Posts Tagged: Columnist
Column: Where fashion meets interiors: Building a career across borders
I grew up in Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong, in a family of eight living in a small apartment. Life was modest, yet full of purpose. From the age of six, my weekends and school holidays were not for play – they were spent in my father’s garment factory. That factory became my first classroom…. Read More >
The Future Operator: Designing for Hybrid, Flexible, Experience-Led Models
For decades, hotel design was defined by fixed typologies. Lobby here. Bar there. Restaurant at the back. Bedrooms above. Each space with a single purpose, a clear boundary, a predictable rhythm. In 2026, that model no longer reflects how people live – or how hotels make money. Guests now arrive with laptops as often as… Read More >
Column: Quiet luxury, loud impact. The subtle power of understatement
Hospitality design has always flirted with spectacle, with statement chandeliers, maximalist palettes, and lobby bars engineered for social media likes rather than social life. For a while, this worked. But something has shifted. The most compelling hotels today are not the loudest; they are the most assured. They reward time rather than attention. Some of… Read More >
Column: Adaptive reuse as luxury. Why authenticity outperforms new-build gloss
There was a time when luxury meant new. Pristine façades, perfect lines, buildings without blemish or memory. Today, that logic is feels increasingly hollow. Across Europe, the hotels that guests talk about most are rarely the newest – they are the ones with history. Former banks, government buildings, townhouses, factories, and offices. Buildings that carry… Read More >
Using multi material flooring installations in Commercial Interiors
When designers ask me to help balance floors and finishes across a commercial project, one of my first conversations is always about material storytelling. I always ensure every surface contributes to the projects narrative. In my experience, the best schemes today don’t simply rely on a single material aesthetic; they mix materials thoughtfully to create… Read More >
Column: Why hospitality must stop treating architecture as overhead
For an industry obsessed with performance metrics, hospitality remains surprisingly blind to one of its most powerful commercial levers – design. In boardrooms up and down the country architecture and interiors fall under “capex”, “fit-out cost” or, worse, seen as “nice to have”. Rarely are they spoken about in the same breath as revenue metrics,… Read More >
Column: Innovation in Porcelain – Hypertouch – When a Tile Becomes a Switch
There’s a moment when showing designers around our factories showroom when I say, “Touch the tile.” The designer hesitates… presses… and suddenly the door change from clear to opaque. That’s Hypertouch in action—and it’s where porcelain leaves the wall and becomes part of the user interface. In short, Hypertouch is a hidden sensor embedded behind… Read More >
Column: Innovation in Porcelain – Surfaces that Work
When it comes to innovation, nothing impresses me more within tiles than Iris Ceramica’s ACTIVE Surfaces®. I’ve always championed materials that do more than simply looking good, and in my opinion, ACTIVE is the best example of a tile that works for the building and the environment. In this day and age, creating experiences, but… Read More >
Column: Engineered Wood & Zoning – My Go To Choices!
Wood brings the human touch to any corporate fit-out, but it’s also a brilliant tool to guide customers / clients. I like to treat the plank direction as an arrow: move the graining 90o to signal a breakout space, or switch to a chevron format in the café to add an uplifting feeling. Colour blocking… Read More >
Column: Tiled Flooring Requirements 101 – For Busy Specifiers!
Commercial floors are a minefield! I’ve learnt to start every conversation with performance related to the project, followed by beauty of the product. Here’s a few key points to keep in mind on every project when you are looking into your next space: 1. Slip resistance: UK HSE guidance requires a Pendulum Test Value ≥… Read More >
Column: Sustainability – Porcelain’s Quiet Super-power
When I am asked “what’s the embodied carbon of your products?”, my answer always starts at the source, the kiln. Porcelain manufacturers are making huge strides towards greener production. During many a lunchtime presentation, I am asked to break this down in more detail. My top example would be Iris Ceramica, who run Zero Emission… Read More >
Column: Porcelain Tiles – Pros & Cons
When I’m sitting with an architect/interior design and we discuss mood-board/design intent, porcelain is usually first out of my sample box, and for good reason. It is produced at higher temperatures and with denser materials than standard ceramics or other flooring products, which means water absorption sits at virtually zero, making it perfect for wet… Read More >
Column: Crazy Design, Crazy Interiors!
So here’s the big question: can the commercial interiors industry take a cue from the “crazy ones” and embrace a bit more madness to truly innovate? George Bernard Shaw would say yes! He believed progress relies on the “unreasonable” people who push boundaries. Even Steve Jobs called out to “the crazy ones” who “change the… Read More >