Raw by Design

Wallpaper over paint?

January 25, 2010 – 4:10 pm

Paint is one of the most popular and effective ways to sproose up a home or a commercial environment for little cost and time. With so many colours on offer you can pretty much find a colour that suits your environment, brand and personality.

However, you shouldn’t dismiss wallpaper too lightly either. With a vast range of different, colours, patterns and textures on the market, wallpaper can add another depth of warmth, character and beauty. From textures like leather, flock, beading and glass you are spoilt for choice. Although it maybe a bit more expensive than paint, it can last much longer for up to 10-15 years and can pay for itself in the long run compared to paint.

So the next time you’re thinking about decorating room, think about adding a new dimension to your room with some funky, elegant or stylish wallpaper.

Osborne and Little – Jersey Lily

Benefits of a good office chair

December 10, 2009 – 6:56 am

Clerical workers used to stand on the job until around the middle of the 19^th century. When employers concluded that their workers might be more productive in a seated position.* A typical office worker now spends around 96% of their time on a chair. One of the biggest complaints in the office is bad back and the quality of the chair we sit on.

It is incredibly important to choose the right chair for yourself and your staff.

A good quality chair will:

• Have the right fixtures and fittings to fit within your needs and comfort.

• Will help keep your posture healthy and reduce the cause of back pain.

• Will last much longer than a cheaper chair.

• Are designed to look better, especially if you work in front of clients on a daily basis.

There are thousands of office chairs on the market and choosing the right chair or piece of furniture can be confusing. Here are only a few of the best office chairs on the market today.

Click here to download this image

If you currently have some concerns about your staff, seating and lower back problems, check out this down loadable report from Herman Miller on ‘Body Support in the Office: Sitting, Seating and Low Back Pain’, which you will find about half down the page under Health Risks and Prevention. You will also see many other interesting reports by Herman Miller on the office environment and ergonomics.

http://www.hermanmiller.co.uk/our-business/white-papers/

If you’re business is looking to up-grade your office environment and furniture I can help you choose the right furniture for your business needs and requirements.

* From Herman Miller – ‘Body Support in the Office: Sitting, Seating and Low Back Pain’ – 2002.

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Links:

http://www.hermanmiller.co.uk/

http://www.steelcase.com/uk/

http://www.knoll.com/knoll_home.jsp

http://www.vitra.com/

By Susanna | Posted in Commercial Interior Design | Comments (0)

Benefits of efficient space planning:

December 2, 2009 – 10:29 pm

Many companies work in buildings that are inefficiently set out on the inside. This is mostly due to the way companies have grown organically over the years. The benefits of bringing on board a good space planner can be priceless. How you maximize your space can make or break your business. Good space planning can:

• Utilise your existing environment to the maximum, saving you money in the long run.

• Enhance the performance of your staff.

• Enhance communication between client, staff and merchandise, creating more sales.

• Make it easy for staff and clients can find their way around and use a building more easily.

• A good space planner should know how to maximise the space and still make it accessible to everyone as much as possible.

By Susanna | Posted in Commercial Interior Design | Comments (0)

What does colour say about your business?

November 25, 2009 – 7:04 am

Colour is seen as a powerful psychological tool in marketing. By using colour psychology you can send a positive or negative message about your business that can help you encourage sales or attract clients. This is the same in interiors. When businesses want to attract clients into their venue, how colour is used can have a great impact on how we feel in that environment.

What does colour say about your business? Just for a bit of fun, I have built up this colour table to give you an idea of how colour can be associated with different business and the psychological appearance it can have. There is no hard set rules to this, but it can be used as a guide if you wish!

Click Here To Download Your Copy

By Susanna | Posted in My World | Comments (0)

Designing interiors for all users

November 20, 2009 – 9:40 pm

Complying with DDA regulations (Disability Discrimination Act) is particularly important when designing commercial interiors. Interiors need to be designed so they are accessible to everyone as much as possible, no matter what our disability is. This includes a vast range of disabilities from wheelchair users, to those who have eyesight problems, to those who use crutches, arthritic problems to hearing problems.

How colour, materials and textures are brought together can have an effect on how a room is used by everyone. This includes furniture, signage, graphics, flooring, wall finishes and layout. Bringing all these things together can be a tricky balance to achieving a functional and easy to use environment without the compromise to the design, look and brand.

Here are a few small examples especially focused with wheelchair users in mind, but it also touches on other areas making easier for different users.

Clinton Devon – Reception desk made from locally sourced material. The timber cantilever reception top makes it easy for wheelchair users.

The Bank of New York – This reception desk also makes it relatively easy for wheelchair user to approach the desk. The sign-in tap is great for clients standing up to sign in. The receptionist can pass the sign-pad onto wheelchair users.

Royal & Sun Alliance – Post and Copy Point. The area at the far end is for wheelchair users to organise and collect their post. The decorative carpet and bold orange highlights the copy areas and can be easily seen. Perfect for those who may be partially sighted.

Easynet – Copy and Fax Area. A lower section for wheelchair users or for those who prefer to sit whilst organising their papers.

By Susanna | Posted in Commercial Interior Design | Comments (0)

Philippe Starck

October 30, 2009 – 9:53 am

I have been watching a brilliant series from the BBC called ‘Design for Life’ where world famous French product designer, Philippe Starck invites 12 hopefuls to his school of design in Paris in effort to find new British talent in design.

Philippe Starck - Design For Life

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00mx9y1

It was great to watch Philippe Starck in a different light and get a small insight his thought process and approach to design, describing himself as “type of new bottle opener… “. The applicants are given the chance to demonstrate their abilities by working on real design projects. Starck gradually whittled down the class based on their performance, until the winner, Ilsa Parry, is rewarded with the opportunity of a work on a 6 month placement with him. Philippe gives the impression of a mad French man but his comic approach has an underlining message. It certainly gave me food for thought in the direction I am taking in Interior Design.

This was a great series and would love to see more of this sort of thing. Throughout watching this series, a growing feeling of nostalgia was building up from my student days at Kingston University.

Philippe Stark has recently brought out a kitchen range by Warendorfer Küchen GmbH in four different kitchens types:

Library Kitchen

The Library kitchen – with book shelf which is to reinforce the connection between culture and food in domestic life.

Primary Kitchen

The Primary kitchen – that brings neo-baroque design into the kitchen made up of bright yellow, mirrored glass fronts, etched decorative flourishes and pretty wall accessories.

Duality Kitchen

The Duality kitchen, which can be accessed from two sides.

Tower Kitchen

The Tower kitchen – with its striking towers, which can be rotated through 340° and which offers a completely new approach to kitchen design.

All four kitchens are complemented by equally striking functional tables supported by spectacular trumpet shaped feet in polished chrome.

Even though I have not seen these products in reality, I’m interested to find out what other kind of intelligent details these kitchens hold that changes the way we work around and use the kitchen. This also brings me to the ebook I am currently writing infusing raw food and kitchen design together, which I hope to be out soon next year.

By Susanna | Posted in My World | Comments (0)

Yarra House

October 8, 2009 – 3:02 pm

This amazing house called the Yarra House in Melbourne, designed by Leeton Pointon architects and Susi Leeton architects.

By Susanna | Posted in My World | Comments (0)

Millionaire Protégé Club Live Retreat

September 30, 2009 – 5:38 pm

I’ve just come back from a super inspiring trip to LA for a Live Retreat with Ali Brown and James Roche, surrounded by over 100 inspiring women (including a few men) who are all building amazing businesses on line.

I have come back to the UK extremely excited and charged up about where I am going with my business and more sharply focused on what I will be offering to you soon. I’m seeing my business in a new light and am now set on a new journey that will give more interior design service and assistance both in the home and commercially.

Whilst I was over in LA I had to take a few days off for a whirlwind mini tour around with my Platinum colleagues Carmen, Linda and Ellen. Where we took a journey to Hollywood, walked the walk of fame, down Sunset Boulevard, past Beverly Hills, cycled along Venice Beach and shopped in Santa Monica. Phew not bad for 1 and half days.

On top of that I met up with Karen Knowler at the retreat where she is a Diamond member. It is great to see her super business mind in action and get a sneak peek at her thought processes.

I’ve only been away a week and I’ve noticed a difference in our weather. Our days are much shorter and there is a chill in the air. Autumn is on its way.

Susanna, Melissa, Linda and Carmen

Ali Brown, Susanna and James Roche

By Susanna | Posted in My World | Comments (0)

Mountain Research Centre

September 12, 2009 – 7:48 pm

Check out this mountain research centre in Tokyo by architect Shin Ohori, General Design Co Ltd.

This simple but beautiful private weekend residence in the mountains at Kawakami-mura, Minamisaku-gun, Nagano, designed for his friend, fashion designer Setsumasa Kobayashi.

For more information log onto Cool Hunter

Or log onto the General Design website and see many more of their amazing buildings.

www.general-design.net