Mineral and graphene technology paints company Graphenstone, are reporting unprecedented demand for its’ sustainable range of air-purifying, CO2 absorbing, VOC free hygienic paints. Patrick Folkes, CEO & Founder of The Graphene Company – Sole Distributor of Graphenstone, UK shares insight behind the increasing desire for more purposeful paint specification.
The health impact from toxic petro-chemical, plastic-based paints is now more widely recognised. Historically, the area of key interest for consumers was just colour. However, most didn’t appreciate the costs to both people and planet, of this simple selection criteria.
Heavily polluting paint production processes, as well as the highly negative impact in homes and offices of toxic fumes on Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), from solvents and VOC’s (for many months after application), went largely unrecognized. Did you know that after painting, the VOC levels in your room can increase by hundreds of times?
Manufacturers responded to some of the most egregious issues of the past decades, by removing lead content and some of the worst offending VOC heavy products, as regulations tightened.
Recently however, times have changed. The ecological crisis, so effectively documented by David Attenborough and others, boosted by the recent Covid pandemic, are now forcing real evolution… at a much faster pace.
Prior to recent scientific developments, there was typically a compromise on performance in the selection of more ecological products. Furthermore, many manufacturers climbed aboard the ‘eco-friendly’ marketing bandwagon, often with no genuine, independently verified certifications to support their claims. This resulted in an inevitable ‘green-washing’ backlash. Who can we trust?
Graphenstone has now secured over 20 of the most recognised ‘harm-free’ certifications from the best known product evaluation specialists globally, including Cradle to Cradle (certified Gold and Silver). Cradle to Cradle Institute look at all aspects of your product, down to 100 parts per million of ingredients; how the materials were sourced; water and energy use in production; local social responsibility, as well as how the products die out; all in all a thorough and demanding process. In addition, Graphenstone’s paints are BREEAM, WELL, and LEED compliant and benefit from Ecolabel and EPDs (European Product Declarations).
Graphenstone has a totally unique profile in the paints market. Our range has no toxicity. In fact these products actively CLEAN and PURIFY the air, our pure lime based ranges removing CO2, SOx, NOx and other pollutants.
Highly breathable, anti-bacterial (inhibiting all micro-organisms), Fire-proof (A1 EU, Class ‘0’ UK), Vegan, VOC free, Class 1 strength and in a range of over 1000 colours, we’ve created a beautiful matt paint reinforced by graphene technology, a form of carbon which is the strongest material on earth. Odour free and super quick drying, with no preservatives, chemicals, plastic or microbeads, our products contain no MIT or BIT. That’s a lot of valuable features in a single product range!
Strength is a fundamentally important asset in more ways than one. To make the sustainable, environmental claim, the regularity of painting is crucial. Mineral products would normally not compete in terms of durability and life-cycle with synthetic-binder based paints (such as vinyl or acrylic), thus creating a negative footprint ecologically, given the requirement for more regular repainting. By introducing graphene technology, which provides structural support to the minerals at the molecular level, Graphenstone’s range offer Class 1 strength like an acrylic, yet with none of the negatives in production or use, in homes and offices. Once applied, our paints could stay on your wall in a healthy and sustainable condition, for decades!
The Graphenstone pure limes can absorb up to 5.5Kg’s of CO2 per 15 litre pot! Imagine converting your walls into an air-purification system, as opposed to a constant emitter of toxic fumes, impacting on the health and respiratory systems of your friends, family or work colleagues. It’s like painting trees into your house or office.
In conclusion, our message to designers in this challenging era, is to carefully evaluate what product they specify, to ensure that it’s in the interests of the people who’s lives will be impacted by that selection. Do ensure too that the claims made by brands can be independently verified and the impact on people and the environment is truly ‘harm-free’.
The future of clean, durable paints is in fact available today.
Click here to explore the range.
About the Author
Patrick Folkes is the CEO & Founder of The Graphene Company – Sole Distributor of Graphenstone, UK. An independent entrepreneur since 1990 with a background in finance, Patrick founded PJ’s in 1995, the UK’s first fruit smoothie business, which sold to PepsiCo in 2005. Patrick was intrigued by the potential of Graphenstone. Natural, highly sustainable, air-purifying paints reinforced by graphene, a 21st Century Nobel prize winning carbon technology, offered the perfect product at a time of urgent need.
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Architecture and interior design practice, SHH has been engaged by The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) to deliver design enhancements to an array of Food & Drink facilities around the Grounds, all part of cementing Wimbledon’s reputation as the world’s leading premier sporting event and ensuring the highest quality visitor experience.
SHH was initially engaged in 2013, and since then has embarked on a redesign masterplan, which encompasses the development and refurbishment of several hospitality facilities catering to different groups of guests attending The Championships.
For every project, the brief was to complement the AELTC’s design ethos of “tennis in an English Garden”. The colour palette clearly reflects this with green, purple and pink shades offset by oak features. The refurbishment effort aims at bringing the outside in, using indoor planting and floor to ceiling windows, flooding each area with ample natural light and affording uninterrupted views over the landscaped areas. Enhanced wayfinding signage delivered clear communication for those visitors using the facilities.
SHH redesigned sites include the Champions’ Room, the Media Restaurant and a suite of cafes, brasseries and restaurants spanning a variety of different tier dining options to suit the vastly diverse visitors at The Championships.
SHH was initially approached by catering company Compass to carry out upgrades to the Media Restaurant. The restaurant is situated beneath Courts 14 and 15 – a large basement space wrapped around three sides of a light well – which provides catering to hundreds of accredited press and broadcast journalists during The Championships. Operating as a 24-hour facility, it is zoned into three areas providing a deli, pizza bar and coffee offer on an assisted service-type model. All aspects of the design were particularly important given the international nature of the user group and their experiences at competitor venues around the world. The space was designed in a Scandinavian and minimalist theme throughout.
The Champions’ Room is an exclusive hospitality venue for Centre Court debenture holders at The Championships providing an elegant and relaxing space for fine dining or afternoon tea. Working with the AELTC , SHH designed and delivered fresh, elegant interiors starting from the entry point through to the design of the tableware, creating a complete portrait for the restaurant in finite detail. This was reflected in the refinement of the space, with exquisite details and subtle use of colour to reflect Wimbledon’s ethos and the prestigious event it celebrates.
SHH’s brief was to combine two offerings within the same large space: a walk-in brasserie and a more formal white-tablecloth sit down area. The new area needed to guarantee flexibility between the two catering spaces facilitating pre-booked volume and walk-in demand. The brasserie affords external views across the courts while the main courtside restaurant features adjustable sliding screens and walls to allow the space to double up as a conferencing and training facility, providing useful space for AELTC Members and staff throughout the year, not just during The Championships.
The Walled Garden was completed ahead of The Championships 2018. The area consists of several different catering offerings: the Walled Garden Food Market, Aorangi Bar, Aorangi Larder and Aorangi Café. SHH’s design approach was to relate to the architecture of No.1 Court, by establishing a material connection with the courtyard and the new catering spaces. The colour palette mixes different shades of green, grey and oak. Servery areas have been upgraded with a variety of glazed green terracotta counter fronts and oak panelled counter fronts. Floor to ceiling oak-panelled screens with plants help delineate areas by creating impact to this vast open-air catering space.
The Terrace is the most recent project undertaken by SHH for the AELTC and was completed the summer of 2020. The Terrace is one of the dining facilities that caters for Centre Court debenture holders during The Championships, but is also used year-round for larger events, such as drinks receptions, in conjunction with The Courtside. The main focus of the refurbishment was to improve the servery area, which could get congested at peak times. SHH’s redesign significantly enhanced the flow around the area by increasing the space behind counters for food preparation and facilitating the quick and easy movement of visitors. The Terrace is a long and relatively narrow room, which resulted in visitors tending to linger near the entry during drink receptions without using the full capacity of the space. To address the issue, SHH has introduced moveable oak panelled waist height screens to help delineate areas where required and improve flow. The original look and feel of the space, including the floor, walls and furniture, was dated and required a revamp to reflect the style of the rest of the facilities around the Grounds. Ribbed oak fronted counter screens, oak slats on the ceiling, and shades of green, grey and purple reinstated the “Wimbledon” colour palette and style. Floor to ceiling sliding window doors around the perimeter of The Terrace guarantees ample natural light, while the furniture remains very practical with light, easily movable tables and chairs.
Created in 1991 by David Spence, Graham Harris and Neil Hogan, SHH is an award winning Chartered Architectural and Interior Design practice working globally and based in London. SHH works across sectors – Residential, Hospitality and Commercial, and across disciplines – Architecture, Interior Design and FF&E. Offering a multifaceted bespoke design service, focussed around achieving the best possible end result.
SBID Accredited Partner, KI Europe has published new Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for its portfolio of UK-manufactured products to help customers meet their sustainability objectives. Valid for five years, these documents help to achieve credits towards SKA, BREEAM, LEED and other certifications and standards.
KI’s furniture helps the world leading organisations create happy, healthy, high performing working and learning environments for their people; bringing together good design, advanced engineering and sustainable resources.
An EPD is a standardised and verified way of quantifying the environmental impacts of a product based on a consistent set of rules known as a PCR (Product Category Rules). Conformant with ISO 14025 (ISO 14025:2006 Environmental labels and declarations – Type III environmental declarations – Principles and procedures), these cradle-to-grave EPDs are concise and include environmental information and life cycle assessments (LCA) which have been conducted by Giraffe Innovation Ltd. LCAs cover materials, production, distribution, use, through to end of life; helping specifiers and customers to confidently make more sustainable procurement decisions.
Jonathan Hindle, KI’s Group Managing Director, EMEA, comments: “Sustainability is a top priority for a growing number of public and private sector projects. These EPDs show our commitment to tackling our shared issues such as climate change, carbon footprint and environmental impact. Additionally, analysing the environmental performance of our products over their lifetime can help us to develop even better products and processes in the future.”
KI’s products manufactured in the UK with third-party verified EPDs, published on Environdec (www.environdec.com) include:
Additional KI products including bespoke items have self-declared third party reviewed EPDs that have been produced by using the same calculator and standards.
Through over 500 tile designs, SBID Accredited Industry Partner, Parkside is a trusted tile specification company with the versatility to provide solutions for any commercial interior.
With a philosophy of developing thoughtful responses to the unique demands of clients and their projects, Parkside delivers a range of additional services including waterjet cutting, colour matching and bespoke digital print. Chymia, a collaboration between Mutina and Laboratorio Avallone is the latest porcelain tile collection available in full exclusively at Parkside.
Chymia fluctuates between the discipline of graphic design, expressive gestures of mark making and the two extremes of black and white, where symbols and textures are combined to create patterns of light and shadow on the surface. Black forms the basis, in a distinctive tone created by designer Gennaro Avallone, with the patterns taking on various shades of black all the way through to white. Throughout the collection, black and white are never separate but co-exist, with each pattern also available in white, taking on various shades all the way through to black in a reversal of role.
Each of the 22 (11 black, 11 white) designs in Chymia is obtained by combining the principle black and white structures with 11 patterned textures, achieving a tile that can be used randomly in monochrome compositions. The collection involved research on glazes and raw materials, along with the combination of traditional applications and modern technology to achieve the absolute colours used.
Chymia came to life in a collaborative project between ceramics manufacturer Mutina and Laboratorio Avallone, a Milan-based studio whose research reaches in to painting and sculpture to create unique objects of contemporary furnishing. The collection was developed with the aim of making a break with traditional styles, restoring an original quality to ceramics with unexpected outcomes.
Sarah Holey, marketing manager, Parkside: “Chymia is a collection that’s full of surprises. Taking the apparent simplicity of monochromatic pattern, it reveals that careful experimentation and attention to the creation of pure colours can bring depth and new-found results to a seemingly traditional black and white palette. Infusing new meaning into checkerboard or bringing more depth and nuance to all-over black or white, it offers some hugely exciting opportunities for designers and we’re delighted to welcome it to the Parkside portfolio.”
Safety has always played an essential role in our design choices, but this is particularly true at the present time, driven by a genuine revolution in the way we organise our living spaces around post-pandemic lifestyles. This transformation has obliged us, starting from the design phase, to contemplate new hygiene measures that enable us to enjoy our living and working spaces in total freedom and safety.
SBID Accredited Industry Partner, RAK Ceramics, an international player renowned for its products and complete systems in porcelain and ceramic for floor and surface coverings, sanitaryware and bathroom fittings, has now launched RAK-Sanit, the company’s own health and safety revolution.
The research and development laboratories of RAK Ceramics are always at the forefront of technology and were the first in the world to supply antibacterial interior design solutions as early as 2009, thanks to the development of special certified antibacterial glazes.
Today, with the new RAK-Sanit programme, RAK Ceramics offers an even wider range of solutions for floors, surfaces and sanitary fittings, produced with glazes that reduce the possibility of contagion and therefore contribute to creating safer environments, both in residential and commercial projects.
RAK-Sanit is the ideal solution for domestic dwellings, modern and safer schools, public and private offices, restaurants, hotels, laboratories and, indeed, all those premises in which hygiene is of primary importance. All those places generally described as “community spaces”, in which numerous people of different ages, genders and cultures make random encounters. Inside, toilet facilities destined for use by all and sundry are increasingly in need of strong, antibacterial elements with a long product life.
The RAK-Sanit bactericide action is permanent, guaranteeing built-in protection throughout the entire expected product lifetime, thanks to its constant action against microbial colonisation; this technology, which has proved its capacity to reduce or eliminate the quantity of bacteria up to 99.99%, including MRSA, E. Coli, Salmonella and Legionella, actively prevents the growth of microorganisms 24 hours a day.
In more detail, the RAK-Sanit programme comprises:
Solutions for floor and wall coverings in gres porcelain and ceramic, treated with an incorporated glaze that is 99.9% effective in just 8 hours. The products for floor and wall covering solutions are tested and certified* in compliance with the Japanese Standard JIS – 2801:2000 and the International Standard ISO 27447:2019.
Solutions for sanitaryware (WC, bidets, washbasins, toilet seats and lids, rinsing systems) treated with RAK-ProTeK glaze fired at high temperatures onto the ceramic to guarantee a smoother antibacterial surface, unlike standard ceramic material with its rougher surface.
The silver ions bind to the cells: once inside, silver denatures the enzymes essential to the production of energy. Being unable to produce energy, the bacteria are unable to reproduce. This technology is therefore able to reduce or eliminate the quantity of bacteria up to 99.99% and its action is effective against a vast range of gram positive and gram negative bacteria, as well as fungi. RAK-ProTeK glaze has been tested by the Artest laboratory in the Italian ceramic district of Modena.
*Certified effectiveness
RAK-Sanit tiles are tested by CERFRIT Laboratory – USA, according to the Japanese Standard JIS Z 2801:2000. This Standard specifies the testing methods to evaluate antibacterial activity and efficacy on bacteria on the surface of the products.
RAK-Sanit tiles are tested by METS Laboratory – UAE, according to the International Standard ISO 27447:2019. This Standard specifies the test method for antibacterial activity of semiconducting photocatalytic materials.
Test method for the determination of the antibacterial activity of materials that contain a photocatalyst or have photocatalytic films on the surface, by measuring the enumeration of bacteria under irradiation of ultraviolet light.
Designing a home specifically with entertainment in mind requires a completely different approach and introduces another layer of consideration for the end-user and end result. Some people love elegant cocktail parties, others like a cozy space that exudes comfort. If you are a homeowner who loves entertaining and you’re about to remodel your home, you will have the perfect opportunity to really incorporate everything you need to make the space more enjoyable for yourself and your guests.
Founder of Katie Malik Interiors shares some of her tips and tricks to consider to make your home design more equipped for guests and gatherings!
The kitchen. The open plan nature of modern kitchens means that having guests, family and friends round for get-togethers has become a prime function of the space and is top of the list of requirements in most briefs. It’s important to balance the essential elements and day-to-day needs of a family kitchen with the desire to entertain. Regardless of the kitchen size, the key to making it work for entertaining is to consider how people will move around it. As well as thinking about where and how you’ll be cooking, you need to plan where to serve food and if you want your guests to gather around a breakfast bar, sit at a table or make use of more casual seating.The open floor plan trend means a kitchen space often also includes a comfortable seating area and fireplace as well.
Flexibility is the single biggest thing that an entertainment-friendly home should have. The multi-use trend extends outside as well. Outdoor kitchens are becoming increasingly popular, in part because they serve to keep guests and hosts together. There are other, less structurally invasive ways of making a home ready for entertainment. Music is one way to bring energy to a party and to tie several different spaces together, so investing in a sound system that connects rooms inside and outside is a great idea. Also, introducing both direct and indirect lighting with dimmers can help achieve a multitude of desired ‘atmospheric’ effects to set different moods, inside and outside.
If you’re entertaining, especially frequently, it’s important to have ample space to store items, such as platters and serving ware (either in a separate room, a pantry or a sideboard), but also provide some storage for your guests, even if they’re staying with you just for a night or two.
You can also make small changes that will make a big difference to how welcome your guests will feel in your home; think about providing a set of fresh guest towels or ways to fragrance your home that’s not too overpowering!
Katie Malik, founder & creative director of Katie Malik Interiors built her career in residential interior design, assisting on projects in New York, Chicago and London before setting up her practice in 2014. Inspired by colours, the interplay between symmetry and asymmetry and wellbeing, Katie’s aim is to bring authenticity to each project.
Many homes tend to look similar because they share similar features, such as plain white coloured walls, simple neutral furniture, and wall to wall carpeting to name a few. To achieve a ‘wow factor’ in the design of your home, you must have something that is unexpected… There are things that you can do both structurally and internally – depending on your budget. The sky really is the limit, but SBID Accredited designer and founder of Katie Malik Interiors shares some of her expert ideas for simple ways to add that extra ‘wow’ to your interiors.
If you’re looking to create an architectural statement, add value and space to your existing property, you can definitely get creative with an extension. Instead of opting for simple rectangular roof lights and a standard flat ceiling, this is the perfect opportunity to introduce an angular ceiling-scape to complement or highlight the shape of your kitchen for example.
Adding something different in the structure of your extension with a unique ceiling design can really help add that extra dimension and visual intrigue. A combination of sloped, angled and vertical elements can definitely enhance the drama of a room! If you do decide to extend or rebuild, opt for a double-height. Not only does it provide an impressive vastness of space, but seeing it from different viewpoints can create multiple ‘wow’ moments.
If building up is not an option, consider adding skylights or even an octagonal roof lantern for a similar effect; adding glass to low ceilings you can make it feel higher, flood the room with natural light and create the illusion of bringing the outside in!
If you’d like to work within the existing space, there’s still a lot you can do. The right mirror, in the right size, in the right finish, can add a touch of glamour as well as make the interior space look and feel bigger and brighter. If you experiment with different shapes, sizes and even positions of a mirror, this could certainly help you achieve wow factor. You can also add unique features such as oversized artwork to a hallway or entrance walls – really going big will create an eye-catching statement with a contemporary, gallery-esque feel.
Another trick is to introduce shiny surfaces; reflective surfaces such as mirrors, metal and high gloss is sure to add an expensive edge to any space. For an additional wow effect, lighting is a key consideration too! Pick statement lights, for example a feature lamp; choose the one that is spangly and oversized for the ultimate look-at-me designer luxury.
Don’t be afraid to get experimental with dark colours, or any colour for that matter! The use of bold colours in the right amount, can definitely give a room some extra punch – whether dark and moody or bright and playful. You can also try using luxury, patterned or textured wallpaper – it will give your walls a more opulent and intimate look. If you’d rather not wallpaper the whole room or even just one wall (which is not recommended for certain rooms), you can always frame a piece of wallpaper instead!
Adding a stand-out headboard is a simple way to take your bedroom design to the next level, and look much more luxurious – like a boutique hotel! If you have a headboard already, why not re-upholster it in a bold fabric with interesting patterns or colours? If you decide to have one made, go big! Instant designer look guaranteed!
Choose a statement rug or a cowhide – this should instantly pull a room together and tie in the whole scheme. The size of your rug is quite important too – make sure it’s big enough to cover the area between the sofas or under the bed. If it’s too small, it might look out of place and you definitely won’t achieve the designer look.
Roselind Wilson, owner and creative director of Roselind Wilson Design describes her unusual route into the interior design industry, sharing her valuable insight into running a successful design practice and commenting on key issues the profession faces through the rise of social media.
What is your current job?
I am the owner and creative director of Roselind Wilson Design Ltd. My main responsibility is to oversee the creative direction of the interiors we design to ensure we continue to deliver outstanding, luxurious homes to our clients that befit both themselves and their lifestyles. In addition, it is my responsibility to drive the strategic direction of the company to ensure continued growth and profitability.
What is your background and how did you get into interior design?
My desire was always to run my own design studio but the trajectory to realise this was by no means via a traditional route. On leaving school I spent several years in the marketing and publishing industries. I worked for a large and well-established publishing house in Cape Town where I had a small team of 4 people and was responsible for the subscriber retention for a portfolio of magazines. This was a lot of responsibility at a young age, however it taught me how to manage teams and meet deadlines.
From there I was approached to assist in the start-up of a publishing subscriptions house in Cape Town and Johannesburg and I accepted this role with enthusiasm and an enormous sense of ambition at being involved in something from the very beginning. I them moved into the world of marketing as a marketing strategist for 7 brands and my experience gained in this role was invaluable in understanding the basis of delivering a service to an end consumer. Whilst gaining this experience, I decided to study a Bachelor of Commerce degree through correspondence to gain the fundamentals of business management. Towards the end of my degree I started my interior design diploma and renovated my own apartment. All of which was invaluable experience in setting me up for my career. Once qualified, I decided to make the leap into the industry and took a chance at freelancing. I offered my design services with great enthusiasm and quickly learned that I did not know how to charge or ask for payment. From there I was offered a job alongside an established interior designer and as the only employee, it was a ‘baptism by fire’. She taught me everything she knew and together we ran some incredible projects and I guess from there I carefully navigated my career so that I stand where I am today.
Describe an average day in your job role..
An average day starts with an update zoom call with my team in which we review the deliverables for the week and discuss pending items for that day. We have several projects at various stages in the process and following this, I usually make some tea and review designs or drawing packages for feedback to my team. I like to take a break from the office around lunch to grab a coffee and get some fresh air with my sister who is also the CMO for the company. Afternoons are spent on client zoom calls and either reviewing company reports or in meetings to review various marketing initiatives and business strategies.
Which elements of your profession do you enjoy the most and/or find the most rewarding?
I am the kind of person who loves to expand my knowledge and learn as much as possible.
I feel extremely grateful to have chosen a profession where we get to design and deliver homes to our clients. I love to travel and experience different cultures. Our clients expose us to different cultures and for me they are windows to the world. Through their eyes we are able to enjoy and experience the diversity of their lives and transform their vision into the beautiful homes that reflect who they are. It is entirely a privilege to both have this experience and provide them with a home to call their sanctuary.
Is there anything new you are excited to be working on?
We are currently working with a client who is lives in Beijing and New York. As a central base, they have just purchased a home in London and have appointed us to entirely remodel the interior space to reflect their unique style.
This is possibly the most exciting brief we have had in that they are open to anything. Their brief is to design something that we have never done before so that at the end of the project we know that we have pushed both our boundaries and theirs and have provided them with something completely unique. This is extremely exciting.
What do you find the most challenging aspects of your job?
In the 20 years I have worked in the industry I have learned that to seamlessly deliver a project requires an enormous amount of planning and coordination but also reliance on both people and processes that are often out of your control. This can be challenging as problems do occur, whether it be a delay to a delivery or a damaged item, amongst others, and this requires constant troubleshooting. I always tell my team to think many steps ahead in the process to give careful thought and consideration to what could go wrong and try and avoid it by pre-empting the situation. This is challenging and requires so much more effort and time but in the end the result is worth it to experience the client’s joy and satisfaction at the end result.
What do you wish you knew before working in the field?
I don’t think I entered this field with any preconceptions of what it had to offer other than I was fulfilling a life-long dream. That being said, you journey day-by-day, project-by-project and when you stop to reflect there are numerous realisations;
It’s not all glamorous – in this field you need to get your hands dirty. Design, and the ability to express your creativity in this process is fulfilling but is only a part of the process.
The seamless delivery of a project will test your ability to be assertive with suppliers and contractors on site, to communicate effectively to clients as well as suppliers and contractors, to troubleshoot within challenging parameters, to juggle hundreds of facts, arrangements, details at any one time and to have a handle on the financial aspect of the project at all times. You need to be an effective all-rounder so be patient with yourself, keep your eyes open, your ear to the ground and know that at first it will be challenging but you will successfully achieve it.
What would you tell your younger self if you had the chance?
The great thing (and one for which I am extremely grateful) is that I have no regrets in my career path and the choices I have made along the way. These choices have not always been easy but what I would tell my younger self is to always go with your gut. Your instinct is always right and somehow knows what you need and is somehow always looking out for your best interests. If I’d learned this earlier, I would have saved myself some deliberation and the odd grey hair for sure.
What has been your favourite project to work on?
We have such a diversity of projects and clients that there is no one single project that can easily stand out as the favourite. We build such strong relationships with our clients and each provides us with a unique experience and journey with them in designing their homes.
When designing a home for a client your traverse their entire lifestyle to meet their brief. This journey teaches you so much about not only your client but also yourself. It is incredibly eye-opening and satisfying and once again I highlight what a privilege it is to be in this profession.
What do you think is the biggest problem the interior design industry faces?
The ever-advancing network of social media platforms and other software platforms and technologies available provides consumers with a sense that they are designers themselves and has the potential to greatly undermine the value of interior design as a profession. It takes immense skill, experience, creativity and passion to run a full service interior design project and we have some way to go in terms of education around the fact that interior design as a profession is so much more than colour, cushions and fabric. It’s fantastic to see how Vanessa Brady (CEO) and the SBID are making great strides in elevating the role and significance of interior design within the industry.
Who do you admire the most in the industry and why?
The people that I most admire in the industry are those that do not conform to standards and who are happy to step away from the crowd and express their style without excuse and deliberation. My role models have and continue to be Rosita Missoni and Andrée Putman and more recently, I attended Maison Objet in Paris in January 2018 where I visited the studio of Hubert Le Gall. His passion, creativity, and self-expression together with an unguarded sense of humour was evident in his work. It is through these designers and influencers that true design can be expressed, and it is through people like this that design is carried forward and its boundaries expanded.
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Latest figures estimate that 12 million households (44 per cent) in the UK have pets. According to the CDC, owning an animal can “increase opportunities to exercise, get outside, and socialise”. Regular walking or playing with pets can decrease blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and triglyceride levels. Pets can also help manage loneliness and depression by giving us companionship. In return, we can certainly make our homes friendly for them!
Katie Malik, SBID Accredited designer and founder of Katie Malik Interiors shares her top tips on how to design a pet-friendly home.
The most straightforward way to make our homes pet sanctuaries is to make an investment in pet furniture. As with any home furnishings, the cheaper the purchase, the less likely it will last and provide comfort for your four-legged loved ones.
Carefully weigh your furniture choices when decorating for a pet-friendly house; leather or leather- like materials that are easy to wipe clean, often durable, and can help keep a fluffy pet cool in warmer months. Try to avoid materials that might be tempting for your pet to scratch or chew!
If you are considering new flooring, you may want to opt for a wooden floor over a light coloured carpet! Wood floors are much easier to clean if our furry friends come home with muddy paws! It’s also worth considering the colour. For instance, you might want chose the colour of your flooring that matches go the fur colour of your pet, so those stray hairs around the house are less noticeable.
A pet friendly home must make special considerations for just how many accidents can happen around bushy tails and clumsy paws, and one solution could be a dog-gate. Especially if you have or are thinking of getting a puppy, you might want to create a friendly separation, so that you can, for example, eat dinner without being disturbed!
Work life, and the commercial landscape as we know it, has changed immensely. In as little as five months, the corporate world experienced a mass exodus of workers, who retreated to the safety of their own homes in response to lockdown.
Throughout this time, cloud communication has enabled businesses to continue operating remotely with relative ease. Indeed, many who were formerly reticent about the merits of working from home, are now reconsidering the future of their own workspace environments in a post-pandemic world.
With employees arguably communicating with each other more than ever before through virtual means, it raises the question – can employees still feel part of a team, when physically apart?
This is something employers need to consider before deciding how they recalibrate their offices. For whilst remote working offers verbal, written and oral communication in abundance, it does not offer us the wide spectrum of non-verbal ques that are essential to promoting productivity, imagination, and positive workplace culture.
Facial expressions, body language, gestures, touch, and physical presence are all fundamental parts of the communication mix and if we cut these out completely by working solely from home, then it’s only a matter of time before employees start to feel disengaged, uninspired and demotivated.
The solution is simple. We need to give employees the freedom to work from home or in the office, depending on which is safest and the most productive for them.
For some employers, like Portview, lockdown has presented the opportunity to take stock of work priorities and adopt a more holistic approach to workspace design. Far rather than causing the ‘death of the commercial office’, the pandemic has prompted us to reimagine a new one – one where employee wellbeing, community and culture is the central focus.
Whilst for now it’s important to navigate our way through the pandemic safely and responsibly, Portview has decided to take a leap of faith and invest £2.5 million into new corporate headquarters, which together, we will design, build and fit-out ourselves.
This not only signifies the dawn of a new era for us, but also gives our team something to look forward to during a time of uncertainty and displacement. It’s about empowering our team to collaborate and come up with innovative ideas that will help shape and build the new Portview.
In truth, it’s still too early to know exactly what the ‘new normal’ for office environments will be, but one thing we are sure of, is that a happy employee is a productive one, therefore, organisations must focus their efforts on elevating the workspace experience through thoughtful design.
By providing a functional, comfortable and visually appealing environment, employers will instil a positive workplace culture that employees feel safe, comfortable and proud to work in.
From our perspective, we will incorporate many biophilic elements into the design of our new offices. This includes an external terrace and balconies, glazing, rooflights, and plenty of indoor plants and foliage, to help connect employees to the natural environment – a method that has proven to reduce stress and enhance creativity.
In addition, the new headquarters will feature a nurse’s office for private consultations, and a large state-of-the-art gym, complete with treadmills, spin bikes, training equipment, showers and changing facilities.
The extra square footage will enable us to come up with an effective space planning strategy that will give employees the space they need to follow physical distancing rules. When the regulations are lifted, our team will then have the freedom to work collaboratively in one of one our many formal or casual meeting rooms, breakout zones or creative hubs. For those who wish to work from home, they can easily connect with colleagues through video conferencing facilities.
Each team will have their own office with glass wall partitions to help create a sense of community, openness, and transparency, whilst still maintaining a safe level of privacy and structure.
Research by the Sax Institute shows that replacing one hour of sitting with standing, can increase an employee’s lifespan by at least 5%.
With this in mind, we will be introducing seating options that are more supportive, adjustable, and flexible, in addition to adjustable desks that will allow employees to sit or stand at their workstation. These ergonomic solutions will promote better posture and physical wellbeing.
Carefully crafted, contrasting materials and textures often prompt engagement and productivity amongst employees by adding visual weight to a space and giving them a unique environment to work in.
However, it’s important to remember that high-quality, statement pieces need to withstand the test of time. Choosing the right materials and how to mix them – whether it be reclaimed wood panel installations, exposed concrete or woven fabric – is key to ensuring longevity and achieving an overall polished look.
A bright creative workspace can also make employees feel more productive, lower stress and increase wellbeing. Therefore, we will be looking to enrich our new offices with vibrant graphics to help stimulate the minds of those who visit and act as key points of interest.
Whilst the safest thing for us to do right now is either stay at home, or return to an office with stringent COVID-19 precautions in place, we believe that in time and with the right design sensibility, the office space will make a comeback.
For offices have a much greater purpose than offering employees a desk and computer screen to work from. It’s a social environment that reminds us that we’re not alone in this experience, for we’re surrounded by the same people, working towards the same goals, at the same time, in the same place. We can see, hear, feel and sense kinship all around us through face-to-face interaction and the quieter periods of productivity in-between. Offices give us the freedom to share a coffee with our peers and tell them of our plans for the weekend.
And that’s just something virtual communication can’t replicate.
Established in 1975, Portview is a fit-out specialist that works with the world’s leading brands in retail, hospitality, sport and business to create award-wining interiors.
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