Clerkenwell Design Week is one of the highlights of our events calendar. We were thrilled to be able to join around 40,000 other industry experts at this leading independent design festival in London’s bustling Clerkenwell area. Over 200 global exhibitors display furniture, lighting, flooring, kitchen and ceramic products in more than 130 open showrooms. 

Our interior designers and commercial furniture team explored a range of brands and companies – from interior experts in lighting, textiles and surfaces, through to office furniture specialists. 

Here are just some of the teams’ highlights: 

Gemma Noakes, Interior designer 

“I loved the Allermuir collection at Senator, from the addition of curves to their seating and so many material options for curtains, right through to their Crate Divides. Their hybrid design approach enables their furniture to feature both longevity and fluidity. This is a real benefit for our clients, as their furniture can be used in a range of collaborative and relaxing spaces in the office. 

I enjoyed testing out the new agile work benches from Workstories, featuring adaptable power docks, which are great for collaboration. I loved the concept of being able to pull out the power source to where you need it for charging and the adaptability of connecting to a screen. 

Colour palettes featuring  more earthy tones and muted colours are being introduced and we predict that this will remain a trend in the coming years. These more natural colour choices enable us to continue to build on current designs, with sustainability in mind.” 

Ashley Hovells, Head of Furniture: 

“We had a wonderful time at this year’s Clerkenwell Design Week. Despite the rain, the team managed to fit in visits to lots of our key partners.  

Furniture highlights included Alta & Laines (Workstories), HM56 Ripple (Hitch Mylius), Elements & Reed (Davison Highley), Eden (Boss Design), WorkBase Desking (Senator).  

On the sustainability front, Senator provided us with a demo of their new project X, which is a concept where the whole furniture item can be recycled, and no adhesive is used to add upholstery etc. If you stain a fabric for example, you can then find a replacement online and it can be easily changed, rather than replacing the whole item/sofa! We look forward to seeing this come into fruition over the coming year. 

Overall, we have been encouraged to see so many suppliers taking their sustainable responsibilities more seriously, as this gives us more options to share with our clients. Waste reduction and a truly ‘future view’ to delivering more sustainable solutions was the order of the day!” 

Sustainable furniture design and materials 

We were so pleased to see that this year really was all about sustainability! ‘Repair rather than replace’ was the clear message and we saw manufacturers working hard to present a range of options for our eco-conscious clients. 

From new, organically-made, carpet tiles at Interface, through to the use of raw materials in furniture, there is now an inherent focus on longevity in design, and the reduction of adhesives. 

Kieron Heffernan, Senior Interior Designer summarises: 

“I like the fact the companies are evolving the sustainability process.  It was great to see so many recyclable fabrics requiring the use of less tools, ultimately with a carbon neutral focus.  

It was particularly useful to visit Elite, who are in the process of building a factory with carbon neutral output.  

Sixteen3 was also a highlight. They have a clip-on system which promotes the reuse of the product, meaning less wastage, and with the ability to be reconfigured for alternative uses.  

So, my takeaway is: sustainability is still at the forefront of people’s minds, and they are no longer just ticking a box – this really is the future of commercial design and build.” 

Conclusion

Clerkenwell Design Week is an excellent opportunity for designers, architects and interiors enthusiasts to come together and celebrate the huge array of products at their fingertips. A celebration of British design and local suppliers, as well as international brands making waves in the design space. 

Our team always comes away inspired and abuzz with ideas, but this year we came away with a real sense that our industry is determined to squash out greenwashing. The focus on offering truly sustainable alternatives has left us with the biggest spring in our steps!  

We’re off now to share some of these new ideas with our clients…