Award-winning British architects, Grimshaw, have created a future-focused environment Yoox Net-A-Porter Tech Hub which reflects its unique position at the intersection of fashion and technology.
The 70,000-sq. ft. space at White City Place is now home to 500 staff; working to further create 100 jobs over the next two years.
An innovative interior design is well on display throughout the space; with The Tech Hub comprising of adaptive areas, use of natural materials, ample greenery with over 2400 individual plants, and innovative furniture with various pods and seating configurations to capitalize on the “creative and collaborative” environment.
The resulting interior look was designed to inspire new, creative ways of working hence striving for quality from the largest impression down to the smallest detail.
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This translates well in the reception area – with a welcoming ambience; housing a desk encased in bronze, and a sculptural ‘arbour walk’ comprising softly-lit timber baffles.
An Innovation Lab is nestled at the end of the arbour walk and provides a key collaboration space. It is home to a digital ‘ideas wall’, allowing up to seven people to work together using mobile technology to manipulate each other’s data.
Various informal and formal spaces can be seen within the building, with five ‘tea houses’ throughout the office designed to encourage interaction.
A multifunctional area which holds up to 175 people, and contains flexible furniture options including stools which are stacked within the walls, is a unique spot for product launches and events.
A cinema-like presentation room offers plush seating for client presentations.
Combined contrasting concepts in design can be witnessed throughout the work environment, with two core themes of the ‘code behind the catwalk’ and ‘London meets Milan’, with the latter embodied through visual references to both locations.
The idea of contrasts is translated into a ‘warp and weft’ aesthetic with complementary materials and colours providing a sense of movement and texture.
A calm and refined atmosphere is created through material choice which includes timber, concrete, velvet, leather, felt, bronze and ceramics.
The centerpiece of the boardroom is a handcrafted table made from solid olive ash with blackened steel legs, accentuated by caramel-toned Italian leather chairs.
Speaking at the launch, Chairman of Grimshaw, Sir Nicholas Grimshaw said,
“This project emerged out of deep discussions with Federico, and it has been a rewarding process to work with a client who champions quality design. The resulting project delivers an inspiring environment for an agile and global workforce, maximizing technology and providing a flexible space for the future.”
Images: Gabriel de la Chapelle, Philip Vile
Diébédo Francis Kéré is the 17th architect to take on the annual commission for the pavilion, which is erected each summer outside the Serpentine Gallery in London’s Kensington Gardens.
The Serpentine Pavilion is structured by curving sections of an indigo coloured wall and a tilted ring-shaped canopy that will be transformed into a waterfall when it rains. The blue colour is a significant part of Kere as he explained that in his culture blue is an important colour.
“And in past times there was only one piece of blue boubou – the traditional clothes that people wear….
You dress blue, and you’re shining as you approach the house of your dream. And everyone knows, with this guy, I cannot compete, I’m done, because this guy is so shining,” Said Kere.
The marvellous indigo coloured walls are made of triangular sections of wood which form a V-shaped series of holes in the structured piece. The slatted-timber roof has the same triangular motif with some of the panels channelling upwards to allow light into the pavilion.
The pavilion also features an oval well at the centre of the roof which is supported by a steel framework and surrounded by polycarbonate sheeting.
This is designed to funnel rainwater down into a waterfall that will replace a gravelled courtyard in unfavourable weather. The 9,000 litres of water collected will be used to water the park.
The pavilion is designed in such a way that it changes as there are openings at every turn.
Kere explains that this design was so as to have people connected to nature.
As an individual enters the pavilion they see the trees and as one walks inside the void, they will have the connection to the sky.
Even on rainy days, one will feel safe and protected by the structure.
One will see the effect of a waterfall in the middle of the pavilion.
Images: http://www.archdaily.com
Inspired by the unmistakable Victorian style, The Glass House by Glen Thomas Architecture sits in the heart of Wales, United Kingdom.
The house has been renovated into a spacious open plan living space with many original walls removed, however leaving no corner void of charm or narrative.
The exterior features a dark grey aluminium cladding, with full height lift and slide solar control glass doors, reclaimed stained timber floorboards and Welsh slate tiles.
This blends beautifully the outside with the inside; creating a merge of the old and the new.
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The existing Victorian architectural charm is retained with colours and textures of its time, whilst the additions unashamedly reflect the way we build today.
The house has been ripped open, internally, with sliding pocket doors allowing the spaces to interconnect or to be closed off into snugs when desired.
Real wood burners, integrated ceiling speakers and mood lighting, offer the choice of free open plan circulation or warm intimate snug spaces.
The open plan allows for natural light to reach every corner of the house without any obstruction.
The bespoke frameless glass roof was designed by Glen Thomas Architecture and fabricated by Clear Living Ltd (Cheshire).
The enormous span of the flat glass roof meant that the glass panes had to be made in Germany and lifted onto the structural opening by crane.
The glass roof is a wonderful way to take advantage of natural light making the house look and feel more spacious.
The beautifully handmade real wood kitchen was designed by Glen Thomas Architecture and made by Spanish kitchen firm DOCA.
Through out the house, Victorian style bookshelves and wardrobes are adorned by potted plants, adding life and character to the space.
All of the ground floor has been made open plan with sliding disappearing pocket doors by SELO, allowing zones to be connected or private.
All of the modern carpentry/ bookshelves have been designed to respect the refurbished original Victorian cornice detailing.
Weathered wood – time-worn, as nature intended.
Weathered wood is also known as aged or distressed wood and echoes the rough texture and rustic feel of wood that has lived through years of being exposed to the elements.
This wood portrays a classic natural beauty that displays its imperfections as part of its character, rather than hiding them by sanding and painting.
Weathering (also ageing or distressing) is the artificial process of treating the wood to create a vintage feel of wood that has stood the passing of time and the harsh treatment of the elements.
As wood ages, it acquires a distinct patina and wears patterns endured from its environment. This antiquing creates more incredible allure in many interior design schemes, adding depth and elevating the room to striking heights.
Weathered wood, also known as aged or distressed wood, is one way to capture the look of a worn and antiqued floor that has endured years of being exposed to the elements.
The wood planks have been artificially distressed (either by machine or by hand) to have all the character and charm of a historic floor that has been shaped and reinvented by time.
Bringing about an aged, rustic appearance that captures the divine colours and depth of grain typically seen in wood with a winding life story delivers a fabulous impact in residential, commercial, and hospitality design.
A weathered wood floor with a worn-out texture can be achieved professionally by wire brushing, sculpting or hand-scraping. And with scrapes, dings, dents and rough edges already worked in, weathered wood floors perfectly disguise any new “stresses” of everyday life.
This is how wood used to be before the advent of modern technology. Fortunately, today this technology assists in speeding up the natural ageing process by producing the vintage hand-crafted look that modern residences and commercial premises are looking for.
With the advent of the shabby chic look, weathered wood is a popular choice that can be used for flooring, furniture and complete building projects.
It can be used to turn a plain mirror, chest of drawers, wooden floor or wall cladding into something that brings character and depth of tone to a room.
How is wood weathered?
To achieve the ‘as nature intended’ look, weathered wood is produced either professionally (as with our flooring) or by using the DIY method for enthusiasts who want to express their creative talents in wood reproduction.
At the Reclaimed Flooring Company, we specialise in weathering wood to recreate the charm and appeal of this popular finish.
Our uniquely developed process naturally mimics the work of Mother Nature, without the need to wait years for it to age.
Using weathered wood
Weathered wood can be used to create a single theme (beach hut, country cottage) or combined with other colours, textures, and patterns to complement the overall palette of a room.
Sometimes artificially weathered wood is used to match other naturally weathered wood in a room, and the difference between the two can be hard to tell.
The varieties in grain and colour between the original and the ‘new’ weathered wood can interplay and complement each other to perfection.
Both engineered, and solid wood flooring are suitable for weathering, giving an authentic aged feel. Weathered flooring is an excellent choice for high-traffic areas as its marked design hides the scratches and scuffs of everyday life.
Naturally weathered wood contains a build-up of oils, dirt, chemicals in the atmosphere, scratches and marks that have been embodied into the heart of the wood over time.
As the wind, rain, and the sun beat down on it year after year, wood exposed to the elements becomes naturally weathered and has a faded and ‘worn’ look.
The benefits of weathered wood:
- adds character
- is cost-effective
- doesn´t show marks
- a large variety of colours and tones
No matter which room weathered flooring is used, it generates a sense of tradition with the warm and cool-toned patinas, which usually take hundreds of years to achieve.
At the Reclaimed (and New) Flooring Company it’s more than important to us to invest in a reforestation programme – it’s essential. That’s why we´ve partnered with the Timber Neutral Programme to undertake ongoing tree replanting projects.
What’s Timber Neutral all about?
We are delighted to be working with Timber Neutral on various sustainable reforestation programmes to ensure responsible replanting of trees. Reforestation isn´t as simple as planting a new tree when the old one has reached the end of its life.
The land may need to rest for several years before replanting can take place, or new trees may be more urgently required in a different location.
The Timber Neutral Programme ensures trees are planted where they are most needed and where species are endangered and or threatened to ensure they don´t become extinct.
Projects we Support
For every 10m² of wooden flooring we sell one tree is planted.
These are just some of the community projects the Reclaimed (and New) Flooring Company has supported Timber Neutral with.
Ellesmere College, Leicester:
Students from the college planted 10 fruit trees (apple, pear, and plum) and will nurture and watch the trees grow and bear fruit. Ellesmere is a college for students with learning difficulties, and this project has helped them learn about where food comes from, how to care for its growth, and how to harvest and consume it.
This project has been particularly successful as many of the college students thrive on being outdoors and outside the classroom.
Woodland spaces, Leicester:
Various rural woodland areas in Leicester have been planted with 500 native whips (young tree seedlings grown for planting out) – a mix of 350 softwood and 150 hardwood trees. These sites, as well as being of ecological benefit, are an asset for locals and visitors to the area to enjoy.
Wildlife trust, Lancashire
Various tree-planting schemes have taken place in Lancashire, with 600 whips being planted across the region. One scheme is in Chatburn, which was previously beech and ash, but sadly the ash suffered from ash dieback disease – a disease specific to ash trees.
To increase the variety of the woodland oak, hawthorn, and field maples were planted.
Wildlife trust, London
In Hackney, Bexley, Hillingdon, and Southwark 150 native hedgerow and orchard species were planted in various locations in order to complement the ecological value and biodiversity of these areas of London.
The planting has created habitats and food resources for wildlife and birds. In areas of London where greenery is limited this planting has enhanced the nature reserves and parks and gives people a piece of the countryside in the city.
The kitchen has become the look and feel of the home; a place for shared meals and hosting family and friends. It has evolved into a showpiece and sets the atmosphere for how the rest of the home interior looks and feels.
All-white kitchens remain timeless and classic – capturing an overall clean aesthetic which is ideal for most households. However, it can almost feel clinical and cold; but a few complementary décor accents can save this space from seeming overly sterile.
Below we have curated a few simple ways to give your all-white kitchen a cool factor it deserves.
A Splash in the Back
Just one element can simply enhance your kitchen design without overpowering the look of your all-white canvas.
With a wide range of tiles available in the market, a backsplash is a fabulous way to make a big style statement. It’s also an excellent way to add charm, colour and texture into your space.
Whether you decide on stone, patterned tiles, mosaic or even a reflective glass tile – you are sure to add a striking visual with style and character. For instance, mirrored tiles look bold and impressive and accentuate your kitchen interior. They create more light and an attractive contrast with other kitchen surfaces, making them perfect for small kitchen space
Light the Way
Kitchen trends are beginning to shift towards bigger and bolder, with more homeowners shying away from timid and dull looking interiors. An all-white kitchen should not hold you back from experimenting with fun new trends.
Make a focal point with your lighting fixtures that combine practicality with visual impact; an exciting wow factor with rich metals and colourful shades.
A bold and heft lighting fixture over a big kitchen island instantly accentuates and adds personality to the overall look of your kitchen. Not only does good lighting tie together a space, it also creates an ambience that’s inviting and cozy.
The copper trend has been taking centre stage for a while now; this metal is bold, elegant and exudes warmth and richness. Update your all-white kitchen with a selection of copper lighting fixtures to make the space feel modern and sophisticated.
Charm with Bright Accents
With a monochromatic scheme such as an all-white kitchen, a dash of colour from interesting accessories makes a huge difference. It’s as simple as placing colour coordinated home ware on open floating shelves or even bright appliances on countertops. It’s a great way to experiment with colour in a least permanent way while creating a cool and summery vibe.
Cookbooks are also perfect in injecting that pop of colour into your kitchen décor. With the kitchen island being more elaborate and versatile in terms of design, they offer built-in storage for cookbooks and other accessories to showcase.
Potted plants and herbs are a refreshing way to brighten up an all-white décor without indulging in too many bright colours. A little bit of “spring” can do no wrong; even better, there’s nothing like plucking fresh herbs to season your soup with easy.
A portable vertical garden works just as well in bringing that natural beauty indoors.
It’s no surprise that the ‘great room’ concept is still one of the biggest trends in interior design right now.
If you’re not exactly sure what the great room is, then it can be defined as one large room that unites traditionally separate areas such as the kitchen, living room and the study into one expansive and unified space.
According to several interiors firms the great room trend is set to continue throughout this year and beyond.
In this article we look at some key questions benefits gained from the great room approach, and the latest trends for flooring and breaking up or unifying these open spaces.
What are the benefits of a great room design?
This kind of open plan living is perfect for creating a great entertaining space where everyone can feel connected even if they are each busy doing separate things such as studying, playing a computer game in the living room or cooking a meal in the kitchen.
When you entertain guests for a party or family gathering, the open plan feel makes it comfortable and prevents overcrowding.Other great benefits can include a flow of natural light throughout the entire space to make areas seem much more airy in comparison to when rooms are boxed off with dividing walls. Interrupted lines of sight give you clear views into all living spaces, so you can keep an eye on the kids, family pets or elderly relatives.
Other great benefits can include a flow of natural light throughout the entire space to make areas seem much more airy in comparison to when rooms are boxed off with dividing walls. Interrupted lines of sight give you clear views into all living spaces, so you can keep an eye on the kids, family pets or elderly relatives.
One of the best advantages is that even with the same square ft print you can make you home seem larger and more expansive
What’s the best Flooring for this kind of open space?
One trend that is becoming more common is to use a unifying floor covering throughout the open space. This has seen timber and hardwood floors become much more popular in kitchen areas where previously it may have been lino or tiles.
Having a consistent floor covering throughout the space is one of the key elements to tying everything together and making one space roll into another.
Utilising the same flooring also helps avoid any lips, steps or joins that can look unsightly or become a trip hazard.
When the flooring used throughout also happens to be say a hardwood, it helps to elevate the quality feel and depth of finish in a property.
The current trends for hardwood floorings are moving towards toward darker stains, with black and grey shades a real hit at the moment.
Aside from colour there are also some interesting things happening with shape and size. Larger planks or floors made up from mixed sizes of floor boards are very popular at the moment. Exotic hardwood species such as cherry, walnut and even hickory are making a splash.
Recycled flooring trends
While a brand new floor may be the best choice if you’re renovating a space and knocking down walls to create open plan living, most people don’t want flooring to look brand new.
Because of this hand distressed and hand-textured floors are very popular. This refers to new flooring that has been made to look worn and can have markings and an aged look to it.
Of course one way to get this look without manufacturing the aged look is to go for a reclaimed wood floor.
This is a greener choice and fits in well with the environmental concerns of many homeowners.
Typically these kind of floors are made from wood reclaimed from old residential, commercial buildings or even form old barns on farms and agriculture sites.
What other recent trends work with this kind of flooring?
Due to the fact that hardwood or reclaimed floors are a natural material, they work well with another key trend this year: Bringing the outside in.
Simply bring in a touch of nature into living spaces and add a design statement. Cacti is one of the choice pot plants, but even the green of faux plants will look good against the contrast of a dark wooden floor.
Plants can also help to add texture and intrigue into large open spaces, and the plants themselves will benefit from the amount of natural light in an open living design.
The latest bathroom trend that is strictly black and white.
Painting walls black is always a daunting task and not one to be taken lightly, however as long as you have planned your space wisely; the sleek monochrome look will be your most loved room in the house. Black walls shouldn’t consume the room as it creates a dark small environment that isn’t welcoming or relaxing.
For contrast and a graphic look, black can be used with white crisp walls to make the room feel light and fresh. It is all about being subtle. To keep your room from feeling cold and robust add textiles and wood materials that are warm and homely.
- Organic White and Black Paint – Mineral Paint Maker
- Weathered and Textured Black Oak Floor – Reclaimed Flooring Company
- Matted Black Taps and Shower Heads with a monochrome colour – ODIN collection on Brizo.com
- TS Table by Gubi and GamFratesi
- Tribeca Series by Soren Rose
- Adnet Round Mirror by Jacques Adnet
Thank you, MK Design for sharing with us the latest trends from the industry!
When trawling the web on the hunt for indoor gardens we found plenty of offices offering foliage galore for their staff. Whether it’s a rooftop public park in a London skyscraper or a three storey vertical wall in a Spanish corporate block, there’s no doubt that indoor gardens look especially incredible because of their unusual surroundings.
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But indoor gardens aren’t just about aesthetics, they’re also good for employee health – whether it’s to de-stress or provide healthier air to breathe. Plants such as ivy, spider plants, philodendron, Chinese evergreen and bamboo can actually clean the air of toxins such as formaldehyde, benzene and trichloroethane. Then there’s all that C02 they’ll help suck up. Here’s a pick of some of our favourite indoor gardens around the world:
10 of the best indoor gardens
This first floor elevated indoor garden has been created in the headquarters of PTT Exploration and Production. It’s for staff to relax in and de-stress during working hours and was created by Australian landscape designer Angus Bruce and his team at HASSELL. They picked up an award for their efforts.
Staff at power company Nuon in the Netherlands can cast their mind – and their eyes – upwards and appreciate the stunning vertical greenery on one wall of their tearoom. Built by fellow Dutch architecture company HEYLIGERS, the colourful rug and seating ensures the space remains a bright sunny place, despite the normally cold, dark weather:
We couldn’t talk about innovative and green office design without mentioning Google, of course. The superstar company’s newest office in Tokyo doesn’t just have a grass floor in certain areas; there are plants everywhere – as well as natural timber, giving the workspace a definite outdoorsy feel:
Happily, here in the UK London employees are also benefitting from this new trend for indoor gardens – at least the ones at global design and architectural company HOK are. Located in the Qube, in the city’s Fitzrovia area, the building is full of large floor to ceiling windows which allow in lots of natural light:
Staying in London and probably the city’s newest indoor garden, certainly the most spectacular, is the city’s Walkie Talkie Skyscraper. Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly’s designed the Sky Garden to be a public park in the 160 metre high Fenchurch Street tower.
French architecture firm Pons & Huot chose to install real trees in the middle of desks and glass pods for employees to sit in to minimise noise levels when they wanted to concentrate. The design is in the firm’s Paris office and won them an AIT Best of Office Architecture Award when it was created in 2008:
Just to be different, you could always have a rooftop garden indoors ie build a garden on top of your glass office – and which is exactly what the architecture and urbanism studio jvantspijker did in a former steam factory in Rotterdam’s Delfshaven area. The building is a communal working space for a number of small IT and design companies and the large plants helps absorb the sound:
But it’s not just office staff that can enjoy the benefits of an indoor garden. The staff at the Sisii designer leather showroom in Tokyo can too, thanks to the work of architects Yuko Nagayama & Associates together with landscape designer Toshiya Ogino. Potential customers can look at the bags and other leather items which are randomly strung from the trees. The idea is to relax the customers as well as the employees:
Back to London and workers in the city’s Ampersand Building are using this ‘green’ spiral staircase rather than take the lift after it was designed by Paul Cocksedge Studio. The greenery is said to create a relaxing and airy central space in the four story office building which is rented by various companies. Office staff look after the plants (some of which are edible):
The following vertical garden, designed by vertical landscape company Paisajismo Urbano, is the largest in the whole of Spain. It sits in a three storey office complex in Elche in Alicante and its remit is not just aesthetic but environmental too ie its purpose is to clear the air of indoor office pollutants:
So, which was your favourite indoor garden? Get more design inspiration from our website at our website: reclaimedflooringco.com
Looking for some clever ideas to revamp your living room which won’t result in massive upheaval for you and your family or spending a chunk of your savings? Then why not consider taking a look at some of our pretty easy – but very effective – renovation tips right here:
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Wow with your walls
You can add character to your room and alter its feel completely by adding in some smart architectural trim work such as window and door lintels, a cornice, a vaulted ceiling or even wall panelling:
Fit new flooring
Changing from a carpet to wooden flooring can make a huge difference in a room. It can make the space seem larger for a start – as well as smarter. And you don’t have to worry about changing the colours in the rest of the room since wooden flooring – whether fashionable driftwood, reclaimed timber or engineered mahogany – tends to be neutral and will match just about every décor scheme:
Free up the fireplace
Consider investing in one of the new inbuilt wall fires. This will not only free up space in your room and therefore make it seem larger, but it will also produce a more contemporary feel all round, especially if you invest in one of the new eco-friendly bioethenol fires. Wood burners are still extremely popular and great if you’re after a cosy feel to the room:
Learn about lighting
Lighting, as you probably already know, can make a huge difference to how a room feels mood-wise. Most interior designers recommend layering your lighting ie having difference forms such as ambient, accent and task all in the same room. This means considering picture lighting, uplighters, table lamps and under-cabinet lighting. A dramatic and large floor-standing lamp can actually create a good focal point for a room:
Advance your art
A very quick way to alter how a room looks is to change the artwork on the walls. Invest in new art or, if you like the work you have, just hang them differently. Consider grouping favourite pictures asymmetrically for an eclectic look, for instance, or hang them in two grid-like rows just above the sofa or a console table to create impact on a wall:
Alert with an accent (wall)
Change the focus of your living room by creating an accent wall – either by painting one wall in a bold colour or hanging striking wallpaper. For a dramatic look you could also consider a digital print wall mural. Just make sure the accessories in your room match the accent colour of the wall or fit in with the scene your mural conveys, in order to give the room an overall cohesive look.
Get clever with curtains
Drawing attention to your window space (especially if you’re fortunate to have a large bay window or French doors) can completely change the focus of a room. Why not opt for a combination of shades and elegant drapes which end up prettily puddling on your wooden flooring:
Divide off the dining room
It’s contrary to the open-plan kitchen look that’s around at the moment but if you’re a little fed up looking at the same apartment walls all the time then you could add some variety by dividing the eating and living areas with some fabric, bamboo or striking divider panels:
Alter your accessories
Just as we tend to update our wardrobes every season because (a) we want to look fashionable and (b) it feels great to wear a new outfit, then we should also consider updating our homes now and again. An inexpensive but very effective way to do this is to change the accessories around. Then again, if your current décor is neutral enough why not go one better and change the accent colour completely:
Get to know nature
Wood in all its wonderful glory can all give a room a modern and smart look. Whether it is in the form of flooring, furniture or accessories, it can add warmth to a room and a sense of spaciousness:
Discover more interior design décor ideas at our Reclaimed Flooring Company website today.