Emma Black has been promoted to Senior Interior Designer.
Emma has been an integral part of our interior design team, consistently demonstrating exceptional creativity, professionalism, and dedication. Over the past few years, she has delivered outstanding work, led key projects with confidence, and embodied our company values in everything she does.
Beyond her project contributions, Emma has played a pivotal role in shaping and supporting the interiors team and the wider business. She has championed our work experience programme, ensuring students have an inspiring introduction to the industry, and has been a brilliant mentor to junior team members.
Emma is a tremendous asset to our team. Congratulations to Emma on her promotion to Senior Interior Designer!
Are we in the Bridgerton Era?
In her latest blog, our Head of Interiors, Laura Baarda, talks about incorporating Regency styling into interior design as Bridgerton fever sweeps the nation.
Who hasn’t caught Bridgerton fever or knows someone who’s obsessed with it? Every year, we visit Chelsea Harbour to source the latest fabrics, furniture, and lighting for our clients, keeping an eye on emerging trends in the interior design world. This year, we couldn’t help but notice—we are indeed in the Bridgerton Regency era, and I’m absolutely thrilled!
Interior design is embracing a resurgence of English country charm. Gone are the days of stark, monochromatic interiors and geometric patterns. Instead, we’re seeing softer, more botanical themes with rich, layered colours and intricate patterns. This English country aesthetic, reminiscent of a British version of Nancy Meyers’ films, is all the rage on TikTok and among influencers like Lydia Millen, who beautifully captures the essence of English country life. Naturally, our interiors are following suit.
Here Are Three Elements of the Bridgerton Interiors Era:
Accents: I can’t contain my excitement over the use of trims! I’ve always loved how trimming adds layers and a tailored edge to interiors. Last year, trims adorned wall details and feature walls. This year, they’re everywhere—on cushions, lampshades, sofas, and chairs. Bullion and fringe trims are adding texture and interest to furnishings, echoing the timeless elegance of National Trust properties.
Palette: The colour schemes are wonderfully versatile, allowing you to personalise your space. The trend report from last year still holds true—soft dusty blues, greens, and pink accents dominate, creating a fresh and inviting palette for any interior.
Patterns: The pattern options are endless and stunning! Bold botanical and floral prints serve as the perfect backdrop for layered schemes, softened with smaller prints and block colours. Adding opulent trims to cushions and contemporary geometric prints ensures the design feels modern rather than dated. Gingham is making a delightful comeback, ideal for those who find botanical prints too overwhelming. It adds a fantastic English country vibe, especially when used for pleated furniture skirts, creating texture and interest with ease.
Following last year’s FOURcast blog post with our residential interior trend predictions, this theme has been on the horizon for a while. The increase in blue and green tones this season, paired with ditsy prints, perfectly suits these bold schemes where a mix of scales is essential. I’m absolutely in love with this glorious celebration of English country interiors—long may it last!
The Clerkenwell area of London is home to more creative businesses and architects per square mile than anywhere else on the planet! Clerkenwell Design Week showcases world leading leading interior brands and emerging design talent to celebrate this rich and diverse community.
Featuring showroom events, curated exhibitions, installations, topical talks, design destinations, a fringe programme, food and drink partners and more, the award-winning Clerkenwell Design Week has firmly established itself as the UK’s leading design festival.
Other Bowman Riley colleagues will be out and about in Clerkenwell during the week, visiting showrooms, getting design inspiration and attending fringe events.
If you would like to set up a meeting with our team at Clerkenwell Design Week 2024, please contact Laura via email.
CAT A+ the plug-and-play office
In his latest blog, our Head of Interior Architecture, Tom Shelley talks about the move towards CAT A+ offices.
In a post-pandemic world, there’s no doubt the pace of change has accelerated. In the commercial office environment, landlords and tenants have had to embrace changes to working patterns, increased reliance on technology and the move towards hybrid working.
The impact of these trends is that existing offices may no longer be the right size or configuration to meet tenant’s evolving needs around collaborative working, recruitment and talent retention and workplace culture. If interior refurbishment isn’t an option, businesses may need to find a new home.
As interior designers, we have been involved in many office construction and fit-out projects. In clients’ eyes, the time involved in fitting out an office can seem slow and protracted when people are getting used to next-day delivery. As a solution to this challenge, property owners and designers are starting to see the benefit of CAT A+ to speed up and meet the demand for high-quality workspace.
We designed the interiors at Dixon House in London collaborating with fit-out contractor, Ben Johnson to offer workers a range of meeting working spaces to choose from throughout the day.
CAT A+ is an extension of the standard CAT A office fit-out. It is a more comprehensive fit-out that includes all the elements of a CAT A fit-out, such as raised floors, suspended ceilings, air conditioning, basic lighting, and core WC facilities, but with enhanced features.
The “+ ” in CAT A+ typically refers to increased customisation and higher-quality finishes included in the fit-out. This can consist of the actual fitting out of the meeting rooms, phone booths, kitchens, and break-out zones. This has improved lighting systems, higher-quality flooring, and enhanced data and power supply.
With demand for high-quality workspace increasing, the CAT A+ fit-out model presents property owners with a fantastic opportunity to invest in their assets to grab the attention of prospective tenants the minute they walk through the door. It must be tough for a new tenant to visualise and understand what can be achieved in a white box, so why not offer the space to go?
The other benefit is that it will give the property owner control over the quality and fit-out standards to ensure sustainability is at the forefront of the space. Designing with flexibility and the capacity to modify to suit an individual company’s needs will be huge in the long term. Allowing for an element of personalisation and customisation will only stand to make the space more desirable.
The key benefits of a CAT A+ fit-out include the following:
Improved functionality: A CAT A+ fit-out can be designed to improve the functionality of a workspace. This can include features such as bespoke storage solutions, tailored meeting rooms, and adaptable working areas.
Increased brand identity: the high-quality finishes and custom design of a CAT A+ fit-out can help to create a unique and memorable workspace that reflects a company’s brand identity.
Improved staff wellbeing: improved employee morale and productivity by creating a space designed with staff wellbeing in mind. This can include features such as natural light, green spaces, and ergonomic furniture.
Flexibility: clever design and layout means future alterations and amendments can be implemented to ensure spaces flex and evolve with their tenants.
Improved sustainability: Many CAT A+ fit-outs include sustainability features such as energy-efficient lighting and heating systems, recycled materials, and water-saving measures.
In conclusion, CAT A+ has the hallmarks of a positive approach to office design and fit-out. It allows property owners to create a bespoke workspace that will appeal to prospective tenants by meeting their specific needs. By including enhanced features and high-quality finishes, a CAT A+ fit-out can help to improve functionality, brand identity, staff wellbeing, and sustainability in an office environment. The big win is that you can move in the next day, maximising precious time.
All images are Dixon House – image credit branding and marketing agency, Stuart Chapman Design.
Does your office need a wellness room?
In her latest blog, our Head of Interior Design, Laura Baarda, explores the benefits of an office wellness room.
There have been huge improvements and investments in staff in the last few years, with companies looking to create offices that promote wellbeing, health, fitness and socialising with a considerable focus on people.
Through our clients and research, we have noticed a big drive in wellness rooms, also called contemplation rooms, renew rooms or respite rooms. Forbes reported that ‘87% of employees considered health and wellness offerings when choosing an employer,’ which is a considerable element for staff retention and talent acquisition.
A wellness room is a dedicated space for employees to focus on personal health needs; this could be stress-related, anxiety, sensitive private discussions, people administrating regular medication, pregnant women experiencing nausea, migraines, etc. This could also be a space for breastfeeding mothers or neuro-diverse individuals to remove themselves from over-stimulating work environments. Therefore, this is more of a multi-purpose room, and it’s working hard for its money!
We have researched and explored what a wellness room is, so you don’t have to. See below seven essential ingredients to a wellness room and why you might benefit from one:
The Space
We know that space is premium within office environments; however, a wellness room could be created from an existing under-used space, like a first-aid or multi-purpose room, for example. It should be designed for one person at a time and therefore doesn’t require a large footprint.
Ideally, this room should be in a discreet location so people feel comfortable using the space without attracting attention. Depending on the area and desired use, it can be beneficial to have a small kitchen space for drinks stocked with healthy snacks and a small fridge, especially for breastfeeding mothers, to store milk. The room should not be bookable or lockable but have a discrete occupied sign to ensure privacy.
Usually, when you think about wellness, you immediately think of natural light – however, this is one space where natural light isn’t required. Ideally, you want to have as much control over the lighting as possible to support someone with a migraine or feeling overstimulated. Consider softer and more residential colour temperatures such as 2700K bulbs, table lamps or floor lamps to reduce glare and intensely bright light.
Furniture in this space should be designed for comfort, not just an extra meeting chair. At a minimum, there should be a comfortable chair and footstool and an occasional table to rest a glass of water within reach. If space allows, a small bed can be a great addition and room for another chair – should another person be required for counselling, first aid, etc. Also, consider one layer further regarding the interiors, with softer elements such as wallpapers, cushions, and throws to create a space for rest.
Always consider the desired use and the practicality of a space like this; it requires cleanability and durability similar to a healthcare environment (especially if this is a multi-use room for first aid etc.)
We want to create an immersive experience that feels like you can leave your troubles at the door. It shouldn’t feel like an extension of the office; therefore, the use of sounds and smells can be very transformative. Adding sounds such as birdsong, waves, and white noise can help ground someone feeling overwhelmed. Adding diffusers can help create a soft scent; however, this shouldn’t be over-powering, or this could have a contrasting effect.
The best way to approach the colour pallet is to think of a spa and what you like to see in a calming space. Tranquil tonal colour palettes, colours that reflect nature, greens, stone, and sandy colours all support this environment. Try to avoid bright colours and keep artwork serene and calm, and none branded to ensure the space is focused on relaxation and not work.
Image Credit Bowman Riley, private client.
The Planting
Planting within interiors can help make a space feel refreshing, rejuvenating and grounding. Consider materials within the interiors, such as timber finishes.
This one is simple, nothing! This is a space to switch off.
Outside of this space, you can support your people by investing in apps like Headspace and have work programmes offering proven workplace mindfulness solutions.
This could be a simple way to give back to your employees and allow them to carry a virtual wellness space in their pockets.
An advanced system called Zerobody gives employees a chance to regenerate through dry float therapy; this can positively impact stress, muscle and joint pain, sleep, focus and psycho and physical recovery – so maybe the future wellness room will be a dry float space?
We hope this blog has given you some helpful things to consider if you are thinking about adding a wellness room to your office.
The value these spaces add to the workplace includes increased employee engagement, productivity and wellness. This area can work very hard for a small footprint, and getting the interior right will vastly affect the use of the room.
If you have read this and want to create a similar space but don’t have the luxury of an under-used or spare room, then some things can still be done. Creating wellness pieces within furniture, a booth, or a dedicated space – the lovely Steelcase Tents are a perfect example of something that could be used to create a wellness area within an open-plan office.
If you want to discuss creating a wellness space in your office, contact a member of our interiors team, Laura, Tom Shelley or Emma Black 07156 795611, we would love to help.
TOP TAKEAWAYS FROM CLERKENWELL DESIGN WEEK 2023 – Emma Black
Our interior design team had a busy, inspiring and productive few days in London as part of Clerkenwell Design Week 2023 from 23-25 May.
Clerkenwell Design Week is the UK’s leading design festival that celebrates London’s creative hub with more than 160 showrooms, 600 events, thousands of products, installations, brand activations, topical talks and more.
Interior Designer, Emma Black talks about the most inspirational talks she heard and the most innovative products and designs she saw during the week.
Favourite Showroom
Icons of Denmark. This was by far my favourite furniture manufacturer find of our whole visit. Each product was designed to be noticed. All products had a high-quality finish and featured sleek and considered design details. I love the exposed joints which elude to the level of craftsmanship. I particularly liked the Gab lounge chair, the Katla dining chair and the modular 4T system which can be used to create booths, rooms, screens and more.
Forecast of an Emerging Trend
Orange is back! I saw lots of orange interiors, fabrics and finishes, whether this is bright, eye-catching orange or more tonal and neutral oranges brought in through terracotta and burnt oranges. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed seeing these colours within the interiors!
Favourite Product
Mogu, Fields – These acoustic wall panels are made using mycelium. The irregular hexagon shaped tile is reeded, imitating the seeding tracks evoking the relationship between mankind and nature. The tiles are naturally white, however, can be dyed a range of neutral and natural tonal colours.
Buzz Topic
Inclusivity and flexibility – From portable lighting to designing for neurodiversity. There was a lot of focus on inclusivity, comfort and wellbeing. Ensuring we design spaces which have multiple choices for type of work environments e.g quiet zones, collaboration zones but also areas which are warmer, cooler, lots of natural light or less natural light.
Providing multiple areas where people can choose to work depending on how they feel will make the workplace more inviting and comfortable. Products which promote flexibility and movement also assist with this, we saw many portable lights, sit stand desks, mats which you can stand on which promote movement and assist those who are hyposensitive.
I loved this 3D printed freestanding room divider screen by Aectual. Aside from its physical benefits for space planning this divider adds texture and colour to a space.
Top tips for designing with epilepsy in mind
Interior Designer, Emma Black considers the importance of designing spaces to help make life a bit easier for people with medical conditions and has put together her top tips for designing specifically with epilepsy in mind in her latest blog.
As interior designers, we always aim to make our designs as inclusive and accessible as possible.
Still, it is only when you or someone you know experiences something that restricts or obstructs their daily life that you start to understand how and what can affect someone living with a medical condition.
Having somebody close to me suffer from epilepsy has given me the ability to design with the condition in mind. No one-size-fits-all solution exists for creating designs for people with epilepsy. Trigger points for seizures differ for every individual, and there is more to epilepsy than just seizures. People with epilepsy experience electrical activity in the brain, which can present itself as visual auras, migraines and other symptoms.
If you are designing a private home with one individual in mind, achieving a safer environment for that person is more manageable. With so many triggers and the increased risk of a sudden fall, how can we achieve a functional, safe and still aesthetically pleasing design for people with epilepsy as a whole?
Here are my top tips.
Frequent Rest Spaces – Some people with epilepsy can feel a seizure starting or recognise pre-seizure symptoms. For these people having a safe place to sit or lay within a close distance can reduce the risk of them falling during a seizure and make the environment a little more comfortable.
Discreet Sources of Support – Grab rails can be a source of support when falling; however, they can also be a risk to someone who is uncontrollably falling. A recessed channel in a wall may be a better approach to providing a place to reach for whilst also being tucked out of the way to reduce the risk of injury. Creating sensitive support areas through a design may help the user feel more independent if they do not see hospital-grade grab rails on every wall.
Indirect Sources of Light – Bright glaring lights and flashing lights can trigger seizures and bother those with epilepsy due to increased sensitivity to light. Creating a well-lit space using indirect lighting can be achieved easily by using light fittings that aim onto the ceiling and upper walls, which act as reflectors to spread the light around the space evenly. We can reduce glare by specifying diffusers and or antiglare lights. Dimmable lights can also be very beneficial.
Temperature controls – Control over a space’s temperature is essential; people with uncontrolled seizures experience increased seizure activity during hot weather. Ensuring the environment is a comfortable temperature helps keep the body stabilised.
Doors – Doors in all rooms and toilet cubicles that can swing both ways are vital if somebody has a seizure and falls behind a door; opening the door is the other way to gain access to this imperative to ensure their safety.
Rest and Recovery Room – Following a seizure or epileptic activity, the individual needs rest and recovery. A private space to recover from an episode with a chair and bed is necessary. It is essential that this space is quiet, so the acoustics are significant, with dimmable lighting to allow the room to be as dark as possible. Think about M&E; an emergency pull cord would be helpful, as well as CCTV to keep an eye on the recovering person.
Designing for inclusivity needs to be thought about through the whole design process from brief to completion. We can make somebody’s day a little easier by creating with these tips in mind.
Tom Shelley, Head of Interior Architecture, predicts three main commercial office trends for 2023 and beyond. He examines the rapid evolution of workplace design and the next phase in office accommodation.
Following a return to the office and the emergence of hybrid working, we are experiencing an exciting experimental phase in office design with designers responding to factors from location, scale and flexibility to pure attraction. Several trends are building momentum and will soon be shaping the office of the future.
I predict three of the main office trends for 2023 will be:
The Reinvention of Existing Spaces
As interior designers, we love the challenge of reinvention. With sustainability a guiding light for the construction industry, we need to consider building reuse as a primary driver for office development. The ability to analyse any building, space, nook, and cranny and realise its potential will be a big win for designers.
We are putting this methodology into practice with the refurbishment and remodelling of an industrial building in Shipley, West Yorkshire. I was wowed by the scale and potential of this industrial environment from the moment I entered the space. Working closely with our forward-thinking client, we are transforming this double-height warehouse into an eclectic and truly unique workspace with features such as a synthetic tree for our client to display their products.
With a clear vision, anything is possible. Bringing back to life redundant present opportunities to create incredible offices to suit modern working practices.
The Ready-to-Go Office
Time is fast becoming a critical factor in office refurbishment as companies consider all avenues to enable a successful relocation or to up or downsize their premises.
The serviced office market has boomed recently, and interior designers are making a difference in creating spaces where start-ups can flourish and established businesses can try out a new regional location before making a major investment.
Traditionally, commercial offices would offer a shell for a potential occupier to lease. We are now increasingly seeing the emergence of ready-to-go office spaces fitted out to full CAT B levels. An off-the-shelf, ready-to-go, plug-and-play office. This will make marketing a metal-raised access floor and dull suspended ceiling a challenge for even the savviest agent.
We are working on a scheme in London with Ben Johnson that will explore the ready-to-go approach. By investing in a speculative, good quality and well-designed office interior, landlords can fast-track deals and get tenants signed up on the spot.
This trend is also emerging in the retail sector with pre-fitted out units ready for tenants to display their stock on flexible terms. The ready-to-go nature appeals to the fast-moving retail industry.
The High Street Office
What if the high street could develop into a lively mixed-use environment with office space filling the gaps between shops and cafes? Glass-fronted shop windows become flexible and friendly offices to breathe diversity and new life into the ailing retail cores of our towns and cities.
In Leeds, we designed a successful new residential scheme on the upper floors of Spencer House, a retail building located on the corner of two busy pedestrianised shopping streets. The creation of mixed-use inner-city neighbourhoods can help revive our high streets with new commercial office spaces playing their part.
2023 and Beyond
The next few years will be an exciting time to be a designer of commercial offices as landlords and occupiers look for increasingly special and unique spaces to attract and retain talent.
Whether it is tackling the reinvention of an unusual space, creating a ready-to-go system for immediate occupation or taking over a vacant retail space, the opportunities are limitless for those with imagination and the skill of transformation.
Top Three Residential Interior Trends 2022
Our head of interior design, Laura Baarda shares the top three residential interior trends for 2022 following a recent visit to the Chelsea Harbour Design Centre. Laura along with fellow interior designer, Emma Black visited the centre to soak up inspiration and source furniture, fabrics, lighting and trims for a couple of high-end residential projects.
Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour is a destination for design and decoration excellence that is home to 120 showrooms and over 600 of the world’s most prestigious brands, it is the largest of its kind in Europe.
1. Tonal Warm Colour Palettes
We saw a lot of lovely tonal palettes layered with elegant patterns and textures from florals and botanicals to geometric patterns paired with casual slubby linens and plush rich velvets. The tones in the colour palette below are a beautiful layering of rusts and earthy tones with soft blush accents, fresh greens and cool blues sitting alongside biomorphic patterns and textures with a fresh undertone.
The interiors formed are inviting with a warm palette and a sumptuous mixture of textures making it welcoming and cosy. This palette is paired with either botanical and floral patterns for a grand classic feel or coastal aesthetics and geometrics for a softer modern design. The common thread in these themes is small scale pretty patterns on lampshades, trims, and contrast curtain linings that add that extra level and detail and an effortless eclectic aesthetic.
2. Bronze Beauty
After the rise in popularity of black brassware within interiors over the last few years paired with either natural light oak or dark black stained timber, we are now seeing a switch back to a much more classical and flexible set of finishes. A mixture of bronze brassware has all the warmth of brass finishes and the architectural accent of the black metal accents pairs with a beautiful dark oak that sits perfectly against the bronze and works well with the tonal palettes adding a classic and timeless feel.
This is not just on furniture but through lamp finishes and detailing with leather accents and moody dark wallpapers to create a deep aesthetic when paired with rusts and earthy tones.
3. Equestrian Vibes
Something I have always loved in interiors is equestrian accents, one of my favourite fabrics is the Mulberry Morning Gallop fabric. This comes not only from my equestrian interests but also because I love twee English country interiors and this fabric feels so classic but the palette is modern and can easily work in many interior spaces.
However, a slight variation of this that we saw time and time again at the Harbour is the addition of lovely chunky fabrics that almost have a horse blanket look and feel. I think these work so well in all interior schemes either as a feature fabric or as accessories that pair well. This ties through with the revival of the bronze accents and leather detailing that give a bridle aesthetic to furniture and lighting.
I often find that these ‘horse blanket’ fabrics can emulate a coastal aesthetic in certain tones due to the coarse nature of the textures and the often linear stripe of the pattern – it always feels very Ralph Lauren.
We have sourced beautiful fabrics and unique furniture pieces for our clients and are very excited to get these projects on-site and see the beautiful interiors come to life.
If you are looking to reimagine your space and would like to discuss colour schemes, trims and fabrics, give us a call.
Laura Baarda
Sustainability at Clerkenwell Design Week 2022
Sustainability was bound to be the hottest topic at Clerkenwell Design Week 2022 with clients and designers pledging to be carbon neutral by 2030. Interior Designer, Emma Black writes about sustainability at Clerkenwell and details a few of her favourite sustainable discoveries from the event.
Bamboo
Bamboo is such a versatile material. Bamboo only uses a third of the water consumption to grow compared with oak and it releases 30% more oxygen than hardwoods and absorbs five times more carbon dioxide than standard trees. Once the bamboo has been harvested, it only takes one year to regrow!
Furniture designers and manufacturers, Frovi has created a double-tiered planter from sustainable and natural materials using bamboo boxes that sit within a framework with a liner made from natural materials. The planter liners are made from 95% hemp and 5% mycelium using MycoComposite technology. This process enables the bio fabrication of many eco-friendly products ranging from packaging to architectural elements. This amazing technology allows us to grow products that are free of plastic, durable and 100% home compostable! The framework of the planter is protected with a powder coating that cures at lower temperatures, reducing energy usage and the connectors are made from 100% recycled ocean plastic. I cannot wait to see where this amazing technology can take us on our sustainability journey in the design world!
Industrial Wood Waste
A product that stood out for me is a completely new product called Hive, a tile system from Less is Better, a sustainable furniture supplier from Cornwall. The tiles are made from 93% industrial wood waste comprising discarded oak and ash shavings and cocoa shells. The cocoa husks give a sumptuous dark tone and a mouth-watering chocolatey smell. Chocolate on the walls, what could be better? It would make a great feature wall with the different tones arranged in a way to assist wayfinding or even creating a logo or tagline.
Carbon Circularity
We attended a seminar by furniture supplier, Orangebox, on carbon circularity. Orangebox is currently experimenting with plastic mined from landfill, which is then turned into a polymer to be reused. This would be the first carbon-positive material. Orangebox was not only talking about where they have improved but also honest about how much further there is still to go on this carbon-reduction journey.
Cradle to Cradle
I have learnt that rather than reduce, reuse and recycle, a new design principle called ‘Cradle to Cradle’ orients around a strategy of rethink, reinvent and redesign. This shifts the whole dynamic from our current process of cradle to grave.
I attended a seminar by Professor Dr Michael Braungart on the Cradle to Cradle philosophy hosted by Mosa, a tile company. One of the core values of the principle is to think of waste not as waste but as nutrients and ingredients for the next thing. Inspired by nature, nothing natural is waste, we should be designing everything so that it lasts as long as possible and when it is no longer needed, it can become something else useful.
There is a real emphasis within the ideology to create positive added value. I am now busy reading the book to learn about how we can implement all the lessons and ways of thinking into our designs and life.
The event
Sustainability at Clerkenwell was a big part of this year’s event, however, the event itself should be more eco-friendly. Suppliers were showcasing their eco-friendly products whilst handing out masses of branded notebooks, paper flyers, pens, bottles and other merchandise, which were ultimately unnecessary and contributed to the carbon footprint of the event.
If a supplier insists on bringing branded merchandise to the event, then surely it should be sustainably sourced, made and be compostable?
Conclusion
Clerkenwell design week is a highly beneficial event for me as a designer seeing finishes and furniture in person is invaluable.
We are already looking forward to next year’s event, but let’s not wait until then to start the conversation about reducing our carbon.
