The Brit List 2018 – designer profiles

676 433 Hamish Kilburn
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In the coming weeks, Hotel Designs will be profiling the 75 finalists in the Hotel Designs Brit List 2018. We continue with profiling our winning designers in alphabetical order…

This year’s The Brit List 2018 concluded on November 22, when leading designers, hoteliers and architects gathered at BEAT London to find out which of them made it on to this year’s The Brit List 2018. The hundreds of nominees and entries were whittled down by the event’s five judges, who were:

  • Gilly Craft, President of the British Institute of Interior Design
  • Charles Leon, founder of Leon Black Architecture and Interior Design
  • Gerri Gallagher, former associate editor, Tatler
  • Lysbeth Fox, founder and director of Fox PR
  • Hamish Kilburn, editor, Hotel Designs

Top designers 2018

Katherine Neathercoat – Head of interior design, Scott Brownrigg 

Katherine Neathercoat joined Scott Brownrigg’s award-winning interior design team in 2017 as director/head of UK interior design. Based in the Endell Street office, Neathercoat leads the creative design direction of the interior design service for the brand. Working closely with the team, she is responsible for growing the interiors business, expanding its client base and developing the studio’s multi-sector offering, together with supporting Scott Brownrigg’s wider international growth initiatives.

As the head of interior design, she is integral to ensuring the success and high calibre of every project and has worked on numerous notable schemes for clients as diverse as Hard Rock, Expedia, Berkeley Homes, Thomson Reuters, glh Hotels, Canary Wharf Group and Lendlease.

Kim Partridge – Founder and Director, Kim Partridge Interiors 

Kim Partridge Interiors creates high-end hospitality and residential spaces with a personal touch. New to hotel design, Partridge has made a statement entrance having just completed the award-winning Neo-Gothic flavour interiors for Adare Manor.

“There is much that I find rewarding about my work, but essentially, I get the most thrill out of sourcing those final pieces that make a space personal,” Partridge said on her website. “I absolutely love books and libraries, so often aim to find something unusual relating to the project that will tell a story.”

Maria Vafiadis – Managing Director, MKV Design 

The founder and managing director of MKV Design, Maria Vafiadis is an established thought-leader within the interior design world. With her body of work expanding more than two decades, Vafiadis’ ‘every project is one-off’ approach reflects her constant quest for new ideas.

Her ability to celebrate location is at the heart of the new Bürgenstock Hotel, which is located 500m above Lake Lucerne in Switzerland.

Martin Brudnizki – Director, MBDS (winner – Innovation in Design – Interior Designer of the Year)

Martin Brudnizki is one of the world’s most acclaimed designers – and for good reason. Previous prevalent projects in the hospitality industry include The Ivy in Soho, Sexy Fish and The Beekman in New York. His recent works include Cambridge’s new hotel, University Arms, and Annabel’s nightclub in London. Brudnizki’s love for design started from a young age. His mother was a stylist and his father a mechanical engineer; the combination of these elements embedded a deep understanding of aesthetics alongside a grounding in functionality.

Following a number of successful positions at renowned interior design firms, Brudnizki established his eponymous studio in London in 2000 and later in 2012 launched a New York studio in response to the growth in demand.

Nicholas Stoupas – Director, Twenty2degrees 

Nicholas Stoupas has successfully led a number of prestigious projects including Hyatt Abu Dhabi, Hyatt Regency Minsk, Hilton Bankside, InterContinental Westminster, Aloft Abu Dhabi and Russel Hotel London. Working with Joseph Stella, he is currently working on projects such as Le Meridian Abuja, Hyatt Regency Rawalpindi, Four Points Sheraton Abuja, Westin Abuja.

Hamish Kilburn / 20.12.2018

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