A to Z of Interior Design: D is for…

Deconstructivism

Deconstructivism is a type of architectural style, which unlike conventional architecture, breaks all the rules of construction theory. Developed in late 1980’s, deconstructivism was started by a group of architects known as the deconstructivists, who were impressed and influenced by the thinking and principles of French Philosopher Jacques Derrida.

According to the deconstructivism style, a building is designed in parts. The architecture seems as if it is done in bits and pieces, in a haphazard manner, without any importance given to logic or architecture norms. A building constructed by deconstructivism style reflects discordant pieces joined together to form unrelated abstract forms.

Deconstructivism focuses on changing the conventional rectilinear lines of a normal architectural building into non-rectilinear lines, transforming the external features of the building into distorted shapes and fragmented features.

Deconstructivism theory can also be applied to interior design, for examples and inspiration look at iconoclastic architectural design by the likes of Zaha Hadid, Bernard Tschumi, Peter Eisenman, Morphosis, Rem Koolhaas, Daniel Libeskind, and Frank Gehry.

A to Z of Interior Design: C is for…

Chair

A piece of furniture consisting of a seat, legs, back, and often arms, designed to accommodate one person.

Furniture design is defined as fashioning goods for seating or storage from raw materials. Within this broad definition, humans have been designing furniture since they first placed rocks near the fire pit for the express purpose of sitting.

Design by definition, though, implies the creation of an object that is not only functional but aesthetically pleasing. The concept of form follows function is a mantra among furniture designers, and for good reason. The rock can function as seating, but it is the form that ultimately turns function into comfort.

Few objects tell the history of modern design as eloquently as the chair. Aesthetics trends, the emergence of new technologies, ergonomics, social and cultural developments are all reflected in the evolution of chair design.

Chair design considers intended usage, ergonomics (how comfortable it is for the occupant), as well as non-ergonomic functional requirements such as size, stackability, foldability, weight, durability, stain resistance and artistic design. Intended usage determines the desired seating position.

Interior design competition open to all undergraduates

The National Design Academy and Staffordshire University are delighted to launch a student competition for International Decorative Surfaces (IDS) to put forward interior and exterior design ideas for a new IDS Head Office in a prominent location in Stoke on Trent.

The competition is aimed at undergraduates with a view to kick-starting their design career. The winner will not only receive £1000 but will also be invited to join IDS at 100% Design and meet and be mentored by some of the UK’s leading composite material manufacturers.

IDS are the UK’s largest distributor of decorative surfaces and, as a forward thinking business, want to increase links with education in this important area of the UK construction market. An exhibition area within the reception of the building will be utilised to showcase students’ work.

The competition launches on 14^th May 2012 and all submissions must be received by post by midnight 31^st August 2012. Entrants should submit a selection of presentation boards from their chosen categories. Competition entry is entirely free and an application form can be filled out online from a dedicated competition webpage on the NDA website: http://www.nda.ac.uk/competitions/

For over 23 years the National Design Academy has been a Centre of Excellence for Interior Design. It is the largest provider of nationally accredited Interior Design courses in the UK, both in studio and by distance learning. Qualifications include Diplomas, Foundation Degrees and BA (Hons) in a range of design-related disciplines. All Degree level courses are validated and accredited by Staffordshire University.

Grand Designs Live 2012: Part Two

This years Grand Designs Live put a lot of emphasis on garden design. Not only was the garden section huge, but it also offered free expert advice about any garden design ideas or projects you might have floating around your head. If you are interested in learning about garden design as a career or as an extra string to your interior design bow, then check out the new Diploma in Professional Garden Design by  The National Design Academy.

In part one I talked about garden pods and lodges, so I’ll continue the garden theme and cover some of the interesting items I found that you could use to adorn one.

Garden Haven Lounger – mygind design

Scandinavian design company mygind design have pulled out all the stops to bring this luxury lounger to life. Made from solid mahogany wood, hand woven in all-weather resin wicker and custom upholstered with plush cushions and pillows, these wouldn’t look out of place in a heritage setting. The lounger also folds up and becomes completely weather proof. Available as a single, double or triple seat model.




The Cole Henley Table Barbecue

This outdoor dining table and barbecue combination lets everyone cook their food how they like it, whilst all sitting together. Its well designed and insulated so only the grill gets hot. Hand built in the UK, it is available as a four, six or eight seater.




Rustic Designs Limited

It does exactly what it says on the tin, if indeed you could buy bespoke rustic garden furniture in tins.




Kingsley Smythe

Specialists in luxury teak furniture, their new chunky log table and chair set caught my eye.




Jusi Colour

Voted as one of the “Must have products” in the Grand Design Magazine, they didn’t get me all that excited, but if you are looking to add some bright LED colour (at night at least) into a garden design, then these products are the best around at the moment. They make a full range of items, including arm chairs, planters, wine coolers and cubes.




Qui est Paul?

For plasticated garden furniture that has a certain “ju ne se pai?” look no further than Que est Paul? They do a large range of extremely well designed garden furniture and accessories that will add panache to any outdoor living set up.




Personalised benches – Cut by Fire

Greetings cards are so passé, be cool and say it with a bench instead.




Stepping off the faux grass and down Designer Alley led me to a superabundance of superbly designed furniture and homewares, more so than I’d come across at any other show, and it was all in one place! So bear with me, this may be a long list…




Retrodelic Designs

As they put it themselves: “Contemporary furniture with a retro twist”, and what a twist is is!




H & B

Fresh out of university, these two spritely furniture designers have already been making some waves with their designs. The funky looking Butterfly chair (pictured) has been commissioned and will soon be available; watch this space for details!

The pair also specialise in using boiled leather to create furniture pieces, check out the chest of drawers and stool.




Invisible city design studio – Incunabular collection

Based on the dimensions and ratios used for the international paper standard; think A3, A4, A5,  the new incunabular collection offers something a bit different. The pleasing geometrics are enhanced with delicate tones of colour and also offer very practical storage. I love the side table with it’s off centre legs.




Dare Studio

Some other off centre legs that caught my attention were on the Katakana Writing Desk by Dare Studio. Mmm sleek modernist  lines.

Sticks and Stone – Unique solid wood and stone wine racks, tables and benches

If you or your clients enjoy wine as much as I do, then having a beautiful place to store and display your collection, no matter how large or small, is a very important consideration. Sticks and Stone turn reclaimed pieces of wood and stone into gorgeous wine storage, if only I could hold onto my wine long enough to justify having one of these!




Shane Holland Design Workshops

Shane Holland Design Workshops make all sorts of stuff out of metal, wood and bits and bobs, including commercial and home furniture, stairs, sculptures and lights. But like a moth it was the lights that drew me to their stand.




Nic Parnell

If you read my report on Interiors UK you’ll recognise these lamps by reclaimed materials furniture designer Nic Parnell. I think these lamps are fantastic and they have now gone commercial so you can start specifying them for your clients! Nic also makes and reconditions other pieces of furniture, so if you are looking for something very unique and oh so colourful check out what else he has to offer. Nic’s got lots of new ideas in the pipeline so stay tuned for more news on his stuff as it happens.

Incidentally our friends at The National Design Academy interviewed one of their own students who had designed a room set for Grand Designs Live that featured one of Nic’s lamps, watch it here!




So there you have it, Grand Designs Live is the show to go to if you are looking for some creatively led inspiration. There really is something for everyone and lots of it. I only really scratched the surface with this report, there were whole areas I didn’t have time to explore, like I said, I could happily spent another day looking around, maybe two?

Having a grand time: Grand Designs Live 2012 – Part One

This years Grand Designs Live show held at the ExCel in London’s docklands was, as you’d expect, quite grand. Out of all the shows I’ve visited recently, Grand Designs Live certainly stands out as one of the best. Its layout is easy to navigate and despite being huge, I always knew where I was thanks to a sensible layout with its central hub and four main paths, plus the overhead signs in each section telling you where you are and whats ahead.  There was a lot to see, and unlike some other shows, I could have happily spent another day there.

The main theme running throughout the show and reflected in many of the trade products being touted was  SUSTAINABILITY.  This a word used so often now that it has almost lost meaning as this comic by XKCD webcomic amusingly highlights:

However, the people behind Grand Designs Live certainly seem to be using the word sincerely.  Whole areas were dedicated to sustainable materials, with experts on hand to discuss them and give talks on their practical uses.  Another large area was dedicated to up and coming innovative products that use recycled materials and have little or no impact on the environment. On top of all this, most vendors were proudly demonstrating the ‘Eco’ properties of their products and services. I found it to be an interesting place to be where I could learn all kinds of amazing stuff about sustainable buildings and practices, but alas with a show so large and my curiosity larger I barely had enough time to take it all in.




The next big thing?

If this show is anything to go by then the ‘next big thing’ it seems is ‘Luxury Garden Buildings’, or as I like to call them ‘Fancy Sheds’. If you have a large garden and already have your house how you like it then the next stage it seems is to buy a fancy shed that can be used as a second living room, guest house, office or gym.

They generally come in two types: Pre-fab pod or larger more bespoke lodge. Here are some that stood out.

Starting at the luxurious end we have the i-hut, which isn’t much to look at from the outside, but once inside its pitch as an orginal and creative answer to second home ownership becomes clear. Think of it as a modern home in the shape of a caravan but made of wood. Because it is caravan sized it can be located on land that has planning permission for one, so your  site options are massive.




The other luxury shed I came across was the ecoPerch by Blue Forest who specialise in building grandiose bespoke tree houses and eco lodges. The ecoPerch is their attempt to create a pre-fab lodge that can be installed in five days, and again is suitable for caravan sites. It has a more aesthetically pleasing external look than the i-hut, but it dosen’t make as much economical use of the internal space.




If something a little smaller and less home like is what you seek, then the Armadilla may be more suitable, certainly if you plan to create a useful extra space in your garden.




For something all together a little more odd looking, the more eccentric of you might get more pleasure from the Let’s Live Our Lives (LOL) Pod. It looks like a toadstool.




Another interestingly shaped garden pod is the more honestly named Tetra Shed. Whilst on its own it resembles a bizarre geometric shape, inside it is designed to be the perfect outdoor office. It’s modular too, so you can link up to five of them together if you need more space.




For a regular shaped, well insulated and bespoke garden office or lodge I found Vividgreen were the people to talk to.




There is lots more to come in part two of my Grand Designs Live review including the latest in outdoor living and cutting edge interiors, stay tuned!

A to Z of Interior Design: B is for…

Branding

A brand is a product or service whose dimensions differentiate it in some ways from other products or services designed to satisfy the same need.  A brand can take many forms, including a name,  sign, symbol, colour combination or slogan.

The word branding simply began as a way to tell one person’s cattle from another by means of a hot iron stamp.  The word ‘brand’ has continued to evolve to encompass identity; it affects the personality of a product, company or service. It is defined by a perception, good or bad, that your customers or prospects have about you.

“Although today every trading business has a trading name or mark, no matter how large the business, only a small amount of them stand out from the rest through what we acknowledge as a ‘brand’. The word ‘brand’ now is more commonly associated, not so much with simply naming a business, but rather with businesses that are highly regarded and well recognised. This association can be made irrespective of whether or not the individual (consumer) fully understands the company or its offer.

Branding a company can lead to the creation of a mark, devoid of the trade name, that automatically identifies the company and makes it recognisable in any language, good examples of this are Apple and Nike. Extremely popular brands like these can communicate with the public about their products and services wherever their marks or signs are present.

A brand is more than simply the company name, the identity of the company letterhead, or its logo. The brand tells the public not only who you are and what you do but how you do it and what values you stand for. The brand reflects the company’s personality and reputation and it establishes its credibility relative to all competition. Although the brand image requires an identity and a mark or logo, the brand is successfully acknowledged through the value of its positive customer perception and satisfaction.

And whilst we tend to think of a brand relating to consumer products or retail companies, having a brand for your Interior Design business is no different. The principles of creating a ‘brand’ for your company has the same purpose; to reflect your personality, reputation and credibility. Kelly Hoppen, Missoni, Pantone, Habitat, Decorex, Philippe Starck….designers, interior brands and design shows all with their own distinctive logos that separate them from their competition in a striking, yet simple manner.”

- Excerpt taken from National Design Academy’s Retail Design course

A to Z of Interior Design

A

Come on baby… light my fire

Thanks to spring the days are longer and lighter, the sun has been shining and we even had a ‘mini summer’ a few weeks back here in the UK. But as tempting as it is to spend more time outdoors, it is still very chilly when the sun hides behind a cloud or dusk descends.

Chimineas or a fire pit are great ways to warm up your outdoor evenings, and with so many designs available you can choose one that becomes a focal point in your garden, and not just because of the hypnotic flames therein.

Before choosing one, a few things need to be considered; primarily how and where will it be used? A chiminea is generally much smaller than a firepit and it encloses the fire and directs smoke through its chimney, making them more suitable for smaller spaces. Because they are enclosed they are safe to use on decking or close to other flammable garden objects.

Fire pits need more room, they are often open 360 degrees so need to be away from flammable objects, as embers can be blown out of the dish. Also a firepit may smoulder for long periods so you need to know its safe to be left on its own. Fire pits don’t have funnels so they generally create more smoke which can blow around depending on the weather.

Although both come in different sizes, firepits are generally bigger and better for warming more people. A fire pit bit can also be used as a BBQ when used with a grill attachment, tripod or even a spit roast.

Asides from the width and the height, the only other major consideration is what fuel you want to use; wood, charcoal or gas.

They do also come in a variety of materials, such as cast iron, stainless steel, copper, clay or stone, but this is mostly down to personal preference.

Here are some that I think are hot stuff:

Weber Fire Place

Made of heavy-duty steel and coated with porcelain enamel, this firepit will last for years, but what I like most about it is its functional design. It comes with a lid that can be used to extinguish the fire and prevent ash from blowing around your garden, and with the lid sitting on the stand, the heat from the fire isn’t lost, so it creates a very warm fire pit that will keep going even if it rains. It also has a convinent ash catcher underneath – very tidy.

Recycled Kadai Fire Bowls

Made in India with traditional methods, the Recycled Kadai is Made from recycled oil drums and riveted together for strength and durability. Each bowl is fitted with a gauze filter system that separates out the ash from rain water, allowing for a maintenance free barbeque.

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Copper Dish by Firepits UK

Copper offers a unique look compared to most cast iron fire pits, and this design looks great.

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The Tower by Firepits UK

For a taller fire pit this one stands out from the crowd.

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Modfire by Brandon Williams

Beautifully designed and individually hand built modern take on the chiminea

La Hacienda Cuba Corten Steel Chiminea – Oxidised

Another fantastic minimalist contemporary chiminea that is much more affordable than the Modfire range.

Design a retro bin competiton!

Leading housewares brand Brabantia, world renowned for bringing stylish design to all aspects of kitchen and homeware, is delighted to announce a partnership with the National Design Academy (NDA).

This month Brabantia, supported by the NDA, launched a Design Your Bin competition to find an aspiring designer to create a new design for its 2013 Retro Bin range. The competition is open to all budding creatives throughout the globe – age, experience and location are no barriers.

David Slater, Sales Director at Brabantia, said: “We are delighted to be working with the creative talent from the UK’s largest and most prestigious interior design school.  Brabantia is in search of a world-class design that will go into production in 2013 and we are looking forward to seeing the creative concepts from the students at the National Design Academy.”

All students from the NDA who submit a design will enter a sub competition managed by the academy where the winning designer will receive a ‘one of a kind’ Brabantia retro bin featuring their bespoke design. To ensure your entry is included in the NDA sub comp you must email your design to pr2@nda.ac.uk as well as entering it on the main competition website (details below).

Anthony Rayworth, Director of Studies at NDA, said: “This is a fabulous opportunity for our students to show off their creative talents, and it offers a real challenge to be able to create  a design that will both stand out and work well in most kitchens. I’m very much looking forward to seeing the designs as they come in.”

The competition is also open to all members of the general public. Anyone with creative flair can submit a design – it could be a favourite photo, a piece of fine art, urban graffiti street art, or a detailed illustration or textile.  The winning design will go into production in 2013.

There are six categories: Modern art, Street art, Photography, Illustration, Textiles and handmade and Montage. Any medium will be accepted as long as it can be uploaded and reproduced digitally.  Designs need to be uploaded via www.designyourbin.com in JPG format by 10 June 2012.

As well as getting to see their design produced and on sale as part of Brabantia’s range next year, the overall winner selected by Brabantia’s international design panel will also receive a bin featuring their design and 1,500 Euros worth of Brabantia products.

Visitors to the Design Your Bin site are invited to vote for their favourite design. The designer with the most votes will win Brabantia products worth 1,000 Euros.

The winners of the six individual categories as selected by Brabantia’s design panel will each receive their choice of either a London or I’ve Bin Romantic Retro Bin.

All entries are displayed in the Gallery, where the general public can vote for their favourite designs. So what are you waiting for? Are you ready to join the ranks of the Brabantia designers?

Find out how to take part here.

An egg is for life, not just for Easter

Good Friday! Easter’s almost here! And that means three things in my book; eggs, chocolate and a long weekend.

To celebrate the mass consumption of oodles of egg shaped confectionary and the two bank holidays in which to recover from any over indulgence, I’ve picked some super Egg inspired interior (and exterior) design objects that are simply cracking.

Nogg chicken coop

Handmade in the UK, the Nogg chicken coop is a stylish way to keep chickens in your garden.

Housing up to four chickens this coop has been expertly engineered; including stainless steel reinforced doors and ribbing to combat the possible effects of the elements and carnivorous animals.

The innovative glass top twists and lifts to aid ventilation and is just one of the details that really elevates the idea of what a domestic coop can be.





Egg shower by Arina Komarova

Although only a concept, I can’t help thinking that this is a brilliant idea, not only because it is shaped like an egg, but because it also combines a bath, jacuzzi and a shower in one neat little pod.  The doors can be closed completely to offer total privacy so it would also be ideal for a public spa.






Egg inspired table by WAMHOUSE

Polish furniture designer WAMHOUSE weren’t yolking when they designed this breakfast table.






Garden Egg Chair by Peter Ghyczy

Designed in 1968 and re-introduced in 2001 by Ghyczy Novo, the Garden Egg Chair is one of the first chairs to be made with Polyurethane. When closed it is water proof and it comes in many other colours, not just white and yellow. Available from Blue Sun Tree.










Baton Chair by Channels Design Firm

British designer’s Channels made this gorgeous modern take on the famous Egg Chair.












eiPott plastic egg cup by Koziol

What better way to devour your breakfast easter eggs than with this plastic egg cup based on the iconic form of Apple’s iPod?

Called eiPOTT, “Ei” is German for egg and “Pott” means pot. Together it is pronounced like the famous MP3 player.




Ovetto Recycling Bin by Gianluca Soldi

Named after the Italian word for ‘egg’, Ovetto is available in several bright color options as well as a stylish all white or all black.

Made from recycled polypropylene (the same material used in ropes and carpeting), the bin offers three separate receptacles to make recycling easier and it also has a plastic bottle crusher on the top.

A to Z of Interior Design: A is for…

Spring has most certainly sprung, in fact today it feels like summer has pounced!

To celebrate the warm sun on our faces, The Design Hub will be doing an A – Z of Interior Design, starting with…

A is for Alessi, to coincide with the release of a special limited edition of one of their most famous pieces, the ‘Anna Etoile’ corkscrew by Alessandro Mendini.

It costs a whopping £30,000 and is made with gold, diamonds, topaz and coral!