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Monthly Montage: The “Wow” Factor

The Design Team at Scarlet Opus are constantly receiving submissions from Designers wanting their Products to be reviewed or showcased on the blog and over the past 6 months we’ve been sent some seriously fabulous work.  After some consideration (and discussion with Victoria!) I finally have the focus for today’s posting: über cool design for bars and chill out lounges.

First up some of my favourite spaces …

You’ll remember back in November 2009 my review of the Cavalli Club in Dubai’s Fairmont Hotel, well last month saw the opening of The Chameleon Club in Tecom’s Byblos Hotel by the same Interior Designer, Italo Rota.

All images sourced from Gary McGovern’s Flickr portfolio

The $6.2m venue has over 65,000 LED bulbs incorporated into the design with the light continuously changing with the music – the inspiration behind the concept, Rota says he was inspired by the idea and significance of changing colour.  We’ve spoken for several seasons now about the importance of changeant qualities in surface effect finishes, fabrics, and materials and as we move forward into 2013 we’ll begin to see a new visual language being created by contemporary Light Artists.  The Chameleon Club is a wonderful example of how light and intense bolts of colour can be used to create a super dynamic, electric mood.  (In January we’ll be launching a new Member’s area on the blog which will give subscriber’s exclusive access to trend information – such as this A/W 12/13 trend Virtual Reality, colour palette’s, international show reviews etc.  Look out for news of the launch to be sure you’re always on top of the trends.)

Another favourite, although at the opposite end of the Design spectrum, yet still fabulously on-trend, is Plums at the Ritz Carlton in Bahrain.  We’ve long been lovers of Jake Phipps’ work and here we see his quirky style put to great effect by Interior Designer, Ammar Bashier.

Now, whether you’re a fan or not, there’s no denying that the ice bar concept is just cool and Paris have one of the world’s best.  The boutique Kube Hotel has a modern retro feel with white walls, hot pink accents, and glowing glass cubes, but the highlight?  The Ice Kube Bar with its cool, urban aesthetic.

Image Credit: Laurent Pons

Again we see these super-charged, electric colours being used to create an edgy sophistication.  A cover charge buys you entrance, a winter parka, gloves, and unlimited vodka – LOVING IT!

Something else I love … a good shisha lounge (TIP: next time you’re in Dubai be sure to check out ALMAZ by MOMO in Harvey Nichols at MOE).  Many an evening was spent on London’s Edgware Road during my university days and since moving to Dubai (and getting engaged to a very Lebanese, Lebanese man!) chilling out with a delicious Moroccan tea and a grape shisha pipe is definitely on my list of favourite pastimes.  So, when Victoria sent me Airdiem’s luxury Narghile press kit you can imagine my excitement.  How much cooler, how much more enjoyable to smoke your shisha from any one of these sleek and contemporary designs:

Left to right: Noble by Meduse Design; N by Nedda El Asmar with Swarovski elements for Airdiem; Pink by theUNIT_3.0; Disco Pipe by Hicham Lahlou for Airdiem; Cascada by Meduse Design; Pure by Nedda El Asmar for Airdiem 

How many times have you been to a really great bar, beautifully styled and then you sat down and suddenly didn’t feel quite so chic.  With Autoban designing wonderful lounge pods like the Nest (one of Victoria’s favourites) for De La Espada and bespoke furniture designers,Hyde House, creating contemporary and unique pieces such as their James Bond bar stools and f a b u l o u s 55 Max chairs featuring Hollywood darlings such as Audrey Hepburn, there need never be another boring bar stool or velvet lounger situation again!

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For me however, the key to creating an interior drama is all in the lighting.  Huge statement pieces such as Beau McClellan’s awe-inspiring Nomad chandelier, great clusters of smaller bulbs like QisDESIGN’s Coral Balls, unique formations as in Carlotta de Bevilacqua’s Copernico suspension piece, intimately lit alcoves or huge spaces filled with electric light, it really doesn’t matter so long as the mood is created and the statement is made.

We’re always happy to hear from our readers so let us know of any truly great night spots you’ve been to recently by leaving a comment at the top of this posting or dropping us a line at designteam@scarletopus.com

And if you read Victoria’s piece for The National last month on Yarn Bombing be sure to check back next Monday when she’ll be posting more in-depth coverage of the latest form of street art: knit graffitti!

We look forward to seeing you then lovely readers!

DesignShuffle take us on a tour of Australia

Last year we showcased our pick of the best bars in Sydney in terms of interior design, and also a selection of the fave home product boutiques from our Sydney scout Natalie.  There are so many exciting design projects happening in and around Sydney and we are always keen to share them here on our blog.  But we were especially delighted when Susi from DesignShuffle offered to take us further afield as part of our continuing look at intriguing interior spaces in Australia…

I’m Susi and I write as a guest blogger for DesignShuffle.com, a fabulous social media site that promotes interior designers and their work from around the world. My writing focuses on things I’m passionate about: interior design ideas, home furnishings, gardening, travel and Art. I get to look at gorgeous things all day and write about them. I’m a very lucky girl.

I recently came across the Australian Interior Design Awards for 2011 and knew I had to share the designs with Scarlet Opus. Australian design is cutting edge, modern, and at the same time, often has a casual or relaxed edge to it. Here are some of my favourite interiors from the land down under. I hope they inspire. I know several have me wanting to book a trip to Oz.

Above: The Saffire Freycinet resort and spa in Tasmania is an amalgam of natural and modern elements. The undulating wood ceilings echo the hills across the bay, surrounding this lounge in nature. Gorgeous!

Above: Another gorgeous blending of indoor and outdoor space is Solis house in Queensland. It’s difficult to tell where inside ends and outside begins. Designed by Renato D’Ettorre Architects.

Above: As superb bathroom designs with a water view should do, this minimalist white bathroom at the Solis house lets the focus remain on the stunning surroundings. I’d be happy to never leave!

Above: The open living space in the Hill Plain House in Victoria by Wolveridge Architects is dramatic and dark. The wall of wood in the living area is visible from the kitchen and dining area. Love the yellow. Do you?

Above: Located in Victoria, the Open House designed by Architects EAT, employs wood on both the floors and ceiling. The dramatic dark stairs float in the space.

Above: Another incredible staircase that looks more like sculpture. This open kitchen, with staircase on the right, is in the Edwards Moore designed Cubby House, also in Victoria.

Above: Love the colour block wall of glass that extends beyond the bedroom. The glass sheathes an entire exterior wall of the house. Designed by James Russell Architect Pty Ltd in Queensland.

Above: Speaking of cool walls, love the accordion folding glass wall in this bathroom. And yes, that is a bed outside on the deck. Is this a bedroom design whose time has come? Coledale Eco Lodge in New South Wales, designed by Hare + Klein Interior Design.

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Many thanks to Susi and the team at Design Shuffle for today’s Guest Blog.  Check out their site to  find top tier interior designs from around the world – from New York interior designers, Los Angeles interior designers, and much more.

All of the pictures featured in today’s posting are courtesy of http://australianinteriordesignawards.com

Check back on Monday for more inspiring interior trends!

Bathroom Blogfest 2011

Now in its sixth year, the 2011 Bathroom Blogfest brings together 33 bloggers from the U.S, Canada, Dubai, and the UK to address the theme “Climbing Out”.  We were delighted to have been invited to participate again this year (see the full list of participants at the end of today’s posting).

Following the news of a global economic crisis the initial response of Designers, Retailers, and Manufacturers was to offer consumers products and styles that were familiar and comforting, something we, as consumers, readily bought into as we set about creating our “safe” and cosseted home environments.  However, as with all situations, after a time playing it safe becomes a boring game and we simply can’t tolerate such a negative, down trodden vibe forever.  Instead we must pick ourselves up and “climb out” of the dark and fearful financial funk we’ve fallen into.

One of the best ways to encourage a more upbeat and positive attitude is by surrounding ourselves with good design … products that make us happy, well-made beautiful pieces, pieces that enhance our lives…

Today we’re blogging live from the Dubai desert following the INDEX show where the mood was business as usual in typical Dubai style: glamour and luxury!  We headed over to the Kitchens & Bathrooms halls to see what was on offer:

A super sleek black, white, and red colour scheme seemed to be popular this year, these glass designs by Greek company drop, were definitely our favourites.

We also saw a number of company’s exhibiting interesting effects on glass shower panels, Kermi‘s Kerolan Fontana water effect on Acrylic glass stood out for us and was certainly attracting the attention of passers-by who seemed fascinated!  We also liked the super cool Ideos radiator design which is available in a wide range of on-trend colours including some fabulously bright popped out shades.

There’s no doubt that an emotional pick me up can be achieved via surrounding yourself with some shimmer, shine, and metallic lustres and once again Dubai didn’t let us down!  We loved the sophisticated glamour of the deep purple faucets below but were truly captivated by Kermi’s glass shower panels incorporating Swarovski crystals!  Extravagant yes, but in a monochrome setting they’d add an elegant and subtle luxury.

Earlier this year at the SURFACES show in Las Vegas we awarded an amazing company with a Scarlet Opus Star Award for their innovations in tiles and mosaics.  Sonite are a Bangkok based company offering high quality resin products in Tiles, Mosaics, & Solid Surfaces.  Their collections are truly stunning and the sophisticated style solution to moving away from our dark mood.

Sonite present a new definition of Luxury in their work, a sophisticated glamour, beguiling, and mature.  Their Brushed Metallics, Stardust, and Silk ranges shimmer and glisten, attracting our attention, tempting us to take a closer look, epitomising our Autumn/Winter 2011/12 trend, Dreamscape Glamour, a style that explores the mysterious glamour of the galaxies.

As we see metallics move from being hi-shine to brushed and burnished, and a shift from clean Golds to warmer tones of copper and bronze, we also see changeant colours and effects established as a key trend and crucial to achieving the new look of luxury.  Sonite’s Colour Shift range perfectly answers this aspect of the trends, offering a dynamism and energy to interior schemes.

In January Victoria will be speaking at SURFACES about the Autumn/Winter 2012/13 trend, Emporium, that moves on our Dreamscape Glamour trend.  You can read more details of our involvement at the show on our Events page, we look forward to seeing you all there!

Miss V to Miss P – October

From: victoria@scarletopus.com

To: shelley@scarletopus.com

Sent: 14.10.11 at 11:23

Subject: London, Liverpool, Lobster & Live from Dubai

Hello Miss P!

Let me start with an apology for not finding time to have our usual monthly email review in September.  At least we were working together for most of last month and had plenty of opportunity to natter on our various trips instead!

Actually I did mean to show you some shots from the event I spoke at for Show Business Interiors just before you flew over for London Design Festival.  It was held at the CUBE art gallery in Manchester which was a fantastic space for us to speak in and for invited guests to explore and network in.  Jackie Summerfield, Managing Director at Show Business Interiors, gave a welcoming and considered introductory speech which set the tone for my trend talk perfectly:

Show Business Interiors are a forward-thinking team who expertly create imaginative and motivating interior schemes for the show homes of the biggest & best home builders in the UK, including Persimmon, Barrett Homes and Taylor Wimpey.  The aim of the event at the CUBE was to establish Show Business Interiors as thought-leaders in their field.  They are embracing Trend Forecasting within their company and want to share this information externally with their clients too.  Having been invited to speak at the event by their enthusiastic Sales Director, Tristan Evans, I was delighted to provide a group of their clients with a sneak peek into the future, giving them plenty to think about in terms of their own home building strategies.  The team at Show Business Interiors fully appreciate that we need to understand how people live now and how they’ll want to live in the future in order to create homes that will answer the wants, needs and desires of home buyers over the coming years.  I’m looking forward to delivering more trend seminars for them soon!

Special thanks to the photographer Andrew Wall for sharing his shots from the event

We leave the North now and head down South … I loved visiting the London Design Festival shows with you last month Miss P and our coverage of 100% Design in particular seems to have gone down well.  I was sorry not to get time to chat with Yukari Sweeney at the show but she has since been in touch with product images of her new ‘Wish You Were Here In London’ collection.  My fave…well it has to be the ’Henry In The Rain’ cushion:

Next up, I really want to thank you for your work during our trip to Maine, USA to present to the brilliant team at SAPPI.  Everyone was so positive after the trend presentation at the Sales Conference and it was terrific to have you there to discuss how the information I’d presented can be integrated into the work of their different departments.

It was great to have time to explore York Harbor and also get out to Portsmouth before we headed back from Boston.  What a beautiful part of America…The York Harbor Inn is just about the quaintest place I have ever stayed!  And everyone we met was so welcoming and friendly.  Which reminds me…how was your apple butter and have you been wearing your Martini earrings?

As you know, once you headed back to Dubai I had planned to go to Liverpool Design Festival, but newspaper & magazine article deadlines meant it just wasn’t possible.  I’d been really keen to go because Emily Campbell from Blue Butterfly Flooring was exhibiting in the Georges Hall (one of my fave buildings) and you’ll remember she gave an excellent interview when we showcased her work back in July on the blog.  Well I invited Emily to send me some images from the show and that’s exactly what she did…fab woman that she is:

Additional photo of exhibition of St Georges Hall (above left) via Brian Roberts.  To see all of his shots from the VIP Night at the Design Show 2011 click this flickr link

Emily launched new images at the show, both as perspex prints and window mounted prints.  They will be available to buy online in the next 2 weeks or so and Emily has promised to send me a link so I can tweet it to our followers.

Whilst at the show Emily took a shine to the work of 2 other exhibitors:

First up, the very versatile humpties.  A piece of furniture that can be used as a chair, occasional table or footstool, available in 3 sizes.  They are the creation of Stuart Bottomley & Rachel Zivkovic.  They release 2 collections a year featuring limited edition designs exclusively for the humptie shape.  I like the bold designs and I also like that they are made in Cumbria – with the outer fabric printed locally and the wool used for the inserts also sourced from the Lake District:

Contact: info@kendalupholstery.co.uk

The second exhibitor Emily was keen to tell me about was the award winning Designer Rachel Kelly…who is also now based in the Lake District funnily enough.  Actually I’ve been a fan of Rachel Kelly’s Interactive Wallpaper for ages.  I think her work has been key to moving wallcoverings forward in terms of innovation and also in igniting consumers interest in wallpaper again.  Many new designers & retailers have been inspired by her signature hand-printed interactive wallpapers with decals that allow you to customise her patterns, but Rachel still does it best.  She has now exhibited as far afield as New York, Paris, Munich & Tokyo, intriguing visitors with her new collections wherever she goes:

Contact: studio@interactivewallpaper.co.uk

Well next week I’ll be heading your way Miss P in preparation for INDEX and the Festival of Interior Design.  Are you ready for my arrival?  Have you prepared a suitable sign to greet me with in the Arrivals lounge?  I hope so.  Perhaps a balloon is on order….no?  I’m looking forward to escaping the colder Autumn days here in the UK and embracing the hot desert nights of Dubai!  I’m also particularly looking forward to leading the VIP Trend Tour again at INDEX on Sunday 23rd Oct (Yes this is the 1 shot of me from the Tour last year where I don’t look completely mad…just before you mention it!  Who knew I look so crazy once I start talking about design?  Oh…you knew did you?!  Thanks for telling me Miss P!)

I know you’ve put a lot of work into the workshop you are hosting at FoID along with the Dreamweaver.  I think it’s going to be a great session.

After your workshop at FoID I’m also excited about meeting with the Press over at the INDEX VIP Lounge on Saturday 22nd to give them an overview of our pick of the best exhibitors at the show.  I know it took us hours and hours to look through the 450+ websites but I’m so happy with our choice of the 8 showstoppers in terms of current & future trends.

See you soon Miss P.  Look out Dubai – here I come!

******************************************

From: shelley@scarletopus.com

To: victoria@scarletopus.com

Sent: 20.10.11 at 12:03

Subject: RE: London, Liverpool, Lobster & Live from Dubai

I am exhausted just reading about everything that’s been going on the past few weeks … how have we managed it?!

The highlight for me was definitely our trip to Maine – such unexpected beauty, particularly along the coast, and the food!!!!  And we were so lucky to have been there during the harvest season – I’ve never seen so many pumpkin displays!

Do you remember that motto plaque we saw in Portsmouth with the quote from Eleanor Roosevelt?  It really stuck with me so I thought I’d share it here…

The SAPPI team were lovely I agree, I loved when they all put their jackets on for the team photo – such great energy and enthusiasm, I look forward to working with them in the future.  (Oh and by the way – the caramel apple butter is d.e.l.i.c.i.o.u.s.)

So anyway, WELCOME BACK to the desert and thank you for the champagne, looking forward to guzzling that after the workshop on Saturday at FoID!  Also really looking forward to seeing Beau McClellan’s Nomad lighting installation again after first being introduced at DesignJunction.  I seem to be all about the lighting at the moment actually as I’m also excited about seeing Naomi’s fabulous Lighting | Visione space at INDEX, so glad it’s been added to the tour – I think it’s going to be pretty special.

Well I’m going to get on with those last minute preparations, how are you getting on with your presentation for Harvey Jones Kitchens?

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P.S. I am LOVING my martini earrings – they may even make an appearance at the INDEX seminar if you’re lucky!

P.P.S. I’m looking forward to taking part in the Bathroom Blogfest this month and getting a bonus posting out to our readers on Friday