SBID Accredited Industry Partner, RAK Ceramics will be exhibiting its exclusive designer collections, RAK-Cloud and RAK-Variant at the upcoming KBB Exhibition in Birmingham from 1 to 4 March. With the prestigious product designers set to attend, we wanted to find out more about the collections and what inspired them. Read our interview with Giuseppe Maurizio Scutellà, Daniel Debiasi and Federico Sandri to discover what makes their designs so unique.
Giuseppe Maurizio Scutellà was born in Alcamo, Sicily. His collaboration with RAK Ceramics begins with RAK-Cloud, a project that continues the creative thinking of the Italian designer and that integrates perfectly with his other projects such as the collection of lamps “Pirce” by Artemide (Good_Design 2008, Red Dot Award 2009, IF Design Award 2010) and the “Metropolis” collection of crystal and ceramic tables by Tonelli Design.
What inspired the collections? RAK-Cloud, born from my love for sculpture, soft and organic and sensual lines, and marries with a speech that I have been carrying on for some time, in fact I designed a tap for Gessi, which is called Equilibrio and is inspired by the stones and nature. Identical process for my perhaps most famous project, in the world of light, with the Pirce suspension lamp, made for Artemide. While RAK-Petit is a specific request addressed to the architectural world, the need to combine washbasins in confined spaces, which do not renounce glamour, and the elegance of solutions that can be developed in larger spaces.
What was the design process? All my projects are born on paper. I like to explore different solutions quickly and instinctively. On paper I already imagine the finished volumes, identify the solutions that convince me most, 3D model the whole collection in order to have a coherent overall picture. I submit it for technical verification, from which I receive the feedback that I transfer to the collection. Then we proceed to 1:1 scale prototypes and if everything works, it goes to final production.
What is unique with these designs? There is a word in English, which does not have an exact equivalent in Italian, and it is understatement, which for me means creating a proposal, made of elegant but not screamed details, to give rise to unobtrusive, timeless proposals. A careful search for volumes and proportions, combined with cuts in the surfaces to create dynamism and at the same time sensuality, in an environment such as the bathroom increasingly inserted in a modern and contemporary living context, completes the number of projects.
Daniel Debiasi and Federico Sandri founded their own design studio in 2010 and work within various fields of design, ranging from objects to spaces. Multiple experiments and the relationship between manufacture and craftsmanship form the basis for a much broader thinking. They have created work for Antoniolupi, Lema, Ligne Roset, Normann Copenha-gen, Offecct, Rosenthal, Stelton, Villeroy & Boch among others. Together with Rak Ceramics, Daniel Debiasi and Federico Sandri present the project RAK-Variant (2019).
What inspired the collections?
RAK-Variant, like many of our projects, was born on the basis of a specific material. In this case, ceramics, a material, whose production must combine two supposedly distant worlds: the serial production, precise and standardized; but also a need for manual sensitivity, which cannot be ignored.
What was the design process?
Designing is never a linear path and very often, in one single project we have to process, bring order and translate all the different thoughts that flow together into actual products. In the specific case of RAK-Variant, we set ourselves the goal of achieving a formal synthesis that would allow the collection’s various elements to be easily integrated into different types of interior. In order to achieve this, we played around with the balance between the expressiveness of a product and its attribute of being consciously silent.
At the same time, we focused on some details that convey the quality while enhancing the intrinsic beauty of the ceramic material itself. The result is a collection of 25 basins in different shapes and dimensional variations that offer multiple installation possibilities.
What’s unique with these designs?
The top views of the washbasins, with a geometric and controlled matrix, interact with the very thin edges evoking, in this way, the delicacy of the material while creating a new timeless three-dimensionality, well suited to any interior context.
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The year of 2020 is upon us, and we hope you’ve got big project plans in the pipeline for the year ahead! To help you on your way with the latest product news and launches, browse this month’s curated collection of products for January, featuring exclusive Art Deco inspired dining furniture, shower mixers with a 90’s stereo aesthetic and minimal, monochromatic kitchen design solutions.
Oasis merge classicism and dynamism with the Art Déco inspired Turner Table
Turner Table is the newly born art piece of Oasis’ Luxury HOME Collection. Inspired by the first works of the British painter, William Turner, its ribbed structure is called “Canneté” (meaning a particular decorative technique characterised by a series of narrow repetitive grooves which is created through specialised production processes and material combinations).
In the era in which form and function represent the ultimate aspiration, “Canneté” offers the perfect synthesis between geometry and decoration with a distinctive and timeless style. Featuring classic, Art Déco geometries complete with stylish marble top and made with the finest Italian manufacturing, the Turner Table is perfect for the most prestigious and elegant of locations; from luxury residences to character hotels; creating spaces to contemplate, relax and pamper in a sophisticated setting.
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Hi-Fi by Gessi unites design and technology with the contemporary collection
Perfect for furnishing the bathroom as a room of wellness, beauty and living well. With the creativity that distinguishes it, Gessi has created a product to “play” with the water through a selection system of functions, flow and thermostatic shower mixer that has the aesthetic of a 1990’s stereo system. A bit vintage and a bit futuristic, the new button operated embedded or external Hi-Fi systems are the right compromise between sophisticated technological research, minimalism and functionality.
The Gessi Hi-Fi System shower columns, with their linear design, overturn the concept of the column, hybridising it with the typical form of the shower panel – but with totally external installation. Without embedded elements, Gessi create a highly sophisticated, architectural effect. Available with rainfall, waterfall and directional shower kit functionality, these sculptural wellbeing objects are also equipped with a handshower with a magnetic and variable position system.
Poggenpohl presents Lean luxury with +SEGMENTO Y
The new interpretation of the classic +SEGMENTO is aimed at captivating a generation of buyers who value quality, function and exceptional design. In black, white and grey, +SEGMENTO Y deliberately focuses on these three shades in matt finishes. The design is pleasingly minimalistic and reduced, meaning it appeals specifically to a new, younger group of consumers.
+SEGMENTO Y can be fitted to the closest millimetre. On request, handless cabinet elements extend from floor to ceiling and highlight the philosophy of the brand; designing not only a kitchen, but a living space as well. The nanotech material used on the fronts are repeated on the worktops and back panels which creates a consistently flawless impression. The limited theme of monochromatic tones opens up simple yet bold statements. A radiant white kitchen block standing against an inky black backdrop, or a black kitchen block providing a powerful accent against matt grey!
The Panaz studio introduces a new fabric collection, Dalston for 2020
Introducing the new informal plaid collective by Panaz featuring Hampstead, a larger scale brushed design and Harrow, a subtle stitched check effect. A third design, Kensal, explores intermingled textures with unexpected pips of colour. Colourways with neutral backgrounds and pastel soft tints are inclusive, calmer and easy to live with – ideal for creating a relaxed atmosphere with a contemporary vibe.
The Dalston upholstery collection showcases Panaz’ new printable velvet base cloth, Panvelle Luxe, perfectly suited for healthcare and hospitality settings.
Unlimited harmony, unlimited imagination: RAK-Precious provides luxury solutions for the washbasin
With richer finishes, RAK-Precious provides a luxurious alternative to the functional ceramic white. Combining collections for floors, walls, bathroom furnishings and accessories, RAK-Precious offers complete solutions, enabling you to create your own personal idea of harmony. RAK-Precious includes a full range of porcelain tile integrated washbasins made with RAK Ceramics Maximus technology. Counter washbasins, drop-in washbasins or countertop slabs, each solution offers a unique combination of decorating styles in order to create a perfectly coordinated environment. Marble, stone and cement can be perfectly combined with the functionality of RAK-Joy bathroom vanities.
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This August, we’ll let the luxury details do the talking. Featuring high-end tableware, lamps, washbasins, taps, bed linen and armchairs, the finer details can make a big difference in enhancing your designs. Incorporating exclusive designer collaborations in your product selection can also be a key to up-scaling an interior. Whether you’re designing for commercial or residential projects, using superior quality materials and designer collections can inject that extra touch of class to finish off your interior designs in luxury style.
Innovative British luxury brand Alexander Joseph launches its latest one of a kind cordless lamp, Atlas
The Alexander Joseph Atlas lamp is a one of a kind lamp, inspired by the ancient Greek myth of the Titan who was commanded by Zeus to carry the weight of the heavens on his shoulders… The Atlas lamp is meticulously hand-crafted over a 12-week period. Four copper blue glass spheres escalating in size are hand-blown in the finest English glass, then ribbed using traditional hand tools. The translucent orbs simultaneously reflect and refract light, providing a myriad of shapes and colours. The chromed stainless-steel collars have been painstakingly made by hand to fit the ribbed spheres perfectly. These imperceptibly convex crafted components are designed to provide additional reflective properties. A bespoke sixteen-inch drum shade wrapped in fine turquoise silk lovingly rolled around a hand-crafted frame finishes the piece. The Alexander Joseph lamps are a patent pending new invention and each lamp stays lit for over 52+ hours before recharging is needed.
Roberto Cavalli showcases its range of luxury tableware at Maison & Objet 2019
Kings of Chelsea carry the largest Roberto Cavalli Home Accessories selection in UK. Roberto Cavalli Home ranges offer the finest quality paired with fashion forward design to make your home both stylish and luxurious. They have been created to complement each other and provide a true lifestyle experience. Exhibiting at the upcoming Maison & Objet 2019 this September, Roberto Cavalli Home encapsulates the iconic brand’s penchant for all things Italian across its covetable range of luxury bedlinen sets, elegant tableware and glassware.
Drawing inspiration from the iconic prints and patterns of the clothing collections as bespoke animal prints and damask, the colours and textures feature vibrant intertwining details and ornate trims, including tassels and golden braiding. Paving the way towards glamorous home decoration and gifts, only the finest fabrics and materials are used, with coveted homeware exclusives adding to the glamour and sensuality that this brand will deliver to your favourite room or corner of the house. Transform your living space with everything from astonishing dinnerware to plush cushions and more.
Unlimited harmony, unlimited imagination. RAK-Precious provides luxury solutions for washbasin areas
Lucrezia small armchair and armchair are born with Francesco Lucchese for Selva
Padded is glamour: Selva knows that very well and puts in its design portfolio a small armchair and an armchair designed by Francesco Lucchese. The range of the Italian architect and designer for Selva is made of a small armchair and an armchair characterised by a very modern style, even if it maintains an antique touch with its soft and wrap-around shape. The range is designed to be customised with more styles, models and uses. The armchair and the small armchair are perfect both for a temporary seating as well as for a longer and more relaxed one, and they can be placed in different spaces, from the lounge in the hotel to the living space in a private house.
THG Paris continue to epitomise bath & art de vivre with designer collaborations
Since 1956, THG Paris has been synonymous with bathroom fixtures, accessories and sanitary ware. They continue to search for excellence and use creativity and innovation to put design and uniqueness at the heart of their offers. THG Paris have become a place where famous design houses are invited to express themselves through specific collaborations and collections. The combination of perfectly chosen precious materials, design, groundbreaking technology and knowledge is the secret behind its impressive worldwide success. THG Paris is a family driven by the desire for excellence composed of engineers and artisans, devoted to growing their company; a family that is still enthusiastic about being stirred by a new creation, timeless design, and that shares a strong connection to its brand.
The famous ring designed by Andrée Putman for Christofle in 2002 is the perfect embodiment of modern luxury. THG restyled and introduced their ring-inspired tap into the intimate environment of bathrooms, embellishing basins, bathtubs and various fixtures. By combining the talents of Christofle, studio Putman and master tap maker, THG, the sensual curves of the – O – Collection evoke the elegant movement of water.
Yves Delorme showcases its latest collection inspired by timeless textiles
This season’s luxury bedding designs are an ode to patterns, on-trend interior design colours and luxurious textures. A cosy vibe where dreamscapes, pictorial palettes and flowers unfurl as far as the eye can see. Inspired by fabrics from the far-flung reaches of the globe and the subtle intuition of combinations, this new Yves Delorme Collection is inspired by timeless textiles, rendering contemporary linens.
Whether you want to ensure your client’s showers are safe and stylish with innovative design and anti-slip surfaces; make your colour selections easier with the newest Colour Atlas on the market; or even design a bespoke, statement finish for your glass projects – browse our December edit of newly released products and developments to upgrade your designs for the year ahead.
The new RAL DESIGN SYSTEM is based on a 3D MODEL. It arranges the colours in three dimensions, according to hue, lightness and saturation. The Colour Atlas makes the system available in a handier binder and thus presents a swift, systematic overview of the over 1,825 current colour nuances with colour codes and additional colour information, which, for example, helps trend consultants in the development of collections.
Imagine a shower area where quality and harmony merges with form and functionality, providing users with the utmost comfort. The new RAK Ceramics shower tray, RAK-Feeling, with elegant and contemporary lines will give bathroom designs unique character and enhance those essential moments of relaxation. A luxurious finish with stone effect adds a distinctive feel to the shower area, as well as being pleasant to the touch.
RAK-Feeling is also made of RAKSOLID, a durable material composed of a mixture of natural minerals and resins with anti-slip safety. RAKSOLID meets the highest safety standards, classified in DIN 51097 Class C (the highest achievable level of slip resistance). With a surface that prohibits the growth of bacteria and fungi, alongside an excellent resistance to chemical products, the design ensures greater safety and hygiene. This is confirmed by the strictest chemical resistance tests required by the EN 14527 Standard. Additionally, the shower trays are not affected by exposure to light, proven by xenon arc lamp tests, which simulate sunlight on shower trays and verify the effects of ageing (EN ISO 4892 Standard).
Sandy Bay London was borne from my love of interiors and home décor. With the desire of providing an accessible luxury, for both male and female customers which can be used every day. So this is where the new range comes in; the Gentlemen’s Club Collection is designed for men, but the ladies love it too. The range is presented in impressive black and gold glassware, with stylish branding featured on both the candle and packaging. The Gentlemen’s Club comprises of 7 on-trend Fine Fragrance Blends which have been given catchy names such as City Boy, Forever Man, The Charmer, True Gentleman, Countryman, The Boss and Oudh Enigma.
Franklite announced the launch of their latest products for the 2018/2019 season. With the new Supplement showcasing over 80 new product lines, from traditional to contemporary, Franklite provide products to meet all a designer’s lighting needs. Featuring the Centrix 14 light fitting in a classic old gold finish, this light was designed to add contemporary focal point to any design scheme and even comes with fully adjustable arms which can be manoeuvred to fit and suit any space.
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Since 1986, Daedalian Glass Studios have successfully completed hundreds of glass design projects in the UK and overseas. Their unique glass designs have featured in five star hotels, foreign embassies, public buildings, commercial properties, places of worship, luxury private residencies, super-yachts and royal palaces. While all of their designs are completely distinct, they all share the same passion, creativity, hard-work and commitment to quality take it takes to produce them.
While no two projects are alike with their bespoke offering, they have developed a tried and tested process for managing glass design projects based on decades of service to the industry. Building up a reputation as experts in delivering both unique architectural features and artworks that add real value to a project, their clients range from interior designers and architects to procurement agents, contractors, property managers, artists, and private individuals.
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The international boutique art consultancy and concierge, Velvenoir offer SBID members complimentary art consultancy services and access to a curated, in-house art inventory with expert guidance as well as exclusive trade offer of 10% off any piece of art within their December selection.
Browse the selection and quote your SBID membership number to claim your discount
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