inex november 20

ISSUE

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S T Y L E L I B R A R Y. C O M / M O R R I S & C O #MORRISXBENPENTREATH @WMORRISANDCO

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I N E X ISSUE

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NOVEMBER 2020

If there’s one critical necessity we’ve all witnessed within our own homes and personal lives of late, it’s our complete dependence on technology. With stringent coronavirusrelated restrictions in place and outdoor exploration in decline for the first half of this year, we’ve all sought other, more high-tech means of socialising and working. With more limitations forecast up and down the nation and, as we head into the colder, darker months, this reliance is only expected to increase. It’s no surprise then that our priorities are changing when it comes to smart homes and home automation technology. What once was a ‘nice-to-have’ is transforming into a ‘must-have’ as we strive to keep up with communication between work colleagues, friends and family. This month, we’ve talked to Chris Knight, Managing Director at CEDIA Member of Excellence, Perfect Integration, about a few smart home technologies and what changes the pandemic has made to their relevance. Turn to page 54 to read the full article.

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WELCOME TO

As mentioned, it’s not just our personal lives that have suffered from the restrictions of the pandemic. Businesses all across the globe have had to alter their operations dramatically, and the interior sector is no exception. Quite the social role, interior design requires face-toface meetings and consultations as well as numerous visits to sites to check on progress and address pressing matters. However, quick to adapt, many interior designers have switched to digital platforms to proceed with business-as-usual status. One such individual is Benji Lewis, International Interior Designer and Founder of Zoom That Room – a video call design consultancy service launched during lockdown. In this edition, we talk to Benji about how we’re all adjusting to the recent changes in our professional and work lives and find out how he took his business onto a mostly virtual platform. Read the story by flicking to page 48.

I hope you enjoy this edition. Don’t forget, you can also access all of Inex’s features and product inspiration at your fingertips via the magazine’s state-of-the-art app. To download your version free of charge, simply search ‘Inex-online’ on the App Store or Google Play.

Cover: Berlin’s Magenta Moon Campus invites visitors to discover trends and events in a playful way.

See page 14.

Editorial: Rebecca Kemp rebecca@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Hannah Woodger hannah@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Digital Advertising: Sam Ball sam@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Jim Moore jim@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Print Design Manager: Jack Witcomb jack@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

Rebecca

Rebecca Kemp rebecca@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Follow us on Twitter: @INEXonline Follow us on Facebook: @INEX Follow us on Instagram: @inexmagazine  Follow us on LinkedIn: @Inex Magazine

Terms and Conditions:

Digital Design Manager: Matt Morse matt@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Accounts: Rachel Pike rachel@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Publisher: Sam Ball sam@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

No responsibility will be taken for drawings, photography or literary contributions during transmission or in the editor’s hands. In the absence of an agreement the copyright of all contributions, literacy, photographics or artistic belongs to Cross Platform Media. The publisher accepts no responsibility in respect of advertisements appearing in the magazine and the opinions expressed in editorial material or otherwise do not necessarily represent the view of the publisher. The publisher does not accept any liability of any loss arising from the late appearence or non publication of any advertisement.

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Publisher: Cross Platform Media Barham Court, Teston, Maidstone, Kent ME18 5BZ Tel: 01622 232 725

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CONTENTS NOVEMBER 2020

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ECO-LIVING & SUSTAINABILITY

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GARDEN

Here, James Scully, MD at Quadrant, discusses the importance of setting sustainability standards for the flooring industry.

INSIGHT

Berlin’s Magenta Moon Campus invites visitors to discover trends and events in a playful way. At the heart of it all is the event’s dazzling and immersive Magenta Moon Garden, an interactive, walkthrough video installation by flora&faunavisions.

This month, Inex Editor, Rebecca Kemp, sits down with Samantha Drummond, Managing Partner at Habitus Design Group, to find out more about her design background and delves deeper into her work on the famous Marina Bay Sands Resort.

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36 IN FOCUS: RETAIL

INSPIRE

When a long-established jewellery store prepared to make a move to a bettertrafficked location, interior design firm Cecconi Simone set out to create a harmonious and timeless design within the 3500ft2 retail space.

AUDIO VISUAL

In this article, Benji Lewis, International Interior Designer and Founder of Zoom That Room, explains how he took his business onto a mostly virtual platform to advise and guide clients how to make the most of work-from-home setups.

In this article, Chris Knight, Managing Director at CEDIA Member of Excellence, Perfect Integration, looks at a few key smart home technologies and explains what changes the pandemic has made to their relevance.

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

In this article, Lighting Designer Nicola Schellander looks at how lighting can transform a home into a highly desirable living space.

Inex rounds up the latest innovative products and solutions entering the interior marketplace.

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FLOORING NEEDS A CLEAR SET OF SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS Green building is far from a new concept. But in a world permanently altered by the pandemic, the focus on sustainability in the building and interior supply chain is increasingly expanding beyond efficient use of energy and natural resources to encompass the health, wellbeing and productivity of the people within the buildings, says James Scully, MD at Quadrant.

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n a new era of conscious living, people want to understand whether the places in which they live, socialise and work are fit for purpose, sustainable for the future, and positively impacting their health and wellbeing – concepts which are all intrinsically linked.

Flooring designed to maximise natural light, for instance – measured by its Light Reflectance Value – not only has a positive impact on occupant mood and mental health but also increases energy efficiency within the building.

With sustainability and wellbeing seen as key to future developments in the flooring industry, robust standards are increasingly needed to enable a new environmentally-focused production model.

Sustainability and the circular economy

The longevity of flooring materials and ensuring products don’t need to be replaced regularly remains vitally important and, as a result, has seen focus shift from ‘products that are used’ to ‘products that can be reused’. This has led to the industry adopting more ways to upcycle materials to create new flooring solutions, as well as ensuring these new products can, ultimately, be recycled.

Carpets, for instance, can be manufactured using ECONYL regenerated nylon, which is made from waste products such as fishing nets, fabric scraps, old carpet and industrial plastic.

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Waste is cleaned and recycled back to its original purity before being processed into carpet yarn and used for new flooring. The resulting material can be recycled infinitely, without ever losing its original quality, in a sustainable closedloop regeneration process.

Not that long ago, such an approach would be seen as novel and experimental, but today we find this and similar environmentallyfriendly practices becoming more prevalent.

Cork is another material being successfully used to make flooring products more sustainable. As a raw material, cork is naturally sustainable, as no trees are felled when it is stripped. It is estimated that for every ton of cork produced, cork oak forests absorb around 73 tonnes of carbon dioxide – helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slowing climate change – so it is understandable that the material is rising in popularity in both residential and commercial applications.

Cork flooring products also retain the ability to store carbon dioxide throughout their entire lifecycle. As a result, manufacturers are building on the natural sustainability of cork by recycling cork products, with the likes of Amorim even burning production-line dust to generate biomass energy and power factories, ultimately achieving a carbon-negative footprint.

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The new approach of human-centred design

As the concept of sustainability continues to give greater consideration to health and wellbeing, there is an increased focus on how flooring can reduce noise pollution, maximise natural light and improve indoor air quality. Cork, for example, isn’t just carbon-neutral, it also reduces acoustic noise by up to 50%, significantly enhancing busy spaces such as multi-storey office buildings, schools, healthcare facilities and hospitality venues.

Understanding the impact chemicals within building materials have on human health is also becoming more prevalent in the public’s consciousness, and flooring suppliers are responding by creating more products free from volatile organic compounds (VOCs), in line with current UK and EU indoor air quality standards. Take luxury vinyl tiles, for example; although such material may not immediately sound like a sustainable option, this flooring can now be made without phthalates, meaning it has very low VOC emissions and can contribute to healthier, cleaner indoor air quality. When combined with an inherently long lifespan and recycling options, vinyl flooring is becoming an increasingly sustainable option.

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“Demand for healthier, more sustainable indoor environments is driving a new era in building design�

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A strong focus on sustainability, and the broadening of its remit to include health and wellbeing, are positive signs, but making sustainable flooring products an integral part of building processes is not a one-tickin-the-box exercise. It can be challenging to ensure all participants in complex supply chains adhere to the same standards, from the sourcing of raw material right through to production and distribution.

A verified Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), which is an objective report into what a product is made of and its environmental impact across the entire lifecycle, is one vital way to gain more transparency into flooring supplies. An EPD could form the basis for a clear set of industry standards and already feeds into other environmental accreditations such as the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).

But demand from the buyers is essential for these efforts to become established industry standards. In turn, this requires education, in the form of accredited CPDs, around the processes behind the production of flooring products, enabling buyers to select suppliers and manufacturers committed to sustainable practices.

Demand for healthier, more sustainable indoor environments is driving a new era in building design. The flooring industry is already taking steps to deliver sustainable materials and solutions and to ensure these promote the wellbeing of building occupants. Ultimately, clear, industry-wide standards need to be put in place and adhered to, to serve the dual purpose of minimising environmental impact while positively influencing health and wellbeing.

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Setting the standard for sustainability

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MAGENTA MOON GARDEN:

Setting the scene for nextlevel digital education The Magenta Moon Campus in Berlin, by Deutsche Telekom, invites visitors of all ages to discover trends and events in a playful way – and to rethink current education concepts.

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orkshops, talks, maker spaces, an interactive escape room game: Deutsche Telekom’s Magenta Moon initiative has plenty to explore for everyone. At the heart of it all is the event’s dazzling and immersive Magenta Moon Garden. Designed to spark conversation around sustainability, tech and media skills in a playful and intuitive way, this interactive, walkthrough video installation by flora&faunavisions comprises three distinct visual environments (Sunrise Garden, Moon Garden and Magenta Moon) enriched with intuitive, interactive real-time elements.

The immersive environment and experience are flanked by online content and events that tackle topics from hate speech to climate change, accompanied by a wide spectrum of online content, talks and onsite workshops.

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Designed to be immersive, but safe

The large-scale interactive media installation blends natural garden elements with zeitgeisty architecture to highlight vital issues and trending topics.

The enchanting Moon Garden reveals its magic by moonlight blooms that open and glow, accompanied by soothing fragrances.

The shifting, yet predictable, patterns of interactive sculptures and objects satisfy both mind and eye, making the Moon Garden a great refuge from the everyday bustle – a place for regaining strength and feeling safe and in control.

Reflecting the move towards hybrid education concepts that mesh digital teaching with real encounters, the hybrid design combines digital and analogue facets in a seamless way.

Here, visitors can raise virtual gardens – while smelling, tasting or picking the actual plants on display, experiencing them with all their senses.

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flora&faunavisions’ no-touch concept and thoughtfully choreographed user journey ensure that visitors automatically keep the right distance while playing I N E X

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No touch, all vision

Meanwhile, flora&faunavisions’ no-touch concept and thoughtfully choreographed user journey ensure that visitors automatically keep the right distance while playing, learning or lounging, making the design studio’s approach a great example of how immersive events and installations can be staged safely in times of COVID-19. Such ‘phygital’ (physical meets digital) approaches are the future, because, “there’s no alternative to real-life encounters. But hybrid concepts that blend digital aspects with safe live experiences can offer new scope and space for such moments.

And serve as hopeful symbols of how to create a sense of normalcy in uncertain times,” says Leigh Sachwitz from flora&faunavisions.

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The tech behind it all

On location, huge wall and floor projections fill the entire space with poetic video content that reacts to visitor movements in real-time using radarTOUCH laser scanners. The team’s biggest challenge: translating this highresolution experience to an up to 7m-high and 36m-long curved space with surround sound 5.1 to give guests a real sense of being part of a living digital canvas.

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Working together for a liveable future

For school classes and anyone who loves to play, the media installation transforms into an outsized interactive game on digitisation, media literacy and sustainability every half hour.

As part of this exciting escape room game, anyone with reading skills can learn to separate fake news from real facts while gaining plenty of valuable insights on diversity, climate change, new technologies or the future of education – and what they themselves can do to make a difference for our shared future.

Using sounds and harmonies, they compose their own, downloadable soundtrack for their journey to the enchanted Magenta Moon. And they leave the experience with a sense of excitement and self-assurance that flora&faunavisions’ Founder, Leigh Sachwitz, wholeheartedly supports: “The interactive moments highlight a sense of autonomy – ‘It’s up to me what happens – I can do something to shape my own future’.” www.florafaunavisions.de

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Meet the designer: SAMANTHA DRUMMOND

This month, Inex Editor, Rebecca Kemp, sits down with Samantha Drummond, Managing Partner at Habitus Design Group, to find out more about her design background and probe into her work on the famous Marina Bay Sands Resort.

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RK: Please provide us with a description of your professional career.

SD: My career began in my home city of Melbourne, Australia, where I was on the operational side of the hospitality industry, helping to run independent restaurants, bars and clubs. New opportunities beckoned, and I moved to Asia to work on major residential and commercial developments and was still there when Las Vegas Sands came to the region. I was one of their first appointments and the fabulous possibilities of largescale hospitality development opened up to me as I first led the design effort for the Cotai Strip in Macau and, later, for Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. Since then, I have gone on to create several more integrated resorts for Solaire, a foremost hospitality brand in Asia.

RK: What inspired you to become a designer?

SD: From the beginning, I loved transforming spaces, giving them new life and turning them around. I am someone who is driven to come up with new ideas for destinations, from concept through to the guest experience, while at the same time always ensuring that every element is aligned to make the business successful.

RK: What inspired the start-up of your design firm?

SD: Acting as client advisor on Marina Bay Sands, orchestrating leading-name design firms and managing a whole panoply of design issues was an incredible experience that taught me a tremendous amount. However, the day came when I wanted to be much more hands-on again, so I steadily grew my own design company, Habitus Design Group.

It was also very important to me to create a platform that would employ and inspire young talented people – some of who would not have had the opportunity to be employed by an international firm due to lack of exposure.

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“It was...very important to me to create a platform that would employ and inspire young talented people – some of who would not have had the opportunity to be employed by an international firm” 3 1

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RK: What/who has been your greatest source of inspiration throughout your career?

SD: The ‘what’ is a ‘white box’ or an empty plot of land – when I really have to use my imagination to come up with something exciting that hasn’t been done before. The ‘who’ are the clients who have been kind and patient with my perfectionist ways and not judged me for my lack of conventional training, as well as the many creative and passionate people I have had the privilege to work with.

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RK: How do you approach your projects?

SD: I try to look at the space as a business first and see it through my clients’ eyes as well as the guests’ eyes. I like to involve clients in the creative journey – this is essential to harmoniously integrate their vision and my ideas throughout the project cycle. It’s a fine balance and critical for the success of a large venue to blend both business and creative worlds, to work collaboratively with numerous teams and to be pragmatic when needed.

RK: Would you say that you have a design style?

SD: Actually, I think my projects are all very different, and I don’t have a particular style. I do, however, bring the same amount of enthusiasm and creativity to every project and, most importantly, the space has to work successfully for me to feel that I have fulfilled my role. I believe that when you are creating landmark destinations, large or small, it’s the same principle: 3 2

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identify what makes sense as a business model, embrace the location and provide experiences that guests can emotionally connect to.

RK: What do you believe is the biggest challenge for today’s interior designers?

SD: I think it is to find a truly original design voice. This seems to be lacking these days, perhaps because it’s all too easy to be seduced by online sources and imagery.

RK: What has been your most notable project?

SD: Without a doubt, it was Marina Bay Sands. The scale, ambition, the extraordinarily creative people I worked with and the mentors in the client team who paved the way for me all made it one of my most memorable experiences. It was very high-profile, so I had a lot to prove. Happily, the development soon became an icon for the island of Singapore.

RK: Can you talk us through one of your most recent design schemes?

SD: We have recently been asked to redesign several high-profile villas for a wonderful client in the Philippines. I came up with a concept based on the silk road trade routes, which allowed us to give each villa a unique identity and story. Everything is carefully curated with bespoke furniture, art and antiques, and the result is a completely different luxury experience in each villa.

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RK: Have you witnessed any recurring requests from your clients?

RK: What can we expect to see from you over the next year?

SD: I am often invited to participate in gaming licence pitches, which is something I find very exciting. I love to develop concepts and ideas for these, typically very large, resorts as well as identify and help select outstanding architectural firms to collaborate with shaping the submission.

RK: What advice would you offer to those that are considering a career in design?

SD: To listen well and always think about what you are learning from others, to look with fresh eyes and have confidence in yourself. I would also add that it’s important to enjoy the beauty of what you are creating and to think about how your design will make people feel.

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SD: Right now, I’m enjoying working on a luxury resort in the Philippines, and we are about to embark on a new beach resort, also in Asia.

At the other end of the scale in terms of size, we are working on repurposing some historical buildings in Denmark into very special hospitality venues as well as looking at opportunities across Europe to design new destinations. I love the creativity needed to preserve the integrity of existing buildings whilst creating new and meaningful guest experiences. I always embrace opportunities to challenge myself and do something different! www.habitusdesigngroup.com

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R E T A I L F O C U S : I N

SHO STOP RET

When a long-establi prepared to make a trafficked location, opportunity to embr would appeal to a of shoppers. While new retail environm established custom hoped to appeal t and curre

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OWPPING TAIL

ished jewellery store a move to a betterthe owners saw an race a new look that a fresh generation e they wanted the ment to honour their mer base, they also to new customers ent tastes.

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oronto-based design firm Cecconi Simone set out to create a harmonious and timeless design within the 3500ft2 retail space, envisioning an aesthetic that was both sophisticated and approachable. A luxurious backdrop would showcase both the store’s own popular product line and a range of other brands, with a simplified display area, a warm black-and-white colour palette, and rosegold metal accents for a hint of colour.

FACT FILE: PROJECT NAME: Classic Creations

TYPE: Retail LOCATION:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

INTERIOR DESIGN: Cecconi Simone

MILLWORK:

Unique Store Fixtures

SIZE: 3500ft2 PHOTOGRAPHY: Shai Gil

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“Jewellery stores can traditionally feel overcluttered, with brands and products competing for attention. Our challenge was to create a visual style that was simple and minimalistic, bringing focus to the stunning jewellery on display,” says Cecconi Simone Principal, Anna Simone.

“To accomplish that, we installed custom jewellery cases and employed contrasting tones that carry the eyes to key focal points. The result is sophisticated but not intimidating – and makes the jewellery the star.”

A monochromatic white-on-white zone draws the eye first, forming a spine through the centre of the shop and acting as a backdrop for featured displays.

On either side, blackon-white zones lead shoppers through, inviting them to peruse both the store brands and those they support.

Custom wood and glass cases create continuity throughout – treating the jewellery like art in a gallery and removing the clutter of competing brand marketing – while rose-gold metal highlights both the display cases and accent lighting.

The same metal twists like a delicate necklace through a dramatic focal point light fixture above, drawing the eye to a fixture that feels like a piece of jewellery itself.

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“Jewellery stores can traditionally feel over-cluttered, with brands and products competing for attention. Our challenge was to create a visual style that was simple and minimalistic...”

– CECCONI SI MO N E P RI N C I PA L , A N N A S I M ON E 4 3

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Combined, the highcontrast aesthetic creates a sense of balance and rhythm, but the design doesn’t immediately give everything away.

Rather, shoppers are invited to come in and explore all the secrets on display, opening up opportunities for one-onone interactions with staff.

“The shop’s owners embrace a warm and personalised sales approach, and our aim was to create a space that both represents and supports that,” Simone says. “The aesthetic feels warm and welcoming and encourages people to linger as they deliberate on what can often be a costly, once-in-a-lifetime decision – like purchasing an engagement ring.”

To accommodate the different types of shoppers that will ultimately visit the store, the design also features a social lounge where shoppers can sit down with a cup of coffee and engage in conversation, as well as a diamond room where they can be left alone in private to deliberate. There’s even an Instagram wall – providing the perfect backdrop for selfies and photos to share with friends.

“The space is luxurious but not overwhelming, and respects the fact that people have different ways of shopping,” Simone says.

“We designed it to give everyone the opportunity to interact however they feel most comfortable.” www.cecconisimone.com

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TAKING INTERIOR DESIGN ONLINE

In this article, Benji Lewis, International Interior Designer and Founder of Zoom That Room, explores how we’re adjusting to the recent changes in our professional and work lives, and explains how he took his business onto a mostly virtual platform to advise and guide clients to make the most of work-from-home setups.

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OVID-19 broke into our lives with such speed back in March 2020, and it’s only now that people are adjusting to the impact it’s had.

Something that was the fourth headline on the evening news, and apparently happening thousands of miles away was, within days, the most discussed word in our lexicon, making clear that an entire rethink for all of us regarding our daily habits and lifestyles was imminent.

I think that most people’s reaction once lockdown was announced, aside from knowing that we needed to keep safe, was an acknowledgement that the show must go on, as it were, and quick thinking was vital.

As an Interior Designer – and hearing the word ‘home’ being conveyed as part of our Government’s message – I knew that the manner in which people

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were able to successfully meld their professional life with a comfortable domestic set up would be key, both in terms of productivity and contentment.

The first message that I endeavoured to convey to clients was that achieving a great work-life balance was possible, even if it meant that some upheaval was required.

For many, the conditioning has been that you leave your home in the morning, and pick up your professional life in an office, reversing the process on completion of the working day.

A positive (there were some – and goodness me, didn’t we need to find silver linings) was that virtual interaction was something we were already acquainted with.

Another positive was that we’d all become accustomed to storing documents in the 5 0

cloud, and for many, the reality was that work didn’t start and stop between identified times on a weekday. On the contrary, it’s quite normal to have to work into the evening or over weekends from a makeshift space in the home.

A final positive was that people were being given the opportunity to set themselves up in a working environment that really suited them. They didn’t need to sit at a desk space or go into an office that had been designed by someone else – that they might previously have found uninspiring. They could tailor their professional surroundings to suit them. An example of what I mean is that people didn’t need to sit at a desk they found uncomfortable, or if they wished to listen to the radio, it might now be possible – whereas it may previously have been off-limits.

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What became clear was that whilst the news we were being fed was undoubtedly unnerving, what was important was to keep calm, adjust thought processes, adapt surroundings, and carry on.

A successful working day is governed by several things – not least of which: Separation Clarity Organisation.

Separation

It’s a good thing to be able to feel like you’re ‘off to work’ when you start the day, so I have advised clients to look for spaces, rooms or outbuildings that are otherwise unused or underused within their properties that can be converted to efficient places to set up a work station. Similarly, it’s logical to try and be able

to close down the ‘office’ when you finish the working day. A home office outside of the house is fantastic, so, where possible, I would explore options on converting an outbuilding or doing a new build in a garden.

Change the way the new work station feels from the home – they might be under the same roof, but that doesn’t mean you can’t address the feeling you get when you’re in either of these places. I would examine options for finishes such as what goes on the floor (lino is a great look and more utilitarian than carpet ), choose a colour scheme that makes your clients feel good, set up a great room layout – try not to place seating facing a wall, for example; and surround the user with things that inspire them.

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Try to ensure that you have those elements that you’d have found in the office close to hand; a kitchenette, a WC – try to set up with an environment that is closely aligned to the one your client has been used to.

Clarity

Try and ensure that the new office has as much natural light as possible. In the event of that being in short supply, then work with beautiful ambient light – users need to be able to see very clearly the tasks in front of them, and enjoy a space with windows. This doesn’t mean harsh luminosity.

Factoring in how users want to feel while they’re at work is important, so when you shop for lighting, also consider the variety of bulb. I have a loathing of harsh, white light – it’s unforgiving and psychologically unhelpful if you want to feel at your best.

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Organisation

Don’t underestimate the amount of desk space you need; a working day isn’t always confined to a table, a chair, a lamp and a laptop. It’s joyous to be able to spread out, so I always suggest to clients that if they have the space for it, to buy the biggest desk they can – better still, with built-in storage. Places to store the stapler, hole punch; all those things people wish to tidy away at the end of the day. Being mindful of clearing is a great way of feeling like a user’s in control.

Something that I noticed during my first Zoom That Room ‘meetings’ was that people were crying out for cable management; it’s immensely frustrating having to work with limited sockets and extension leads all over the place. I found that clients wished as part of their domestic overhauls, to ensure that they have sufficient power sockets for their requirements. My advice is to never be in any doubt how many of these we all need – chargers/laptops/ printers/lamps/radio – we have a plethora of working accoutrements to consider, and that’s before you’ve even thought about giving the work station the once over with a hoover at the end of the day.

This is the new normal for us, and fast adaptability has been – and continues to be – key. There’s no time to wait for good things to happen, we all have to work harder to find them.

Taking my business onto a mostly virtual platform has been exciting and opened up endless possibilities.

As an Interior Designer, you have to be hard-wired into understanding messages you receive from clients and reading these correctly. Via a FaceTime meeting, there’s an awful lot of information you can glean – when you see someone in their room, you can gauge their style, their taste; you can even make good assumptions on their colour choices if you have your wits about you.

A virtual appointment is a very different experience to a phone call; when you can physically see someone, the manner in which they react to suggestions or proposals is clear in their body language or facial expressions. www.zoomthatroom.com

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THE RISE OF SMART HOME TECHNOLOGY When lockdown began in March 2020, the impact on our dayto-day lives was immediate and profound. Liberties that we had previously taken for granted were curtailed, and the way we use our homes and the technologies within were brought quickly into focus. In this article, Chris Knight, Managing Director at CEDIA Member of Excellence, Perfect Integration, looks at a few key smart home technologies and explains what changes the pandemic has made to their relevance.

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Reliable internet connection

Firstly, and something I have no doubt that all readers can relate to, is the need for a fast and reliable internet connection.

Over recent years, the continued move towards streaming media services has already made Wi-Fi the number one priority for many of our clients, but the sudden need for so many of us to work from home and conduct meetings via Zoom or Teams video calls, means that this is no longer on the ‘nice-to-have’ list, but an absolute must. Whilst the Government’s plan for us all to have high-speed fibre internet is admirable, unless that is distributed reliably and securely throughout the property, it won’t help prevent the stuttery work calls and family quiz nights we have all endured recently.

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the latest Wi-Fi 6 hardware will allow for all of these to connect simultaneously and reliably. That said, a hardwired connection will always be faster and more reliable than even the best Wi-Fi connection, so we would always recommend running Cat6 cabling to TVs, games consoles and desktop PCs wherever possible. External wireless access points can also ensure that you remain connected to your Wi-Fi when in the garden.

Wellness in design

The forced switch for many to work from home has also brought about increased demand for ‘wellness’-focused environments, as spending eight hours in a dark and dingy home office can be mentally very fatiguing. It is welldocumented that humans have a circadian rhythm, and that our bodies naturally respond to changes in daylight. Even 5 6

pre-pandemic, there was a lot of interest in circadianrhythm/human-centric lighting systems, in which not only does the brightness of the light change, but also the colour ‘temperature’. By recreating this artificially, you can boost productivity and focus in your home office (or gym) with high-output and cool white light, and then wind down in the evening with softer ‘warmer’ light at bedtime.

I have been experimenting with this over recent months and can absolutely vouch for its effectiveness. If you don’t have a window or nice view from your home office, research has shown that having a ‘view’ displayed on a TV screen can boost wellness, in the same way that artificial plants help improve the feel of an indoor space. This is a huge topic – there’s no doubt that a healthy home is going to be every bit as important as a smart home in the future.

CEDIA is the global trade association for companies that design, manufacture and integrate technology in the home. CEDIA works with design and build professionals, and their associations, to further collaboration and deliver technology solutions that allow people to have their best moments in life from the comfort of their own home.

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ABOUT CEDIA:

If your clients are not asking about technology already, they will, and you have the opportunity to be the hero. You don’t have to be the expert; you just need to know where to find one. As experts in their field, CEDIA members offer professional advice and guidance in the design of a personalised system for the connected home.

They provide information on the latest technology and how to use it as it becomes available. Working with a CEDIA member is the best insurance you have that the final system will meet yours and your client’s expectations.

Dedicated home cinemas

Like many, I am saddened to hear the seemingly endless news stories about the closure of cinema chains, where falling attendances and the film studio’s change to premiering more and more titles via their streaming services, has made them no longer viable. However, the demand for private home cinemas has never been higher, and we hear from many clients that their home cinemas have never had more use, with family movie nights now a regular part of their weekly routine.

In homes that don’t have the space for a dedicated home cinema, we are designing ‘media rooms’, where your living room turns into a ‘cinema’ at the touch of a button – and the projector screen drops down in front of your TV, and the discreet, or even invisible speaker systems, deliver stunning surround sound.

Exercising at home

The closing of gyms and subsequent surge in home exercise (thank you Joe Wicks!) has also brought about a change in the way we use our homes. Many gyms and personal trainers switched to online Zoom classes in order to remain connected with their clients, and there has been a huge uptake in ‘virtual’ sports such as cycling, running and rowing.

Whilst it is perfectly acceptable to use a phone or an iPad as the screen, the whole experience is far more immersive if you have a large screen in front (and even to the sides) of you. This makes what can be a pretty boring experience become a much more engaging one, with the ability to ride or run ‘in’ the Alps with your smart trainer or treadmill automatically adjusting to suit the incline as you take in the views. Having a life-sized one-on-one Zoom session with your personal trainer means you can work with a PT who may be in a different country. The comfort and convenience of having this in your home can be further enhanced with additional cameras, so the PT can check your form and reduce the chance of injury.

Enhancing the outdoor space

We were fortunate to have a lovely summer, which undoubtedly eased the pain of the initial lockdown. It also meant that we’d see an increased demand for enhancing outdoor space with Wi-Fi and highperformance, discreet speaker systems, which can be hidden in the undergrowth, transforming a patio or terrace into an al-fresco exercise venue or party zone.

In summary, the pandemic hasn’t really changed what we, as integrators, offer our clients, but it has changed their priorities and has made the need for a smart home even more valuable. www.perfectintegration.co.uk / www.cedia.net 5 7

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LET THERE BE LIGHT

Lighting Designer Nicola Schellander looks at how lighting can transform a home into a highly desirable living space.

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omeowners are spending more time at home than ever before. According to a survey published in September, the average person spends an extra eight hours a day in their home since COVID-19 and is investing almost £600 extra in improvements, when compared with pre-pandemic times – a trend unlikely to change anytime soon.

However, the way homeowners are using properties has been steadily changing over the years and with it, the roles of the individual rooms within homes are changing and evolving. People’s attitudes to their homes are also changing as people take more care to create an environment which better reflects their lifestyle.

Glass lighting is one of the easiest and most effective ways to create a desired effect in a room, yet so often it is one of the last features of a room ever to be considered and indeed sometimes is overlooked altogether. But it is arguably one of the most important, if not the most important feature in any room. More than an aesthetic luxury, the wrong type of lighting in an otherwise impressive room can have negative consequences on the end result.

The same room can potentially be the subject of dramatically different interiors, atmospheres and ambiences – depending on the lighting and colours used. The right colour and style of lighting can transform a living space to create a look and feel that makes a statement. Take the kitchen, for example, which in the 1950s was regarded as being functional and simply a place where food was prepared. Today, however, the kitchen is often the focal point, and its design is now as much about functionality as it is lifestyle. We have TVs in our kitchens. We’re spending more time in there, and it is a room worth investing in.

The increasing demand for open-plan designs too provides much greater scope. As a result, we have larger spaces in which to place feature lighting, whether it be kitchen islands or in stairwells or hallways.

Lighting’s crucial role

The more time we spend in our homes, the more we want them to look and feel right for our needs. Whether the kitchen or any other room in the house, little features can create a world of difference and give each and every room its own unique personality and lighting can play a key part in achieving this.

Certainly, from my own point of view, I am seeing increasing interest coming from the residential sector for kitchens; in particular with people looking for feature lighting that might hang over kitchen islands, kitchen or dining tables. Larger spaces such as stairwells, hallways as well as outdoor patios are becoming increasingly popular as lighting is an ideal way to make a dramatic statement. Although, at the other end of the scale, I am seeing more and more designers seeking lighting solutions for bedrooms too.

However, perhaps more interestingly, bathrooms are also now becoming more of a focal point, once again with the emphasis on lifestyle – with people looking for bespoke lighting solutions such as suspended lighting coming down over a bath, sculptures and wall lights which is really exciting for designers such as myself, opening up a host of new opportunities.

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A colourful combination

The current trend of neutral, earthy colours too provides a huge amount of scope. They almost serve as a blank canvas enabling designers to introduce splashes of colour to provide the individuality so often sought when creating a room space. It is here that lighting opens up a host of opportunities and can shape the way a room looks. Tones can be softened by using neutral or warm hues, or the use of colour can create a dramatic effect.

Within my own collection, I have introduced a range of 18 colours and make a point of creating designs on which customers are able to put their own stamp. So, for example, with a pendant light they can choose to have four or eight, they can hang them in clusters or in different variations and choose their own colours, making each combination bespoke to them.

When designing a house, it is important to remember that from a technical perspective, the home is made up of three types of lighting – ambient, task and accent. Ambient lighting is the primary source of light.

It includes everything from wall lamps to chandeliers and if used correctly, gives each and every room its individual character and atmosphere, creating a warm and homely environment. The right ambient lighting can also make a room appear larger while the wrong lighting can shrink a room, even rendering it cramped or claustrophobic, and for a builder or developer, it is essential this is taken into consideration.

Task lighting is commonly used to complement ambient lighting in the home, so it’s ideal for studies and lounge areas. Again, using the right style of task lighting is imperative, so it fully serves its purpose, all the while adding to the character of the room. While ambient and task lighting both serve a functional as well as aesthetic purpose, accent lighting – the third type of lighting – is purely aesthetic to help draw attention to special features in the room.

From furniture to flooring and finishes to fitting, lighting plays an integral role in achieving the perfect equilibrium between style, comfort and creating a stunning, yet functional interior. Whilst on the surface, lighting may not seem a key aspect in the home, its importance is hugely understated. Lighting plays with our perceptions, creates new and exciting sensations and can completely reinvent a design. Essentially, it can change the mood of a room, qualifying it as one of the most crucial elements in the design process.

Lighting can add colour, make a bold statement within a minimalistic design or add an element of individuality.

It should be considered as an integral part of a room’s design and not just for functional purposes.

The process of building an idyllic home requires numerous elements that are harmoniously brought together. Lighting should be as high on the list as flooring and wall colours. It is the ultimate accessory which has the power to change the face of a room and create the ambience desired. www.nicolaschellander.com

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S P O T L I G H T P R O D U C T

STUNNING PROJECTS WITH ELEGANT ACOUSTIC DESIGN Danish-manufactured Troldtekt panels are commonly specified throughout the UK and Europe to improve the interior acoustic environment. Two recent Danish projects are the transformation of an old building into a car dealer’s offices for Karvil Biler, while the other is an extension of Randers Architects’ own headquarters into a mix of offices and exclusive residential units.

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oth projects use Troldtekt line with its perfectly symmetrical vertical lines to balance walls and ceilings with great aesthetics, conveying warmth and providing a modern look coupled with high-performance sound absorption.

For the architects’ washrooms, Troldtekt line was chosen to add visual vibrancy to the rooms. It also exhibits different appearances depending on the angle from which the wall surfaces are viewed. The edges have been milled where the panels meet the ceiling, around electrical sockets and switches and also at floor level where bamboo skirting has been integrated. All have been elegantly cut to ensure a neat finish and fine detailing.

In the car dealers, Troldtekt line was selected in order to enhance and benefit the whole indoor climate. “We wanted to create a coherent look.

The milled grooves have a visually calming effect and contrast well with the new raw concrete floor,” the project manager explained. www.troldtekt.co.uk 01978 664255 info@troldtekt.co.uk

MULTIPLE OPTIONS FROM BISLEY Bisley’s awardwinning MultiDrawer has firmly established itself as a muchloved piece of furniture since it was designed by Freddie Brown in 1958 and has found many forms within the traditional office or the home.

Now, as part of its new Belong collection, Bisley has launched the MultiRange, a reinvention of the iconic MultiDrawer to reflect the more flexible working patterns we’ve all adapted to in 2020.

Accompanied by an accessory range that can also be incorporated into the original MultiDrawer, the MultiRange makes the design classic work even harder in your space.

Protects with a Natural Look 3062 MATT Natural Ingredients Highly water repellent Extremely hardwearing Natural look, light reflections are defused.

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MORRIS & CO. X BEN PENTREATH PRESENTS THE QUEEN SQUARE COLLECTION

Ben Pentreath, renowned Architectural and Interior Designer, collaborates with Morris & Co. to create a joyous collection of colour and iconic pattern, new for AW20.

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seamless meeting of minds between an iconic brand and one of the country’s most sought-after interior designers, the Queen Square Collection is named after the road that housed the first Morris & Co. factory and showroom.

Ben says: “I’ve always loved the designs of William Morris, and we’ve

used his superb, timeless papers and fabrics in many of our decoration projects over the years. So it was a wonderful experience to be let loose in the Morris & Co. archive. We’ve taken many original patterns, and recoloured them in a palette of my favourite colours, to cast his designs in a completely new light.”

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The Queen Square collection has been styled exclusively by Ben at his stunning Dorset home, with photography featuring in the collection’s pattern books. www.stylelibrary.com/ morrisxbenpentreath 01895 221050 I N E X

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ringing together some truly distinctive finish options in white, the collection demonstrates that this fundamental hue is not actually a single colour, but has, in fact, a myriad of sheens, surfaces and shades to suit every application. In addition, doors can be customised to allow even greater decorative freedom, with the inclusion of face grooves and inlays, together with many glazed patterns.

The White Collection includes Lacdor in White and Pure White shades, with its ultra-smooth lacquered paint finish; Dekordor SD in White Smooth and Woodgrain finished foils; Dekordor HD White, a continuous pressure laminate for demanding areas and for those who still prefer to paint their own doors, Primed 2 Go, with its revolutionary surface that requires no face sanding or priming and which will accept paint straight onto its smooth face to achieve an excellent end result.

Where performance is demanded, the White Collection is also available in fire, acoustic and security solutions. And as care for the environment is paramount in our minds, everything is covered by FSC certification. Products can be supplied as door only, door and matching frame assemblies or even as corresponding wardrobes.

THE TIMELESS ELEGANCE OF WHITE DOORS Simplicity in design is often thought to be the secret to creating timeless fashions and one way to achieve that desired blank canvas, is by using flush white doors. This opportunity to rejuvenate and add a fresh, clean look to interiors has now been given new impetus and inspiration with the introduction of the White Collection from Vicaima, a selection of quality interior doors for home, hospitality and commercial projects.

www.vicaima.com 01793 532333 info@vicaima.com

FROM THE VIRTUAL DURAVIT LAB STRAIGHT INTO SPACE

CREATE BEAUTIFUL FLOORING WITH OSMO Polyx-Oil is a premium wood finish keeping wooden surfaces in top condition.

Ideal for solid or engineered wood flooring, it is a high-quality, water-repellent and tread-resistant wood finish based on natural ingredients. Offering all the professional features of a traditional oil-based finish, Polyx-Oil allows the natural texture of the wood to still be apparent.

Polyx-Oil’s natural components penetrate deeply into the wood to create a micro-porous finish. This allows the wood to breathe naturally. After treatment, the wood is nourished from within and retains its elasticity.

It becomes water-repellent, stain-resistant and more hard-wearing. For more information about Osmo PolyxOil, pop onto the Osmo website.

Developing a toilet that can work in a weightless environment and on the moon, sounds like quite a tricky task. That is why NASA offered a $35,000 prize for the three best designs – for which they received 20,000 proposals from participants around the world.

NASA announced the winners at a ceremony on 22nd October and awarded third prize to Franziska Wülker, Development Engineer at the designer bathroom manufacturer Duravit. The two first places were awarded to teams from the United States. Franziska Wülker is the female non-American individual engineer who made it to the top three. www.duravit.co.uk 01908 286680 info@uk.duravit I N E X

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