Our interiors team attended Clerkenwell Design Week 2022 in London soaking up the inspiration!
After a three-year hiatus, it was great to catch up with suppliers new and old, see new products and forecast future trends.
Here is what Laura Baarda forecasts as her top three trends at Clerkenwell Design Week 2022:
We started the week at Chelsea Harbour for inspiration for our residential projects and saw real synergy between the residential and commercial sectors in terms of the colour palettes adopted – the lines between home and work have become increasingly blurred.
We saw warm tones from soft rusts, blush pinks and sandy tones with accents of earthy greens and soft blues to create warm palettes that feel soft and inviting. Post-pandemic, we are all craving warm and appealing interiors that feel like a home away from home with soft tones and textures.
Agile working is nothing new, however, as more and more companies adopt a more flexible working approach we are seeing a more design-centric office landscape with employees returning to the office for social interaction and collaboration, as task working can be easily achieved at home.
This has meant the rise in agile working furniture as the baseline for office interiors, with standard desking and task chairs taking a back seat. However, from a wellness and ergonomic standpoint, we still need to ensure that the furniture used is suitable and will support people for a longer stretch of time than the standard occasional chair often found in collaboration and agile spaces. This has born the need for the agile task chair – a chair that is designed to be more aesthetically pleasing but with the benefits of the ergonomic adjustments of a task chair for comfort.
We saw great examples of this at Humanscale with their new Path chair made from nearly 10lbs of upcycled ocean plastic, as well as Boss Designs‘ beautiful Ola chair that offers a huge aesthetic variety with various bases and shell options. We joined an inspiring talk about carbon circularity at Orangebox where the designers shared their route to the creation of the Allow Me chair, which has been designed to create a uniquely ergonomic experience as well as serious consideration of the product lifestyle and how something can be re-loved rather than replaced while still allowing our clients the variety of space to meet trends… very inspiring.
Materials: Reeded AccentsAt the last Clerkenwell in 2019, I remember the amount of timber slat details and use of plywood, the whole aesthetic was much more architectural in its curation. However, this year along with the softer colour palette we saw a huge steer towards reeded accents, in every area from beautiful light fittings to the stunning cladding at the inspiring Interface showroom. The variety of reeded tile options and colours at Solus ceramics makes this trend hard to ignore.
I have to say that I love this trend. The softer accent gives an almost 60s classic Mad Men aesthetic to the interiors. This can be brought into so many details from lighting to fabrics offering a much softer and rounder profile than the much seen slatted details of office interiors over the last few years.
We also attended a variety of inspiring sustainability seminars and interrogated our suppliers and their products to understand how we can design more sustainable interiors. Our sustainable interiors expert Emma Black is writing a blog about what we learnt at CDW this year.
We are already looking forward to next year.
Interior designer, Laura Baarda talks us through the design ethos at the recently completed bathroom showroom for Harrison Bathrooms in Leeds.
Bowman Riley was commissioned by Harrison Bathrooms to create an aspirational interior showroom to display and demonstrate their product ranges to clients within new warehouse
and office premises in Leeds.
Harrison Bathrooms is a family run business that has been creating bespoke bathroom products for 100 years, producing everything from sanitaryware to shower enclosures, bathroom furniture to brassware. The ability to show product finishes, options and set combinations within a high-end showroom environment will facilitate the sales process and create a brand experience for the client.
The showroom was created within an unused area of the warehouse with a first-floor being added to ensure the showroom takes full advantage of the space.
Take a look at the full case study here.
We are delighted to share that our recent project for Great Annual Savings Group (GAS) has been nominated in the category of Fit Out/Refurbishment Project 2021 at the Insider Media North East Property Awards 2021.
Positioned already as a thriving and expanding North East business, GAS had further significant growth plans in the pipeline including a target of doubling headcount between 2020 and 2022. With such a strong recruitment drive, GAS’s senior management team identified a need for state-of-the-art head office premises offering the level of facilities rarely seen outside of London.
Our interior design team partnered with Ultimate (Commercial Interiors) Ltd to secure the project based on our collective understanding of the client’s brief and culture.
Following a 22-week fit-out and furniture installation programme, their ‘Sea View’ head office in Seaham acts as a central hub for both office-based and visiting field-based colleagues.
The completed project, across three floors, invested as much into non-working areas such as gym facilitates, a gaming zone, chill out rooms and subsidised catering facilities, as it did into the salesfloor of the future.
The back tie awards ceremony takes place on Thursday 8th July 2021 at the Hilton, Newcastle Gateshead where the GAS Head Office will compete to win the prize of Fit Out/Refurbishment Project 2021. The event will showcase the many outstanding developments, schemes and deals from the last twelve months and the skilled agents, developers, investors and other property professionals based in the region.
Read our case study here.
In her latest blog, Interior Designer Laura Baarda gives you seven easy ways to inject some energy into your home office while you are working from home.
As we all settle into our new normal, many of us might be struggling to adapt to our new home office environments. I have put together a list of seven simple things that you can do to help jazz up your home office and help you feel motivated throughout the day. You don’t necessarily need to buy anything new, it can be just about moving things around your home.
It seems like the most obvious suggestion but adding some greenery into your work environment can help to keep you feeling calm during the day. If you can add a plant into your office, it will help clean the air and aid concentration, Snake Plants are one of the best plants for purifying the air and are really low maintenance.
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During these times of quarantine, it is important to let some natural light into your office space (if you can open a window to let fresh air into the house). A dark space will make you feel drowsy and lethargic. Natural light helps to lift your mood, so if you can move your desk nearer to the window, it will help to make you feel more energised and can help to reduce cabin fever. If you are in a space that doesn’t have any natural light, try to make the room as bright as possible by adding lamps where necessary.
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It is so important to surround yourself with things that you love at all times, but especially at the moment to remind yourself of positive things in trying times. Hang artwork, notes from family, motivational slogans, pictures of your work colleagues, anything that helps to motivate and energise you. A gallery wall can be the perfect addition to a home office, these are your walls so crowd them!
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Adding a rug to your office space is not only a way to make space feel more purposeful and a great addition to any interior scheme but the additional soft texture will help with sound absorption.
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To help lift spirits and drown out the silence of working on your own, it can be helpful to play some music while working. LinkedIn’s research showed that 61% of employees that listen to music at work have found that it makes them happier and more productive with 90% performing better when listening to music, so turn up the tunes! Music releases dopamine in the brain and this, in turn, improves focus… win-win! (dance like no one is watching!)
Try some of the below playlists:
Keeping your desk tidy helps you to stay focused, like making your bed… try to tidy your desk at the end of each day this will help to signify the end of the day to help you separate work and home life. Also adding something as simple as a mug with pens and pencils in will help to give items a place, allowing you to have everything you need at your finger-tips and saves scrabbling for a pen while on a video call.
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Another great addition to a private office space is aromatherapy, this has multiple benefits for your mind and body. Scent can be difficult to add to usual office spaces but while you are creating your own environment why not give it a try? They can help to motivate and energise you! Aromatherapy can be used to help relieve stress, relax, lift your mood, help fight depression or just pick you up when you are starting to lag in the middle of the afternoon.
Citrus, fruity or fresh scents tend to be best for energizing such as Lemon, Orange, Mint or Rosemary.
Follow us Pinterest or Instagram for more inspiration.
Thank you for reading, keep well and stay safe.
Laura Baarda – Interior Designer
On Monday 16th March 2020 planning permission was granted for the Graceful Swan, a 60-seater electric-powered restaurant boat, to cruise along the Leeds Liverpool canal around Skipton.
Bowman Riley designed the interiors of the Graceful Swan, which resembles a canal narrowboat and measures 60 feet long and 14 feet wide.
Moored outside the Rendezvous Hotel in Skipton, it is the first electrically-powered restaurant barge on the canals of Great Britain. The boat will run for a maximum of six hours in any 24 hours before needing to be recharged. The environmental benefits also include no engine noise, no fumes and no vibration.
Our interior designs take inspiration from the iconic Orient Express train, we created an interior environment that celebrates vintage opulence. We reworked this interior concept with a contemporary edge to suit the environment and purpose of the Graceful Swan as well as the boat itself.
12 months after the boat was originally refused permission, the Graceful Swan embarked on its maiden voyage providing a group dining experience. It will be later in the year when the boat will be in full action due to the current coronavirus pandemic.
The Graceful Swan is a unique visitor attraction in this picturesque part of Yorkshire enhancing the Rendezvous’ Hotel offer and boosting the local visitor economy.
Associate, April Marsden and Business Development Manager, Samantha Jevons were approached by one of the trustees of the new Leeds branch to become involved in the interior design of the space within Mabgate Mills on the edge of the city. Enthused and inspired by the work of the charity, April and Samantha approached board director Caroline Fattorini, a long-time advocate of women in business.
We agreed to provide a full interior design service on a pro-bono basis including the sourcing and specification of decoration finishes and furnishing.
Personally, Smart Works really struck a chord with me, as I know after leaving university how daunting the whole interview process was and how underprepared I felt at times. Knowing that there is an organisation out there helping women feel empowered and confident, especially if they have been out of work for various reasons, is inspiring.
The concept we developed for the space is a ‘Leeds Loft’ look, which works perfectly with the industrial aesthetic of the building and the local area. We wanted to ensure that an element of the local area was included within the interior. Throughout the design process, I was keeping in mind the fact that this space needs to be really welcoming and feel like a home-away-from-home to ensure that the clients would come in and be relaxed and open to the experience at Smart Works. We created a lovely little waiting area that has soft seating (an almost living room style) as well as a cork wall for the pinning of inspirational quotes, images and thank you cards.
The dressing rooms are large and spacious with plenty of mirrors and good lighting to ensure that the women leave feeling confident and looking their best. We also included an open mirror area that is well lit with natural light for the stylists to work their magic but this is positioned at the back of the space to ensure the women don’t feel on show.
Once the designs were signed off with the client, we wanted to bring in a fit-out contractor and interior suppliers to bring the designs to life. We brought our principal designer on board and approached fit-out companies and Ultimate Commercial Interiors responded enthusiastically to undertake the works free of charge. We were also able to get the Building Control works provided free of charge from Assent. A sofa was donated from Ralph Capper and Oldfield lighting also provided wonderful decorative light fittings at cost.
Photo credit for final image only Liam Nathan Studio. https://liamnathanstudio.com/
We are not finished yet….
I am currently working on creating a backdrop for all of their social media posts within the space building on the ‘Leeds Loft’ aesthetic. The Leeds skyline image in black and white as a backdrop will ensure that the women are centre of attention in all images. This is being kindly worked up by Sign Lead Designs.
Hope you enjoyed my Smart Works blog, please read our case study for more information.
Tom Shelley was recently interviewed by interiors magazine, in Design and featured in their April 2018 publication.
Tom is a Leeds based BIID registered Interior Designer at Bowman Riley. Tom has over 15 years’ design experience predominantly working in the commercial office sector.
Monday
My week begins with a 20-minute commute by train from the village of Menston into Leeds. It’s a really busy commuter route, so I rarely get a seat! Now that Spring is finally arriving, I must get on my bicycle!. Our Leeds office is right in the heart of the business district, pretty much opposite the train station, so I am straight off the train and into work.
I have been working in Leeds for the past 12 years. The city centre has undergone a major transformation over the past decade, which has seen it placed as the fifth city on Lonely Planet’s top 10 Best in Europe list. Leeds is a real hub for professional services and tech and creative companies are also flourishing. I recently designed a couple of bespoke office spaces for emerging tech companies.
I am currently designing a Nordic inspired office and factory for a leading fashion label specialist, Nilorn. Nilorn has a clear vision to create a unique office space for their team. Their new space will improve efficiency for the production side of the business as well as creating a truly contemporary office space with a layout that has been carefully coordinated to enhance the wellbeing of the staff. A Nordic influenced interior concept has been partnered with a Yorkshire industrial aesthetic to provide a flexible open plan office space – similar to the interiors I completed for the Design Studio of Abraham Moon, a high-end textile manufacturer. The client is planning to move in during the Autumn so things are picking up.
Tuesday
I drive over to our head office in Skipton, North Yorkshire. Due to the 25 mile proximity between our Yorkshire offices, my colleagues and I have the opportunity to work between both offices as suits the needs of our clients and their own personal circumstances. The leader of our London office also bases himself in Yorkshire once a week, so we all feel like one big team.
I catch up with my colleague, Ben Horobin, who is exhausted, yet exhilarated after spending a week in Cannes mixing with new and existing contacts at MIPIM, the biggest property event in Europe. Ben and I discuss any potential opportunities to follow up on his week of networking.
We have a new intern, Molly, who is currently studying a degree in interior design at Manchester Metropolitan University, which is where I graduated from back in 2001. It’s interesting to discuss the course and see if any of my old tutors are still lecturing! Straight away, I involve Molly in some live projects and look forward to seeing her fresh ideas.
Wednesday
Back in the Leeds office today where I begin a new project to create a concept for a leisure hub at a large shopping centre in the North East. The project involves plenty of research and 3D modelling to create the wow factor for our client.
Wednesday is our lunchtime CPD session. This week the subject is a common data environment that facilitates working in level II BIM, an accreditation Bowman Riley is currently working towards.
Thursday
Today I continue working on the leisure hub designs again working to a tight deadline. The 3D model is progressing and the concept developing with great ideas coming from our intern.
At lunchtime, my colleague Andy Tate and I head out for a 5K run along the Leeds to Liverpool canal side. We are in training to support our colleague Alex Holliday, who is running the whole 127 miles of canal side in April. Andy and I are joining him for the final four miles into Leeds to share some of the glory! It’s great to get a change of scenery and some fresh air over lunch and I return to the office feeling invigorated. Fortunately, our office is equipped with shower facilities, so we can freshen up ready for the afternoon’s workload.
Thursday is a big evening in the Leeds property networking scene. This week Bowman Riley hosted a party attended by 200 guests to celebrate our 50 years in business in a Manhattan-inspired rooftop bar in the new Victoria Gate development in the city. It was excellent to meet up with our clients and the wider property industry in a more informal environment. Fortunately, I managed to get the last train home, so I wouldn’t be too tired for my client meeting the next morning.
Friday
I meet with Nilorn at their premises to show them the updated designs and review the tender pack of information. We have a tour of the current site and review the layout of the existing and proposed production area ensuring efficiency is designed in. We review materials and specifications and further revise the layout.
After lunch, I quickly jump onto a new project and create a 3D concept model for a block of apartments in London on the site of a former pub. From the model we are able to generate several views to assist the client with his project.
Home-time: I intend to spend the weekend attempting to design my garden for the summer whilst being regularly interrupted by my son – who at 11 months is crawling everywhere at top speed.
Skipton Building Society’s Atrium has been shortlisted for two awards at Mixology North Awards 2017, a prestigious award ceremony created for the interior design community taking place on Thursday 7th December 2017.
Designed by Bowman Riley Architects and Interiors, Skipton Building Society’s Atrium project transformed an underused external courtyard into an indoor multi-functional space to promote staff collaboration and enhanced working practices.
Officially launched in February 2017, the Atrium was a result of the need to provide additional office space at Skipton Building Society’s head office in North Yorkshire. The innovative solution we provided delivered additional space within the footprint of the building without encroaching onto the surrounding greenbelt.
Please read our case study about the Atrium project.
Ultimate Office Solutions supported the project by providing loose furniture and the installation of AV equipment.
Since the establishment of our Interior Design brand earlier this year, our team has been working to cement our position in the marketplace and the BIID membership is a badge of professionalism in the industry.
The membership demonstrates that our principal interior designer has met the only national professional standard for interior design. Our Head of Interior Design in Leeds, Tom Shelley achieved individual membership recently and this has allowed us to become Design Practice members enabling our team to be affiliated with the BIID.
Membership offers our team a number of other benefits including: CPD opportunities, access to numerous networking opportunities and professional guidance.
Bowman Riley has also been a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects RIBA Chartered Practice for many years.
Head of Interior Design at Bowman Riley, Tom Shelley has just achieved recognition by the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID) as a Registered Interior Designer.https://biid.org.uk/
The British Institute of Interior Design is the preeminent representative of the UK interior design profession.
Tom delivered a presentation and assessment to a panel in London demonstrating his competency and commitment as an interior designer.
Membership of the British Institute of Interior Design is selective and only given to those who demonstrate the highest level of professional knowledge and experience.
With over 15 years’ experience, Tom Shelley qualified as interior designer in 2002 from Manchester Metropolitan University.
Tom started his career working as an interior design professional in Manchester on a multitude of commercial and industrial projects nationwide.
In 2006, Tom moved to Bowman Riley joining the Leeds team. He achieved a first class degree in Architectural Technology from Leeds Beckett University in 2014 after several years of study whilst working full time. This technical qualification gives Tom an edge over other designers in his field.