Surface Design Show 2019 Trends and Highlights

Located in Islington, North London, the Surface Design Show showcases the latest internal and external surface materials and architectural lighting. This year, over 5000 trade visitors visited the event, including our London and Brighton interior designers, who love keeping up with the latest surface design trends.

In this blog, we explore some of the materials which caught our designers’ eyes at the 2019 Surface Design Show. From sound reducing solutions to eco-friendly innovations, here are five of the best…

Compressed Nature

While there were plenty of Biophilic designs at the show, Organoids stood out with their natural decorative surfaces. Made by mixing raw natural materials with an ecological binding agent, the surfaces could make it on this list for ingenuity alone. But it was the thick coats of exquisite material, decorated with petals and with a natural scent reminiscent of an alpine forest, which enticed our designers to the stand.

In addition to their aesthetic appeal, natural decorative surfaces can be applied to everything from furniture to flooring and walls. This versatility highlights how much the biophilic theme has evolved. Gone are the days where companies would introduce a few plants; it’s now possible bring employees closer to nature in almost every area of your office.

Need more inspiration for your London interior design? Take a look at our news section here. 

Living Walls

Living walls (also known as green walls or vertical gardens) have become a growing trend in workplaces in recent years. Therefore, it was no surprise to see a number of eye-catching, progressive designs at the 2019 Surface Design Show.

Among the highlights were a vertical block of foliage reminiscent of a flourishing rainforest and a two-tone moss wall with a stunning London skyline silhouette. Our designers were also wowed by a design by Innerspace, who combined charred timber, moss and neon lighting to create an arresting backdrop to their display.

Edgy Acoustics

While acoustic solutions are nothing new, there will always be companies out there in need of noise-reducing office elements. This is the case, in particular, for those who work in open plan spaces, where there are few or no walls to block out the sound of loud conversations and buzzing technology.

At this year’s show there was a wealth of acoustic products, from suspended screens to the aforementioned compressed nature surfaces. Geometric acoustics were also is vogue, with the above display by Friends of Wilson attracting plenty of attention from visitors.

Elegant Upholstery

While there were plenty of ostentatious designs at the show, some manufacturers stood out for promoting elegance and simplicity. Indeed, when it comes to office furniture less often means more, which is why our designers were attracted to upholstery collections from the likes of Panaz. They displayed a multitude of upholstery materials that were both classic and enduring, providing plenty of inspiration for furniture finishes.

Recyclables

When you’ve chucked plastic away, have you ever taken a moment to ask ‘what is waste’ and ‘what is away’? Enis Akiev did just that and, in doing so, engendered an innovative design concept that impressed our interior designers.

After researching a rock forming process, Enis developed a method to turn post-consumer plastic waste into a hard-wearing structure with a unique, swirling aesthetic. Not only does this change the way we perceive waste but helps the environment by continuing its life-cycle. Therefore, recyclables are ideal for forward thinking companies with an eco-friendly ethos.

Thank You for Reading our Surface Design Show blog

It is fair to say that the 2019 Surface Design Show did not disappoint in terms of variety. It also gave an interesting insight into the growing importance of sustainability, with so many eco-friendly designs on display.

Ultimately, our team left with plenty of ideas for future projects, highlighting why the Surface Design Show is the event of choice for architects and designers. Don’t forget to keep an eye on our latest project case studies to see if you can spot some of the products featured in this blog.

Has our blog inspired you to refurbish your space?

If you’re looking to make changes to your workplace, then Rap’s experienced London Interior Designers can help. They can give you guidance on every aspect of your refurbishment, from lighting to flooring to everything in between. 

To speak to one of our professionals and arrange a free design consultation, call 0333 600 1234 or email refurb@rapinteriors.co.uk.