INTERIORS UK is an all encompassing event, you can not only expect the cream of the industry under one roof, but also additional elements that will inspire, inform and create an indulgent experience for all who attend. This year, in line with the product categorisation of the event that has been taking place over the last few years, sub-branded areas will be named to bring to life the different parts of the show, giving an individual identity to each area. These areas will be Fabric, Modern Elegance, Décor, Living Lifestyle, Contemporary Design, Flooring and Lighting.
The show will lead with a British Heritage theme, with the entrance to the show and each of the halls providing their own twist on this concept. The entrances will all provide inspiration for the visitors, using different colour hues and a host of products from the companies you can see inside the halls. Interiors stylist and journalist, Diana Civil, who has worked for many of the UK’s leading interiors magazines and is famous for creating fabulous on-trend rooms, has designed all of the six hall entrance spaces. INTERIORS UK is very excited to have Diana working with them to create these wonderful areas of creativeness, design achievements and all that is British.
From traditional to modern and contemporary interior products, interiors UK not only offers a fantastic buying opportunity, but as ever comprises an increasing number of enhancing features, collaborating with some of the best in the industry to create an improved experience around the halls.
Over 500 exhibitors will be present at the show including big industry brands alongside the smaller independent companies and design students. Brands include Duresta, Ercol, Willis & Gambier, Frank Hudson, Content by Conran, Calligaris, Skovby, Barlow Tyrie, Brunstad, Aleal, Rockford, Panaget, Furlong Flooring, Rama Carpets, Elstead Lighting, Searchlight, Illuminati, Aimbry and India Jane among many others.
Designersblock are collaborating with INTERIORS UK again, producing a creatively driven, vibrant, relaxing and stimulating hub where visitors will be able to socialise, network and view the latest design talent from new and emerging designers including Puff & Flock, Donna Walker, Chloe Scadding, Fay McCaul, Daniel Schofield, Lazerian, Freya Godwin Brown, Helga Matos, JAILmake, SCIN Gallery, Graphic Relief, Jo Gibbs and Camilla Meijer.
This ‘Design Village’ will consist of a bar, market stalls , the seminar theatre, VIP and media lounges and the New Design Britain finalists. Visitors will be able to pop into the bar and have a chat with a different design expert each day including Alex Brownless, co-founder of Artsthread; design journalist and author, Helen Parton; Clifford Leo Harris, designer and trend analyst and Annabelle Filer, owner and curator of SCIN Gallery.
The Village will also have it’s own boutique B&B, three individual rooms designed by an eclectic selection of designers. Knitting queen Donna Wilson, who was named Designer of the Year 2010 at the British Design Awards, will create one room so expect some colour, fun and humour from her design. Morag Myerscough will use her trademark look in another room, mixing graphic and bold typography with bright colours and bags of creativity. The House of Hackney team will create the third space, taking the concept of traditional British home style and subverting it with playful and irreverent prints and imagery to appeal to a new generation.
The New Design Britain competition is an initiative that has been running for a number of years, an opportunity to find young design talent from the host of universities around the country. Initial judging has taken place and the sixteen lucky finalists will display their unique and innovative products at the show. These products are a mix of furniture, fabrics, furnishing accessories and surface coverings and include an array of chairs, lighting, wallpaper, cushions and wall hangings. These are the designers of the future, all clamouring for the coveted four awards, judged by leading design professionals at the show on Monday 23rd January.
INTERIORS UK has also teamed up with House of Fraser and Mary Portas in the search for up and coming homeware designers. Together, we are offering a fantastic opportunity for new and up-and-coming product designers to pitch their ideas to Mary Portas’ business partner, Peter Cross at INTERIORS UK in January. Successful applicants will win the chance to have their products or ideas sold or showcased in the Mary shop within House of Fraser. For those that have designed a beautiful new homeware product or have an innovative interiors idea that they feel her shop could benefit from, there is an application form on the INTERIORS UK website. Pre-screened applicants will have a 10 minute slot to pitch their product or idea to Peter Cross and an expert panel at the show on Tuesday 24th January within a Mary’s shop retail space. The deadline for this competition is the 6th January 2012.
The seminar theatre will also be situated within this design neighbourhood, with a fully packed programme of design celebrities, retail experts, ecommerce specialists and interior designers. Hear from acclaimed architect and Home Show presenter, George Clarke alongside Peter Cross, Managing Partner of Yellow Door and Business Partner of Mary Portas, who will speak on how to lead and compete within the retail market with some entertaining examples from his vast experience. Peter will also build on his presence at the show by creating an interactive retail experience, which will demonstrate how retail design can improve sales and win business.
Textile designer, Ptolemy Mann, has designed a unique fabric for the show which will be used to surround the Champagne Bar in Hall 1. Homes and Gardens best Fabric Designer Award 2011, Ptolemy has run her own textile art and design studio for 14 years and has established herself as the unique creator of one-off woven architectural art panels, with a new collection of cushions produced for high street retailer, John Lewis.
Interior designer, Dan Hopwood will reveal all in his talk, ‘Confessions of an interior designer’ and Oliver Heath will focus on how to make the right decisions when sourcing and buying furniture sustainably. We also introduce Warren Knight from Gloople who will talk about social media marketing, Global Color Research who will give us an insight into the trends for Autumn & Winter 2012/13 as well as hotel and bar designers, Paul Daly and Shaun Clarkson.
Birmingham City University textile students will also work with Global Color Research to take trend prediction to another level. The university’s emerging young designers have interpreted the trend forecasts and are creating their own concepts for two of the trends, applying them to products and textiles to illustrate their creativity.
Well-known British designer, Laurence Llewelyn Bowen, will also design and curate an area within the show which will give his particular take on ‘the British look’ which will no doubt be very flamboyant and extravagant as is Laurence’s nature of design!
INTERIORS UK is the definitive interiors exhibition, the first chance of the year to source, network, socialise and do business with the industry. Visit www.interiorsuk.com for more show highlights, industry news and to pre-register for your complimentary ticket to the show, saving £25. The website also has links to travel and accommodation options for you to use to travel to the UK for the show.
