BIID announces plans for London Design Festival 2018

550 542 Hamish Kilburn
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The British Institute of Interior Design (BIID), which has been named the industry partner of this year’s Hotel Designs’ Brit List, has announced its plans for the three major events during the anticipated London Design Festival…

The British Institute of Interior Design (BIID) will be celebrating London Design Festival 2018 with a number of talks and events across the city. Taking place between 16-23 September, the 16th edition of the festival will feature a programme of world-class design exhibitions with an exciting mix of designers, products, talks, installations and innovations, positioning London as the design capital of the world.

“On behalf of the BIID, we’re delighted to be involved in London Design Festival this year and supporting the creative community in the capital,” BIID President Gilly Craft. “I’m looking forward to what is set to be a fantastic celebration of the quality and diversity of design and hosting some lively, informative discussions alongside our members this September.”

Decorex International 2018 at Syon Park

16-19 September 2018

Decorex has established itself as Europe’s leading interior design event, providing an unparalleled opportunity for interior design professionals to discover the finest in furniture, lighting, textiles, craft and accessories, with over 400 international exhibitors.

On Tuesday 18th September at 11am, BIID President Gilly Craft will be chairing a BIID panel discussion as part of the expert talks programme at Decorex this year. Entitled ‘Deconstructing the brief: the importance of form, function and understanding your client’s vision,’ Gilly will be joined by BIID registered interior designers Henry Prideaux and Beata Heuman, and bespoke furniture maker Neil Stevenson.

Together, the panellists will discuss the essential job of establishing and truly understanding a client brief, exploring the importance of finding out exactly what the client requires at the earliest stage in the design process, and interrogating the brief so that expectations match the results of the finished project.

BIID member Sue Timney will also be taking part in a panel discussion at 11am on Sunday 16th September. Sue will be joining John Allsopp, Reda Amalou and Rodrigo Moreno Masey for a talk on ‘The relationship between the architect and designer,’ exploring how designers and architects can successfully work together. The panellists will be discussing the challenges they have faced and will share invaluable tips and advice to ensure the best working relationships.

Focus/18 at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour

16-21 September

Bringing together the worlds of interior design, architecture and style, Focus/18 will take place at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour this year with more than 100 experiential sessions on offer.

On Monday 17th September at 5pm, BIID members Audrey Carden and Eleanora Cunietti of Carden Cunietti will be taking part in a panel discussion with Philip Bershad, president of Phillip Jeffries and The World of Interiors’ social media & network editor, Sophia Salaman. They will be speaking on the importance of creating a design identify while being able to adapt to today’s changing trends.

darc room, Shoreditch, London

19-20 September 2018

Returning for its second year in a new venue, darc room is a curated, creative lighting exhibition for specifiers and designers taking place at the Nicholls & Clarke Building on Shoreditch High Street.

BIID member Cinzia Moretti of Moretti Interior Design Ltd will be speaking as part of the darc room: live programme on Thursday 20th September, which features over 38 speakers talking on a range of lighting related topics. In her 15-minute talk at 1:20pm, Cinzia will be discussing how to improve the perceived value of the interior with good lighting and how this can affect human psychology.

100% Design at Olympia London

19-22 September 2018

This year, 100% Design returns to Olympia with a renewed vision to highlight its position as the unmissable show for design, innovation and emerging talent in London. With a number of new projects and collaborations, the event will also feature at the newly launched West Kensington Design District, attracting architects, specifiers and designers from across the globe.

As part of 100% Design’s highly coveted seminar programme, Talks with 100% Design, BIID President Elect Harriet Forde will be chairing a panel discussion on ‘Starting Your Own Design Business.’ Taking place on Saturday 22nd September from 3.30pm to 4.15pm on the main stage, Harriet will be joined by BIID registered interior designers Emma Hooton and Daniel Hopwood.

The discussion will see panellists explore the necessary steps to building your own design business, using their own personal experience. They will discuss the essential skills and support needed to manage your business as a professional interior designer, how to market yourself in the industry, and the challenges and rewards of starting a business.

designjunction at London’s South Bank

20-23 September 2018

Designjunction returns to London Design Festival this year, moving to the cultural hub of London’s South Bank. The event will take place across three different venues, covering 200 international brands and boutique shops, product launches, outdoor installations, and interactive talks.

On Friday 21st September, BIID President Gilly Craft will be hosting a BIID members’ breakfast and venue tour at designjunction from 8:30 – 10:30am. Providing members with an informal tour and preview of the venue, exhibitors will also be on-hand to discuss their furniture, lighting and retail designs with BIID members in more detail.

BIID member and founder of Zulufish Interiors, Caroline Milns will be taking part in a panel discussion as part of the designjunction seminar programme. Taking place on Friday 21st of September at 1pm, the panel will be chaired by Ben Spriggs, editor of Elle Decoration magazine, with designers Sebastian Cox, Ini Archibong and Magnus Wastberg of Skandium joining the speaker panel. The talk is entitled ‘Craft 2.0 – Fighting For Material Authenticity’, and will see panellists discuss how craftsmanship remains at the core of creativity, whether that’s championing local design or working internationally across cultures to celebrate age-old arts and crafts.

 

Hamish Kilburn / 24.08.2018

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Fun fact: People tell Sienna she gives off Bridget Jones vibes, and she loves to bake, always making sure there are shortbreads floating around the office

Work highlights: Sienna joined Forum Events & Media Group while studying Communications and Media, starting in the sales team where she managed and helped launch the first the PA Life Leading Venues of London SHOWCASE, where she built relationships with luxury venues across the capital. Drawn to the stories behind these spaces, she naturally transitioned into the editorial team, creating social media and editorial content. Upon graduating in June 2026, she is excited to be joining as Assistant Editor for Hotel Designs and SPACE.

Fun fact: When not working, Jess can usually be found tending to her kitchen garden in the Sussex countryside or foraging for herbs in the nearby woods. A keen grower, she recently studied a RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles of Horticulture during her spare time.

Work highlights: Jess joined SPACE magazine in 2022 and has since progressed from Assistant Editor to Editor. During this time, she has worked across many aspects of the publication – from shaping editorial strategy and overseeing operations to contributing to art direction and representing the brand on stage at industry events including Surface Design Show and WOW!house.

Alongside her role at SPACE, Jess has built a creative career spanning the arts, culture, design and travel sectors. Prior to joining the magazine, she spent more than a decade in the commercial art industry, in artist liaison, gallery management, and curating collections for the hospitality sector across hotels and cruise ships. During this time, she also worked on freelance projects as a writer, photographer, and creative content producer.
 
Jess studied photojournalism at London College of Communication and the Danish School of Media and Journalism and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in Culture, Criticism and Curation from Central Saint Martins.

Fun fact: Katy has spent years perfecting all kinds of accents and loves a good impersonation!

Work highlights: Katy has been with Hotel Designs since the beginning, way back in 2015 when Forum Events & Media Group acquired the brand.

During this time, she has fostered many meaningful relationships with clients from across the hospitality spectrum, as well as playing a pivotal role in the launch of The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs MEET UPs, client-led roundtables and panel talks, brand and website redesigns, HD Wellness Sets, DESIGN POD podcast, Hotel Designs LIVE panel talk series, Accessible Design Talks and more. Katy is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to help grow the Hotel Designs brand even further.
 
Most recently Katy has stepped in to the role of Publisher at SPACE magazine, the printed bi-monthly publication focused on hotel design, architecture, and development.

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