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Meet Up North confirms Architextural as Event Partner

 730 565 Hamish Kilburn
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Meet Up North confirms Architextural as Event Partner

Leading surface brand Architextural has become an Event Partner for Meet Up North, which takes place on July 1 at Manchester’s Hotel Gotham… 

Hotel Designs has announced that Architextural has become an Event Partner for its premium northern networking event, Meet Up North. The event, which takes place at Hotel Gotham’s rooftop bar, Club Bras, in Manchester will further bridge together designers, architects, hoteliers and suppliers carrying the light theme of ‘Creativity Outside the Capital’.

The highly anticipated event will include an insightful talk and presentation by Tom Lindblom, Principal and Hospitality Leader at Gensler (London), which will be entitled ‘Hospitality is way more than hotels.’

“Architextural is delighted to support Meet Up North as an event partner as we value opportunities like these to authentically meet face-to-face with designers, hoteliers and architects,” said Lindsay Appleton, marketing manager at Architextural. “We are dedicated in transforming interior design by refurb with film. Wrapping existing fixtures, fittings and surfaces rather than send to landfill is a great concept that we are excited to present at Hotel Gotham’s rooftop bar, Club Brass, as the perfect venue for us to showcase our latest self-adhesive faux finishes.”

The hand-chosen venue for the event, which in a few years will become the older and wiser sibling of the brand’s latest hotel that is on boards, The Brooklyn, has been an epicentre of the city’s action since it opened in 2015. The general manager of the hotel and brand, Mario Ovsenjak, and the owner, Robin Sheppard, were both listed in The Brit List 2018 as being among the top hoteliers in the country. Located on the rooftop, Club Brass will transform on July 1 from a private members’ bar  into a premium networking evening for designers, hoteliers, architects and suppliers alike – and here’s how you can get your hands on a ticket.

Designer, architect and hotelier tickets: £20 + VAT
If you are a designer, architect or hoteliers to the industry and would like to attend Meet Up North 2019, click here.

Headline Partner: Hamilton Litestat

Event Partner: Atlas ConcordeEvent Partner: Architextural

Leading designers, architects and hoteliers to attend Meet Up North 2019

 730 565 Hamish Kilburn
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Leading designers, architects and hoteliers to attend Meet Up North 2019

Meet Up North, which takes place on July 1 at Hotel Gotham’s Club Brass, will be attended by leading hoteliers, designers and architects…

Following the success of Meet Up London in March, Hotel Designs is weeks away from heading up to Manchester with Meet Up North. The event, which is designed to bridge the gap between designers, architects, hoteliers and suppliers will this year carrying the theme of ‘Creativity Outside the Capital’.

Directors and/or partners from the likes of Denton Corker Marshall, Gensler, AEW Architects, Fusion by Design, LDA Design Consultants, Utopia Projects and Abode Architecture are among the designers and architects that will be attending the evening networking event.

In addition, general managers from the likes of The Stock Exchange Hotel, Hotel Indigo Chester and Hotel Gotham will be among the hoteliers attending the event.

Meet Up North, which returns to Manchester for a second year following clear indications that the city continues to be a hotel development hotspot, will include an insightful talk and presentation by Tom Lindblom, Principal and Hospitality Leader at Gensler (London), which will be entitled ‘Hospitality is way more than hotels.’

How to purchase your tickets to Meet Up North

If you are a supplier to the industry and would like to purchase your ticket to Meet Up North for £150 + VAT, click here.
If you are a designer, architect or hoteliers to the industry and would like to purchase your ticket to Meet Up North for £20 + VAT, click here.

In additionl, there are still various sponsorship opportunities and packages available for Meet Up North. If you would like to discuss these with our team then please contact Zoe Guerrier by either emailing z.guerrier@forumevents.co.uk or calling 01992 374059.

The inaugural Meet Up North took place last year at King Street Townhouse and was attended by more than 200 designers, architects, hoteliers and key-industry suppliers.

About the venue

Hotel Gotham is sheltered in what is arguably the city’s grandest properties and is an exclusive city-centre sanctuary, previously a bank that was designed in 1935 by none other than architect Edwin Lutyens.

The hotel, which opened in 2015, prides itself on offering a modern and comfortable experience in a unique and luxurious environment, with exquisite service all within a bespoke private club in the heart of Manchester.

Hotel Designs becomes media partner for Outstanding Property Award London

730 565 Hamish Kilburn

[vc_row padding_top="35"][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_column_text el_class="newposttitle"][page_title][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Hotel Designs become an official media partner for the Outstanding Property Award London as editor Hamish Kilburn is confirmed on the jury...  The Outstanding Property Award London (OPAL), which honours innovation and talent in the most exceptional projects globally within property development, interior design and architecture, has confirmed Hotel Designs as an official media partner.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="2/3" el_class="top-left-border"][vc_column_text][thumbnailnew][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In addition to covering news and features around the awards, Hotel Designs has also put forward its editor, Hamish Kilburn, to be on the jury. "As the leading international hotel design website, Hotel Designs is all about supporting awards, events and concepts that are dedicated to rewarding outstanding individuals and projects worldwide," he said. "There's a lot of synergy between OPAL and Hotel Designs. For starters, both brands aspire to identify and celebrate the leading individuals and firms who are pushing the boundaries of design and architecture. On a personal note, as a member of this year's jury, I am eager to sift through the entries, but what I am most looking forward to is helping to amplify the individual property developers, designers and architects who are internationally shaping the future of our industry." Other jury members of OPAL 2019 include Richmond International's Fiona Thompson, Stylt's Erik Nissen Johansen, Zaha Hadid Architects' Michele Salvi, Beauchamp Estates' Gary Hersham and Yasmine Mahmoudieh among others.  "The awards are now open to outstanding entries from around the world." Described on its website as "not just another award", OPAL creates the opportunity for each participant to gain visibility for their latest innovative projects and allows developers, designers and architects to connect with leading professionals within the industry and beyond. The awards are now open to outstanding entries from around the world. An exclusive event, organised in London, will celebrate the winners. OPAL will reward the world's most outstanding property projects and expose them to the world - and Hotel Designs will now be there alongside the awards with live updates between now and the ceremony. OPAL accepts applications for project submissions from three industry sectors, which are property developers, interior designers and architects. To apply for this year's OPAL, and/or to find out more information about the concept and the jury, please click here. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Meet Up North: Early bird promotion expires today

 730 565 Hamish Kilburn
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Meet Up North: Early bird promotion expires today

There are now just a few hours remaining for designers, hoteliers, architects, developers and suppliers to take advantage of Hotel Designs’ early bird promotion for Meet Up North, which takes place on July 1 at Hotel Gotham, Manchester…  

The early bird promotion for Meet Up North 2019 ends today!

On July 1, leading designers, architects, hoteliers and key-industry suppliers are expected to gather at the hotel’s exclusive members-only rooftop bar, Club Brass, for drinks and canapés above the city.

The VIP lounge on the 7th floor of the hotel was chosen as the venue for Meet Up North after editor Hamish Kilburn described Hotel Gotham as Manchester’s decadent playground in his interactive hotel review that was published last year.

Suppliers: £99 + VAT (£150 + VAT after early bird offer expires after April 30).
Designers, architects and hoteliers: £10 + VAT (£20 + VAT after early bird offer expires after April 30).

If you are a supplier to the industry and would like to attend Meet Up North, click here.
If you are a designer, architect or hoteliers to the industry and would like to attend Meet Up North, click here.

There are various sponsorship opportunities and packages available for Meet Up North. If you would like to discuss these with our team then please contact Zoe Guerrier by either emailing z.guerrier@forumevents.co.uk or calling 01992 374059.

Agenda for Meet Up North 2019

18.00:
Welcome drinks

18.15: 
Canapés are served

18.30:
Opening address by Editor, Hamish Kilburn

18.45:
Headline speaker: Tom Lindblom, Principal and Hospitality Leader at Gensler (London)
Title: Hospitality is way more than hotels

19.15 – 21.00:
Networking

The inaugural Meet Up North took place last year at King Street Townhouse and was attended by more than 200 designers, architects, hoteliers and key-industry suppliers.

About Hotel Gotham

Hotel Gotham is sheltered in what is arguably the city’s grandest properties and is an exclusive city-centre sanctuary, previously a bank that was designed in 1935 by none other than architect Edwin Lutyens.

The hotel, which opened in 2015, prides itself on offering a modern and comfortable experience in a unique and luxurious environment, with exquisite service all within a bespoke private club in the heart of Manchester.

Main image credit: Hotel Gotham

Hotel Designs launches into a stylish new era at Meet Up London 2019

 730 565 Hamish Kilburn
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Hotel Designs launches into a stylish new era at Meet Up London 2019

The hotel design industry’s finest gathered at Minotti London last night for Meet Up London, Hotel Designs’ first networking event of 2019, which unveiled many causes for celebrations…

London was at the centre of the design world once more last night, as hundreds of designers, architects, hoteliers and key-industry suppliers descended on city’s Fitzrovia district for Meet Up London.

Providing the perfect stage for Hotel Designs’ first networking event of the year, Minotti London opened its showroom doors to the sea of leaders and visionaries who attended the event.

Among the guests were young designers, directors and principals from studios such as Richmond International, Conran & Partners, WATG, Jestico + Whiles, ARA Design, Scott Brownrigg, Gensler and many more.

Unique to this year’s format, Meet Up London hosted the final of Hotel Designs’ 30 Under 30 initiative. All 40 shortlisted finalists were invited, courtesy of Hotel Designs, following the title’s aim to help bridge the age gap in international hotel design. “Tonight’s concept, and its very important theme, has evolved in order to make our networking events more relevant to our audience,” said editor Hamish Kilburn who made the sofas of Minotti his stage for the evening. “Since the success of The Brit List 2018 Awards last year, we have decided to lightly theme each of our networking events. Tonight, it is about celebrating and profiling young designers and architects who are proving themselves to be true leaders in the making, if not so already.”

Following the unveiling of the final 30 Under 30, the evening’s programme gave guests a sneak peek of Hotel Designs’ new branding and website ahead of its highly anticipated launch that was announced today. “I am delighted that we are turning this page so publically here this evening in order to start our new chapter.” explained Kilburn. “Our new slogan is: ‘Defining the point on international hotel design,’ and we believe that events like these that are attended by so many of you, our readers, do just that.”

Meet Up London continued with an engaging talk from the London School of Architecture’s Director of Critical Projects, James Soane. Aptly entitled Repairing The Future, Soane’s presentation captured the audience’s attention and imagination into understanding how we can, as a collective creative industry, design and build better cities and hotels. “Are you doing what you believe in and are you practicing what you preach” Soane asked the audience. “Or are you just preaching what you would like to practice? Design can make the world a better place. It has a lot to do with equality and the future.”

Attendees were then able to use the evening as a networking event to catch up with like-minded industry experts, while also learning about the latest products on the market from suppliers such as Hamilton Litestat (exclusive headline partner), Tarkett (event partner), Minotti London (style partner), Crosswater, Brintons, Laufen and many more.

Ensuring that no guest left empty handed, gifting partner Aslotel supplied all attendees with a generous goody bag that included a selection of its luxury amenity products.

The full gallery of the evening – and the details for Hotel Designs’ next networking event, Meet Up North – will be announced shortly.

BRITISH STYLE: Questioning design like Ilse Crawford

 730 565 Hamish Kilburn
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BRITISH STYLE: Questioning design like Ilse Crawford

To launch the new chapter of Hotel Designs, Hamish Kilburn investigates how one woman, her editorship and her questions over convention helped to change modern international hotel design by challenging the very foundations it sits on…

Every now and then, the world is introduced to a design icon who, through making their visions into reality, helps to shift attitudes by challenging conventional forms.

For Ilse Crawford, the founding Editor-In-Chief of British Elle Decoration, the design world was somewhat lacking reference of everyday movement when she decided to step into the shoes of her designer readers.

In 1997, a decade on from founding British Elle Decoration, Crawford asked the world to “liberate your senses and change your life” when she published her first book, Sensual Home, which mapped out how the living environment can engage us sensually as well as visually from the perspective of sight, sound, taste, touch and smell. And was, for Crawford, the start of a new journey.  “Writing the book was the ‘ah-hah’ moment, because it wasn’t the current understanding of design,” she explained in the Netflix documentary, Abstract: The Art of Design. “The days of being a two-dimensional person were over.”

The defiant leap from narrator to creator came one year later after she signed off as Editor-In-Chief. Having completed her mission to launch a contemporary magazine for a wide audience, Crawford worked for Donna Karan and getting her hands dirty, she became a maker. Crawford’s first hotel interior design brief was presented to her immediately after she left Elle Decoration when she was asked to convert a stately home for Nick Jones of Soho House into what we now know of as Babington House. “Nick originally wanted this place to look and feel like a stately home, but I was very clear that that’s the last thing it should be,” Crawford explained in Abstract: The Art of Design. “My proposal was that it should be a very informal place where you could just treat as if it was your own, like a family house of a friend where the parents had gone away and left the key the drinks cabinet.” Breaking the rules of the time, Crawford’s design stole the headlines and her journey as an interior design began.

“The project saw the transformation of a former industrial building in the Meatpacking district into a 27-key design hotel.”

From the rural British countryside to the bustling scene of Manhattan, Crawford’s skillful and sensitive approach was called upon to create the first outpost of Soho House outside the UK. The project saw the transformation of a former industrial building in the Meatpacking district into a 27-key design hotel, including bars, a restaurant, cinema and rooftop pool. Soho House New York opened to become the definitive third space for the transatlantic media crowd.

Her aim as an interior designer is to put human needs and desires at the centre of all that she does. Working in commercial and residential design, and blurring the lines between both, Crawford has changed many environments for the better of those who use them. Ett Hem Hotel was a conversion project of a former arts and crafts building. The 12-key guesthouse is described by Crawford as “a place to stay for the modern traveller, a home-from-home, where flexibility of space and function is central to the hotel’s operation,” she says. “There is no division between front and back of house – anything can happen anywhere at any time.”

Residential style in the hotel

Image caption/credit: Ett Hem Hotel. Interiors by Ilse Crawford

As someone who truly lives and breathes the industry in which she used to curate on the pages of Elle Decoration, Crawford wears many hats as a modern designer. In her own admission to Interior Design magazine, she confessed that “the line between my work and life is thin to non-existent.”  Working from her London studio, which is directly below her home, Crawford’s knowledge in interiors has allowed her to extend her portfolio to include product design. The Sinnerlig Collection for IKEA includes 30 pieces of of furniture, lighting and tabletop collection. “They explore natural materials and are simple,” Crawford explains on her website. “They are helpful, background pieces, not showstoppers.” Tactile materials such as cork, ceramic, glass, seagrass and bamboo appealed in the design concept because they felt as good as they looked.

“Maison&Objet awarded Crawford the prestigious title of Designer of the Year 2016.”

The Together Table was another design that challenged existing products on the market. Confronting the design of conventional four-cornered tables, Crawford simply rounded the edges of the table, which as a result naturally invited people to move around it more freely.  The Ilse Sofa was the result of a collaboration with British furniture brand George Smith. The height and depth of the product’s arms and back were calculated and tested to ensure that the sofa supports as many sedentary habits of modern life. “We like to think of it as a room within a room,” Crawford explains when describing the tactile experience.

Beige modern, long, thin table

Image caption/credit: The Together Table by Ilse Crawford

Two years after she was awarded an MBE in recognition for her work in design, Maison&Objet awarded Crawford the prestigious title of Designer of the Year 2016. Since then, the modest designer has continued to evolve the hospitality landscape with completing projects such as The Lounge Plaza 66, Cathy Pacific’s iconic airport lounge in Hong Kong and the warm and inviting home-from-home that is Bukowskis.

Crawford’s philosophical visions to challenge the norm leaves a clear path for young designers who aspire, like her, to make a difference through design. As the founder of the department of Man and Wellbeing at the Design Academy Eindhoven, Crawford’s mission as a visionary is explained on her website as “nurturing a new generation of students to always question why and how their work improves the reality of life.” Her philosophy to improve the future through considered design is what makes her the leader she undoubtably is today. Her work – and her working style – is a simple, effortless reflection of the questions she asks of the designs of today and the possibilities that are garnered by second guessing what the future should look and feel like.

Crawford, an ever-evolving icon of British and international design, has metaphorically cut the ribbon to launch Hotel Designs’ new website by being the subject of the first editorial feature of the title’s new era. The newly launched slogan “defining the point of international design” is a pledge from the editorial team to its readers to cut through the noise to publish conversation starters that will filter into many debates on the hotel design scene that we all know and love. That conversation starts here, with a question that Crawford asks herself when confronted with a new project: “How can design strategically make things better?”

Main image credit: Ilse Crawford/StudioIlse

Architects and designers concerned to incorporate flame installations in design

 800 503 Hamish Kilburn
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79 per cent of architects and designers avoid using flame installations in their projects, a study has revealed…

Architects and designers have growing concerns about including flame in their designs, a study has suggested. 

The research, which was carried out by Glen Dimplex Heating and Ventilation, revealed that the majority of respondents (79 per cent) said they had concerns when it came to incorporating fire and flame in their projects, despite the fact that they often form centrepieces of design work.

Health and safety was cited as the main concern (46 per cent), followed by energy efficiency (39 per cent) and cost (32 per cent). However, respondents also said if health and safety concerns could be addressed and the right technology was available, 53 per cent would be more inclined to use include fire or flame in projects.

“The research demonstrates that there is a definite appetite in the market for alternative ways of incorporating fire into the design of commercial spaces, especially methods that are safer and more cost-effective,” says Jonathan Smith, product marketing manager – Flame Technology, Glen Dimplex Heating and Ventilation.

“This is something that we are seeing more of in our own business, where the demand for our flame technology and flame effects products is increasing rapidly, giving architects and designers realistic flame options that add to the visual appeal of a space with none of the disadvantages.”

The study surveyed 250 architects and designers across the UK to gauge their opinions on the state of the industry, technology in the design process, and the use of flame in their projects.

The concerns around using fire are consistent with the industry’s overall challenges; architects and designers identified cost reduction (64 per cent), keeping on top of innovation (48 per cent) and health and safety (41 per cent) as their top issues.

The research also highlighted the use of other technologies in the design process with 62 per cent of architects and designs saying that smart technology was already having an impact or would be in the next six months. Almost one-quarter of respondents (24 per cent) said augmented reality would influence the industry within the next 18 months, while 23 per cent said virtual reality would affect it in the next six months. Robotics, 3D modelling and 3D printing, and the use of drones, were also cited as making an impact in the longer term.

Hotel Designs’ would like to know your opinion on whether you would avoid using flame installations in your design because of health and safety factors. Please tweet us @HotelDesigns to have your say. 

Main image credit: Glamm Fire’s Operetta 

Meet Up London: 30 Under 30 launches early bird tickets

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Early bird tickets are now available for Meet Up London: 30 Under 30, which this year will run with the theme 30 Under 30… 

Until February 7, designers, architects, hoteliers and suppliers will be able to purchase early bird tickets for Hotel Designs‘ highly anticipated Q1 networking evening, Meet Up London: 30 Under 30.

The event, which is being exclusively styled by Minotti London and will take place in the showroom in Fitzrovia, will help to further bridge the gap between designers, architects, hoteliers and key-industry suppliers. “We hope that by launching the ’30 Under 30′ element to the evening that the event will become more than just a networking event for industry leaders,” said editor of Hotel Designs Hamish Kilburn. “We are excited to shine the spotlight on the rising stars of industry, to the individuals who are fast climbing the ranks to push international hotel design into a new and exciting chapter. This is therefore the perfect event for individuals from across the industry to gather to help further bridge the gap between designers, architects, hoteliers and key-industry suppliers of all ages.”

Early bird ticket prices

Suppliers: £99 + VAT (£150 + VAT after early bird offer expires after February 7)
Designers, hoteliers and architects: £10 + VAT (£20 + VAT after early bird offer expires after February 7)

To purchase your tickets, click here.

Venue:
Minotti Showroom,
77 Margaret St, Fitzrovia, London, W1W 8SY
Date: March 28, 2019

How to apply for the 30 Under 30 list

If you are/or know of a deserving designer, architect or hotelier who is 30 years old or younger, please send in your application/nomination to: h.kilburn@forumevents.co.uk with the following:

  • 200-400 word bio, which acknowledges achievements to date and why you/he/she deserves to be recognised
  • Name of company you/he/she currently works for
  • Profile image

The final 30 will be confirmed to attend the event with Hotel Designs‘ compliments and the winners will be notified in due course ahead of the networking evening.

How to attend Meet Up London: 30 Under 30

If you are a supplier to the hospitality industry looking to attend the event, contact Zoe Guerrier on 01992 374059 or on z.guerrier@forumevents.co.uk – or click here to book your place.

If you are an interior designer or architect and would like to attend the Hotel Designs Meet Up London: 30 Under 30, click here to confirm your attendance.

Exclusive style partner: Minotti London

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. This week, we begin by 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

Alex Kravetz, Director – Alex Kravetz Design

Having just completed the Radisson Blu Astrid Antwerp, which is sheltered in one of the city’s most iconic buildings, the design company continues to send ripples through the industry with its creative way of storytelling through interior design.

Alex Kravetz started his career as a designer at the Opera & Ballet Theatre, before moving on to create the stage designs at the Royal Shakespeare Company. A hospitality design career followed naturally, and he soon reflected narrative onto the walls, into the fabrics and under striking lighting on the international hotel design stage, using location and culture as key inspirations behind each project. Kravetz has a deep understanding of the luxury market together with his ability to take an innovative approach to timeless elegance and chic dramatic interior architecture.

Andrew Linwood – Director, Areen Design 

Areen Design London

As head of Areen Design, Andrew Linwood’s role covers all aspects surrounding a project, from inception to installation. Linwood has designed interiors for many of the world’s leading hotel groups including, among others, Hilton Hotels, Marriott International, Radisson and Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

An interior design degree-holder having worked in the UK, across Europe and Asia, Linwood has been monumental in making Areen Hospitality a force in the international interior design scene. The firm currently has projects underway in Europe, the MENA region, India, Central Asia and China.

Ariane Steinbeck – Managing Director, RPW Design

Ariane Steinbeck and her team have most recently, and most notably, completed The Capital Suite in London’s Intercontinental Park Lane. The hotel has been designed in order to capture subtle references of the hotel’s unique location with it being situated adjacent to Hyde Park. Having previously worked on well-known projects such as Marriot County Hall, Steinbeck continues to be a major name and face in the industry, known for sensitively and effortlessly breathing new life into hotel interiors from around the world.

Steinbeck is an active contributor in the hospitality and the interior design industry. Serving as a frequent speaker and judge at hotel industry events and awards, Steinbeck is also often a commentator on changing trends and guest expectations in numerous publications and documentaries.

Bee Osborn – Director, Osborn Interiors

In a recent interview with Hotel Designs, Bee Osborn explained how she became the pioneering creative that she is known as being today. Osborn admits that her favourite project was Hotel Le Toiny in St Barths because of how everything came together at once. Osborn’s advice to young designers is to ‘believe in yourself’ and to ‘never be too established to stop learning’.

The designer draws inspiration from classic design and proportion, but always infuses her work with modern up-to-date energy. Osborn is passionate about lighting and believes it is key to any project. Together with her experienced team, she produces balanced harmonious interiors that are both practical and awe-inspiring.

Christopher Ash – Director, Project Orange

Recently interviewed in by Hotel Designs, Christopher Ash helms Project Orange with his business partner James Soane.

After completing the commission to reinvent the venerable Swan Hotel in Southwold, Suffolk for Adnams Brewery, Ash and his team are now putting a lot of focus on the future of hotel design, including work on, Room 2, which is a new Southampton aparthotel, and have been appointed to design the interiors for the quirky and edgy NHow London.

 

THE BRIT LIST 2018: One week to go

 Hamish Kilburn
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In seven days time, the UK’s leading designers, hoteliers and architects will gather at BEAT London for what is being dubbed the ‘after-party of Show Season 2018 for a networking event like no other…

With just seven days until The Brit List 2018 is unveiled and the winners of the six newly launched events are announced, time for designers, hoteliers, architects and key-industry suppliers to purchase their tickets to meet up with the UK’s leading influencers in international hotel design is running out.

Studio directors, managing directors and general managers from companies such as HBA London, GA Design, RPW Design, WATG, Goddard Littlefair, EPR Architects, Bespoke Hotels, Gleneagles, Rosewood Hotels and Hotel Gotham are all among those who have confirmed their attendance at The Brit List 2018.

With highlights of the evening including headline speaker, Charles Leon from Leon Black Interior Architecture discussing Britain’s position in international hotel design and hospitality post-Brexit, the networking event will conclude this year’s insightful show season and will give delegates and suppliers the opportunity to discuss the highlights of hotel design in 2018.

How to attend

The last remaining tickets available can be purchased by clicking here.

If you would like to talk about sponsorship opportunities, or to request the latest attendee list, please contact Katy Phillips on 01992 374050 or via email by clicking here.

If you are an interior designer, hotelier or architect you can book tickets for £20+vat per person here

If you are a supplier to the hotel industry you can book tickets for £175+vat per person here

Event timings: 6.30 p.m. – 10.30 p.m.

6.30 p.m. Welcome drinks are served
7.00 p.m. Welcome speech from Hotel Designs Editor, Hamish Kilburn, to include unveiling of The Brit List 2018 winners
7.15 p.m. Canapés are served
7.15 p.m. Headline speaker, Charles Leon, Leon Black Interior Architecture addresses the Brit List 2018 – Britain’s position in international hotel design and hospitality post-Brexit
7.30 p.m. Awards presentation commences
8.00 p.m. Headline speaker, Moritz Waldemeyer, Studio Moritz Waldemeyer addresses The Brit List 2018 – Hotel lighting; how it has changed in recent times and how is lighting technology allowing for more creative interiors
8.15 p.m. Celebrations and networking

Directions to BEAT London:

Address: 48 Margaret St, Marylebone, London W1W 8SE
Nearest tube station: Oxford Circus

BRIT LIST 2018 Industry Partner: British Institute of Interior Design

BRIT LIST 2018 Event Sponsor: Hamilton Litestat

BRIT LIST 2018 Supporting Partner: Studio Moritz Waldemeyer

BRIT LIST 2018 Award Sponsor: Inspiration in Design – Interior Designer of the Year: Tarkett

Tarkett Logo

The Brit List 2018 Innovation In Technology Award Sponsor: DLAppTap

Top five stories of the week: New artistic heights, when two industries collide and The Brit List 2018 approaches

 Hamish Kilburn
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Feeling inspired from recent conversations and exclusives, editor of Hotel Designs Hamish Kilburn, lists this week’s top stories… 

The most common answer I hear when I ask designers, architects and hoteliers where they source their inspiration from is ‘everywhere’. The more I hear this answer, the more I sit and wonder how far-reaching everywhere can be, and can anything really spark the concept of a great idea?

If you’re looking for a company that is pushing the boundaries in where inspiration can be found, look no further. The creative genius’ at Zaha Hadid Design demonstrated to the world late last month that design has no ceiling. The design firm unveiled a new collection of fitness clothing, believe it or not, having turned to the arena of performance sportswear to find new ideas and (that key word) inspiration. Since this product dropped, the thought that inspiration can lead to innovation has been a theme that has seamlessly weaved itself into the majority of this week’s headlines. This comes as the team at Hotel Designs prepare to unveil The Brit List 2018, which will name the top 75 inspirational individuals (designers, hoteliers and architects) who are keeping Britain at the centre of the design world. Prepare to be inspired, ladies and gentlemen, as we break down this week’s top five stories.

1) SPOTLIGHT ON: Reaching new creative heights with artist Beth Nicholas

Known artist Beth Nicholas is used to seeing her masterpieces on the walls of some of the world’s finest examples of hotel design. Among working with clients such as Christian Louboutin, Langham Hotels and Waldorf Astoria, one of the most challenging briefs came recently when she was asked to create a large art installation for The Address Downtown Dubai‘s lobby area. I was fortunate enough to catch up with Nicholas after the hotel had reopened and she could finally take a sigh of relief now that her art is the first impression for guests checking in.

2) Architecture meets fashion: Zaha Hadid Design’s latest collaboration weaves a new direction in sportswear technology

Design giant Zaha Hadid Design unveils collaboration with a Swiss performance sportswear brand, suggesting that inspiration for designers and architects is not limited to one – or even two – industries. Hamish Kilburn investigates.

3) The Brit List 2018: Less than two weeks to go

 

There are still limited tickets available to attend The Brit List 2018 on November 2018 at BEAT London. The evening will welcome Britain’s leading interior designers, hoteliers, architects and suppliers to celebrate Britain as an international design hub in hotel design. As well as unveiling the 75 most influential designers, hoteliers and architects who deserve their place in The Brit List 2018, Hotel Designs will also announce the winners of the six newly launched awards. These include:

  • Inspiration in Design – Innovative use of Technology (Sponsored by DLAppTap)
  • Inspiration in Design – Hotelier of the Year
  • Inspiration in Design – Interior Designer of the Year (Sponsored by Tarkett)
  • Inspiration in Design – Architect of the Year
  • The Eco Award
  • Outstanding Contribution to the Hotel Industry

4) Amsterdam named top city for hotel investment for third year in a row

Amsterdam

Investors have named Amsterdam as the most attractive European city for hotel investment for the third year in a row, according to the 2018 European Hotel Investment Survey from Deloitte. The findings, based on responses from 122 senior hospitality figures from across the world, are revealed ahead of the 30th annual European Hotel Investment Conference taking place in London this week.

5) DLAppTap confirmed as sponsor of The Brit List 2018 Innovation In Technology Award

Following its official launch at the Independent Hotel Show last month, DLAppTap has been confirmed as the official Sponsor of the Innovation In Technology Award at the The Brit List 2018.

THE BRIT LIST 2018: Just three weeks to go

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Hotel Designs unveils the latest leading figures who will be attending The Brit List 2018 as time is running out for designers, architects, hoteliers and suppliers to secure their place…

With just three weeks to go until The Brit List 2018, time is running out to book your tickets to Britain’s leading networking evening for interior designers, hoteliers, architects and key-industry suppliers.

The latest leading names and firms to be added onto the guest list include Minotti London, The Ned, Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, Project Orange, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Tara Bernerd & Partners and Yasmine Mahmoudieh.

On November 22 at BEAT London, as well as unveiling the 75 most influential designers, hoteliers and architects who deserve their place in The Brit List 2018, Hotel Designs will also announce the winners of the six newly launched awards. These include:

  • Inspiration in Design – Innovative use of Technology
  • Inspiration in Design – Hotelier of the Year
  • Inspiration in Design – Interior Designer of the Year
  • Inspiration in Design – Architect of the Year
  • The Eco Award
  • Outstanding Contribution to the Hotel Industry

How to attend

To register your interest, purchase tickets or talk about sponsorship opportunities please contact Katy Phillips on 01992 374050 or via email by clicking here.

If you are an interior designer, hotelier or architect you can book tickets for £20+vat per person here

If you are a supplier to the hotel industry you can book tickets for £175+vat per person here

Event timings: 6.30 p.m. – 10.30 p.m.

6.30 p.m. Welcome drinks are served
7.00 p.m. Welcome speech from Hotel Designs Editor, Hamish Kilburn, to include unveiling of The Brit List 2018 winners
7.15 p.m. Canapés are served
7.15 p.m. Headline speaker, Charles Leon, Leon Black Interior Architecture addresses the Brit List 2018 – Britain’s position in international hotel design and hospitality post-Brexit
7.30 p.m. Awards presentation commences
8.00 p.m. Headline speaker, Moritz Waldemeyer, Studio Moritz Waldemeyer addresses The Brit List 2018 – Hotel lighting; how it has changed in recent times and how is lighting technology allowing for more creative interiors
8.15 p.m. Celebrations and networking

BRIT LIST 2018 Industry Partner: British Institute of Interior Design

BRIT LIST 2018 Event Sponsor: Hamilton Litestat

BRIT LIST 2018 Supporting Partner: Studio Moritz Waldemeyer

BRIT LIST 2018 Award Sponsor: Inspiration in Design – Interior Designer of the Year: Tarkett

Tarkett Logo

 

Hotel Designs Brit List announces judging panel

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The Brit List, which celebrates Britain’s top 25 influential interior designers, hoteliers and architects, has announced the judging panel for this year’s awards taking place on November 22 at BEAT London…

Ahead of this year’s anticipated Brit List, which launched last year with the aim to raise the profile of British creatives in the industry, Hotel Designs has confirmed the five judges who together will agree on which designers, hoteliers and architects deserve to be recognised in the 2018 Brit List.

In addition to The Brit List, Hotel Designs has also launched six new awards that will also be presented to the winners on the night The Brit List 2018 is unveiled. These awards are:

  • Inspiration in Design – Innovative use of technology
  • Inspiration in Design – Boutique Hotelier
  • Inspiration in Design – Interior Designer of the Year
  • Inspiration in Design – Architect of the Year
  • The Eco Award
  • Outstanding Contribution to the Hotel Industry

To apply for free to this year’s Brit List, please click here and click the ‘nominations’ tab to apply.
Nominations close on September 16

The Brit List 2018 judges are:

Gilly Craft, President of the British Institute of Interior Design 

As well as the BIID becoming the event’s industry partner, Gilly Craft brings with her a wealth of interior design experience as well as a deep understanding for trends and recognising potential in creatives. “I am very excited to be one of the judges for the Brit List this year,” said Craft on accepting the role as a judge. “It is important that designers have the opportunity to be recognised by their peers in this way.”

Charles Leon, founder of Leon Black Architectural

In 1994, Charles Leon established his own design practice, CLA which specialised in hospitality and residential design. In2010 he was joined by Nicholas Black and in 2014 they formed the partnership Leon Black.

Leon Black specialises in Residential and Hospitality Design and Interior Architecture. Charles, the former president of the BIID, also lectures on design theory, innovation, emotion and the workings of the designer’s mind. He is a guest lecturer at Middlesex University and The Interior Design School.

“I am very honoured to take part as a judge for the Hotel Designs Brit List this year and to have the opportunity to celebrate the breadth and depth of UK designers and hoteliers,” said Leon.

Gerri Gallagher, former associate editor, Tatler

Drawing on 25 years of editorial experience at Tatler with specific emphasis on luxury travel, an extensive global knowledge of five-star hotels and spas and a unique US/UK perspective, Gerri Gallagher is a highly-respected professional who combines a strong creative vision with an astute understanding of what discerning international clients expect.

“I was honoured to be asked to participate in the Hotel Designs Brit List 2018. In my professional capacity as a hotel/spa consultant I work with some of the finest hoteliers and designers in the world,” said Gallagher. “To sit on the panel of judges for this prestigious event is an exciting opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of the industry’s British superstars.”

Lysbeth Fox, founder and director of Fox PR

Lysbeth Fox is the Managing Director of luxury travel, wellness and gourmet agency Fox PR, whose portfolio of clients includes some of the most prestigious in the world. Lysbeth is currently in India building a school with her daughter so was unable to supply a quote for this announcement. I am honoured to be amongst such a prestigious panel of judges –  and for such an important award,” said Fox. “As a longtime advisor and strategist for luxury hotels – it has been my privilege to work with some of the most innovative and stylish destinations in the world.  I am looking forward to reviewing this year’s best of British nominees.”

Hamish Kilburn, editor, Hotel Designs

Overseeing the panel is Hamish Kilburn, the editor of Hotel Designs. Kilburn has reviewed some of the most spectacular hotels around the world and has his finger on the pulse when it comes to the latest happenings in the world of international hotel design.

Together with the strong team behind the brand, he is helping to strengthen Hotel Designs’ events offering including The Brit List, Hotel Summit, Meet Up and the launch of a new event for interior designers and architects that will launch in 2019.

If you, or an individual you know of, deserves to be recognised in this year’s Brit List, please click here and click the ‘nominations’ tab to apply for free.

Once all nominations have been received by the closing date of September 16, the judging panel will select the final 75 most inspirational and influential people in British design, hotels and architecture.

On November 22, designers, hoteliers, architects and key suppliers to the industry will gather at BEAT London where The Brit List 2018 will be unveiled.

Industry suppliers and delegates will be able purchase tickets to attend the awards ceremony, and there are a limited number of sponsorship opportunities available for this prestigious and influential event. For more details contact Phoebe Kasapi by emailing p.kasapi@forumevents.co.uk, or calling 01992 374059.

9 eye-catching hotel concepts from around the world

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As Hotel Designs begins to shine the spotlight on ‘hotel concepts’ this month, the editorial team have pulled together a handful of the most striking hotels from around the world…

The hotel design industry is overflowing with innovative drawings and exceptional design concepts that year after year complete to unveil buildings that further challenge conventional overnight accommodation. Whether it be in the lobby, the guestroom, the F&B areas or whole exterior shell of the property, leading designers get a thrill out of unveiling something that no guest – or architect – has ever seen, nor experienced, before. To kick-start this month’s Spotlight On feature on ‘hotel concepts’, Hotel Designs has scoured the globe to find the most eye-catching hotel designs.

1) IceHotel, Sweden

Every year, when Sweden’s Torne River turns to ice, a new ICEHOTEL is created in the small village of Jukkasjärvi. The ice of the river transforms to design and sculpt the ICEHOTEL, an art project and the world’s first, and largest hotel built of snow and ice.

ICEHOTEL 365 is the latest concept to evolve. It’s a specially designed 2,100 square-metre ice art hall that is open 365 days of the year and run on solar power from the midnight sun. Working with Swedish architect and sustainability designer Hans Eek, ICEHOTEL 365 combines state-of-the-art architecture and sustainable energy with the ice art that draws winter visitors from more than 80 countries every year. This part of the hotel is a permanent construction and accommodates nice Deluxe Suites with private sauna (yes, a sauna in an ice hut), bathroom and relax, 11 Art Suites, an ice gallery and ICEBAR Jukkasjärvi; all hand carved by select artists from around the globe.

2) Keemala, Phuket

Image credit: Keemala, Phuket

Taking an eco-friendly approach to design, Pisud Design Company utilised the natural surroundings when creating Keemala, Phuket. The result is a totally different hotel accommodation type for Phuket, Thailand and in fact the world. “The project has been designed to keep the original contour of the land as much as possible,” said designer Pisit Aongskultong, Design Director at Pisud Design Company. “We took inspiration from rocks, straw, clay and wood and didn’t feel it would be appropriate to build large buildings.”

3) Matetsi Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Image credit: Matetsi Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls is known in local Zimbabwean Tonga as “The Smoke that Thunders”. It is a magnificent UNESCO world heritage site that is classified as the largest waterfall in the world.

44 km east, set on the banks of the mighty Zambezi river, is Matetsi Victoria Falls – a new luxury retreat that bravely pushes design boundaries in all aspects of its creation. At the heart of the property, the hotel’s villa and suites are canopied in the shade of large riverside trees. Matetsi River Lodge and Matetsi River House together aim to redefine luxury accommodation. Here, raw textures marry to chic interior design. Throughout the property, the theme of bringing the outdoors inside is a constant reference to the uniquely beautiful landscape that surrounds.

4) Le Pavillon des Lettres, Paris

Image credit: Le Pavillon des Lettres

Designed with bookworms in mind, this hotel has a room (and writer) for every letter of the alphabet. Located in Paris’s chic 8th arrondissement, just a short walk from the Avenue des Champs-Élysées and the River Seine, the  four-star luxury boutique hotel’s room reflect the personalities of famous writers. Le Pavillon des Lettres is privately owned and operated by the Chevalier family, who own two other Parisian hotels: Le Pavillon de la Reine in the Place des Vosges, and Hôtel du Petit Moulin on the Rue du Poitou.
5) Shipwreck Lodge, Namibia

Image credit: Natural Selection

Crafted around the enigmatic shipwrecks that line Namibia’s Skeleton Coast, there’s nowhere on the continent – or the world – quite like Shipwreck Lodge. The raw and rugged shells of each shack is matched in the interiors with shabby blinds and rough wooden walls. Adding comfort, the soft furnishings and fur throws make the inside feel cosy – almost a home-from-home. The impossibly remote slice of African wilderness, where towering dunes and wind-swept plains roll as far as the eye can see, is buffeted by the icy Atlantic seas.
6) THE MURAKA at Conrad Maldives

Image credit: Conrad Maldives

THE MURAKA is the first of its kind. More than just a luxury retreat with stunning rooms, it features the only hotel guestroom where guests can look out through a single window into an unobstructed, 180-degree panoramic view of coral and marine life, in natural surroundings. Mike Murphy was the engineer behind the largely ambitious project of creating the ultra-luxurious two-level residence that comprises of an above-sea residence and an undersea level, which is completely immersed in the ocean.

7) Four Seasons Bora Bora

image credit: Four Seasons Bora Bora

Overwater bungalows and underwater adventures welcome guests at the sand-fringed idyll in the shadow of Bora Bora’s Mount Otemanu. Guests can toast sunsets from their private plunge pool, marvel at the Tahitian night sky, or simply lose themselves in the resort’s lagoon, where the waters teem with exotic reef fish and colourful corals.

8) Hotel Costa Verde, Costa Rica

Image credit: Hotel Costa Verde

The 727 Fuselage Home is said to be the most exclusive hotel suite in Costa Rica. Hotel Costa Verde has refurbished a vintage 1965 Boeing 727 airframe, which, in its prior life, shuttled globetrotters on South Africa Air and Avianca Airlines (Colombia). This fully outfitted, meticulously detailed, two bedroom, Boeing 727 fuselage suite jets out from the jungle canopy, taking suite life to new heights. Why not?

9)  Hotel Seven, Paris

Image credit: Hotel Seven, Paris

Inspired by everyone’s favoutite British secret agent with a licence to kill, the James Bond Suite in Hotel Seven Paris in France offers all the class of 007, complete with a dome-like seating area lit with dramatic spotlights and wallpaper that reflects the iconic silhouette seen in each of the film’s opening sequence.

Main image credit: Natural Selection 

 

In Conversation with: Fabrics experts at Mitre Linen

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Concluding our month of putting Fabrics in the spotlight, editor of Hotel Designs Hamish Kilburn sat down with the general manager of Mitre Linen, Kate Gough, to explore more around trends and how the company is moving with modern times…

Personally, I’m a soft pillow kind of man – take from that what you will. My colleague to the left of me on the other hand disagrees entirely and insists that without a hard pillow in a hotel he will not sleep a wink. A hotel that claims to be luxury that does not offer a good night’s sleep is not somewhere guests will rush back to check in to after they’ve checked out. Therefore, keeping the pillow options open to all and investing in good linen will go far to ensuring your guests have a comfortable stay.

As technology continues to evolve, and while interior trends flow into the duvet, I sat down with linen experts Mitre Linen to put the topic into perspective.

Hamish Kilburn: How has the company evolved with technology moving forwards?

Kate Gough: Over the years, we have built a reputation for quality and reliability that has earned us the honour of HM The Queen’s Royal Warrant, which we have proudly held since 1955. Over the past 70 years, we have seen many changes within the industry, including major technological advances which have had a significant impact on many areas of our business, however, our key focus remains the same – offering exceptional customer service.

We work as hard as ever to ensure that anyone who contacts the Mitre team is left feeling delighted. Our friendly team, based in Merthyr Tydfil, in the heart of the Welsh valleys, has always been at the end of the phone to take orders, or offer advice and support to our customers. For those who prefer to, online orders can be placed quickly and easily via our new website, with a convenient Fast Order option available for those in a hurry, while those seeking advice or with product queries can take advantage of our new online LiveChat feature, which is available Monday-Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm.

We have created a selection of handy online Mitre Guides which is easily accessed via our website, helping our customers to make the right product choices for their needs. We also give online insight into the latest industry trends with our regularly updated Mitre Articles, which offer valuable advice from our experts, on topics such as the effective use of colour in hotel rooms, and tips on how to create a hygienic sleep environment.

The average person produces one to two pints of sweat every night

HK: What are your thoughts on the pillow menu?

KG: The right pillow is essential to a comfortable night’s sleep – pillow menus are easy to create and can be as simple as offering the option of either a hard and soft pillow, depending on a guest’s personal preference. Mitre Linen offers a wide variety of pillow styles and constructions available to suit the desires of any sleeper, and we are happy to guide you in your choices, making it easy for your business to provide the perfect pillow menu.

Our best-selling Comfort Palace Pillow features Quallofil extra life fibre which keeps it thick and plump, whilst ensuring a longer lifespan. The flame-retardant pillow is highly resistant to flattening, maintaining its shape after every use whilst retaining its soft profile, ensuring it’s quick and easy to achieve a welcoming bed. The Comfort Palace Pillow makes a great soft option for a pillow menu.

The Comfort Ultraloft Pillow would be ideal as a firm option for a pillow menu. With a Hollowfibre fill, its thick, plump design has a weight of 850g. Covered in durable polycotton, it’s designed to last through regular heavy-duty use, and is flame retardant.

We would also recommend that a pillow menu include at least one microfibre option, in order to offer the comfortable feel of feather and down without the risk of allergy. Mitre Linen’s Luxury Microfibre pillows are available in soft and firm variants, have 100% cotton covers with a 233 thread count, and conform perfectly to the head and neck to offer soft and comfortable support.

For further information, see our detailed pillow guide.


HK: How often should hotels replace bed linen?

KG: Bed linen such as duvet covers and sheets should be replaced at the first sign of wear and tear. Within two years, one third of a pillow’s weight is made up of dead skin, dust mites, oil and dirt and considering that the average person produces one to two pints of sweat every night, then pillows and duvets should be regularly replaced.  Protectors are invaluable to prolong the life of mattresses, duvets and pillows. Not only do they provide a more hygienic sleeping environment for your guests as they can be regularly washed, but they also extend the life of bedding which is a significant investment for a business.

HK: What are your thoughts on colourful bed sheets in the hotel guestroom?

KG: Our white satin polycotton range is our biggest seller, and whilst recent Mitre Connects* hotelier feedback confirmed that white bedlinen is perennially popular, we did note quite a few comments requesting a larger range of good quality colourful bed linen. In response to this valuable feedback we have added colour options into our Egyptian Cotton Range – our gorgeous 100% cotton percale bedlinen is now also available in ruby red, raisin, blush pink, lead grey and saffron yellow, as well as our ever popular white.

HK: What advice would you give to hotels when it comes to caring for bed linen?

KG: Freshly laundered, pristine, smooth and crease free bedlinen always rates highly for guests when they stay at a hotel so for those who launder on site, here are some care tips:

Always wash cotton bedlinen before use, at 50°C or 60°C. Expect 4-8 per cent shrinkage (Mitre Linen sizing allows for this). Hot iron when slightly damp to give a crisp finish. Don’t bleach, as this will reduce the life of the product. Soak stained bedding in water if immediate laundering is not possible.

Wash polycotton bedlinen at 50°C. Use a detergent intended for colours (to avoid colour fade due to OBA build up). A light iron is suggested.

For further advice on laundry care, please refer to our Linen Care Guide at www.mitrelinen.co.uk/care-guide.

*MITRE CONNECTS SURVEY 2018 – The Mitre Connects Survey presents survey data from nearly 300 hospitality industry professionals. The answers provided offer a vital insight into the industry’s concerns on topics that affect day-to-day business and future planning for the hospitality industry.

Mitre Linen are one of our recommended suppliers. To keep up to date with their news, click here. And, if you are interested in becoming one of our recommended suppliers, click here.

Roca’s new collection takes inspiration from the past

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The new Carmen collection from Roca speaks to the past as well as the future. Its beautiful nostalgic design is based on a classic Roca collection from the 1940s and has been launched to celebrate the company’s centenary.

“Over the last few years, the trend for vintage and classical design has continued to grow,” comments Alan Dodds, Managing Director of Roca UK. “From the research we have conducted, vintage means more than just antiques, it is about classic and timeless design that is still relevant today. That is why we have introduced Carmen, it is a collection that is routed in the past but has all the attributes to complement a modern bathroom.”

Carmen may be vintage looking in design, but it features the latest in technology and material innovations. For example, the WC is rimless for greater hygiene and easier cleaning as well as being fitted with a water distributor that provides an improved flushing performance. The seat cover has been manufactured with SUPRALIT®, a new exclusive resin registered by Roca. This is more durable (offering greater resistance to chemical agents and to discolouration), more hygienic (four times less porous material) and easier to clean (surface with soft and rounded angles).

The collection includes a close coupled WC, basin and pedestal, with a complementary furniture range and mirror also available.

Roca has also developed a range of Carmen brassware to complete the product family. Just like the bathroom suite, the brassware has an authentic period design whilst incorporating innovative technology.  The Carmen brassware collection features the latest generation of flow limiters that guarantee a 5l/m flow, regardless of the system pressure. As well as its ceramic disc operation, the Carmen taps has the Roca Evershine electroplating process applied for anticorrosion, lifetime brightness and anti-scratching.

Along with its authentic Roca design and the latest innovations built into the ceramics and furniture, Carmen gives real value for money.

Terrace of King's Street Townhouse

Meet Up North: one week to go

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Calling all designers, architects, hoteliers and key-industry suppliers: There is now just one week left until Hotel Designs takes the successful networking experience, Meet Up, up north to King Street Townhouse in Manchester…

On July 18, designers, architects, hoteliers and key-industry suppliers will gather in Manchester’s King Street Townhouse for the first ever Meet Up North.

The event, which aims to bridge the gap between hoteliers, architects, interior designers and key-industry suppliers, is your chance to meet up and networking with many of the leaders and visionaries in the industry.

The latest confirmed attendees include architects from DV8 Designs, JSA Design and Project M as well as representatives from Marriott V&A and CitySuites.

The evening will include a welcome speech from the Hotel Designs editor Hamish Kilburn as well as talks from Richmond International’s principal Fiona Thompson and Marca Corona, which is the headline sponsor of the event.

Last chance to register

Time and allocations are running out quickly. In order to secure your place at the first ever Meet Up North, follow the instructions below.

If you are a hotelier, architect, designer or supplier and would like to also benefit from the event, there are very limited spaces available.

If you are a supplier, click here to book your place.

If you are hotelier, interior designer or architect, click here to secure your place.

 

Lobby area

Top 5 stories of the week: New trends, emerging designers and a comic-book themed hotel

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Hotel Designs’ editor Hamish Kilburn breaks down the week with the top five stories…

This week at Hotel Designs we have identified fabric and soft furnishing trends, recognised two emerging design stars and reported on how a design firm worked to create a design hotel in Antwerp’s most iconic building.

1) 5 soft furnishing and fabric trends of 2018

Trends

To kick-start our spotlight this month on fabrics and soft furnishings, here are some of the hottest trends we are seeing at the moment…

2) Two dynamic designers chosen to bring creative vision and ‘story of sustainability’ to life at Cadogan Hotel

Left: Mac Collin Right: Antonia Packham

Young designers Mac Collins and Antonia Packham were chosen from more than 3,000 designers to bring their creative vision to life at the Cadogan Hotel…

3) In conversation with Martin Pease, Managing Director WATG London

Hotel Designs’ editor Hamish Kilburn caught up with new Managing Director of WATG London Martin Pease to discuss what’s next for the integrated design firm’…

4) Tom Dixon launches AW18 accessories collection

Tom Dixon studio

Image credit: Tom Dixon

Taking inspiration from nature and natural objects, Tom Dixon has unveiled its AW18 accessories collection…

5) Converting Antwerp’s most iconic building into a design hotel

Exterior shot

Hotel Designs explores how Alex Kravetz Design used comic inspiration to create the interiors of Antwerp’s new design hotel on the block…

Terrace of King's Street Townhouse

Meet Up North: One month to go!

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This time next month, hoteliers, designers, architects and suppliers will gather at Kings Street Townhouse hotel in Manchester for the inaugural Meet Up North…

Taking the successful ‘meet up’ networking concept up North for the first ever, Hotel Designs will next month host Meet Up North, a social event that aims to bridge the gap between designers, architects, hoteliers and suppliers alike.

The venue

Meet Up North will take place in one of Manchester’s finest hotels, Kings Street Townhouse, which The Telegraph recently described as,”the antithesis to a chain hotel,” comparing the experience of staying there similar to “staying with a rich friend who has extremely good taste.” The hotel is situated in an Italian Renaissance-style former bank dating from 1872, on a quiet side street within central Manchester’s historic Upper King Street Conservation Area. AEW Archtiects, whose directors will attend the event, was engaged in the design and transformation of the hotel, and completed the project in February 2016.

The agenda

The evening will commence with an official welcome from the newly appointed editor, Hamish Kilburn, who will briefly talk about the history of Meet Up, it’s purpose and why this year it’s being taken outside of London.

The mic will then be handed over to the award-winning Principal of Richmond International Fiona Thompson. The celebrated visionary designer will speak the the audience about past projects, future predictions and the significance of worthy collaborations. “Only through a thoughtful collaborative process, which acknowledges individual skills, talents and perspectives, can a project be successfully completed,” Fiona said ahead of the event. “Richmond International is extremely excited to take part in Meet Up North, an event which honours the significance of professional collaboration, and in turn reflect on the successful partnerships Richmond International has had the pleasure of being part of over the past 51 years.”

Completing the line-up of speakers will be the headline sponsors of the event, Marca Corona. The Italian ceramic tile specialists will provide the audience with an in-depth industry insight and will be available to answer questions after.

How to get involved

The evening will then continue with all the ingredients for a successful networking recipe. Canapés and complimentary drinks will be served on the balcony of Manchester’s most talked about hotel in 2017 and 2018.

If you are a hotelier, architect, designer or supplier and would like to also benefit from the event, there are very limited available. Please head over to the website where you can secure your place.

 

Francesco Rota

Designer Profile: Francesco Rota, LEMA

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The philosophy behind Italian furniture designers LEMA is the concept of slow living, the harmonious enjoyment of life through beauty. This vision is behind all their bespoke items, and underpins the grace and elegance that flows through their interiors.

Francesco Rota, one of LEMA’s most admired designers, has articulated this concept in his exceptional pieces for day and night living. Embracing the values of Italian design – comfort, simplicity, functionality and visual appeal – he has created works that offer flexibility and versatility.

Born in Milan where he opened his studio in 1998, he has a wide scope of work including products, furniture, lighting, showrooms, offices and residential interiors. His products have won numerous awards, including The Good Design Award in 2016 and the Wallpaper Design Award 2017.

OYDO designed by Francesco Rota

OYDO designed by Francesco Rota

He has exhibited at many events including the Biennale di Architettura Venezia, the Royal Academy of Arts in London and the Miami Design District.

Francesco often finds inspiration in the beauty of the industrial production processes as well as in the aesthetics of popular iconic designs. His pieces are timeless, unaffected by fashion and embued with an innate feeling for composition, delicate colours and functionality, complementing their settings.

NEIL designed by Francesco Rota

NEIL designed by Francesco Rota

CASES, an airy sideboard that plays on the contrast of solids and voids, offers a nod to the ‘60s with its titanium-coloured legs. It offers a combination of containers including sideboard, set of drawers, display cabinet and a bar cabinet. The sideboard is available with a glass or marble top, and also in leather with an elegantly stitched border.

CASES designed by Francesco Rota

CASES designed by Francesco Rota

With either glass or wood doors, wooden drawers of differing heights or even an elegant glass cube that functions as a display cabinet, each unique combination personalises the room and makes CASES a versatile piece that works in all areas of the home. Rota’s OYDO coffee tables for LEMA are similarly versatile, one round and the other rectangular, with many different finishes from heat-treated oak, clay, stone to elegant Portoro marble.

Comfort is the theme for Rota’s NEIL sofa, a modular concept which is the perfect synthesis of made-to-measure comfort. A low seat, generous shape and square back is enhanced by two different heights, one for relaxing and the other for more formal entertaining, giving an interesting movement to the sofa.

Kit Kemp Wilton Carpets

Kit Kemp by Wilton Carpets receives acclaim since launch

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The Kit Kemp by Wilton Carpets collection was launched at a glittering event at London’s The Soho Hotel, named the ‘World’s Most Glamorous Hotel’ by Tatler magazine. Since then the range has enjoyed widespread acclaim, grabbing the attention of leading luxury consumer lifestyle publications and notable influencers from across the interiors industry.

Created by Kit Kemp, design director of Firmdale Hotels PLC and well-known author and art collector, the made-to-order collection features nine exquisite patterns drawing from influences as diverse as folklore, botany and architecture. Kit worked with the Wilton Carpets design team to create a stand-out collection for hospitality environments that is unique and individual. Using traditional axminster or wilton weaves, or incorporating the added texture of a Brussels weave, the collection delivers the finest British wool-rich qualities in bespoke size wall-to-wall carpet and area rugs.

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RELATED: KIT KEMP, WILTON CARPETS CREATE EXCITING CARPET COLLECTION
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“The designs in the Kit Kemp by Wilton Carpets collection truly are extraordinary and we’ve pushed the limits of our design and manufacturing expertise to faithfully interpret the sophisticated, subtle elements of Kit’s original creations,” explains Damian Roscoe, head of creative for Wilton Carpets. “In fact, patterns such as Batik were only possible because of the detail achievable with our robotic Axminster loom; the country’s most advanced. The collection was a joy to develop and shows just what can be achieved when two creative forces collaborate.”

Presented in a luxurious hardback book, the Kit Kemp by Wilton Carpets collection has made the difficult transition between a carpet created for hospitality and leisure spaces to one equally at ease in luxury homes. Recognised for this by leading interior journalists, it demonstrates that when good design and carpet craft combine, the results deserve attention. In fact, the Kit Kemp by Wilton Carpets collection has already been recognised by English Home magazine in its prestigious ‘New Year Honours’ special edition.

Designs from Kit Kemp by Wilton Carpets can now be seen in corridors and rooms at The Soho Hotel. From the stunning Batik used as runner in the reception and By Way as an area rug in the library, to the flexibility of Tweed Fleck demonstrated in one of the impressive Terrace Suites; the carpets reflect the richness of pattern and understanding of colour that is signature Kit Kemp.

www.wiltoncarpets.com

T: +44 (0) 17 22 74 60 00
F: +44 (0) 017 22 74 29 23
E: sales@wiltoncarpets.com

Batik runner, Kit Kemp by Wilton Carpets

Kit Kemp, Wilton Carpets create exciting carpet collection

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Wilton Carpets and Kit Kemp have come together to create an exciting collection of woven wool-rich carpets for hospitality, travel and home.

Kit Kemp MBE has forged an international reputation as one of the world’s top interior designers. With a unique approach to her work, Kit is also well-known as an author and passionate champion of British art, craft and sculpture. As Design Director of Firmdale Hotels PLC, she is the creative force behind hotels including London’s Ham Yard, Charlotte Street, The Soho Hotel and New York’s Crosby Street Hotel and The Whitby. Her designs have been celebrated with many prestigious awards including ‘Condé Nast Best Hotel in the World for Design’.

Situated in the Wiltshire town of the same name, the spiritual home of weaving for nearly 400 years, Wilton Carpets designs and manufactures in Britain, making carpet from British wool on a blend of traditional machinery and the country’s most advanced robotic high-speed loom. Wilton Carpets is the embodiment of the very best in modern manufacturing blended with traditional craftsmanship.

Kit’s collaboration with Wilton Carpets has created a stand-out collection for hospitality, travel and home, interpreting scale and usability through the latest manufacturing techniques. With a highly experienced design team, spearheaded by Damien Roscoe, Wilton Carpets has skilfully turned Kit’s ideas into beautiful high quality woven carpets, pushing carpet craft to its limits.

Kit explains: “New manufacturing technology has made my ideas a possibility and with its design input, Wilton Carpets has turned them into a joyful reality. We have been able to create subtle effects and graduations of colour to give carpets a unique feel, similar to the finish of a hand-blocked fabric. Colour makes you feel happy and gives a contemporary buzz to this collection.”

The made-to-order range introduces nine unique and multi-tasking designs that draw from a diverse array of inspiration within folklore, architecture and botanical motifs. These come together to provide carpets that work in both traditional and modern interiors.

Damian Roscoe, Head of Creative at Wilton Carpets: “We’re incredibly proud of the Kit Kemp by Wilton Carpets collection as it represents just what is achievable when two creative forces collaborate. The collection has been a joy to develop and we’ve worked closely with Kit to make sure her vision was reproduced with the attention-to-detail for which we are famed.”

Whether using traditional Axminster or Wilton weaves, or incorporating the added texture of a Brussels weave, Kit Kemp by Wilton Carpets delivers carpet of the finest design and quality. Made in a British wool-rich blend for lasting appearance and wear resistance, the range is available in wall-to-wall carpet and as bespoke area rugs, in a quality and construction suitable for the demands of project.

Batik (main image)
One of the most difficult influences to turn into carpet, Batik references hand-blocked fabrics and the subtle effects this technique brings. Kit Kemp says: ‘it’s a new way to bring one off craftwork into you home.” Batik comes in two striking colourways dominated by red and blue.

Detail
A strong architectural look, which is ‘one of my favourites, so simple but graphic and strong’ explains Kit. Available in six colourways, including red on blue and yellow on black.

By Way
A classic herringbone infused with bright colour combinations that Kit describes as ‘having fun in a colourful and carefree way’. Available in four high-contrast colourways.

Domino
Based on traditional Turkish carpets, this design has a large diamond repeat that Kit says, ‘needs to be seen to be believed’. A definite ode to the Arts and Crafts in four colourways including dynamic shades of blue and terracotta.

Flower and Berry
There is more than meets the eye with this overall Botanical pattern. ‘This is a design that will work well in both traditional and modern settings’, says Kit. Available in five colourways featuring red on off-white, off-white on blue and off-white on pea green

Leaf Cut
Inspired by nature, this is a carpet that Kit describes as, ‘falling leaves in a modern way that will look interesting in any environment’. Leaf Cut comes in two popping colourways, blue with leaves of orange and red with green.

Leaf Cut in Cerise area rug, Kit Kemp by Wilton CarpetsOpen Plan
A large repeat that looks good in grand areas, tribal influences abound. The Open Plan pattern ‘takes the traditional and turns it into something that says today’, explains Kit. This pattern comes in four colour combinations, including three with an off-white base cloth.

Tweed Fleck
A tweed design which Kit describes as having ‘flecks of fabulous tiny vibrant colours” It is a modern-day classic. Tweed Fleck is available in seven high-impact colourways including red, teal and blue.

Squiggle
A simple linear geometric design that still manages to make a statement and which Kit believes will make ‘halls and stairways look tailored’. With inversed colours available, this pattern comes in five other off-white combinations.

The richness of pattern and understanding of colour is a signature look of Kit Kemp and in creating the collection, the team at Wilton Carpets has pushed carpet design to the limit. Kit Kemp and Wilton Carpets are bringing craft into carpets for everybody to enjoy.

www.wiltoncarpets.com

T: +44 (0) 17 22 74 60 00
F: +44 (0) 017 22 74 29 23
E: sales@wiltoncarpets.com

Jean-Michel Gathy shares the most important part of design

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World-famous architect Jean-Michel Gathy has revealed what he values most when designing a space; colour.

Gathy’s signature designs have inspired many leading architectural works, which are showcased in a list of some of the most recognised hotels and resorts including the One&Only Reethi Rah, Cheval Blanc Randheli; Maldives, St. Regis Lhasa; Tibet, Viceroy Snowmass; Aspen Colorado, Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay; Sanya, The Chedi Andermatt; Switzerland, Aman Canal Grande; Venice, Amanwana; Moyo Island Indonesia and Aman Summer Palace; Beijing, Amanyara; Turks & Caicos, and The Setai in Miami, Florida.

Born in Belgium, Gathy founded Denniston in 1983, an architecture firm with a specific niche market, where he specialises in the creation of innovative designs for up-market hotels and other establishments in the industry. Thanks to its forward thinking architecture, design and technology applications in a constant state of evolution, DENNISTON has been able to retain its position as the market leader and a reference point for all designers in the industry.

With a career that has spanned almost four decades, Gathy shares his top five reasons why utilising colour is an important element when designing a space.

  • Colour Creates Mood: When it comes to selecting the colour palette for a space, Gathy stresses that colour is a very powerful element that can set the tone for a room. “Colour has an immediate effect on mood—the ability to calm or invigorate—and creates energy and depth of field,” says Gathy. “It’s a powerful thing, and used intelligently, it can be a beacon for inspiration.”
  • Say No to Monotone: Gathy advises that one should steer clear of tonal colour palettes as they don’t add enough excitement.  “Too much tone on tone is quite boring. The colours you choose do not always have to match, but should rather complement one another,” adds Gathy.
  • Messaging is Everything: Colour can send a strong message to guests and Gathy suggests taking the intention behind the colour palette in your home very seriously. “Colour has an immediate and enormous effect on the atmosphere. If you enter a dark home, your mood instantly changes,” says Gathy. Choosing colour schemes that carry the message you want to convey in your home will ensure that guests inherently understand your personality and overall aesthetic.
  • Proportion is Key: Bold colours and patterns are great to use, but in moderation. Gathy advises that colour proportion must be appropriate to the palette and pleasant to the eye. “Be careful not to over-mix patterns, otherwise they’ll start to compete with each other. Offset patterns with neutral breaks to create balance so the eye isn’t challenged. For example, if you have busy, multi-coloured pillows, opt for a more streamlined geometrical rug in black and white or tones of beige. Grounding the room with neutrals means you can add colourful highlights in the way of pillows, throw blankets, and rugs,” advises Gathy.
  • Cohesive Connection: Adhering to unique themes in each room can work well, but it’s important to maintain a sense of continuity throughout suggests Gathy. “The beauty of decorating a home is that each room can look and feel distinctive, so you can use a different colour scheme in every space if you choose. The trick is to create cohesiveness by choosing complementary colours where rooms connect,” says Gathy.
Brit List

Brit List 2017: Designer Profiles

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In the coming weeks, Hotel Designs will be profiling the 50 finalists in the HD Brit List 2017 – this week, we continue profiling our winning designers…

MICHAEL SIMMONS – SPACE I.D.
Space I.D. was founded by three award winning directors from one of the premier European design agencies – Michael Simmons being one of them – who oversee a core team consisting of passionate and dedicated interior designers and architects. Space I.D. clients in Dubai and neighbouring emirates in the UAE include the likes of Forte Grand, Hilton Hotels, Hyatt, IHG and Sheraton.

Closer to home, Space I.D. has worked on projects in both England and Scotland; including Boclair House Hotel in Glasgow, Vermont Hotel in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Ramside Hall in Durham and Aysgarth Falls in the Yorkshire Dales.

CONRAD SMITH – REARDONSMITH ARCHITECTS
Conrad died suddenly on October 3, 2016, which caused a seismic shock amongst his many friends and throughout the industry he served. Conrad had practiced as an architect specialising in the hotel and leisure sector for over 30 years.

As managing director of ReardonSmith Architects for two decades, he helped develop the business into an award-winning and internationally respected practice, broadening the project portfolio to include a full spectrum of hospitality work across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. We, his friends and colleagues, miss him still.

MICHAEL SQUIRE – SQUIRE AND PARTNERS
Under senior partner Michael’s guidance, Squire and Partners is an architecture and design practice of some 150 employees with experience spanning four decades, earning it an international reputation for rigorously detailed design.

In addition to architectural design, the practice has a dedicated interior design department, which has created a number of bespoke hospitality product ranges over the years – including The Bulgari Hotel & Residences London, St. Edmund’s Terrace, The Rockwell Hotel and at The Knightsbridge. Michael’s work over the years has led him to being called an ‘understated master of architecture.’

ARIANE STEINBECK – RPW DESIGN
Ariane’s award-winning career has spanned throughout the United States, Asia and Europe, with key projects featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and CNN. Among the many projects she has worked on, highlights include the refurbishment of the Peninsula flagship – the Peninsula Hong Kong, the storied Fairmont St. Andrews and the historic Marriott County Hall in London.

Ariane was appointed the firm’s Managing Director to build on RPW’s considerable worldwide recognition, adding a new dimension to existing skills and contributing to the performance of the many successful projects. An ideal complement, Ariane and the RPW team combine their skills into an exciting synthesis of talent and personality. She is also an active contributor to the hospitality and interior design industry, serving as a frequent speaker and mentor.

PATRICK TYBERGHEIN – CARTERTYBERGHEIN
As managing director at CARTERTYBERGHEIN, Patrick leads a strong, talented team of creative interior designers, architects and support staff all passionate about their work. Brought up in France, Patrick studied interior architecture in Paris and moved to London honing his skills working with several renowned interior designers before establishing his London-based firm in 1997.

The work carried out by the firm at the Hotel le Chalet Blanc, Montgenevre, in France has piqued considerable interest around the sector – so much so, it has led Patrick to be included in this year’s Brit List.

Celebrating 30 Years of Jean-Michel Gathy

Spotlight: Celebrating 30 years of Jean-Michel Gathy

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Jean-Michel Gathy, the legend behind some of the world’s most iconic luxury hotel and resort design celebrates more than 30 years of achievement in 2017 as Principal Designer at Denniston Architects.

For more than three decades, Jean-Michel Gathy has been the architect responsible for consistently pioneering and redefining the design of leading luxury hotels and resorts world-wide such as The Chedi Muscat, Aman Resorts, The Setai, One&Only, Park Hyatt and LVMH Hotels to name a few.

Pioneering Design
Denniston Architects believes that it is important to address all the components of architecture, interiors and landscape at once in a synergistic seamless flow when building a hotel. Working alongside many of the pioneers of luxury hotels, Jean-Michel Gathy has conceptualised and created some of the most internationally recognized ground breaking designs for the industry’s top hoteliers and owners.

Water Features Abound
Dramatic water features are evident in all of Jean-Michel’s designs and play to a strong visual narrative. “The best way to create scenery is by using water. It produces reflective surfaces, which have a space-doubling effect and create drama” shares Gathy. Examples of signature design which pay homage to water include the Marina Bay Sands, Singapore’s largest rooftop infinity pool overlooking the city’s skyline the world’s most extravagant Gold Energy Pool at the St. Regis Lhasa and The Setai Miami.

Celebrating 30 Years of Jean-Michel Gathy
A Creative Approach to Spa Design
With the rise of well-being and healthy living, we never speak of a luxury hotel now without also speaking of its spa. At LVMH’s Cheval Blanc Randheli in the Maldives, Jean-Michel Gathy conceived an intimate “house”, the perfect holiday residence beside the sea. He incorporates matching elements with the island landscape, luxuriant vegetation and its views over the blue lagoon. Positioned in its own island, the journey begins upon sailing to the idyllic spa on board a traditional dhoni. Alongside treatments, guests can enjoy a traditional hammam bath or a yoga session in the dedicated pavilions as a prelude or interlude to their treatments.

Positioned on the shores of a pink-sand private beach, Aman Sveti Stefan in Montenegro is known to be one of the most beautiful resorts in the Adriatic. Constructed out of a 15th-century fortress, Jean-Michel Gathy drew inspiration from historical features and contemporary reinterpretations while preserving cultural and heritage elements. The property features a 1,600sqm spa offering treatments following a holistic personalised approach with natural Aman products and outdoor terraces for relaxation.

Celebrating 30 Years of Jean-Michel Gathy
Restaurants & Bars, the new heartbeat of a hotel
Whether it is celebrating special occasions or relaxing and socialising, restaurants and bars are the most popular venues and gathering point in a hotel. Tapasake at One&Only Maldives is one of those restaurants that you will always remember. Suspended over water, Gathy has designed a gloriously stylish showcase of glass, stone and stainless steel, with its black terrazzo floor, oyster-grey mother of pearl tables with whalebone-effect legs – and captivating views of the ocean for every diner. Gathy comments “The feeling I’d like people to take away with them as they leave Reethi Rah is fulfilment in every sense: aesthetically, because they have just spent time in one of the world’s beautiful places, and spiritually, because they have had the most marvellous, refreshing, fun time.”

Celebrating 30 Years of Jean-Michel GathyA forerunner of luxury tourism to Oman
The Chedi Muscat, an architectural and design masterpiece is a particularly significant and impactful creation of Jean-Michel Gathy as its launch in 2003 served to open the doors to luxury travel to Oman. With the concept of luxury evolving over time, Jean-Michel’s idea remains timeless. “If I have to qualify a good hotel, I would only use one word: comfort,” shares Gathy.

Celebrating 30 Years of Jean-Michel Gathy

Denniston International is currently working on more than 40 projects globally, including those for One&Only in China and Montenegro, Jumeirah in Bali and Rio de Janeiro, Mandarin Oriental in Bali, Four Seasons Bangkok and, a hotly anticipated green project with Leonardo DiCaprio in Belize.

denniston.com.my
oneandonlyresorts.com

Ana Garcia Maldonado

Q&A: Interview with Taylor Wimpey Spain’s Ana Garcia Maldonado

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It’s not a property’s location or indeed what it looks like from the outside, interior design is just as vital when choosing a perfect holiday home abroad to relax in style.

Ana Garcia Maldonado is leading Spanish developer Taylor Wimpey España’s highly experienced head of interior design who has worked independently with developers for almost 15 years.

Forget dated wicker furniture and terracotta colour palettes, the design of Taylor Wimpey España’s abodes are very much on trend and well thought out. Ana frequently attends all furniture and decoration fairs to maintain a creative flow of ideas and to keep up to date with Spanish design. Working alongside Taylor Wimpey España’s head architect, Pablo Live Sanchez and also her husband, Ana shares her trade secrets and what is it about interior design that she enjoys so much…

Q. What is your vision for the interior design of Taylor Wimpey España homes?
In all Taylor Wimpey España homes the first premise is quality, comfort, and an aesthetic mix of modernity and elegance that pleases a wide range of buyers. Our goal through decorating is to offer not a house, but a home.

Ana Garcia Maldonado - Taylor Wimpey SpainQ. What influences you in your design choices?
I try to follow and respect the line drawn by the Architecture Studio, which since the landmark Avalon development on the Costa del Sol, has been modern lines without leaving aside comfort and warmth of a home. When choosing colours and furniture, we usually take into account factors such as the name, location and even logo of the development, as each of them have their own identity.

Q. What are the key materials / pieces of furniture / brands / colour palettes that you are using for Taylor Wimpey España interiors at the moment?
We always look for functional furniture with light lines that does not detract from the spacious feel of each property. We like wood or matte finishes, natural tones and textures such as linen and cotton. For the walls we prefer a large canvases or mirrors, wallpapers with personality but still discreet, and playing around with the same colour tones in a single environment. We use an endless number of national and international brands in furniture, fabrics, papers, carpets, lighting, and choose brand depending on the budget we are allocated.

Q. What should owners avoid interiors wise when furnishing their holiday homes?
From experience I know that many clients give much more importance to furnishing the terrace than to the rest of the house, without taking into account the inclement weather. So my only advice is to equip the house with the same degree of comfort on the inside as the outside.

Q. Finally, how do you find working so closely with your husband on the architectural side?
It is a true privilege. We help and complement each other whilst enjoying our work. Can you ask for more?!

Visit taylorwimpeyspain.com for more information.

Brit List

Everything you need to know about Brit List 2017

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Hotel Designs is producing the Brit List 2017, a celebration of the country’s most inspirational and influential hoteliers and designers.

The full Hotel Designs Brit List will be revealed via a glossy print publication this summer, with a party to celebrate the List taking place at Urban Coterie, London on Wednesday July 12th.

We’ve been asking our readers to select who they think should be included in the UK’s top 25 hoteliers and 25 leading design professionals – to nominate those they think are deserving of recognition in both fields. You can also do the same by simply emailing Hotel Designs editor Daniel Fountain via d.fountain@forumevents.co.uk briefly explaining why an individual should be considered for the Brit List. We will follow up with a request for more information at a later date. You can nominate yourself, a peer, a client or even a competitor.

The Hotel Designs Brit List glossy publication will feature profiles of all 50 winners. There are a limited number of advertising and sponsorship opportunities available for this prestigious and influential publication – for more details contact Jennie Lane on j.lane@forumevents.co.uk, or call 01992 374098.

Duravit Desginer BIM

Digital construction with Duravit Designer bathroom projects now available on BIMobject®

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Programme and modularise an entire building? In the future, this will be common practice as digital construction is one of the most important developments in the industry.

“Building information modelling” (BIM) is a method with tremendous potential: comprehensive databases of information enable the planning, construction and operation of a building, both in the digital and real world. BIM can also be used by companies working in the sanitary, heating and air-conditioning sector.

Duravit is now expanding its BIM data portfolio (so-called Revit files) and has joined the BIMobject® global network. On the BIMobject® website and on its own professional portal pro.duravit.co.uk, Duravit offers all the necessary BIM files to download for architects, planners and the sanitary, heating and air-conditioning trade. Joining BIMobject® has enabled the designer bathroom manufacturer to hugely expand its offering. And this is set to continue: “In the next few years, the BIM file portfolio is to be expanded continuously”, says Albrecht von der Groeben, Chief of International Sales, Duravit AG.

Duravit Desginer BIM

Quality assurance and transparency
Digital planning that also includes the construction and operation of the building project enables exact and more comprehensive quality assurance. This should lead to greater transparency in the construction phase and, later, to lower operating and maintenance costs. So-called integral planning based on the BIM method is already required for public projects in the USA, UK and Spain.

As providing the best possible support for all kinds of bathroom planning is part of the Duravit commitment to its customers, the designer bathroom manufacturer is now making more than 150 BIM files available on its own professional portal pro.duravit.co.uk and on the BIMobject® network. For years, Duravit, one of the first manufacturers in the sanitary sector to do so, has been offering a huge portfolio of planning data (dxf, dwg) and now also BIM files to download from pro.duravit.co.uk.

Duravit Desginer BIM

Three-dimensional product visualisation
The BIM method enables the presentation of Duravit products in various degrees of detail. In addition to the graphic and planning possibilities, the file also contains product information, such as the name, article number and dimensions. Thanks to 2D and 3D visualisations of the products, the files permit precise design and modelling of the bathroom in building projects.

The provision of this large volume of BIM files on pro.duravit.co.uk and BIMobject® expands the Duravit service offering and enables optimum bathroom design and realization – even in complex bathroom projects. With this step, the designer bathroom manufacturer is promoting the development of integral planning in the modern construction industry. At the same time, the company is consolidating its position as a reliable partner for architects and property developers and this is reflected in numerous international projects. These include hotels, such as the Alpina Gstaad, large-scale projects, such as the Burj Khalifa, The Opus by Zaha Hadid or public buildings, such as the new Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. Duravit’s international project management covers more than 130 countries and offers professional support in project planning and implementation.

Altered Gravity - Brintons & Stacy Garcia

Product Spotlight: Brintons introduces Altered Gravity by Stacy Garcia

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Altered Gravity is the eighth collaborative collection from Brintons and Stacy Garcia.

The collection, which includes 14 patterns, draws inspiration from diverse disciplines of the art universe; abstract expressionalism collides with contemporary graphic design, and digitally rendered textures melt between layers of mixed media paintings.

Altered Gravity - Brintons & Stacy Garcia

“Altered Gravity is about exploring the boundaries of experimental design techniques and mediums. We’re bringing it back to the basics of fine art and melding it with new technologies,” says Garcia.

Altered Gravity - Brintons & Stacy Garcia

“Like my design aesthetic, the art process is ever evolving. We’re constantly adapting, rearranging, adding and subtracting – creating layers that form into something beautiful,” she adds.

Altered Gravity - Brintons & Stacy Garcia

The precision-weaving process of Axminster carpet combined with Brintons’ ability to achieve unparalleled depth and texture with up to 32 colours, brings Altered Gravity to life. Altered Gravity falls comfortably into the intersection of contemporary expressionism and graphic influence. Visualise a Venn diagram with multiple areas of creative influence; abstract expressionism collides with contemporary graphic design, and digital texture melts between layers of experimental collage techniques.

Altered Gravity - Brintons & Stacy Garcia

Forged from the realm where these circles overlap, Altered Gravity emerges – a product of the art universe.

For further information, please call 01562 635 665 or email solutions@brintons.co.uk

www.brintons.net

Dennis Irvine - designer on Jumby Bay Estate House project

Q&A: Dennis Irvine – Estate House, Jumby Bay Resort

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Recently at the Rosewood Hotel in London – a world away from the shimmering blue waters and picture-perfect beaches of the Caribbean – Hotel Designs attended a press preview of the work being carried out at the Estate House; the signature bar and restaurant of the Jumby Bay Rosewood Resort, a stunning luxury retreat set on its own 300-acre private island two miles off the coast Antigua.

Having been given an introduction to the island and the resort by Rosewood MD Andrew Hedley, the resort is everything you would imagine of a Caribbean hideaway – accessible only by boat, a strong colonial feel with a touch of West Indian charm, and tropical paradise environs. And in January of this year, in a bid to bring that aesthetic to the bar and restaurant, the Estate House was closed for a complete overhaul.

Jumby Bay

“Already renowned as one of Antigua’s most sought after dining destinations, the reimagined Estate House will emerge as the Caribbean’s ultimate social club for gourmet fare, sophisticated mixology, and mingling from day to night,” Andrew says.

Heading up the project is Dennis Irvine and Hotel Designs had the pleasure of catching up with him to discuss the project and his work as a designer.

Dennis’ background in interior design is a rich one having grown up drawing and making, his passion for all things creative led him to studying interior architecture, to working with Mary Fox Linton to eventually setting up his eponymous design studio. It’s from this standpoint that Dennis was tasked with breathing new life into the Estate House, Jumby Bay.

Jumby Bay, Antigua

Combining the colonial impressions of the main resort with a contemporaneous perspective on the locale, the Estate House’s redesign represented a challenge of capturing the spirit of the island, something wholly embraced by Dennis. But was it hard to balance aesthetics and practicality? “Not really,” Dennis says. “Our design concept was the modern interpretation of the ‘colonial spirit’, so it was a matter of taking inspiration from history with careful curation and playful references that created an aesthetic which drew on the past and used modern materials appropriate to the environment,” he adds.


Retaining historical elements of the original structure, the redesign will pay homage to the Estate House’s roots in empire-era glamour with subtle nods to the island’s history and traditions throughout – something achieved through ‘putting in the hours as it were’. Dennis says: “Spending time in Antigua and absorbing local life was absolutely vital. Our team invested time and effort into researching this former plantation house’s history as well as the island’s traditions and landscape.”

A two-storey, vaulted ceiling will provide a dramatic entryway to the bar, while an airy courtyard, connecting the main restaurant, three private dining rooms, and the Wine Room, will serve as an idyllic outdoor lounge space to savour pre-or-post-dinner drinks, amongst tropical plants and a fountain made by a local artist. Curated local artwork depicting local Antiguan life, flora, and fauna, and vintage maps will adorn the walls, while sophisticated tableware and accessories in bespoke Ginori china, silver and crystal will offer a refined dining experience.

Indeed, Dennis tells HD that sourcing pieces from the island and its artists was one of the more challenging but at the same time worthwhile aspects of the project. “Working closely with local architect Andrew Goodenough, who has had a practice in Antigua for almost forty years was fundamental to getting this right. Engaging local people such as artist Dina Debozzi for trompe l’oeil island scenes for the Blue Room was very important to us too,” he says.

HD asks Dennis how working in what appears to be a remote location compares to working in Europe. “Although it’s remote, the reliability of communication is excellent, better than in London or Paris in fact. There are lots of logistical challenges though. Everything has to be shipped in which takes time, coordination and patience to ensure the project is delivered as originally envisaged,” he tells us.

Inspired by the island’s starkly verdant landscape, a colour palette of rich greens will be employed, and handcrafted furnishings in ebony, teak, rattan, and wicker will emulate the style of past travellers and explorers. Sweeping terraces will offer unparalleled views of the island landscape. In keeping with The Estate House’s new look, restaurant and bar staff will wear fashionable uniforms designed by acclaimed designer Emilia Wickstead.

Jumby Bay, Antigua

The design of the three private dining rooms – The Map Room, The Tent Room, and the Blue Room – will embody different facets of the island’s character. The Map Room will personify wanderlust and discovery through carefully curated objects and antique maps from the golden age of exploration. The Blue Room will feature hand-painted trompe l’oeil island scenes and rich blues inspired by the twilight sky. Draped fabric ceiling and walls in the Tent Room create a romantic Empire-era dining experience. Lighting throughout has been supplied by Croydon-based Dernier & Hamlyn, a collaborator with Dennis on previous projects.

So, has Dennis been given a free rein to bring a ‘design philosophy to the project?

“I was given a great deal of independence to translate spaces as I felt they should be. Having said that, we really appreciated the invaluable input we received from Rosewood who have been based in the Caribbean for many years. Selecting relevant and suitable suppliers is always key to the success of a project so working with an experienced procurement agent, in this case Argenta Projects, was crucial.”

Rejecting the idea of being tied to one style, he adds: “Good design is never formulaic. There will never be a Dennis Irvine Studio style. I am always very respectful of a building’s history if it has one. Or if it’s a new site will give very careful consideration to what else is happening locally so that, while making its own statement, the design is empathetic and complements its surroundings. If asked to sum up our ‘design philosophy’ it would be about respect. For the building and its environs, for the client’s brand and vitally for each other within our team.”

HD asks where this project ranks for Dennis in his portfolio of work. “It’s the first one that has been completed under the Dennis Irvine Studio name so it is my most rewarding in many ways.” Work on the horizon includes a country house hotel at Langley Park, Buckinghamshire. Judging by the work carried out by Dennis at the Estate House, it’s going to be a gem – and slightly closer to home…

rosewoodhotels.com/jumby-bay
dennisirvinestudio.com

Kelly Hoppen Crosswater KH Zero

Product Spotlight: KH Zero range by Kelly Hoppen with Crosswater

 516 360 Daniel Fountain
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The iconic KH Zero range is a collaborative partnership between bathroom specialist Crosswater and renowned, world-class interior designer, Kelly Hoppen MBE.

Offering a distinctive selection of brassware designs across five capsule collections, Kelly Hoppen’s signature style and integrity have been beautifully translated into a selection of statement taps, suited to today’s modern home.

Confidently artistic with a whisper of boutique hotel style, all five of the collections encompass superior quality design and timeless appeal, each distinguishable by its own unique styling and distinctive characteristics to ensure a look to suit any bathroom.

Kelly Hoppen Crosswater KH Zero

KH Zero 2

From the abstract forms of KH ZERO 1 to the subtly contoured angles of KH ZERO 3 and KH ZERO 6, choose from deck-mounted basin taps in a choice of heights, or striking wall mounted basin sets that create a statement.

There is also a selection of floor-standing bath fillers to choose from, featuring integral shower kits and the latest in thermostatic technology; statuesque in form but still offering superior functionality. Immaculately immersed in Kelly’s distinctive, fluid style, the KH Zero range is perfect for those seeking well-designed, quality brassware for a bathroom that exemplifies sophisticated design.

Kelly Hoppen Crosswater KH Zero

KH Zero 6

www.crosswater.co.uk
T: +44 (0) 13 22 42 27 43
F: +44 (0) 84 58 73 88 41
E: David.balmer@crosswater-holdings.co.uk

Das Design Competition - Hansgrohe USA

Hansgrohe USA calls on architects, designers for Das Design competition

 730 411 Daniel Fountain
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Hansgrohe USA is pleased to announce a call for entries for the 3rd annual Hansgrohe+Axor Das Design Competition. A manufacturer of innovative and exceptionally designed kitchen and bath products since 1901, Hansgrohe has attracted the eye of discerning building trade professionals for over a century.

The competition aims to celebrate this tradition and recognise outstanding recently built projects that feature the Hansgrohe and Axor brands. In the 2016 program, US architects and designers are invited to enter projects from the last five years. These must incorporate Hansgrohe or Axor products that contribute to innovative or inspiring environments in residential and hospitality/commercial properties. From large hotels to multi-family spaces and single-family homes, Hansgrohe is looking for outstanding projects of all types and scales.

Hansgrohe USA President, Erik Christensen, states: “It is exciting for us to see how the products we work so hard to design, manufacture and sell, become a fixture in properties across the globe. Now in its third consecutive year, the Hansgrohe + Axor Das Design Competition allows us to discover new projects, as well as recognise excellence. Ultimately, it is thanks to talented architects and designers that our products perform so successfully in the built environment.”

Das Design Competition

Domestic and international new construction and renovation projects completed between January 1, 2011 and August 12, 2016 are eligible for entry. There are two categories of entry: Residential and Hospitality/Commercial. Entry is free and can be done completely online at www.dasdesigncomp.com. Entrants will be required to include brief descriptions about their project including their selection and integration of Hansgrohe or Axor products.

A jury of leading A&D industry professionals including architects, designers leading media, and representatives from Hansgrohe or Axor will select the winners. Entries will be evaluated against five criteria: the quality of the overall design of the project and the integration of Hansgrohe or Axor products into the scheme; the degree that Hansgrohe/Axor products enhance the design and functionality of the space; the consideration of the environment and sustainability in the design; the quality of installation; and the extent of use of Hansgrohe/Axor products.

The first place winner in each category will receive a cash prize of $2,000 and will be eligible to attend a VIP trip to the Black Forest of Germany and the ISH Show. The first place winners and three honorable mentions in each category will be awarded a plaque recognising their achievements.

Entry deadline: Friday, August 12, 2016.