2022 SBID Awards Finalists Announced

The SBID International Design Awards finalists for 2022 have been revealed, boasting an impressive shortlist of award-worthy entries across Interior Design, Product Design and Fit-Out. From the design scheme, materials used and products specified through to the final fit-out installation, the SBID Awards champion design standards across the supply chain in the design, procurement and execution of outstanding interiors!

To complete the third and final stage of judging, the online Public Vote is now open! Worth an influential 30% of the final scores, it's your chance to sway the results and decide which finalists you think deserve to take home a prestigious SBID Award! You can only vote once per category, so choose wisely and vote for your favourite designs!

Voting closes at 5pm (BST) on 24 August

Voting closes at 5pm (BST) on 24 August.

Visit www.sbidawards.com to find out more!

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a spacious feng shui-inspired house design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, 7K Design.

What was the client's brief? 

The client wanted to change the lifestyle of their home because it had not been changed in over 20 years. Their home was not built with the intention of maximizing space functionality and flow. The client desired a change and wanted to revitalize their spaces not just to make them more practical and flow better, but also to ensure that each space was created with feng shui in mind to bring the family good fortune.

What inspired the design of the project?

As the circle was an important cultural symbol, feng shui was an important component that we wanted to incorporate into the design. It represents yin and yang harmony, as well as the balance of nature.

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

There are precise feng shui principles for each house, and we must incorporate those criteria into our design while still maximizing space, flow, and staying within budget.

Feng shui goes beyond comfort and aesthetic. We had to have a very good understanding of what elements to bring into the space without causing the project's integrity to be disrupted.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The team’s highlight of the project is designing the custom spiral stair bookcase. The bookcase incorporates important elements of feng shui: the garden that signifies the growth of life, and the book case signifying growth through knowledge.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

We are hoping that SBID will aid in raising awareness of the importance of incorporating cultural identity into designs.

Questions answered by Fianne Zi-Yan Yu, Principal Designer & PM, 7k Design.

When it comes to challenging the limits of what materials can do, Ledbury Studio is building something of a reputation. The latest design, the Camden Kitchen, is a textbook example of this, combining beautiful materials and artisanal techniques to stunning effect. Ledbury Studio founder Charlie Smallbone talks through how the Camden Kitchen was realised.

What was the project brief?

Our client has a strong sense of style, so was already full of ideas when she came to see us. I really like that because the design process should always be a collaborative one, and is personal to each client. In this case, the room was being extended into the garden beyond, and we were tasked with designing a relaxed and informal space for cooking and entertaining.

How did you design the furniture?

I had decided to use English and European oak throughout the kitchen, and we took particular care to select oak all from the same batch. The result is that the grain matches perfectly and can be seen to run across the width of all the drawers, it’s a really satisfying detail. And for the full-height cupboards, we introduced a design motif that completely belies the practical nature of the fridge, freezer and larder concealed behind.

What can you tell us about the worktops?

The show-stopping island top is a work of art by Lara Bohinc of Bohinc Studio. It’s a selection of Italian marbles, inlaid into an aged-brass edge trim, in a selection of shades that elegantly complement the muted colours throughout the rest of the kitchen. For the long runs of worktop, we specified Ambra quartz, for natural-looking veining in a hard-wearing manmade material.

How have you used pattern and texture in this kitchen?

We’ve employed our signature use of metal with patinated zinc panels on the cupboard to the left and on the extractor hood, where it’s trimmed with aged brass. There is an antiqued glass panel surrounding the extractor, which reflects light from the garden around the kitchen. And possibly my favourite detailing is the delicate fluted oak on the ends of the island, which is echoed in the fluted Ambra quartz splashback.

Any other design highlights?

As this was to be a room for entertaining, our client particularly requested a screen she could pull across to divide the dining area from the kitchen when required. I was inspired by a ‘70s design the client found in an antiques shop, to create this screen of brushed and polished stainless steel in a striking geometric pattern. It’s a great finishing touch to this beautifully eclectic kitchen.

Ledbury Studio kitchens start from £50,000.

If you’d like to feature your product news here, get in touch to find out more. 

If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a residential design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Ana Engelhorn Interior Design.

St George's Hill is a 964-acre (3.9 km2) private estate in Weybridge, Surrey, UK, with golf and tennis clubs and approximately 420 houses. The Hill became a leisure location and home to celebrities and entrepreneurs when the land was divided into lots in the 1910s and 1920s and Walter George Tarrant built its first homes. Ringo Star, John Lennon and Sir Cliff Richard are a few of the notable people who have lived there.

Harwood House is one of the original homes; at just under 500 square metres, it sits on about 1.77 acres of land. Late Victorian in style, the house was last renovated 20 years ago and was not done to a very high standard. New rooms were added, like the conservatory; the kitchen and lounge area were opened up; and the use of rooms was changed.

What was the client's brief? 

Prior to our renovation, it was empty for three years, which meant that damp and other issues where left unattended. The main issues to sort out before moving on to the interior design were the electrics, the plumbing and the building works.

The clients wanted to use the existing floor plan, with some changes to door openings and a new kitchen and bathrooms. The old library was turned into a girl’s bedroom – we were able to use existing carpentry and change door openings. The house had five bedrooms, but we turned one into a shower room as the master bathroom didn’t have a shower. All bedrooms except one have their own bathrooms and there are two guest toilets on the ground floor.

What inspired the design of the project?

Interior design-wise, in line with the Ana Engelhorn signature style, we aimed to achieve a perfectly imperfect mix of antiques and contemporary pieces that suited the clients and the house. The clients had a lot of eclectic art, as well their own pieces from Africa, which complemented the design perfectly.

We were given free rein to choose colour and, fortunately, the clients were happy with our suggestions. Two of our main paint suppliers were Francesca’s Paints from the UK, who make bold and strong colours, and Bauwerk from Germany, who use a more washed-out, uneven look.

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

The biggest job was the kitchen. We overhauled it completely as the owners are avid cooks and wanted to have adequate cooking and prep areas. The two outbuildings were converted into a gym and an office, with the same style flowing from the house to the outside rooms.

There was extensive work to do with curtains and upholstery. Some of the older pieces we were able to reupholster and reuse. The furniture was a mix of what the client brought from previous homes and what we supplied from the UK and abroad.

All the lighting was new and signed off by a trusted lighting supplier to ensure that, with the daring colour scheme, the lighting effects inside the house were effective.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

Overall, the project went smoothly, without too many hiccups. Amazingly, considering the renovation took place during the first Covid lockdown, the clients were able to move in on time and everyone was happy with the final result.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

We entered the awards to see people’s reaction and shine a light on our work. We loved doing this project and are very proud of it. Sharing it with other interior designers hopefully inspires them in their own projects or homes.

Questions answered by Ana Engelhorn, Founder, Ana Engelhorn Interior Design.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features modern and fun bathroom designs for a contemporary apartment by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Studio Modha.

What was the client's brief? 

The client wanted a complete refurbishment of his flat, opening up the space as much as possible, drawing inspiration from hotel suites and nature around it.

This flat had not been updated in over 10-15 years. We completely refurbished the flat, transforming it from a two bed, one bathroom and one wc to a three bed property with two full bathrooms. The client requested a modern and fun scheme, which we layered with complimentary colours and features. We revamped the whole apartment, from the kitchen to sanitary ware, flooring, lighting, window treatments and hardware.

What inspired the design of the project?

The Project was based in the docklands, surrounded by so much nature, e.g. river Thames and local parks. We wanted to bring in the earthy tones and textures, for example with the terrazzo effect tiles and the warm greys, browns and blues throughout. In addition, the client wanted to feel like he was in a different space through-out the property so we used different colours and textures in each space, including dead salmon from farrow and ball. Not a colour we get to use often and definitely a brave one!

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

We had a soil pipe that was really far off the ground in the guest bathroom, and because it was in a flat we couldn't move it!  This created a huge issue as the client had his heart set on a wetroom shower. We ended up having to raise the floor significantly (a whole 25cm)  which brought up the issue of ceiling height (which wasn't huge in the first place). We ended up having to increase the height of the shower head and create 2 step ups instead of 1 to make it look like the 'step up' was intentional. Luckily it all worked out in the end and made the shower area feel even more lux!

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

It's got to be overcoming the hurdle I described in the previous question, we went back and forth for weeks thinking of a solution so you can imagine the joy when we finally came up with one. Another thing to mention is that our client didn't want to see any of the progress on site, so the look on his face when he saw it all finished was really rewarding to see.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

Honestly, it was Studio Modha's first year running and one of the first projects we completed. I have always admired the caliber of designers/studios and projects within the awards and only dreamed of being a part of it. It was a huge shock when I received the congratulatory email!

Questions answered by Neha Modha, Director, Studio Modha.

In this week's interview with SBID Awards Product Design judge and Associate at SHH, Tony Duesbury discusses the nuances of designing for commercial and residential spaces. He shares his insights on designing guest experiences and how hybrid ways of working are changing the interior design scene.

How does interior design help to curate greater guest experiences within the hospitality industry?

Every hospitality project is unique and a distinct design narrative allows the opportunity to curate a guest experience. Interior design can help generate interest by creating “a narrative” that helps people engage with the space and learn more about where they arrived creating a ‘sense of place’. This placemaking curates the experience and makes the guest experience more personal.

We have done this in a recent brasserie where the details of the wall panelling took inspiration from the 1970’s façade of the building that was removed, enabling the staff and guests to talk about where the interior inspiration came from. This design curation helps discussion and the engagement between staff and customer to enable a unique personal experience.

When considering the future of the built environment, how do you incorporate sustainable design principles into your projects, from design to procurement?

Our priority when considering the future of the built environment is to look at all aspects of the environmental issues that may affect a particular project and determine what best fits the project. Whether it is creating more greening, checking the carbon footprint of materials procured or considering the MEP to be implemented. As a first step towards achieving that we will look into forming collaborations with consultants and suppliers who have a relevant approach that is beneficial to the process. We will look at individual suppliers and the principles they have in sourcing and manufacturing their materials. Buying local materials and finding unique local craftsmanship within the project vicinity is obviously a huge consideration in order to reduce the transportation carbon footprint.

When it comes to product specification, how does your approach differ between commercial and residential spaces? What are your key considerations?

The selection of materials will be different when it comes to addressing a residential project compared to a commercial project. This is due to two aspects, firstly, cost is a huge factor in. Residential schemes are led more by the heart, whereas commercial projects are led more by the purse. Secondly, it’s about the traffic of a space. Residential schemes can have more luxurious materials that don’t need to take the same wear and tear that commercial projects do. The high footfall in commercial projects, however, means that the durability of the base palette has to have longevity and accents that are easily replaced can have that more luxurious touch.

With new consumer lifestyles and hybrid ways of working, how do you see the design of workspaces evolving in the coming years?

This is something like everyone we have been keeping an eye on as it is an evolving discussion that has yet to settle and likely to be a debate for years to come. Most recently the hybrid way of working has changed by introducing more technological elements that enable a seamless change from working at home and then back in the office. The largest shift is really going to be about creating staff retention by giving those unique offerings within the public office space to engage people to want to be in the office. For instance, in a recent project we have been looking at weaving in the local community and creating more opportunities for social interaction. Additional opportunities for offering amenities within communal space benefits peoples busy life styles and will have an increase in staff retention. As well as a way of attracting new talent.

Finally, what advice can you give to designers entering the SBID Awards?

My advice would be to remain very concise about their design proposal and communicate all aspects of the idea, story and design detail as clear as possible. It is important that the descriptive narrative conveys the same message as the visual design and both are coherent with each other.

Questions answered by Tony Duesbury, Associate, SHH.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a colourful and design-led kitchen design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Pikcells.

What was the client's brief? 

To create a 'Kitchen of the Year' focusing on current trends such as working from home. With the kitchen space being the hub of the home and centre of different social activities, it must be suitable for not only cooking, but the kids doing homework and serving as a multifunctional entertainment space.

What inspired the design of the project?

We did research into the current use of kitchen space, how work from home areas are being adapted from other spaces (in our case we used what would have been a boot room). Colour and pattern trends also inspired the design using green and pink hues, chequered terrazzo tiles, marble worktops and backsplashes, as well as internal crittall doors creating a 'broken-plan' space and pantries.

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

Working within a more attainable size setting whilst still being able to incorporate all of the design features we just mentioned.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

Creating a bold, impactful colour palette for the scheme, and also successfully incorporating a functional desk area into the design to improve the client's lifestyle and use of their kitchen space.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

We felt the design was strongly influenced by current trends and consumer needs for kitchen environments, designed for modern living. Also it showcases that luxury-looking bespoke kitchens can still be attainable and affordable.

Questions answered by Tanya Bailey, Senior Interior Designer, Pikcells.

Charlie Smallbone of Ledbury Studio has unveiled the Marquetry Collection. This stunning new bespoke kitchen has its debut in the studio of interior design and architectural practice, Hill House Interiors. Charlie is renowned for his luxurious design style, razor-like attention to detail and commitment to innovation – and the Marquetry Collection is no exception to this. Here Charlie reveals all about Ledbury Studio's latest offering.

What was the project brief?

The brief was an interesting one! We were asked to conceal the conventional elements of the kitchen behind beautiful cupboard doors so that the generous open-plan space can instantly switch from living to dining to cooking.

To achieve this, we specified two sets of pocket doors that slide back to reveal appliances and a wealth of storage. Particularly savvy are the walnut veneer larder pull-outs that we installed either side of the bank of ovens. Although narrow, they are great for stashing all the cooking essentials you’ll need to access at a moment’s notice.

What is unique about the cupboard design in The Marquetry Collection?

In keeping with Ledbury Studio’s signature aesthetic, The Marquetry Collection is a contemporary take on traditional artisanal skills. Directional veneers were applied by hand to form a decorative pattern and inlaid with aged bronze. Bespoke handles, also in aged bronze, add the finishing touch.

The island is spectacular, what was your thinking here?

The front of the island is clad in solid brass which has been distressed by hand, then aged and patinated. As a design feature, it injects texture and provides a contrast with the smooth marquetry panels. A porcelain surface wraps round the solid brass panel, chosen for its combination of stylish good looks and hardwearing properties. Non-porous porcelain is also a practical choice for the integrated sink, and creates a beautiful backdrop to the open shelving.

By locating the hob on the island, we have maximised the sociability of the space. While preparing dinner, the designated chef can carry on a conversation with whoever is perched at the breakfast bar or sitting at the dining table.

What does the open storage add to this kitchen?

Open storage never fails to inject a generous dose of personality into a kitchen. Although our brief was to hide the majority of the kitchen, it was important the design shouldn’t just be a blank canvas. So, by adding bespoke walnut shelves above the kitchen sink we provided space to express some individual style.

Ledbury Studio kitchens start from £50,000.

If you’d like to feature your product news here, get in touch to find out more. 

If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.