A Q&A with James Ashfield: Studio Director of Interior Design at Rigby & Rigby

The Rigby & Rigby Interior Design Studio are one of six standalone departments that form Rigby & Rigby, a multi award winning design and delivery Studio based in London. Led by Studio Director, James Ashfield has over seventeen years of international experience in the Luxury Residential sector.

What are the main ingredients of a luxury residential project?

The main ingredient is time, we streamline the project process and provide a space that answers our clients brief. All of our clients define personal luxury differently, so once we understand what they really want, and how we can help them to achieve it, we can strive to create an elegant environment where they can live an efficient and happy life.

How is the luxury residential market changing?

The market is continuing to grow with major new luxury developments such as Battersea Power Station in London, UK and Atlantis The Royal Residences, Dubai, UAE, to name two.

At a micro scale, we have seen an influx of technology into the home. Everything can be controlled and monitored from afar and technology is affecting the way we create spaces too. Its use is beneficial to the environment, with greater control and efficiency of utilities and systems.

The use of 3D design and Virtual Reality has enhanced our process and changed the way that we develop and present a project. Within our team we recruited 3D designers to model space and product, streamlining our offering and further engaging the client in the design process.

At a macro scale, the world has a vast abundance of development happening across the globe. With so much development and strain on the environment it’s critical to implement good design and avoid unnecessary waste. Quality and craftmanship are everlasting. Colour and trend are transient. If the bones of a project are well considered and efficient, and a combination of good quality and sustainable products are used, then our impact on the planet is minimised.

UHNW clients’ tastes have changed too. There is more appreciation of ‘less is more’ and a greater concentration on quality and attention to detail. We curate interiors that combine both custom and branded furniture. When installing a sofa from a top Italian supplier we buy into the history and culture of furniture making, and the years of experience that have gone into designing and manufacturing a perfectly executed product. The elements adjacent to the sofa, such as the rug, tables and artwork, are products we custom design to create a truly unique product and arrangement. This same principle is applied across a project, and this creates a new luxury, one that is personal, refined and less pretentious.

What inspires you?

I’m inspired by so many people, places and objects. I’m particularly fascinated with Brazil, its outdoor lifestyle and the rich abundance of design. I love the sea, sun and sand. Brazil is a country of continental proportions, with regional differences in biodiversity, society, economy and industrialization. From Oscar Niemeyer’s architecture to The Campana brothers reclaimed furniture, the multiple interpretations of function and beauty, along with the manufacturing processes, result in a varied production of design.

What are you excited about in luxury residential design this coming year?

Our interior design studio has a strong year ahead with some incredible projects coming live next year. One of our flagship projects, Lancelot House, a one-minute walk from Harrods in Knightsbridge, is due for completion. This project has been in our department for five years so I’m very excited to see it realised. We are also delivering a number of UK projects, two apartments in Knightsbridge, two show homes in Mayfair, a townhouse in Chelsea, and our international projects too, a villa & two apartments in Dubai, UAE, and a residential development in Tokyo, Japan.

This is a very exciting period for our team and it will build on the success of the award-winning projects we’ve delivered over the past year.

What’s the one thing about you that will surprise most people?

During my stay in the Middle East I dedicated time to an animal welfare charity and rescued stray and injured animals – at one point I had 12 rescued animals in my home and then returned to the UK with three pets, Vanilla, Pudding & Pie, who are all formerly strays.

Questions answered by James Ashfield, Studio Director, Rigby & Rigby.

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This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a creative restaurant and bar venue design by 2022 SBID Awards Finalist, DesignLSM.

What was the client’s brief? 

The Alchemist, an experiential British restaurant and bar group founded in 2010, wanted to create a fresh, new look for their original site located in Manchester’s dynamic Spinningfield’s district.

DesignLSM were tasked to create a visually compelling design that enabled the drinking and dining venue to seamlessly transition from day to night, reflecting the evolution of brand, and invigorated the space with a welcoming and energising ambiance.

What inspired the design of the project?

The design of The Alchemist draws inspiration from the origins of the universe – creating an immersive experience for guests that is influenced by the search for the elixir of life and humanity’s continual fascination with our own origins and the subsequent exploration of the universe.

The colours running throughout the design reference the tones created through supernovas and swirling gasses, intertwined with patterns and shapes of orbital pathways of pathways of planets that are represented through curated bespoke furnishing and lighting features.

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

We were very aware that, due to the height of the ceilings, we needed to create big scale dramas in the space otherwise the design would get lost.

We overcame this by integrating striking lighting features throughout that had been carefully curated from both an atmospheric and design narrative perspective. Each sculptured pendant is influenced by the cosmos, the orbits of planets and satellites. The collective groups are hung in specific positions to create dramatic focal points which enhances the changing ambience of the day and creates dynamic zones within the open plan space – sculptural statements in the day to luminous masterpieces at night.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

From the get-go, the concept was well interpreted and we’re extremely proud of the space and new direction that we have delivered for The Alchemist. Since re-opening, we’re thrilled with the positive feedback received from both the client and the public. Despite there being a vast selection of drinking and dining destinations in the city, The Alchemist continues to set itself apart and remains as one of Manchester’s most renowned and vibrant social hot spots.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

The work we completed for The Alchemist went beyond the creation of just a beautiful design, it transitioned the brand into a new era of what they represented, evolving their core DNA. The striking space has cemented The Alchemist as the go-to hot spot in Manchester drinking and dining’s scene, receiving a hugely positive response from the public, press, and the client. The SBID Awards are renowned for celebrating the best of interior design and as we are incredibly proud of what we achieved, we hope this project has earned its rightful place in the running as one of Manchester’s most vibrant new openings.

Questions answered by Yasamin Nikoosimaitak, Marketing Manager, DesignLSM.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a luxurious hotel suite design by 2022 SBID Awards Finalist, Kristina Zanic Design Consultants.

Kristina Zanic Consultants has designed a royal welcome for guests of the presidential Amiri Suite at St Regis Kuwait hotel. Newly rebranded from its previous Sheraton brand, the property has been the hotel of choice for royalty, diplomats and celebrities in the Middle East since 1966.

The Amiri suite features a 450sqm area that includes a reception area, lounge, dining/ boardroom, meeting rooms, master bedroom and bathroom, walk-in wardrobe, gym, barber/hairdressing station and spa suite.

A striking palette of royal blue and cream greets the guest. Blue accents in the furniture, art, carpeting and wall panels add the right amount of ‘oomph’ to the otherwise restrained palette.

Brass fretwork together with lacquered wall paneling and a sunburst timber detail create a luxury residential ambience. A bespoke embossed leather headboard offers the perfect backdrop in the bedroom, serving as a neutral but richly textured piece of art. The flooring features a multitude of luxury material and patterns, basket-weave timber parquet, bespoke carpet designs, and layered inlaid marble tile.

Sophisticated furniture with rounded forms, rich fabrics and accessories blend luxury with comfort and practicality, reflecting an attention to detail and personal touch. Bespoke crystal chandeliers layer on the luxury, while art pieces play with abstract geometric and arabesque graphics, with no two pieces alike.

The result is an elegant space, with a restrained neutral base palette with injections of colour, and quiet opulent finishes.

What was the client’s brief? 

The Sheraton hotel in Kuwait was very much in need of a makeover due to its very outdated interiors. The client was looking to find the right balance in creating a reinvented luxurious hospitality space while staying true to the hotel’s 50-year heritage.

The property was the first five-star hotel in the Middle East, and has enjoyed landmark status for the past five decades. The design needed to be sensitive to its history and to deliver a high-end luxury interior that would be appealing to its distinguished clientele, while also aligning with its new St Regis brand identity.

We provided the interior design consultancy for the full refurbishment of the hotel. The first phase involving guestroom and suite floor refurbishment was completed in November 2021, and the second phase of refurbishment for public areas of the hotel is expected to be completed in 2024.

What inspired the design of the project?

The direction we chose was to ‘look back in order to look ahead’. In the 1960s, the hotel defined luxury hospitality in the region, catering to the local high society and reflecting a progressive country to visitors. Working within the new St Regis brand guidelines, we set out to reinforce that position and reflect what luxury means today in Kuwait.

The concept centers on creating a home away from home, a place to indulge in every sense. The aim was to create a bespoke and timeless look, with opulent finishes and classic details in the suites.

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

The biggest challenge lay in remotely managing the project at the peak of the pandemic crisis. Following initial visits to the site before lockdown, the major part of the project involved lots of online coordination with the client and virtual site visits and material inspections.

We had to be extra careful with monitoring the project and faster with our responses, but thankfully had plenty of support from the client and contractor who regularly shared photos and videos of the site’s progress.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

There are a number of features that stand out in this project. The first is the smooth flow that was achieved within the various spaces in the suite, really creating a sense of home for the guest.

The suite also features a generous use of sophisticated materials and finishes, like inlaid marble, leather and timber wall panels, hand-blown crystal lights, and curated art.

The suite’s lavish amenities offer guests the ultimate experience of relaxation and indulgence. Of particular note is the bathroom and spa area that developed into an oasis of luxury and comfort, with double vanities in grey marble, double jacuzzi, grooming station, sauna, spa treatment room, and gym.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

It’s always gratifying to get industry recognition for the immense effort that goes into our work, especially a large and complex project like the St Regis Kuwait.

We took a very studied and sensitive approach to the renovation of the hotel, and couldn’t be happier to see our work resonating with the judges.

Being selected as an SBID award finalist among hundreds of entries is really an acknowledgement of the team’s hard work, as well as a fantastic opportunity for international exposure for the hotel.

Questions answered by Lara Elhani, Design Director, Kristina Zanic Consultants.

As biophilic design grows in popularity (no pun intended!) so does the number of interior projects where clients request a green ‘infusion’ in their refurbished homes.

As a biophilic design studio, Oudejans Interiors feels it’s vital to live more sustainably and regularly draws upon the proven benefits of nature as a key design element to create exquisite and enduring residences.

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From premium bathroom retailer, C.P. Hart, comes three exclusive brassware ranges: Original, Epoch, and Spillo.

Exclusively designed and manufactured for C.P. Hart, each range is available in various luxurious finishes, presenting brassware options to suit both classical and contemporary schemes.

Epoch

Epoch is an award-winning, classical brassware range designed exclusively for C.P. Hart and manufactured in the UK. The collection combines facetted spouts, soft crosshead handles, and stunning etched indices, showcasing quality craftsmanship with timeless charm.

Inspired by the glamour of the Art Deco era, Epoch brassware is available in eight finishes, including Chrome, Polished Nickel, Gold, and Living Brass – a finish that ages beautifully with time. Though classical in design, the Epoch range also complements a contemporary setting.

“To create the below suite, we paired Epoch brassware with Artelinea’s eye-catching, fluted Monolite Vanity Unit, combining its elegant modernity with Epoch’s timeless appeal,” explains the C.P. Hart Design team.

Explore Epoch range.

Original

Designed by John Hart, the son of C.P. Hart’s founder, the exclusive Original collection celebrates the company’s heritage, combining classic Edwardian proportions with modern quarter-turn technology.

Precision-manufactured in the UK, Original brassware ensures authenticity, durability, and a flawless finish. Each item is available in Chrome, Incaloy Gold, and Nickel.

“C.P. Hart supplied Original brassware as part of the transformative renovation of Moore House, featured below,” says the C.P. Hart Design team. “We paired the Original Bath and Shower Mixer with C.P. Hart’s freestanding Winchester Freestanding Bath, both exclusive to C.P. Hart, to breathe classical elegance into the modern-classic aesthetic.”

Explore Original range.

Spillo

C.P. Hart’s most comprehensive brassware range, Spillo, is manufactured exclusively for C.P. Hart in Italy. The collection’s slim, minimalist form is present in every piece, including a full range of basin, bath, and shower fittings, as well as an extensive accessories range. Engineered from low-lead brass and packaged in recycled boxes, Spillo is an eco-friendly brassware option, available in 10 polished and hand-brushed finishes.

Also available from C.P. Hart are the Spillo Steel and Spillo Tech ranges. With the same design ethos as Spillo, Spillo Steel is manufactured from marine-grade stainless steel, one of the most durable materials for a wet environment. Featuring three styles of faceted handle design, Spillo Tech highlights the extraordinary engineering of Italian manufacturing, providing a unique look for every bathroom style with its range of polished and hand-brushed finishes.

“The Spillo Steel Tall Basin Mixer complements the monochrome scheme, whilst the Spillo Single-Lever Basin Mixer in matt white boasts a unique finish that beautifully contrasts the bathroom’s wooden textures.”

Explore Spillo, Spillo Steel and Spillo Tech ranges.

Visit a C.P. Hart showroom here.

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Lalique has unveiled a new collaboration with American artist James Turrell who is famed for working with light and space to create artworks that engage viewers with the limits and wonder of human perception.

It is the first time the celebrated light artist has worked on small scale pieces. This unique coming together of two ‘artists of light’ is the result of over four years of close collaboration. It comes at a time when Lalique celebrates its Alsatian factory’s 100-year Anniversary. The collaboration, which consists of 42 crystal light panels and two perfume bottles, each in a limited edition of 100, was presented at Paris+ par Art Basel on 20-23 October 2022. It is the first time Lalique Art was an official partner of the world-renowned art fair.

The bottles

James Turrell began the collaboration by designing the two perfume bottles. Fascinated by Egypt and the stupa shapes found in Asia, Turrell used their architectural structure, monuments of high spiritual value in which light plays an essential role, as inspiration.

Combining artistic and olfactory sensibilities, the two flacons Range Rider and Purple Sage are inspired by Zane Grey’s ‘Riders of the Purple Sage’ and the artist’s desire to recreate the beauty of the American West. The striking result: prisms that diffuse and diffract the light. Entirely handmade, the design presented a major challenge for the Lalique artisans – obtaining crystal of a uniform thickness, to ensure the correct density of colour and homogeneity.

Working closely with Lalique’s perfumers, the collaboration also sees the first scent ever co-created by an artist for Lalique. A first scent, Range Rider, captures the natural fragrances of the artist’s land, Arizona, including sage-scratched leather chaps, pepper, amber, and citrus. It is an olfactory architecture that speaks of sun-drenched Western ranching.

A second scent, Purple Sage, named after this delicate, queen of plants that blooms in Arizona, offers a different interpretation of Turrell’s relationship with the American West, undulating between delicacy and strength. The bottle, with its soft curves, is a tribute to the eternal feminine form. The perfume has a delicately fruity, musky scent, revealing notes of purple sage, mandarin, grapefruit, and rhubarb.

The panels

The 42 light panels, named Crystal Light, are inspired by an image of James Turrell’s Aten Reign installation, exhibited at the Guggenheim in 2013. Originally planned in colours, the panel was finally produced in clear crystal. The rippling colours were then produced using a screen placed behind the work. The design offers a hypnotic visual effect between the third and second dimension – similar to a trompe l’oeil, with intriguing depth.

The artists

The collaboration was first born from a meeting between the artist and Silvio Denz, Chairman and CEO of Lalique, “I immediately thought there should be a collaboration between Lalique and James Turrell – the light artist. It makes perfect sense when you recall that René Lalique was known as the ‘sculptor of light’.”

“This is a profound artistic adventure whose result expresses a rare elegance and modernity. A seemingly impossible challenge. I am both proud and very happy that this great name is joining the prestigious circle of Lalique’s contributing artists.”

James Turrell added, “The nature of my work is the shaping of light. Light is the material; perception is the medium. I knew of René Lalique, but I didn’t know the extent of his creativity. At the Lalique factory, when I watched the master artisans, I was fascinated by their technical virtuosity. They are truly artists.”

“This is the first time I have designed perfumes and made crystal pieces. The olfactory sense elicits memory more so than any other sense and it was with Lalique and the perfumers, that I was able to do this. Creating a perfume is a bit like creating a world you have known.

“Like René Lalique, I seek light and will continue to seek it.”

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This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a light and airy kitchen design by 2022 SBID Awards Finalist, Bocchetta Interiors.

What was the client’s brief? 

The Slipway is a modern new build home in a tranquil setting by the sea. The owners already had a very clear idea of what style they wanted their home to have, but they commissioned Bocchetta Interiors to pull a cohesive scheme together. They liked the idea of each room flowing from one room to the next with beautiful, quality materials, lighting and FF&E. The main large open plan kitchen and living space was the most important room to them and needed to have the ‘wow’ factor, especially as it has the most enviable Harbourside views.

What inspired the design of the project?

The inspiration was the amazing location. We needed to encapsulate the calmness of living by the sea and hearing the water and clinking of boats. We wanted to keep a light and airy feel with subtle hints of luxury and pops of coastal colour and artwork. The builder/developers Ash Haus and Glass Harbour Group were such a pleasure to work with. Nothing was too much trouble, even if it meant adding a last-minute steam room or intricate wall paneling with hidden door.

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

I think the trickiest part was getting a kitchen layout to work with the breadth of space. The wrong kitchen design could have easily ruined the space and been too dominant. The developers and clients were delighted when Siematic Chichester came on board and produced a truly stunning kitchen design that seriously impressed whilst still being sympathetic to the surroundings and other elements in the room.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

One of our favourite commissions was to design a custom made 3.4-meter-long dining table with hand polished metal gold base and Silestone top. We worked with the clients to make sure the shape was just as they wanted, oval and wide in the middle to make conversations with everyone around the table easier. The gold of the table perfectly matches the gold trim in the kitchen and further gold pieces around the room.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

We have been a member of the SBID for many years, so we know that their awards are well respected within the industry. It was also the perfect opportunity to showcase work that we are very proud of.

Questions answered by Lucinda Bocchetta, Owner and Founder, Bocchetta Interiors.

Entering the rooms of the Landaburu Borda country house, the NATURFLOOR-W wooden floor (an AC6 natural wood floor especially designed for rooms with heavy, frequent traffic and suitable for spaces in frequent contact with water) takes us to their bathrooms, in which the Country Oak wood finish takes continuity over walls, floors, furniture, and even inside the shower cabins.

With a 14 mm thick and a bevelled edge, NATURFLOOR-W is installed as glued floor, with different board widths (188 and 290 mm). The boards rest on pieces of sound-proofing blankets laid out in parallel. Between them, elastic adhesive lines were applied to secure said boards to the ground. They are joined together by a tongue-and-groove machining, to which a line of PVA D3/D4 glue is applied to hold them together and to avoid water leaks into their structure.

Furniture has been custom made with standard NATURPANEL-W panels, the same material as used in walls, which has been cut to size to allow the installation of electrical and water sources.

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The Sustainable Design Summit (SDS) brings together brand owners, designers, and trusted suppliers from across cruise, hotel, and aircraft interiors to cross-pollinate ideas alongside leading sustainability experts.

Taking place on 29 November 2022 at The Brewery London, SDS is the first event of its kind to unite these three sectors to discuss sustainability as it dominates conversations and market drivers.

In just one day, delegates will gain actionable insights from the panels of experienced practitioners, discover a showcase of intrinsically green products, and come away with a framework for tangible steps to take into their next interior design project.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a hotel design by 2022 SBID Awards Finalist, YANG.

What was the client’s brief? 

The hotel is located in Nanjing Tangshan Garden Expo, covering an area of 13,745 sq.m. YANG took over the project in June 2020 and completed it within a year. The design team had two major tasks: to create a unique space experience, accurately interpreting Indigo’s neighborhood culture and making the hotel stand out from competitors in the area, and to deliver the spirit of the place through the design with local characteristics, thus drawing attention to the issues concerning the protection of the geological environment in Tangshan.

What inspired the design of the project?

Tangshan is rich in geological resources. In a one-kilometer radius, there are mine pits dating back over a millennium, abandoned quarries and national geological parks. Since the Indigo brand is always at the heart of closely related neighborhoods, the design team has conducted a thorough geological and cultural investigation of Tangshan and drawn on Tangshan’s original environmental features. Inspired by Tangshan’s mineral ore, the team decided to make it the theme of the space. The design team hoped to inject new vitality into the old mine pits and arouse people’s awareness of the issues related to natural recovery and ecological sustainability.

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

It is the first time that the Indigo brand has entrusted a design team with telling Indigo’s neighborhood story. The team had only one year to work on the project, from the design concept to implementation. Within the limited time, the team managed to create a unique space experience, accurately interpret Indigo’s neighborhood culture, and enhance the competitiveness of the hotel. Since its opening, the hotel has stood out from its competitors in the area and earned a reputation for its distinctive theme, exciting experiences, and neighborhood story. Moreover, the hotel is widely loved by guests and highly praised by the hospitality industry, becoming a must-visit place in Nanjing.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The design is realized through the innovative concept, rich colors, and special materials. The adoption of colorful glass, metal mirror and acrylic create a forest-like mood in the lobby area. The design of the lobby bar and the ADD restaurant is inspired by bonfire, miner’s lamp, and the arc shape of the tent, creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere. The lift lobby and the corridor are transformed into mini exhibition halls showcasing exploration tools. With the theme of “natural recovery,” the guest rooms bring forests, plants, and mosses inside. The minibars and nightstands in the guest rooms are in the form of mining toolboxes, blended into the surroundings.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

The SBID International Design Awards is one of the world-acclaimed awards for design excellence. This annual event offers a unique opportunity to meet creative professionals and provides a perfect platform for all entrants to learn from each other and, especially for entrants from China, to promote their works on the SBID Awards’ globally respected stage. We are honored that YANG has become a finalist with the project Hotel Indigo Nanjing Garden Expo and that this project entry has been selected to feature as one of the popular “Project of the Week” stories on the SBID blog. Thank you for the recognition. We will bring the industry more outstanding works. Let’s look forward to it!

Questions answered by Yang Bangsheng, Founder and President, YANG & Associates Group.