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In this week’s interview with SBID Awards Interior Design judge, Head of Cities Solutions Europe at Jacobs and Co-Chair of the ULI UK Infrastructure and Urban Development Council, Carlo Castelli discusses the change in development of post-pandemic cities, highlights the benefits of holistic approach to design, and shares valuable insight for designing workplaces that attract employees to come back to the office.

What is the importance of holistic and collaborative design thinking? How does it generate value for its users, customers and wider communities?

Thinking holistically about design ensures social, environmental and cultural considerations are embedded into solutions. We have a great opportunity to blur the boundaries between inside and outside, public and private by creating hybrid spaces. For example, in Union Street, Aberdeen, we created a flexible urban space capable of supporting on-street activities and allowing ground floor activities to spill out on streets, all while considering inclusive design. We see the street being multi-functional, resilient and contributing to the wider transformational change in Aberdeen.

Taking an integrated design approach means all these considerations are used to create a space which is flexible for those using it on a daily basis and is a sustainable addition to the community. It also means that we can create and measure wellbeing and quality of life value substantially changing the way we look at projects and programmes.

When thinking about the future of the built environment, how can we expect our cities to develop? What are the post-pandemic considerations?

Cities have existed for millennia and consistently maintain a fundamental role in our society. They will become more resilient, with the influence of the changing climate and increasing technological innovation.

Successful cities in the future will celebrate social, environmental and cultural differences. We don’t have to choose between a ‘working from home’ or ‘15 minutes city’ model. We can embrace complexity and recognise individual lifestyle choices within inclusive societal progress.

The way we live, work and play has fundamentally changed. How do you think new lifestyle trends will continue to impact on the design industry? What are the opportunities?

Live, work and play conditions have changed globally. The pandemic and environmental concerns have seen a significant change in how people view work-life balance and commuting. As we come out of the last two years there’s a significant appetite for flexibility in our spaces. For example, unused shipping containers units are being converted into retail units, and workshop space, rooftops into urban farm, and ground floor spaces into housing. This allows for creativity and flexibility in our designs, as well as optimising space usage and future proofing our cities. It is critical to imbed generosity into our buildings and places.

The opportunity for designers is to use their innovative thinking to create solutions that contribute to the challenges we are facing. They are often uniquely placed to work from ideation all the way to delivery so they can meaningfully work with the entire value chain to create better cities and places, integrating nature-based solutions and circularity early into their designs.  With nature at the forefront of design, we can plan and develop climate-smart, nature-positive building and infrastructure solutions which enhance quality of life and make our future more resilient.

How has your approach to the design of workspaces evolved? Why is the role of interior design so important when it comes to bringing employees back into the office?

During the past two years, workers have become used to working away from the traditional office, so there needs to be a draw to bring them back. Quality, variety and generosity are now key. Workplaces need to provide enhanced environmental quality and a greater variety of spaces. Improvement in interior design can also allow for a boost in employees’ health and wellbeing.

Design of workplace should include elements of nature, natural lighting, diverse spaces, and areas for employees to relax and manage anxiety about their return to the office. There should now be heavier emphasis on the type of spaces needed for collaboration. Offices should offer a broader range of experiences than sitting at a desk all day, something people could easily do from home. Workplace design should also facilitate work-life balance and promote a sense of community to encourage employees to return.

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

For me, what really matters is to work with stakeholders and communities and that designers are true to themselves, values and passions. Passion goes a long way in my mind and that needs to be communicated to our changing audiences.

Questions answered by Carlo Castelli, Head of Cities Solutions Europe, Jacobs and Co-Chair, ULI UK Infrastructure and Urban Development Council.

At Jacobs, we make the world smarter, more connected and more sustainable. Challenging today is our response to the increasing complexity our world is experiencing, putting our knowledge and imagination together to reinvent the way we solve problems and shape the next generation of innovative solutions.
Reinventing tomorrow is our promise and an invitation to raise the bar in everything we do. From the brilliant solutions we create with our clients, to the open and inclusive culture we create for our people. From the positive difference we make in our communities, to the added value we deliver to our shareholders.

This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a whimsical hotel suite design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Blue Sky Hospitality.

THE GYLE is an intimate 33-room hotel, crafted from three heritage-listed Victorian houses, built in 1845, located on Argyle Square, across Kings Cross station. It takes its name from the Duke of Argyle, Chief of Clan Campbell, who used to own property in the area.

SBID Awards Category: Hotel Bedroom & Suites Design

Practice: Blue Sky Hospitality

Project: The Gyle Hotel

Location: London, United Kingdom

What was the client’s brief? 

Convert a set of three 19th century listed buildings into an upscale boutique hotel that reflects the history of its location, drives high room rates, and acquires a high reputation.

  • Optimise the internal volume and reduce impact of constraints.
  • Draw inspiration from its location.
  • Provide a joyful environment for staff and customers.
  • Offer a unique, memorable social space.
  • Enhances the neighbourhood of Kings Cross- St Pancras.

What inspired the design of the project?

The quirky boutique hotel has been conceived as a complete work of storytelling design by British artist and designer, Henry Chebaane, based on his first novel soon to be published. The design tells a story about Kings Cross and Scotland in 1880, blending facts and fiction.

The design narrative evokes the residence of a fictitious character from Nova Scotia, who while fighting a conspiracy, becomes caught in a space-time rift caused by Victorian scientists. The result is an irreverent juxtaposition of steam-age heritage, whimsical details and 21st century modernity…inspired by 19th century St Pancras coal and gas industries, and Kings Cross steam trains to Scotland. This is manifested through a layered palette of black, silver and greys accented by moss, fern and juniper greens.

The bespoke furnishing, made in Britain are all elements of storytelling that juxtapose past and present, facts and fiction, style and humour in a quintessentially British fashion. THE GYLE is truly ‘a surreal townhouse in a real London square’.

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

Optimising the internal layouts to make it efficient to operate and provide a pleasant customer experiene, while respecting the Health & Safety and Grade II Heritage to maintain period internal layouts and façades.

A discrete extension was added behind the original houses, this increased the key count to 33 and provided a common footprint at ground floor, in which to set up the public areas.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

The creation of a fully immersive art installation that functions as the resident lounge and whisky bar. The resin floor is a seamless image of the sky reflected in Loch Fyne, while the whole ceiling is an upside-down lawn ripped open by a 40 feet long ‘space-time’ rift from which lighting strikes and odd sounds emerge throughout the day.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

We entered the SBID Awards to thank our client for the trust and confidence in our work.

Questions answered by Henry Chebaane, Creative Director, Blue Sky Hospitality.

We hope you feel inspired by this week’s design!

If you missed the last instalment of Project of the Week, featuring modern and fun bathroom designs for a contemporary apartment by Studio Modha, click here to read it.

Exclusive supplier of Corian® Solid Surface in the UK and Ireland, CDUK, has launched the new Corian® colour range. The collection adds eight new colours to the existing range. Designed to integrate high-level beauty into the existing Corian® collection, the new collection features natural, muted tones, with new textures to give a contemporary look and feel.

Artista Dust

The range

Carrara, inspired by marble stone with prominent veining, gives a simultaneous modern and classic effect, and the four Artista colours, combine smooth effect, intricate vein patterns and neutral tones to produce a contemporary finish. Sparkling Granita contains translucent and sparkling particles to create an effervescent effect in the white surface and the swirling movement of Sand Storm creates a beautiful depth to the colour and completes the new colour range. Inspired by nature, the new Corian® colours take the range in a new direction. Combining high performance and high-level beauty, the collection is ideal for architects and designers seeking to enhance their designs.

The new colours of Corian® embrace different design styles, as well as applications; effortless and functional in the home while durable and dynamic in commercial settings.

Artista Gray

Material characteristics

At a time when hygiene is critical, Corian® offers designers and architects a hygienic solution to create beautiful designs. The non-porous, durable, and easy to clean composition of Corian® Solid Surface makes it ideal for surfaces and spaces in high-intensity touch zones. These qualities make Corian® particularly applicable in healthcare settings, hospitality, public and office spaces, and high-end residential settings. Designers can focus on creating beautiful, one-of-a-kind environments, knowing that the properties of Corian® Solid Surface allow Corian® to perform beyond expectations.

Corian® Solid Surface can be joined seamlessly to give a continuous flow and allow large designs to be fashioned from a single element. The resulting seamless finish ensures there are no crevices to trap dirt and bacteria.

Sand Storm

CDUK help in finding design solutions

Having built a strong reputation as the sole distributor of Corian® Solid Surface in the UK and Ireland, CDUK has the expertise and knowledge to help support specifier and fabricator customers. CDUK can advise on design-led solutions using the material and provide expert training to designers and fabricators to ensure customers’ design ambitions are brought to life.

Andy Noble, Divisional Managing Director, CDUK, commented: “We are delighted to bring the new Corian® colour range to the UK and Ireland markets and are excited to work with leading designers and fabricators to deliver imaginative solutions using the new range. Our experience of working Corian® Solid Surface is unmatched, and our design-led approach to collaborating with our partners means that we can help our customers achieve the most beautiful, high-quality designs.”

Diversity of application

Additionally, CDUK provides complementary products to integrate seamlessly with Corian® surfaces, delivering solutions for designers.

Thanks to its versatile applications, Corian® can be used to produce striking designs – wall claddings, shower trays, vanity tops and bowls, countertops and work surfaces – and can be thermoformed, engraved, and backlit, offering designers the opportunity to experiment with luminosity and form. Intricate designs can be embossed and engraved into Corian® Solid Surface using CNC machining technology, as well as molded to create raised textures and patterns on its surface.

CDUK’s partnership with Applelec, also provides best practice techniques to backlight the translucent Corian® colours range, enabling designers to highlight Corian® surfaces to their best standard.

To ensure easy installation, Corian® Solid Surface is available in various thicknesses and can be fabricated with conventional woodworking tools into virtually any design.

A selection of Corian® colours are produced with recycled content (up to 20%), including the new Artista collection, which contains 6% pre-consumer recycled content.

About CDUK

CDUK is a supplier of surface materials and complementary products to the specification market in the UK and Ireland, including architects, interiors designers, kitchen designers, fabricators and contractors. Having built a strong reputation as the exclusive distributor of Corian® Solid Surface in the UK and Ireland, CDUK now offers an extended range of services as well as products from a number of leading brands. We are a family owned business with over 40 years’ experience. We support our customers through a journey, as their design partner, from sourcing the best products and materials to helping them unlock their full potential through expert advice and technical knowledge. Our team of industry experts also provides technical advice, sampling and bespoke training courses for designers, manufacturers and fabricators.

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 May, Graham & Brown brings art into the home with the launch of its exclusive TATE collection, in the form of 32 fully customisable wall murals. These showcase some beautiful works of art by artists, including J. M. W. Turner, Claude Monet, Ethel Walker, Jessica Dismorr and Vincent Van Gogh.

Pasmore - Spiral Motif. A pioneer in British abstract art throughout the 1940s and 50s, Pasmore’s Spiral Motif in Green, Violet, Blue and Gold.
Monet - Poplars on the Epte. Part of a series of paintings completed in 1891, his impressionist style captures the trees’ leaves with strong directional brushstrokes.

Rosey Blackmore, Licensing and Merchandise Director at TATE:

“We are thrilled to be working with Graham & Brown on a collection of murals which gives people the chance to live with the art they love. Our mission at Tate is all about encouraging the enjoyment of art- and we believe that these products will truly do that.”

Kandinsky - Swinging. Kandinsky rejected realism in his abstract pieces, believing instead that art should mimic music and avoid all references of the material world.
Turner - Chichester Canal. This tranquil oil painting depicts the beauty of Chichester canal in rich ochres and subtle blues, and captures the reflections casted by the setting sun.

Alan Kemp, Head of Brand at Graham & Brown:

“We [Graham & Brown] are privileged to have had the opportunity to browse the TATE collection and choose some exquisite works of art to create some of the most stunning custom murals available. It has been a truly exhilarating project to work on. As TATE has a vast archive containing some of the most iconic pieces of art in the world, we had some tough decisions to make, but we are thrilled to be able to bring these great pieces into the home. Why frame your favourite painting when you can have a wall full of it, or your very own ceiling mural? Your favourite piece of art your way, is only limited by your imagination.”

Turner - Lucerne. This piece is one of many studies of the Swiss lake which the artist visited during his extensive travels around Europe.
Gilbert - Blackmore Vale. Gilbert captures the lush greenery of the Blackmore Vale of Dorset in this oil painting.

This exclusive range of murals includes works from Dutch pioneer of abstract art, Piet Mondrian, who developed from early landscape pictures to geometric abstract works such as Composition with Yellow, Blue & Red (1935). Contrastingly, Victor Pasmore’s Spiral Motif in Green, Violet, Blue and Gold: The Coast of the Indian Sea (1950), presents a harmony of colourful curvilinear forms, a striking piece, perfect for creating a focal point in any room.

Turner Gateway to the Flower. This intricately detailed etching depicts the elaborate gateway into the flower gardens of Farnley Hall in Yorkshire.
Whistler - Nocturne. Adorned with Whistlers characteristic butterfly signature, Nocturne: Blue and Silver - Chelsea depicts the River Thames at dusk.

British artist, Jessica Dismorr’s, Abstract Composition (1915) features a series of pastel-coloured geometric forms, reminiscent of architectural components, overlapping on a black ground. A dark yellow triangular prism with a curved side provides a vertical focus and splits the composition in two. Another mural featuring Dismorr’s works is Related Forms (1937), an abstract nature of works comprising of cooling blue hues.

Osborn - Beach at Dusk. With a muted colour palette of blues and browns, Beach at Dusk, St Ives Harbour showcases the tranquil scenery at twilight.
Crane - The Renaissance of Venus. Inspired by Botticelli’s famous Birth of Venus and painted during his honeymoon, Crane depicts the emergence of the Roman goddess of love.

Fully customisable to meet customers’ specifications and dimensions, Graham & Brown’s online easy-to-use, made-to-measure tool allows customers to personalise each of Graham & Brown’s unique mural designs to their walls, making them easy to hang with minimal waste.

The range of Graham & Brown paper substrates allow the mural to be personalised even further. Handpicked by Graham & Brown studio, the selection of premium paper finishes each offer a key feature or benefit. From ‘Premium Fabric Effect’ , a woven textured finish perfect for masking existing wall imperfections, to ‘Mica Fibrous’ a luxurious lustre which shimmers in the light, you can choose a finish which is guaranteed to suit your personal style. The mural production is powered by renewable energy, it uses water-based inks and all papers come from sustainable sources.

Duncan - Bathing. With each figure appearing to represent the various stages of movement of one lone figure, this piece is full of motion and life.
Buhler - Carlyle Square. This rich green oil painting depicts the gardens of Carlyle Square, Chelsea.

Cover image: Sleter – A Representation of the Liberal Arts. Designed for the ceiling of the State Dining Room of Grimsthorpe Castle, this early 18th century oil painting created the illusion of a golden, coved ceiling which spills into the godly world. It features Minerva, goddess of wisdom and the arts, and Mercury, identified with reason and learning.

About Graham & Brown

For over seventy-five years, Graham & Brown has inspired people to think people differently about their walls through continuous innovation, creativity, and craftsmanship. Graham & Brown has created an extensive archive of over 30,000 pieces, comprising of in-house designs and historic works, some dating back over two hundred years. Each day this archive grows as the Graham & Brown design team create artwork in Blackburn, Holland, and France.
The UK’s leading wallpaper manufacturer, Graham & Brown has expanded its collection to include paint, murals, wall art and soft furnishings. The brand leads the way in technology and innovation with an augmented reality app that enables users to visualise pattern and colour on a wall.

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.

Introducing Bellissimo – a collection of sixteen distressed leathers designed to be remarkably livable, strikingly relaxed, and best of all, unexpectedly tasteful. Each uniquely beautiful. Bellissimo is designed to take what life dishes out, including the busy, active movements of kids, pets, and people. Its classic colors, casual appearance, and virtually scratch-resistant surface make it an excellent option for all upholstery applications, especially high traffic areas. It passes IMO flammability requirements for private yachts and may be treated to pass FAR requirements for aviation use.

This is a sophisticated leather with warmth, personality, and a one-of-a-kind appearance that seamlessly blends the best of both old and new, urban and rustic in one effortless design statement. The distressed surface of Bellissimo reveals a unique depth of color, soft luster, and a richly satisfying hand unlike anything that grandfather would recognize on his favorite recliner. Comforting? Absolutely. Boring? Never.

The rich and relaxed character of Bellissimo features a natural grain, which is accentuated as part of a multi-step tanning process and is not created by embossing. Bellissimo’s distinctive aged and distressed appearance is obtained by using a blend of waxes and dry milling. This important step breaks the wax finish and creates the unique pattern and personality of Bellissimo. Like all classic leathers, this natural and scratch-resistant surface will only improve with age.

Whether it’s used to adorn your client’s prestigious office space, comfortable home, relaxing yacht, or private jet, this remarkable leather will endure all of life’s precious moments with ease and grow even more beautiful over time. Liberate yourself and embrace the noncurated, unembellished moments in life, without worry.

That’s Bellissimo.

Live your life. Love your leather.

Please contact your local sales representative to learn more about this exquisite collection and to request samples, or visit our website at www.garrettleather.com.

About Garrett Leather

For more than 30 years, interior designers, upholsterers, and manufacturers have used Garrett Leather products for private and corporate aircraft; corporate, hospitality, and residential interiors; luxury motor coaches, high-end cars, and private yachts. They are a privately-owned company dedicated to building relationships and earning their customers’ loyalty by providing the highest quality leather and a superior customer experience.

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.

In this week’s interview with SBID Awards Interior Design judge and Design Director EMEA at Tetris, Nuno Fernandes discusses the connection between technology and built environments. He shares his insights on specifying products for different environments and gives valuable advice for approaching design projects.

How important is innovation and technology when it comes to the future of our built environments?

Innovation is the overarching priority when responding to our clients. Now more than ever it’s about connecting people to the building be that a residence or an office and technology should make people’s lives comfortable and easy.

Astra Zeneca, Italy

Driving the development of virtual reality and the design of digital environments – what opportunities could the metaverse provide for the interior design world?

The metaverse really opens a whole new world of work opportunities for designers and architects. We can now also offer our clients a digital experience as there will be a transition between physical and digital in our day to day lives moving forward. Perhaps, for culture and identity consistency, those two projects are designed concurrently.

When designing for commercial projects across hospitality, retail and the workplace – how do you approach the product specification? Does it differ between specialisms and what are your key considerations?

Yes, it differs. Whereas in hospitality there is a big effort in economy of scale and procurement optimization, for retail, at the high end as is our case, many elements are custom built or even one-off’s. Workplace product specifying is now becoming much more diverse meaning that in one project we have now more products driven by all the different work environments within the same project.

Diageo, The Netherlands

How do you ensure the interior designs you produce are powerful and inspiring, whilst meeting the core needs of your client, their business and the ultimate end-users?

A combination of rational and emotional is our weapon. Our designs should be anchored on the needs of the clients and the users of that space hence why our design is data driven, we then love to tell a story that meets the business and users’ needs while close to their hearts.

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

Always push your concepts beyond your comfort zone, design is about innovation whilst providing a solution.

Questions answered by Nuno Fernandes, Design Director EMEA, Tetris.

We don’t just create inspiring spaces for businesses. We create inspiring places for people.
As a leading design and build company with global reach, we create environments that are beautiful, functional, inspirational and sustainable.
We deliver our services to businesses of all sizes on projects in the office, retail and hotel sectors, among others, counting many of the world’s most iconic brands as our clients.

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.

SBID Awards Category: KBB Design

Practice: Studio Modha

Project: Royal Docks

Location: London, United Kingdom

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.

We hope you feel inspired by this week’s design!

If you missed the last instalment of Project of the Week, featuring an intricate historical bar design by SHH, click here to read it.

While the name may seem like interior designers are restricted to indoor spaces, they can actually be used for outdoor spaces as well. While some aspects of interior design only apply to indoors, a lot of design elements are just as easily applied to outdoor spaces.

For more about what an interior designer can bring to an outdoor space, read on to find out.

Patio

A patio is commonly seen as an extension of the home, so should be designed in collaboration with an interior. This is where an interior designer can bring their skills to an outside space, creating a unified look and feel to the space. Elements such as furniture and flooring are essential to a patio, so an interior designer can help pick items ideal for your vision that will match up with the rest of your house.

Just like they do with interiors, an interior designer can design a patio that maintains a great flow. This is great if you intend to use your patio to socialise regularly. An interior designer’s eye for creation will have to be slightly different when working outside, especially in terms of furniture. They’ll have to make sure they think about elements such as the weather, picking items that are durable in the case of high winds and also weather-resistant in the case of rain.

Lighting is another important aspect a designer can help with. Outside spaces are constantly dependent on the weather, with certain parts of it only in sunshine at certain hours of the day. A designer must consider how to light a space so it can be used all day/night and in all weather conditions.

 

Plants

Plants and wildlife have become an essential element of interior design over the years, as many seek to bring the outside inside with plants and other wildlife. This is why a talented interior designer should have the skills to expertly design a space incorporating plants, including outside spaces.

 

Focal Point

Many gardens are constructed around a focal point, a technique also commonly used in inside spaces. An interior designer can help you enhance your garden by making a focal point. This could be an outdoor pool, a pizza oven or a BBQ.

Find Interior Design Experts

If you’re looking for an interior designer for your indoor or outdoor project, The Society of British & International Interior Design can help. Our members have the training, experience and expertise to deliver a project brief to the highest professional standards. You can use our Designer Directory to browse an extensive database of accredited interior designers for your needs. You can search by location, keyword and specialism to find a designer near you that you can collaborate with to achieve your vision.

To find out more about SBID and how an interior designer can help with your design project, visit our website today.

Cover image credits: Fenton Whelan – Lonsdale Road, Notting Hill

The modern and contemporary furniture brand, Viva Lagoon has recently launched a range of new furniture lines that will help customers maximise their outdoor space and create a stylish and sustainable escape in their own garden.

Viva Lagoon are the retailer of a range of high-quality garden furniture brands that have continued to launch new and exciting lines this season. Existing brands include Vincent Sheppard, Talenti and Gloster, who have launched their Lento, George, and Saranacc collections, respectively. In addition, the online retailer has started supplying new brands such as Isimar, Vondom, and Diabla.

Leaf Sofa, outdoor leather cushions
Grill spring

These exciting new brands that have been added to the Viva Lagoon roster all share a similar passion for sustainability, which is a theme that permeates through the luxury retailer’s business. For example, Diabla use 100% recycled and recyclable material in their Galvanized steel and aluminium products, as well as Vondom who use their unique ‘Revolution’ material which is made from recycled plastic from the Mediterranean.

New technology in furniture manufacturing has led the way for Viva Lagoon’s brands to prioritize the environment at all stages of their production process. With advancements that allow manufacturers to develop new, sustainable materials and recent technological innovations, brands have been able to repurpose and give a second life to pre-used plastic products that would have otherwise ended up in landfill.

Ibiza sunlounger, made from recycled plastic found in the Meditarian Sea
Zenith lounge
Zenith lounge

Viva Lagoon carefully select brands and products that fuse contemporary and traditional, with functionality and durability at the heart of everything they do to provide the best quality products for their customers possible. The beautifully crafted and timelessly elegant furniture pieces are revolutionising any pre-conceived notion of what garden furniture is and looks like. Each of Viva Lagoon’s brands have created show-stopping products in sublimely sophisticated designs that make garden furniture look like indoor furniture without compromising on weatherproofing and durability.

Leaf Dining Table (square)

Popular new collections include the timeless leaf collection from Talenti that includes luxe leather and velvet scatter cushions for outdoors, plus tabletops and dining tables that feature the brand’s signature compact laminate that comes in a range of attractive colours and textures. The brand has also recently launched their Reef Sunbed and exquisite George Collection.

Leaf Lounge Chair, outdoor Velvet Scatter Cushions
Leaf Table and chairs, table top with Vitter

Kheira Benchekor, managing director at Viva Lagoon says, “Over the past year our existing furniture brands have launched some beautiful collections that are shaking up what typical garden furniture looks like and brings a sustainable spin to traditional designs. We’re also thrilled to be working with new brands, Vondom, Isimar and Diabla, who all come from Spain and share our mission of creating beautiful and functional garden furniture. We can’t wait to see what else they launch over the coming months.”

To find out more about Viva Lagoon and shop their new arrivals, visit www.vivalagoon.com.

About Viva Lagoon

Viva Lagoon was started by Kheira Benchekor and Edmund Eldergill. Kheira has a passion for good design and over twenty years experience in the modern furniture industry. Edmund is a perfectionist and brings attention to detail and a resolute desire to make the good better. Lagoon is committed to offering for sale contemporary furniture that exhibits the best in modern design. It is equally committed to dealing with customers and suppliers fairly and ethically.

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.

VitrA introduces Liquid – a new bathroom range designed in collaboration with Tom Dixon. Liquid is the first ever bathroom range by the acclaimed British designer.

The range is the latest addition to VitrA’s portfolio of designer collaborations, part of a long-standing programme of working with world-renowned designers to create distinctive, modern bathroom collections to complement any washroom space. The Liquid range is founded on round-edges, generous shapes and timeless designs. Described by Tom Dixon as ‘contemporary without being of the moment’, it offers an alternative to the widespread skinny, minimalist designs.

Liquid encompasses all elements of the bathroom – sanitaryware, furniture, taps, tiles, showers and accessories – designed to work together or as stand-alone pieces.

The range includes a variety of washbasin options, including round basins, a butler sink and a double washbasin, as well as a statement monoblock washbasin which is moulded as a single piece of ceramic. The furniture units are available in either a fluted glass or a black metal mesh door finish. Alternatively, for a striking contrast, there is an open-storage unit with impressive blue glass shelving.

Liquid’s taps combine conical handles with exuberant tubular bodies. Ten different styles of taps include wall-mounted, deck-mounted and built-in options, as well as touchless, are all available in gloss black or chrome. The all-in-one shower column includes a hand shower that connects magnetically to the body, while the stainless steel floor-mounted shower can be used inside or outside.

Liquid’s range of toilets, bidets and urinals carry the collection’s monumental curves. The toilets and bidets come in wall-hung or floor-standing designs, and the urinal uses touchless technology.

The range also includes a suite of accessories including a hook, toilet roll holder, toilet brush holder and double soap dispenser. The accessories also incorporate ceramic pieces, including shelves in two lengths and a stool which can act as a practical addition, not just for the bathroom, but in other living spaces too.

The wall tiles in Liquid feature four different styles of embossed dots and waves that reflect ripples in the water, and can be creatively configured in an almost endless possibility of ways. Available in five colours – white, black, ecru, grey and sage green.

About VitrA

With a capacity to develop and manufacture all the products that may be needed in a bathroom, VitrA secures its position in the industry by giving priority to R&D and working with leading international designers. Earning approximately three quarters of its revenues from foreign markets.
Born and raised in the cultural motherland of ceramics and baths -a.k.a. the ‘hammams’- VitrA is among only a few companies in the world which is able to design, develop, and manufacture all the products that are used in a bathroom.

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