Interior Design Blog

Cathedral built with LED lights

2012-02-03T09:24:00Z

A spectacular festival of lights took place in the Belgian city of Ghent last weekend. From 26 to 29 January, the second Light Festival Ghent brought the whole city centre alive with beautiful light shows and installations. Among these, a massive replica of a cathedral built from LED lights, especially for the occasion, was one of the highlights.

]]> The 28 metre tall replica of Renaissance cathedral, named Cagna Illuminations after the Italian lighting company who produced it, took over one of the main streets of Ghent and offered passers-by an experience filled with light and colour. The carcass of the cathedral was built from wood and then covered with large curtains made of 55,000 LED lights in an array of colours.

And the use of LEDs meant that despite the amount of lights used, the whole installation consumed just 20kW/h of electricity.

The company behind this installation is an Italian family business Luminarie De Cagna that was established in 1930. It started out providing public lighting with oil and carbide lamps, but now travels the world with LED installations that light up streets and town squares.

It is the second time that the Ghent Light Festival has taken place, and the theme this year was Happiness and Music. The first half of the theme was inspired by Ghent-born writer Maurice Maeterlinck's world-famous fairy tale Blue Bird, which deals with matters of happiness, and the second by the fact that Ghent is one of UNESCO's Creative Cities of Music.

Almost 30 installations and events took place during the festival over the four days at the end of January with more than 200,000 people attending. Some of the other highlights, alongside De Cagna's cathedral, included a tree filled with illuminations of exotic birds - a direct reference to Maeterlinck's fairy tale - and a telephone box that was turned into an aquarium.

Design Council Road Show to help small businesses

2012-02-02T15:11:12Z

Design associates from the Design Council advise clients on how they can use design to improve their business.

Times are tough for small and medium-sized businesses. But according to the Design Council there are many ways struggling manufacturers can use design to become more competitive. This week, the Design Council has launched a new road show that will travel the country offering advice on how small and medium-sized businesses can use design to boost sales, protect jobs and compete in the tough economic climate.

]]> Starting next week in Nottingham and continuing around the country during February and March, the road show is aimed at persuading small and medium sized manufacturing firms that subsidised mentoring programmes, offered by the Design Council can make a real difference to a business's bottom line.

One such opportunity, the Design Council's business mentoring programme, Designing Demand, is a service that works with SMEs (small and medium enterprises) to develop a design-led project with the power to transform their business. The programme has mentored some 650 SMEs in recent years and according to the Design Council, a recent independent evaluation showed that businesses can expect, typically, over £25 return on investment for every pound invested in design. The initiative is supported by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), which provides a 50 per cent subsidy towards the cost to businesses wishing to join the programme.

For details of the events taking place, including free interactive workshops and opportunities for one to one consultations visit the Design Council website.

Mosaics: a centuries-old idea for a 21st century home

2012-02-02T03:56:35Z

Mosaics have a timeless grace that transcends millennia - never mind centuries. The earliest examples of mosaics were discovered in what used to be ancient Mesopotamia, which have been dated back to the second half of the 3rd millennium BC. These used fragments of coloured stones, ivory and shells, and it was only in 1500 BC when glazed tiles - the most predominant modern material used in mosaics today - were introduced properly.

]]> Obviously, mosaic tiles aren't just square and small - they come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and materials. Unglazed ceramic tiles are produced for outdoor environments, while more attractive glazed options are perfect for the home. Vitreous glass tiles provide both translucent and opaque sheens for your room of choice, while enamelled glass can be bought in the form of Italian smalti tiles. Millefiori, meanwhile, gives the DIY enthusiast a wide array of glass beads, producing colourful and geometric patterns for the home.

Installing such tiles is easy, though because of the nature of the job, it must be done in a slow and steady manner. This is because you don't want to put down too much tile adhesive as it is liable to set before you get round to setting the mosaic tiles into the mix. It's worth sorting colours into different piles regarding colour or shape and having the design you want at hand. It may be worth drawing guidelines or major parts of the mosaic-to-be before smoothing over the adhesive; you'll more than likely be able to see the guides underneath.

The most important thing about mosaic tiles is to have a little bit of fun. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work; luckily, it'll still look attractive, all the while being unique.

Kate Moss by Mario Testino

2012-02-01T11:35:08Z

Wrapped in a translucent red bag, this oversized book is a love letter from Peruvian-born fashion photographer Mario Testino and publisher Taschen to arguably one of the most famous, and maybe notorious, faces in the contemporary fashion world. It is not the first time that Testino has created a public display of affection to his muse, having dedicated a whole room to images of Moss in his exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in 2002.

]]> Since her discovery at the age of 14 by photographer Sarah Doukas in a New York airport, Moss has graced the cover of British Vogue 30 times since her first appearance in 1993, a feat that no other model has yet matched - yet her life has also graced the front pages of the tabloid press over the years for various indiscretions. Mario Testino is arguably the world's most famous fashion photographer having worked for the likes of Hugo Boss, Miu Miu, Gucci and Burberry among others.

Testino has shot Moss for numerous campaigns over the years, and for this book he has unearthed shots that reveal the relationship between himself and the model from his private archive. It is a candid document that not only celebrates the chameleon-like ability of Moss to occupy character and effortlessly embody the relentless transformations in style that the fashion world undergoes each season. The pace of the imagery between the editorial shots for the fashion press and the informal shots of Moss at ease in front of the camera behind the scenes paints an intriguing picture that humanises the demonised world of fashion and modeling.

Accompanied by interviews with Moss and Testino, the book sheds light on how close the pair are and the extent to which they have influenced and supported each other over the last 20 years. It would be easy to dismiss this book as a narcissistic essay in self promotion for Moss and Testino, but as a document of a creative relationship and the personal dynamics needed to create iconic fashion editorial it is an elegant portrait of a muse through the eyes of the artist.

www.taschen.com

Paul Cocksedge lights the way

2012-02-01T11:07:12Z

Jamie Hausman, idfx

This young designer will join the ranks of more than 100 high profile creatives at the inaugural Munich Creative Business Week on 9 February. Cocksedge will speak alongside Adrian Van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President of BMW Group Design, in a session aptly called 'Light - Magic - Technology.'

]]> Cocksedge's methods have struck the design world as innovative and magical in the way that he uses technology to transform a space. Each product and installment uses a unique source of light, be it gas or graphite, and each one makes a riveting statement.

The liquid becomes the light in this striking design when a UV light shines upon a bulb-shaped vessel containing a surprising mixture of gin and tonic.

In this design, the stem of a flower conducts the electricity that activates a small light source, which illuminates the vase. However, as the flower expires the light also dims, thus displaying Cocksedge's comment on the transience of life.

The speech will mainly focus on Cocksedge's collaboration with BMW in creating new LED-floodlights, but it will also convey his enthusiasm for lighting any space. In a German-dominated convention, this Brit's unconventional approach will surely shine.

For more information, please visit www.mcbw.de/en or www.paulcocksedgestudio.com

Surface Design Show: The future is now

2012-01-31T15:13:46Z

Jamie Hausman, idfx

On Feb. 7-9 designers will flock to The Business Design Centre in Islington to touch, feel and test the featured products and concepts of the world's best surface design companies. The most notable aspect of this three-day event is the Future Thinking area.

]]> With abundant resources and progressive technology, exhibitors in the Future Thinking section of the site will shatter all preconceived material limits with their products. Annabelle Filer, founder of SCIN, has curated the area to highlight how architects and designers develop and choose materials to work with. Many of the products exhibited follow the environmentally-conscious lead of today's design trends by using interactive recycled materials and renewable energy.

BREAD materials interact with a human touch

One of the most intriguing products looks more like a sea anemone than surface material, but its attract is undeniable. BREAD developers, Sarat Babu and Richard Becketter, found inspiration from the natural complexity of biology to create gradient surfaces, which respond to touch. Each structure's response triggers visual effects of light and shadow. You've got to feel this product to believe it.

Pavegen tiles glow in the London night

No longer must manic Monday strides be wasted on rush hour pavement. Pavegen's flooring system has harvested the kinetic energy of footsteps and transformed it into electrical power. Made from recycled materials, this technology offers a cutting edge use for renewable energy. For more information, please visit www.surfacedesignshow.com

A 30 tonne sculpture to celebrate the Olympics

2012-01-27T09:18:44Z

Come February, there will be a massive 30 tonne sculpture in the Olympic Park. Titled RUN, the installation is part of the Art in the Park initiative by Olympic Delivery Authority.

]]> The installation by internationally renowned artist Monica Bonvicini consists of three capital letters R U and N, all 9m tall. Each letter weighs 10 tonnes, making RUN the largest standalone artwork in the Olympic Park. The sculpture is constructed of steel and reflective glass, and the letters are designed to produce a mirror effect during the day and glow at night, with LED lighting used to reflect off a series of internal curved mirrors. It will be one of the main features on the plaza of Copper Box venue, where handball, goalball and modern pentathlon will take place.

The work references popular music titles, including the Velvet Underground's Run Run Run, Neil Young's Running Dry and Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run, which the artist also used in a previous solo exhibition, 'RUN, TAKE one SQUARE or two'. When putting together the proposal for the project, Bonvicini was inspired by the many uses of the Olympic Park and decided to return to this exhibition and the word 'run'. Bonvicini said of her installation in the Olympic Park: 'RUN will blend in perfectly in the landscape, avoiding monumentality by mirroring the surroundings.'

The sculpture's construction began on 13 January and will be completed by the end of February. It will remain as a permanent feature in the space after the Games have finished and the Olympic Park is transformed into an urban green space.

Known for her artworks that explore specific conventions and investigate the relationship between space, power and gender, Berlin-based Bonvicini has exhibited in galleries such as Hayward Gallery in London (2010) and the Art Institute of Chicago (2009) and has taken part of both Venice and Berlin Biennales.

Art in the Park initiative features permanent commissions of art projects that range from bridges and underpasses designed by different artists to planting schemes and standalone artworks.

Artist-led community projects in the Olympics' host boroughs also form a significant part of the project. One of the main aims of the initiative is to achieve a unique area that will give existing local communities a sense of ownership.

Build 'temples for atheists', urges philosopher Alain de Botton

2012-01-26T10:47:36Z

Tom Greenall Architects' design for a secular temple

Look across London from the summit of Primrose Hill and you'll see the topography of a truly diverse modern city. In the distance, lies the famous dome of Saint Paul's cathedral, and rising up behind it, like a colossus of glass and steel, London's newest skyscraper, Renzo Piano's The Shard. But is something missing from this picture? On the one hand we have a cathedral, a temple of Christianity; on the other, an office building which many people have come to see as a totem of unfettered capitalism. Perhaps neither of these impressive buildings truly represents who we are. In his new book, Religion for Atheists philosopher Alain de Botton argues for an entirely new kind of building, one that might take the place of the church in an increasingly secular society. 'Why should religious people have the most beautiful buildings in the land?' asks de Botton. 'It's time atheists had their own versions of the great churches and cathedrals'.

]]> De Botton has already begun working on the first Temple for Atheists, a huge black tower designed by Tom Greenall Architects which is to rise up among the office buildings in the City of London.

Standing 46m tall, the tower represents the age of the earth, with each centimetre equating to 1 million years. At its base, a tiny band of gold a millimetre thick represents mankind's time on earth.

De Botton suggests that atheists like Richard Dawkins won't ever convince people that atheism is an attractive way of looking at life until they provide them with the sort of rituals, buildings, communities and works of art and architecture that religions have always used.

'As religions have always known, a beautiful building is an indispensable part of getting your message across. Books alone won't do it,' says de Botton.

Do we need secular temples? And if so, what should they look like?

Bus-Tops for London's bus stops

2012-01-20T11:01:38Z

From now until September, bus stops all over London will be alive with digital art and inspiring messages. Named Bus-Tops, this interactive art project is one of 12 around the UK commissioned for Artists Taking the Lead - an initiative set up by Cultural Olympiad 2012 and Arts Council England to showcase the nation's creativity to the world.

]]> Bus-Tops aims to make the bus journeys in London more engaging and inspiring by installing LED screens on top of 30 bus shelters around the capital. The screens have been fitted with red and black LED lights to present artwork from professional artists as well as from members of the public. Twenty locations have been announced for far.

Behind the idea are artistic directors of Art Public - Alfie Dennen and Paula Le Dieu, who hope that the project will 'foster new conversations around the role of the public in art and the power of new technologies to bridge gaps between the public and artistic expression.'

Nine artists have been chosen to take up month-long residencies on the project and feature their works on the bus shelters. This month will see Turner Prize-nominated artist Mark Titchner's installation 31 Day Programme, which will present a different message or motivational challenge for each day during the month. Titchner said that his installation will 'invite the viewer to reflect on their aspirations and potential'.

Carla Arocha + Stéphane Schraenen, Jemima Brown, Jasmina Cibic, Michelle Deignan, Kate Davis, Ian Monroe, Conrad Ventur, Zoe Walker & Neil Bromwich will be the other contemporary artists presenting their work in the months leading up to September, when the project is set to end.

Till then though, organisers want the public to be an active participant in the project too and have called for Londoners to submit their own ideas for digital art, drawings, photographs, poems and words to be featured on the bus-stop screens. Ideas can be logged on the Bus-Tops website from late January.

The country's other 11 public art projects commissioned as part of Artists Taking the Lead can be seen on the website of Arts Council England.

Turning the tables

2012-01-19T12:51:43Z

The tree of dining by Helen and Hard

Some of the greatest and most enduring pieces of furniture ever designed have been by architects. Think of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, whose chairs and tables are as iconic as his architecture; or of Le Corbusier, who applied the same rigorous standards to the design of his classic chaise longue as he did to the design of his buildings.

Turning the Tables, a new exhibition opening this evening at Great Western Studios in west London, continues this tradition by exhibiting 12 tables designed by architects including Will Alsop and Heng Zhi.

]]> The Laid Table by Will Alsop

The result is a diverse collection of tables by some our best contemporary architects and designers. Whether any of the pieces in this show will become design classics, it's too early to say, but by focusing on one type of furniture -the table - this exhibition gives us fascinating insight into the possibilities that exist for an item that is often overlooked by designers. Phable by Cinimod Studio

Turning the Tables opens to the public tomorrow and is on until 18 February.

Seminar: Land.Water.Time.

2012-01-19T09:20:47Z

The lighting of Outdoor Landscapes, Health Spas and Historical Buildings

On Wednesday 22nd February there will be an interesting free seminar dedicated to the lighting design and techniques used to enhance lighting for architectural projects.

A journey through three design themes using light for artistic expression.
See all details.

Helsinki is the home of design for 2012

2012-01-13T09:34:34Z

By Maarja Pehk

3D Installation In Praise of Helsinki by Mural Media and Agent Pekka

Helsinki is this year's World Design Capital, the third city to hold the title since the initiative was launched in 2008.

Helsinki's concept for 2012 - Embedded Design - ties in with the idea of Helsinki being an open city. Organisers say this can be achieved by transparency, curiosity, global responsibility and innovation.

]]> Throughout 2012 some 300 events, exhibitions, projects and initiatives are set take place to help examine ways that design can be embedded into everyday life. That said, organisers stress that the year is not just about the show and spectacle and that they hope their work will have long-term positive impacts on the city's urban life.

The design year kicked off with spectacular New Year's Eve celebrations on the city's Senate Square, where In Praise of Helsinki, a 3D video installation, was projected on to the cathedral.

WDC Helsinki 2012 | New Year's Eve projection mapping "Ylistys Helsingille" from Mural Media on Vimeo.

Also involved in the year of design events are other cities near Helsinki - Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainen and Lahti. Beyond this, events will take place around the country too. The world's most northern design week will be in the arctic town of Rovaniemi, from 17 to 26 February.

Lappia House in Rovaniemi which will be the centre of the design week

Helsinki's own design week from 6 to 16 September aims to be a catalyst for urban change through the work of local and international artists.

Two key elements of Finnish culture - sauna and silence - will also be celebrated with the help of design. In addition to new public saunas being created, the Kamppi Chapel of Silence will open this spring in the capital. The idea behind the chapel is to offer people a quiet retreat from the bustling city life around them.

Kamppi Chapel of Silence

Some other initiatives during the year include projects aimed at redesigning the working practices of office work and finding new solutions for municipal health-care services

For all the other events and projects taking place throughout the year, check the World Design Capital's programme.

The biennial World Design Capital was launched in 2008 by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid), which unites the international community of industrial design. The Design Capital title was created to acknowledge the achievements of cities that are using design as a tool to improve the social, cultural and economic aspects of their environment. Previous design capitals have been Torino, Italy (2008) and Seoul, South Korea (2010).

Nominations for Design of the Year Award announced

2012-01-12T12:20:33Z

The Olympic torch, the Duchess of Cambridge's wedding dress and an earthquake-proof table are among the designs nominated for the Design of the Year Award 2012.

]]> The longlist, which goes on show at the Design Museum in London next month, celebrates the quality and diversity of design work from around the world in seven categories: architecture, digital, fashion, furniture, graphics, product and transport.

As well as showing some of the best creative work produced over the last year, many of the nominated designs also give a fascinating insight into the event's and concerns that have dominated the pubic consciousness.

The wedding dress designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen and worn by the Duchess of Cambridge, for example, represents a significant resurgence in popularity for the British royal family following last year's wedding fever, while the nomination of design duo Ed Barber and Jay Osgerby's Olympic torch (pictured above) reflects the sense of pride many British people feel at hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games this year.

The news last year was also dominated by natural disasters, conflict and revolution and some of these issues are also evident in the work. In the graphics category, One Thousand Cranes for Japan (above) by design studios Anomaly and Unit9 encouraged donations to help the relief effort after the Japanese tsunami, while in the transport category the T27 Electric Car (below) by Gordon Murray Design responds the growing threat to our environment from greenhouse gasses.

As in previous years, the longlist includes a strong furniture category including Bethan Laura Wood's Moon Rock Tables (pictured below), Jasper Morrison's Lightwood chair, and Waver, a chair by German designer Konstantin Grcic.

London-based Barber Osgerby has three nominated designs across two categories: the Olympic torch, Tip Ton Chair (below) and Ascent, an exhibition of lighting and furniture, which took place at the Haunch of Venison Gallery in London last year.

Previously known as the Brit Insurance Design Award, the Design of the year Award was established in 2008 and previous winners include a folding plug and an energy saving light bulb. Category award winners and the overall winner of the Design of the Year Award 2012 will be announced at an Awards event in April 2012.

The nominated designs will be on show at the Design Museum in London from 8 February.

10 most spectacular contemporary churches

2012-01-06T10:00:36Z

By Maarja Pehk

St. Bonifatius, image ©Kaestle Ocker Roeder Architekten BDA

Though churches are usually associated with grand historical architecture and design, some spectacular new churches are breaking away from the traditional canon of steeple - nave - cross. The following 10 contemporary churches feature - among other elements - a flat-lying rooftop cross, a 23-tonne roof and a UFO-like fibreglass architecture.

The 10 were selected from around the world - from Europe to Japan to the Ivory Coast - by a committee of building experts from Emporis, a provider of building data and construction projects worldwide. Its panel rated novel design, the use of original materials and groundbreaking building techniques to compile its top 10. Emporis also gives out its yearly Skyscraper Award for modern high-rise architecture.

]]> 1. St. Bonifatius, Herbrechtingen, Germany

Architect: Kaestle Ocker Roeder Architekten

The renovation of this church was completed in 2008 as the construction defects of the original building had become too dangerous. The interiors have been designed to offer a collective atmosphere, for example the traditional space between the choir and the nave has been removed.

2. Harajuku Church, Tokyo

Architect: Ciel Rouge Creation

In the bustling area of Harajuku in Tokyo, the exterior of this protestant church is inspired by the dry landscape of Palestine. The interior though has been designed in soft curves to provide a soothing shelter from the busy city life. It was completed in 2006.

3. Martin Luther Church, Hainburg, Austria

Architect: coop himmelb(l)au

The shape of this church, completed in 2011, derives from a huge table as the roof rests on four steel columns, like table legs. According to the architects, this is one of the four key elements of the whole project, the other being the curved ceiling (which with the grid, frame and the steel skin of the roof weigh 23 tonnes), the slab building that houses the pastor's office and other support rooms on the side of the church, and the sculptural bell tower.

4. Christ Resurrection Church, Milan

Architect: Cino Zucchi Architetti

The rectangular shape of this church, completed in 2010, is emphasised by two higher-rising elements on the roof, called 'sails' by the architects. The church's design is inspired by its industrial surroundings and the history of its predecessor - a warehouse church, built by worker-priests in the Sixties.

5. Aging in Africa Church, Abidjan, Ivory Coast

Architect: HWKN

Image ©HWKN

Although still in planning, this church and its surroundings are set to become a spectacular retirement community for Catholic priests who are often excluded from the traditional family-based model of elder care in the Ivory Coast. The country's traditional villages have inspired the architecture of the community, which features a 'spine' - main road - that stretches from north to south and has single-storey residential buildings on both sides. The church itself is to be situated at the end of the 'spine' and will feature geometrical peaks and triangular arches.

6. Capela de Santa Ana, Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal

Architect: el348 Arquitectura

The Capela de Santa Ana was completed in 2009. The L-shaped, all-white building lies in the junction of five ascending roads. It is on one level but the roof rises towards the head of the altar to reference its surroundings. The interior is also white with flooring and church furniture in oak.

7. Church of the Holy Cross, Jyllinge, Denmark

Architect: KHR Architects

Built from glassfibre composites, Holy Cross appears somewhat UFO-like due to its semi-transparent features. It was completed in 2008 and is situated in the fields surrounding the town of Jyllinge. The interior has been designed to embrace the available daylight in all its characteristics.

8. Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Architect: Trahan Architects

This church complex - built in 2004 - comprises an oratory, administrative building and religious education building. The oratory is the site's focus and features six walls equal in size, colour and texture. Poured-in-place concrete, plate glass and cast glass feature in the oratory.

9. Farewell Chapel, Krasnja, Slovenia

Architect: OFIS Architects

This chapel, built in 2009, is situated next to the town's graveyard and is designed to follow the natural contours of its surroundings with three curved walls. The cross has been placed non-traditionally as a flat-lying element on the chapel roof.

10. Chapel of St Lawrence, Vantaa, Finland

Architect: Avanto Architects

This chapel in the historical setting in Vantaa was completed in 2010. The materials used have been chosen to correspond to the existing surroundings - rendered brickwork, natural stone, patinated copper sheet and mesh. Conveying peace and dignity was the main inspiration when designing the interiors.

Are you losing money through companies going bankrupt?

2012-01-05T17:22:45Z

Interior designers can lose serious money, not to mention precious time, when suppliers go bankrupt, but it doesn't have to be this way, says Vanessa Brady.

Many interior designers will know the feeling: you receive a notice informing you that the company holding your deposit has gone into administration with your deposit; you won't receive the goods either, so now you have to source the items from somewhere else in time for your contracted clients deadline. It's annoying to say the least.

Interior Designers have regularly been regarded as untrained, lacking in business acumen. Sometimes this is justified, but often the situation described above is due to third party suppliers taking designers' deposits and then filing for bankruptcy, leaving the designer without the product and having already spent the client's money.

To help matters, Edward Davey the minister for employment relations, has launched a consultation about bankruptcy and company winding up. The consultation document sets out detailed proposals to reform the application process for bankruptcy and compulsory winding up by replacing the current court route with a new administrative process.

Under Davey's plans, uncontested applications would be determined by an adjudicator and the court would be involved only at the application stage to the extent that there is a dispute that can be resolved only by judicial intervention. The minister proposes to allow electronic applications to be made to an adjudicator, who will be a person appointed for that purpose by the secretary of state and whose office would be within the Insolvency Service. Debtors who want to apply for bankruptcy for themselves would have the choice of submitting electronic or paper applications, and the option of making the requisite payment to enter the process by installments. Where creditors are looking to instigate proceedings, a new mandatory pre-action process would provide an incentive for debtors and creditors to communicate with each other and thereby reach a mutually satisfactory solution to the debt problem without recourse to a bankruptcy or a winding up application.

This reflects the Government's position that people are empowered to make the right decisions for themselves about their finances.

Litigation can be costly and time consuming, it doesn't guarantee results and, at worst, it can lock you into an expensive process where you cannot (unless you also pay your counterparts fees) just drop your claim mid course without penalties. This new process should therefore deliver a more efficient service as well as saving valuable public and private resources. In order to ensure that the interests of both debtors and creditors are protected, the court would still have an important role and the route through the courts will, of course, remain as an independent solution of resolve. Not only would it decide the outcome of disputes, but also certain petitions for the winding up of companies, such as those based on public interest grounds, would continue to be determined by the courts.

Kitchen and furniture manufacturers are some of the most regularly hit when companies go bankrupt, and the loss of a high street brand feeds further unease and insecurities among consumers, which in turn stymies sector growth. We should be promoting and protecting the needs of the consumer - that will lead to sales which kick-start more sales.

Vanessa Brady is an interior designer and head of the Society of British Interior Designers (SBID)