find favour in settings such as retail, hospitality and public sector spaces, the new tile size is ideal for laying in a grid pattern to create minimalist clean lines and an unbroken effect.

Karndean’s LooseLay flooring absorbs the impact of noise with strong acoustic credentials. An incorporated acoustic layer effectively reduces noise transfer to the floor below by 13dB and, for additional protection, tiles can be installed over Versilay InstaShield to achieve impact sound reduction of 17dB.

Naturally warmer and softer underfoot than concrete, Karndean flooring is also compatible with underfloor heating systems and is easier to keep hygienically clean, requiring no resealing or resurfacing.

To find out more about Karndean’s LooseLay collection and view its Environmental Product Declaration, visit karndean.com/commercial.

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Ledbury Studio creates kitchens that are uniquely personal to every client – a point happily noted by the owners of this stunning home in Poole. “It was love at first sight when they saw the eclectic range of materials on show at our studio in Notting Hill,” says Ledbury Studio founder Charlie Smallbone. This, coupled with Ledbury Studio's skill for mixing and matching these beautiful materials to create truly bespoke designs was perfectly aligned with the clients vision for a contemporary kitchen that oozes wow factor.

Extensive building work was required to create the light-filled, open-plan space that now exists. To divide the large space into smaller areas of activity, Charlie designed a screen in black-stained oak and aged brass to frame the kitchen. From this vantage point, the eye is automatically drawn to the striking mirrored splashback embellished with aged copper. It provides a stunning backdrop to the island, another talking point thanks to the verdigris copper panels edged in black-stained oak on one side and the black-stained oak cupboard doors surrounded by aged brass on the other.

To pull the various metallic elements together, Ledbury Studio’s design included an aged-brass rack over the island. This creates a small space to display beautiful objects.

Injecting a neutral note is the poured concrete flooring and the base cupboards that run in an L-shaped configuration to the island. Made from oak and painted white to allow the beauty of the grain to shine through, the cupboards are topped with a pale quartz worktop and feature patinated brass surrounds and kickplates to coordinate with the other cupboards in the kitchen.

Also sharing the space is a bank of built-in tall cupboards illuminated by an LED surround. They incorporate a large larder for food storage, ovens and a fridge, and the cupboard fronts are made from liquid metal in a specialist shagreen finish. Aged-brass handles unify the look. "Every Ledbury Studio kitchen is truly unique and this one was no exception," says Charlie. "Our clients were thrilled with the result, and in particular, with the range of materials used."

Ledbury Studio kitchens start from £70,000.

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With the much-anticipated AW22 living and dining collection from Sofa.com that has launched on the 5^th September, we have taken this opportunity to look back and share insight from the last 12 months. As we seek to identify trends spotted by our trade team, we can unveil the design and fabric preferences from their elite group of interior designer clientele.

Bestselling Fabrics:

The ever-popular collection of cotton matt and smart velvets has now been overtaken in sales volume by the brushed linen cottons - a collection made from 63% cotton and 37% linen offering a stylish and durable upholstery solution. The collection contains a mixture of neutrals and greys, blue and green fabrics with Taupe, Alabaster and Charcoal proving to be most popular.

Other recent launches have also captured the imagination with the Brushstroke fabric collection, already registering as our 8th bestselling line as the tactile nature of the fabric seems to be a requirement that many designers look for.

Bestselling Colours:

Our overall top sellers reflect a return to a pared back palette of neutrals. Overtaking the jewel toned velvets popular for the past few seasons are Pumice, Clay, Taupe, Alabaster and Armour.

Interestingly, the summer months have encouraged designers to opt for custom coverings with an increase in COM orders.

Upcoming fabric launches for AW22 include the Heathland Weaves collection as well as range extensions for Smart Velvets, Boucle, Vermeer Linen and Silky Jacquard Weaves. Available in a selection of neutrals, Heathland Weaves cater for a growing desire amongst designers to utilise greys and pared-back autumnal tones and fabric compositions that are as hard-w earing as they are stylish.

Bestselling shapes:

Delving deeper into the data the trade team have been able to identify the most popular pieces across the board. The modular Cohen has led the way for 2022, its contemporary styling and generous proportions proving popular across an array of design projects. Bluebell remains the perennial favourite, its timeless, classic design offers versatility for traditional and modern schemes.

Bestsellers in each category include the Izzy modular sofa, Alderney armchair, Thea bed, Arabella dining chairs, and Kingsley table.

Ever adapting to the needs of our designer clientele base, the sofa.com team are proud to be at the forefront of delivering the highest quality furniture, fulfilling each order to exacting specifications.

The trade team at sofa.com is on-hand to assist with any queries – please visit www.sofa.com/trade for more information.

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PwC, a renowned professional services provider, has made a significant investment in the city of Belfast by relocating its offices to Merchant Square. The move to the city centre comes from a desire to not only support the growth of the company, but to signal its confidence in the area and encourage other businesses to take a similar initiative.

The new workplace is spread across 200,000 sq ft over nine floors and provides the regional hub for around 3,000 employees. The building is an amalgamation of three existing structures with a dramatic feature staircase linking floors four, five and six. The hope is that the new office will help to increase employee numbers over the next few years, meaning the design needed to have versatility as well as longevity. To meet both of these requirements, a wide range of KI furniture was specified by the lead interior designer, BDP.

On four of the levels, KI’s Colonnade system is being used to create user-controlled, open-plan spaces which the teams can quickly customise depending on the immediate need. Each Colonnade comprises 800 Series cupboard and drawer units integrated with 800 Series Shelving. Semi-sheer Kvadrat Acoustic Drops curtains feature on each open side of the structure and divide up the space for meeting or work settings. To maximise the system’s flexibility, Colonnade Cube stools were also chosen as they can be neatly stored away within the unit’s structure. The stools are upholstered in a variety of fabrics and colours to best complement the Colonnade units.

Moveable easels hook over the overhead gantry rails at any point and these are accessorised with magnetic backed whiteboards which also store away neatly in the open shelving when they are not being used.

Two different colour schemes were specified for the Colonnade systems, one of which uses vibrant colours that echo the shipbuilding heritage of Belfast. Bright yellow powder coated easels pay homage to the nearby Harland and Wolff cranes, whilst bright blue and red powder coats emulate well-established maritime engineering colour schemes.

Annabelle Hadlow, project architect at BDP, said: “Materials and furniture specification is always important to PwC. We have a fantastic understanding of its design aspirations and how the offices reflect the cities in which they are located whilst providing functional and flexible spaces. For Merchant Square, the furniture was crucial in achieving the right, characteristic design and the right levels of adaptability across all floors.”

Throughout the office space, a variety of other KI designs provide seating and tables to support both the impromptu and more focused work practices that are required. These include Zig poseur height tables and Work2.1 Sit-Stand tables in a variety of finishes such as graphite Fenix tops on raw steel, black and yellow under-structures. These tables provide ideal settings for dropdown work and casual collaboration.

KI’s Take5 high back armchairs adorn multiple areas and are upholstered in a variety of fabrics and colours. Ruckus chairs on castors are located around collaboration tables and inside the Colonnades. The innovative design of the Ruckus is also ideal for sit-stand tables, allowing a person to either sit in the chair or perch on its backrest, depending on the height setting of the table.

Throughout the building are 800 Series personal lockers fitted with RFID wireless lock technology which can be remotely monitored and controlled by the facility management teams. Some larger versions are also located in the basement area to provide cloak and leisure storage. Other specifications of matching 800 Series cabinets, recycling units, and tambour cupboards - a PwC standard - can also be found in the back office service areas.