A Customisable Lighting Solution from II BY IV DESIGN is an Affordable Luxury

In this week's interview with 2021 SBID Awards winner for the Lighting Design category, REPUBLIC OF II BY IV partners, Dan Menchions and Keith Rushbrook answer questions on the winning experience, the creative process behind designing the Boga Collection, and what's in store for the company's future!

The internationally renowned interior design practice, II BY IV DESIGN was founded in 1990 by Dan and Keith - both dreamed of a creative firm that was deeply rooted in design and guided by a passion for constant innovation. "Continually travelling the world, we seek out art, architecture, fashion, theatre, food and culture to fuel our imaginations, while inspiring globally celebrated designs."

How important is it to enter the SBID Awards & receive industry recognition for your work? What are the benefits?

The SBID Awards are regarded as one of the most prestigious accolades in the interior design industry representing talent and design excellence across all corners of the industry.

Being named a finalist for a SBID Award is a notable achievement but being a category winner has made our studio tremendously excited and thrilled. We are truly honoured to receive this recognition, especially considering the products of all the other finalists.  

The benefits of receiving an SBID are vast but most notably the acknowledgement and exposure within the international design community. It gives immense credibility to our product to win a world class award.

What do you think made this particular design an award winner?

The simplicity of the design. It is truly a study in form and shape. It’s elegant and refined. The purity of the design comes from a simple line. Our design team didn’t want to overcomplicate it. Sometimes less is more and it’s important to keep it simple.

Having said that, the design is only as strong as those who manufacture it. So, we celebrate hollis + morris’ true craftmanship and their team for fabricating this product. It’s a true partnership and we share this great accolade with them.

Our team wanted to evoke emotion, we hope everyone who sees the fixture is inspired and curious by the design.

Tell us about the creative process behind the Boga Collection - what inspired the design, and how did you approach bringing the initial concept to life to ensure it functions effectively?

Boga, which takes its origins from the Old English word “bow” was inspired by the wonders of how wood can be transformed. The bow in archery is so powerful and we wanted to emulate that with a lighting fixture.

Inspired by narrow natural wood material, the Boga Collection pendants maximize the surface area available to emit light, delivering glow with absolutely no shadowing. The substantive solid wood frame supports its elongated scale and lends to its striking yet whimsical presence. Customizable, and dimmable from cool to warm tone, with wood finishes offered in primarily natural ash, walnut and black stain, the Boga Collection is an elegant complement to any residential, hospitality or commercial interior.

As for bringing this concept to life, we had to ensure to was structurally sound. So, we 3D printed small samples then a full-size model once we had our design perfected. Each pendant is milled out of one natural wood piece using 5-axis CNC technology to follow the natural curve of the wood grain. The design teams focused on creating a pendant that embodies a natural wood grain finish that flows into the piece with intentional joinery resulting in a pristine and clean aesthetic.

What are the most important considerations when designing lighting solutions? How far does II BY IV’s background in interiors influence the products you design?

First and foremost, it must be able to be fabricated. You can’t create a super complex design that will only make it to the prototype stage. Also, you must keep in mind finances. The cost of fabrication directly leads to retail price. We keep in mind fabrication in order for it to be affordable or what we like to call ‘affordable luxury’. We wanted this piece to have a mass market appeal with a high-end look.

The materiality is a huge consideration as well. For all our projects, we factor in the environmental aspects. Minimizing our carbon footprint is very important to our studio so we ensure it is locally sourced and fabricated.

Our background of over 30 years in interiors definitely influences and contributes to how we approach the products we create. We think about how specifiers and the public can use it in their spaces. Ensuring the product can have as many applications as possible.

After all, light is so very crucial to a space, without lighting there is no design.

Now that you’ve won an SBID Award, what are the next steps? Is there anything new you are excited to be working on?

We are always planning our next steps at REPUBLIC of II BY IV. We have more lighting lines being developed with local and international manufactures, working with existing, well-known brands as well as completely new brands. We are also launching a brand-new wallcovering line. 

Our studio has a lot planned for 2022 so be sure to follow us to stay up-to-date! @republicofiibyiv

What advice can you give to young designers starting out in the design industry?

This is such a great question and many thoughts come to mind but the one that sticks out the most is, dare to be yourself. Authenticity is what lasts in this industry. Don’t just follow the trend, start the trend.

It’s imperative to have your own point of view on design and always push the envelope. Be willing to take risks and dare to be different. You need to stand out in this business.

Focus on materials that do not harm the environment and don’t just design for the sake of designing. Always design with a solution in mind. Add your clever take to the design and be mindful of the craft. Celebrate as much as possible and look for inspiration everywhere.

Questions answered by Dan Menchions and Keith Rushbrook, Partners of II BY IV DESIGN and REPUBLIC of II BY IV, proud members of SBID for over a decade.

This week's instalment of Project of the Week interior design series features an arty biophilic Oriental restaurant design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Deckora Design.

Yakuza is the most buzzed-about Asian restaurant of Lisbon set at the ground floor of Hotel AVANI AVENIDA and offering the best selection of creative sushi in town. Deckora Design assisted the wider Minor hotel group in shaping a refined yet eccentric environment featuring fine walnut details, polished stone superficies
and hand-painted art murals.

The original commercial space, situated amid a dense urban context in the back yard of a busy high street, represented a challenge of great complexity for the designers due to the lack of natural light. The tailored made labour of Deckora Design’s team transformed a difficult space into the trendy Oriental restaurant of the Portuguese capital where art and biophilic design play a crucial role.

What was the client's brief? 

The brief is the creation of a cosy yet seductive interior where dark fittings, comfortable furniture and warm lighting contribute to a truly unique experience for the guest.

What inspired the design of the project?

The project's holistic approach, rooted in systematic design research, is considering all aspects of the environment: from architecture and lighting, to furniture and art. The concept was a modern and irreverent reinterpretation of the Japanese restaurant. The overall emblematic proposal shows how good quality design, and the successful transformation of a space, can have a successful impact and provide an authentic experience that goes beyond dining.

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

Yakuza Restaurant represented a great challenge, starting from the location situated amid a dense urban context with lack of natural lighting. Deckora Design delivered a flawless design enhancing the intrinsic characteristics of the property. The design team managed to exceed the expectations of the different stakeholders by respecting budget constraints and demanding deadlines during a world pandemic. The final outcome satisfied the client's complex brief and requirements, integrating motifs and key elements of the pre-existing Yakuza brand into a new, unique and innovative concept.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

Art played an important role in the project; we commissioned hand-painted murals from the local artists. Art is also present in the main highlight of the project and the main attraction of the commercial space - the sushi counter, a 5x10 meters rectangular central artefact representing the beating heart. The austerity of the walnut louvers and the rigorous central slate are juxtaposed to the playfulness of the backlit ceiling canvas. This distinctive piece of art, hand painted by the urban artist Smile, is characterised by vibrant tones and portrays a huge Japanese koi, providing indirect lighting to the entire room.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

The SBID Awards is one of the most influential and well organised awards in the Architecture and Interior Design industries. Being part of this programme is definitely something to be proud of, and being a finalist is already a great reward for us after the great amount of care and time our project required. I also believe that getting personally involved, contributing to the community and being exposed to the work of other colleagues is an important part of our professional development.

Questions answered by Camilla Degli Esposti, Director, Deckora Design.

What are the latest tile trends that are worthy of note for interior designers? Ben Bryden, Sales and Marketing Director at RAK Ceramics UK, takes a look.

Practical, versatile and stylish flooring solutions don’t get much better than porcelain tiles. Strong and durable, this is a material that is suited to all areas, commercially and domestically.

The influence of manufacturing process

The manufacturing process of porcelain, which uses a finer and denser clay combined with high temperature and high pressure, results in a material that is far stronger than other types of ceramic, which is what makes this a material that is highly suited for flooring. Bathrooms benefit in particular from the properties of porcelain, which because of its density is extremely resistant to humidity and water.

Porcelain versatility

Another major reason for the popularity of porcelain is the sheer versatility of the material. Colour and style choice is almost endless and finishes are also variable, giving designers a huge amount of creative freedom and enabling the material to be chosen for almost any application. Tiles can be printed or embossed in numerous ways and solid floor tiles can be mixed-and-matched in patterns and colours in any number of ways. They can be chosen to match or contrast with wall tiling and splashbacks for a cohesive look and can be chosen to replicate the look of many hardwoods and natural stones for the ultimate luxe look.

Porcelain design

Tiles with a subtle or a bold marble-effect pattern work well when teamed with materials such as wood, bringing nature indoors and creating a calming, timeless and high-end look that works well across all areas, from public to more private. Porcelain also offers a wonderful opportunity to introduce pops of colour to the setting, with vibrant colourways offering a brilliant way to catch the eye and turn a specific area into a focal point.

Installation of the tiles themselves is also straightforward, with mega slabs from RAK Ceramics minimising grout lines and creating a luxe look.

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

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

This week's instalment of Project of the Week interior design series features a spacious penthouse design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Lori Dundas Interior Design.

Imagined during the early lockdown days of COVID-19, “The Sweet Life” is a series of conceptual 3D renderings, of a 303.6 m2 penthouse located minutes outside the downtown core of Edmonton, Alberta.

With the rest of the building mostly finished and occupied, the owners strategically took their time to decide on how best to build out the unfinished space. By doing so, the 3D models evolved into case study of sort, showcasing an experience-based design which would live well regardless of outside circumstances.

What was the client's brief? 

The client’s primary concern was that the design would ultimately be a space that would function equally well supporting intimate family & friend gatherings, as it would larger social events. The brief also asked for the layouts to make the most of the nearby river valley and treed neighbourhood views.

What inspired the design of the project?

Friendship and finding a way to design a space that reflected the uniqueness of the clients. Turns out what the clients valued most is a common thread that connects us all - entertaining, showcasing things you love and that bring you joy, finding moments to sit with others, be with your thoughts and observe nature. Creating space for these moments to occur was the greatest inspiration for the designers.

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

The time spent to get the vibe right. The feeling you get when you look at the renderings is so important. And it takes a lot of time to get the materials and lighting to reflect accurately on the screen as well as in print.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

Taking the original project and rendering it again only at night-time light levels. Not only did the camera angles improve, but there were a couple areas where additional lights were found to be needed. Doing this extra bit of work it made the overall design even better.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

Purely an impulsive act. I was proud of the project and wanted to share it with the world.

Questions answered by Lori Dundas, President, Lori Dundas Interior Design.

This London pied-à-terre is a masterclass in open-plan living. Despite its relatively compact proportions (5m x 7m), the homeowners wanted to slot in a well-equipped kitchen, dining and living areas. Charlie Smallbone of Ledbury Studio was tasked with designing a kitchen that would both furnish the space and enhance its overall look.

To ensure the kitchen is a seamless extension of the living area, Charlie opted not to install wall cupboards above the base cabinets. This created space for floating glass shelves, allowing the homeowners to weave in a touch of character with plants and decorative objects. A hanging rail was also added, retaining the much-coveted open feel whilst keeping kitchen paraphernalia close to hand.

Charlie’s greatest challenge was to fit all the functional aspects of a kitchen into the single wall of furniture. “It was tricky but I am happy with the final arrangement, which incorporates a lot of storage as well as all the essentials,” he explains. “It features a stone sink and Miele induction hob sandwiched between a tall, integrated fridge-freezer and larder cupboard at one end, and a dropped-down worktop with storage above it at the other.”

The cupboards themselves feature pewter fronts, which speak to the homeowners’ eclectic style. Made from sheet metal that is hand textured with hammers and heat, and given an aged patina using acid, the surface is then sealed with lacquer so that it stands the test of time. The cupboards are finished with concave stainless-steel handles that have been blasted to dull the shine and darken their appearance.

Bianco Macaubas Quartzite was specified for the worktop; a hardwearing but stunning natural stone with rich marble-esque veining. Charlie paired this with a Verre Eglomise splashback, whereby pure gold leaf was applied to the reverse of toughened glass and antiqued. Not only does it look stunning, but its reflective properties help to bounce light around the room and increase the feeling of space.

Ledbury Studio kitchens start from £50,000.

This week’s instalment of Project of the Week series features a unique and spacious apartment design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Maison O.

The design approach for the apartment in the heart of Cairo is contemporary, with a concept of maximizing the Nile view in the space through using a reflective ceiling. This way you’d get a full view of the Nile River and its sailing boats anywhere inside the apartment - even in the dining area, which is located away from the windows, at the back-end of the apartment.

What was the client's brief? 

The client had a problem with the low ceiling and wanted to incorporate a sense of openness to the space, as well as modernize the apartment. Quality and speed of delivery were of great importance to the client.

What inspired the design of the project?

The Nile river was the main source of inspiration as we at Maison O made sure to extend it into the apartment and make it visible from any part of the space. The river even inspired the selection of colours, with emerald green being an accent colour symbolizing the agriculture around the banks of the Nile river.

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

The whole process from design planning to execution and furnishing was completed in a record of six weeks. On-time delivery was made possible thanks to amicable team effort and project management skills.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

Striking a balance between coming-up with a creative design that fulfils the client’s request and ensuring quality execution and delivery in record time.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

The awards celebrate creativity. They present a venue for brilliant global designers to come together from different walks of life and compete. In particular, being shortlisted as a finalist ensures an international recognition and makes a difference in how participating designers and design firms are positioned out of their home markets, while also paving the way for building global connections for future international collaborations.

Questions answered by Omar Gemei, Founder and Chief Designer, Maison O.

Interprotección is a Mexican group of companies that are distinguished experts on insurance, bond and reinsurance brokerage. With more than 40 years of experience in integrated risk management and consulting, their business model is based on flexibility, decision making, responsiveness and creativity to solve risk problems.

Offices are beginning to be analysed away from the mere “employee container” mentalities, and closer to being recognised as competitive tools for organisations. Interprotección understands that during this period of forced isolation organizations have been affected by the impossibility to physically share ideas and have the processes of co-creation among collaborators that shape the office experience. spAce has detected the new needs and functions of the corporate space in pandemic and thus reinterpreted the requirements of Interprotección.

The importance of a well designed office space

A new approach to designing workplaces

About the design scheme

The finishes make up an integral part of the project, by combining them in a complementary way, we discovered coloured carpets, glass, wood, vinyl and furniture that emphasises the connection between collaborators and leaders. In general, neutral colours predominate throughout the project, but in some key points (walls, columns and carpets) bright tones were used according to a colour palette that uniforms the image and helps reinforce the identity of the corporation.

The atmosphere and sensations emanating from this space were strategically generated with architectural elements that refer to a place very different from that of a traditional corporate. With the aim of encouraging socialisation in a relaxed, fresh, natural and totally welcoming atmosphere, a large cafeteria is designed as the heart of the company—the nodal point that connects the three levels of the company in different atmospheres to achieve different levels of privacy and collaboration. On a cafeteria wall, shaped with black lines on a white background, different faces that the graphic artist interprets as "short stories to live today, because tomorrow who knows” have been shaped with the intention of activating creativity and inspiring.

Interprotección wanted to integrate an iconic element within its offices: a slide. Considering that it is an innovative, futuristic and avant-garde organisation, the company vision is projected through this different and fun component that connects both levels. It is important to fuel the concept of the importance of play and fun in a workplace as part of the experience, just as it is advocated in The Resilient WorkPLAYce. A visit to Interprotección, both from collaborators and visitors, will be hard to forget.

Interior design by Juan Carlos Baumgartner/Gabriel Téllez (spAce Arquitectura).

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

To become an accredited member of the SBID, click here. 

This week’s instalment of Project of the Week series features a luxurious family apartment design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, V.Concept by Victoria Vitkovskaya.

All the details of the Almond apartment from the V.Concept studio in Kiev stem from the originality and ambition of the designers.

Throughout the design we used the best combination of colours and textures. Recognizable “modern chic” style can be seen everywhere: in the combination of marble and eucalyptus facades of the Italian kitchen Cesar, cabinet furniture Poliform and Misura Emme, contrasts of leather and glass in tinted wardrobes from Sangiacomo, backlit rare stone panels and unique lamps in Serip Murano glass. Luxurious fabrics from the Loro Piana and Hermes complement the composition of the interior and add a special comfort to each space.

Lighting, heating and audio - all can be controlled with one wireless smart home system from Gira. All solutions are convenient and economical, and a subtle concept of beauty is evident in all the spaces of this apartment.

What was the client's brief? 

Our clients were a married couple with two teenage children. They understood exactly what they wanted and made decisions quickly. Our customers realised what comfort was and knew the value of things.

What inspired the design of the project?

Our main inspiration was our client. We started by getting familiar with their desires and vision of their ideal apartment and then worked to make this vision a reality.

With this project we wanted to show that modern style can be ambitious and satisfy sophisticated connoisseurs of beauty, and at the same time be simple and efficient.

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

I think the toughest thing was to implement the project during the quarantine. To be honest, a turnkey project from A to Z during a pandemic is not easy. We completed it in 9 months — I believe that this is a success!

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

For the Almond apartment project we used a combination of colours, textures and materials, integrating furniture and appliances from luxury manufacturers. The project is filled with stylish, technological and ergonomic solutions.

We also implemented the project exactly according to our initial plan. The only thing that differed from it were the dining chairs.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

Getting to the finals and potential victory in a competition of this magnitude is an indicator of quality and skill level. This is not the first year that we have been participating in the SBID Awards; for us it is a kind of tradition and a chance to make ourselves known.

Questions answered by Viktoriya Vitkovskaya, CEO & Founder, V. Concept studio.

Designed for multifunctional living, whether cooking for the family, entertaining friends or simply catching up over coffee, this kitchen from My Fathers Heart features stunning Dekton® by Cosentino worksurfaces on both the central island and the surrounding cabinetry within this large, open-plan space.

Created by Sheffield-based kitchen designers My Fathers Heart, the room combines stunning SieMatic S2 handleless cabinets in the Umbra velvet-matt finish with Dekton® in Kira, an earthy toned ultra-compact surface that has the look and feel of natural brownstones. Highly resistant to UV rays, scratches, stains and thermal shock, Dekton® is the ideal choice for homeowners looking for a durable, hardwearing worksurface solution and it can also be used for flooring and wall cladding both indoors and out. What's more, carbon neutrality has been achieved for the entire life cycle of Dekton, so homeowners can rest assured that their surface of choice is sustainable and helps build a better future.

Within the central island, Dekton® blends effortlessly with rich walnut, which creates visual contrast and provides a warm tone for the breakfast bar area with its high stools for snacks and coffee. The BORA Professional extractor hob in an all-black steel finish sits neatly within the surface while antique brass pendant lights from Italy drop stylishly from above. The slim profile of the worksurface beautifully enhances the elegance of the appliances and kitchen furniture, while the colour palette is warm and inviting, creating a relaxed, contemporary look.

Chrissi Batey, Senior Kitchen Designer for My Fathers Heart, explains the process behind the design, “We spent a long time with the customer and their interior designer choosing a door finish from the SieMatic palette that would perfectly balance the wider scheme of the room and settled on Umbra. Dekton was the natural choice for worktops due its superior hardwearing qualities and Kira, with its warm earthy tones and elegant fine veining, was chosen to seamlessly complement the doors whilst adding subtle drama to this impressive open plan space.”

Added features such as the black Quooker tap, which provides boiling, sparkling and chilled water on demand, an antique mirrored splashback and bespoke metal framed shelving provide the perfect balance between practicality and beautiful aesthetic.

Dekton® by Cosentino is available in a range of designs, from industrial inspired to marble look.

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

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

This week’s instalment of Project of the Week series features a rebranded gym design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Adimari Studio.

What was the client's brief? 

The client wanted us to convert an old abandoned communist restaurant underground into a new, inviting and playful fitness space. The interior had to have a dual function – once as a gym and then as the official showroom for the Balkans/Eastern Europe of the Italian handmade gym equipment brand – Panatta. Fitness Flex is a chain of gyms and our purpose, upon the client brief, was to completely rebrand it, so we adapted the space guided by the concept of ​​"Flex Goes Green and Gold” and split the two floors into a “Green” Cardio Floor with lighter colours, wood and mirrors and a “Gold” Floor for heavy weight-lifting with black and gold accents.

What inspired the design of the project?

Many elements came into play when creating this design. The key for us was to create bold transitions and juxtapose the “Green” and “Gold” floors through contrasting colours and textures yet still create a cohesive experience and unified, balanced design. A tunnel with a vertical garden takes you to the “Green” floor with all the cardio and lighter training equipment. We combined warm wood and moss walls with cold marble-effect tiles for the first floor. In contrast, the entrance to the lower "Gold" level is highlighted by tall vertical gold elements, which you can also see on the walls and ceiling. The different lengths of the golden elements on the ceiling, the mirrors and also the lights that continue from them create interesting visual dynamics.

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

Our main challenge was to completely demolish the interior of the existing underground restaurant, raise the ceiling as much as possible and create different functional zones for training within the very irregular shape of the interior, filled with columns, sharp angles and concrete beams. The space is completely underground and our main goal was to take the consumer’s attention away from that so we brought the outside in. We introduced wallpapers with natural scenery, walls clad in artificial greenery and moss and plenty of lighting and reflective surfaces to maximize the light and space, including dressing each column and beam we considered unnecessary in mirrors.

What was your team’s highlight of the project?

We all fell in love with the black and white marble chevron tiling by Marazzi at entrance. Creating different zones within the space by switching up the colour or the material of the flooring altogether was a very fun design approach for us which would not have been possible in a different space. The flooring is all special non-porous, antibacterial virgin rubber by Paviflex which no water, liquid or sweat can penetrate, making the space safer, more hygienic and ease to clean. We wanted our design to be captivating but also functional.

Why did you enter this project into the SBID Awards?

Our studio is relatively young and small. We pride ourselves in our work and we wanted to exhibit it at an international stage. Bulgarian interior design is growing and we believe there’s many impressive, well executed designs which should be presented to the world to show that. SBID awards is a great place for that.

Questions answered by Marina Marinova, Senior Interior Designer, Adimari Studio.