Black+Blum (affiliate link) eco-friendly lunch boxes, lunch bag, water bottle and travel mug
You may remember when I reviewed some of Black+Blum’s eco-friendly lunch boxes (affiliate link) a few years ago. If not you can read the post here. This was back in 2018 and I have been an avid fan of Black+Blum ever since and use their products most weekdays. But I am not the only one who loved their range of eco-friendly food containers. Almost immediately my husband adopted most of the products we received for himself.
He was extremely impressed with the quality and durability of the stainless steel products. He works outside as a landscape gardener and his lunch bag takes quite a beating being hauled around every day and chucked in the back of a van. He liked that the lunch boxes were metal and really hard-wearing and he loved the thermos pot that allowed him to take hot meals to work in winter. He even bagsied the insulated water bottle.
All that was left for me to use was the sandwich box and that is only because my husband doesn’t really eat sandwiches and I would eat sandwiches for every meal if I could.
Recently the seal on his stainless steel lunchbox gave way and he was very sad to have to buy a whole new lunch box only because the seal had failed. It was then that I learned that Black+Blum actually sells replacement parts (affiliate link) on their website and for just £5 we could buy a new lid for the lunch box. We were both so happy to discover this as it felt so wasteful to ditch the whole lunch box when only the lid was broken.
It is small things like this that really make me respect a brand and want to stay loyal to them. Black+Blum makes eco-friendly lunch boxes, water bottles and accessories and this is a core value for them. So instead of profiting from their product eventually failing, they have given their customers a way to prolong the life of that product and save it from landfill and damaging the environment. I have so much respect for companies that live by their values.
While I was on the Black+Blum website buying a new lid (affiliate link), I spotted the new range of glass lunchboxes that Black+Blum has just launched and I reached out to them to see if I could review the new products as well. Rather selfishly I was quite excited to see that the products were made of glass as it meant they are probably too delicate for my husband to use for work.
The products that I requested were the glass lunch pot (affiliate link) and the glass lunch bowl (affiliate link), the lunch bag (affiliate link), the glass travel cup (affiliate link) and the glass water bottle (affiliate link). I figured this was everything I would ever need for taking my breakfast and lunch to work with me. It covers all bases.
I could take my overnight oats for breakfast in the lunch pot, my healthy lunch in the lunch bowl, coffee in the travel mug for the car journey, water in the water bottle and pop as much of it as would fit into the lunch bag. It actually felt like an act of self-care as I am terrible at remembering to eat during the day and often end up grabbing unhealthy food on the fly. Then I feel guilty about the extra expense and calories as well as the unnecessary plastic that food inevitably comes in.
I vowed to myself that I would make a real effort to meal prep on work days and these eco-friendly food containers will help me to do just that. I now have no excuse.
Eco-Friendly Glass Travel Cup
I normally use the glass travel cup for my coffee on my morning commute and I do actually occasionally use it throughout the day at work as it keeps my coffee warmer for longer. The travel cup holds 340ml and comes with a really nice easy-grip, non-slip protective silicone sleeve. I choose a lovely dark green colour but it does come in three other colours.
It feels really nice to hold and the sleeve not only protects your hands from temperature variations but it also provides a really nice non-slip grip.
The cup is made from hand-blown durable and lightweight borosilicate glass and is 100% leakproof which is very important if you’re taking it around with you and maybe slinging it in your bag.
The lid is lockable and can be opened with one hand. The small drinking hole means that spillages are unlikely and if they do occur not much will come out. The spout also enables ‘direct flow’, which, similar to drinking from a mug, means you’re less likely to burn yourself.
A big bonus for me is the fact that it is not only dishwasher safe but also microwave and freezer safe and the lid can be disassembled for ease of cleaning. And I also really like that it can fit securely into the cup holder in the car.
Eco-Friendly Glass Water Bottle
The glass water bottle can hold 600ml is BPA free and has a similar protective non-slip sleeve. I chose the Almond sleeve but there are six other colour options available. The bottle is also 100% leakproof thanks to the high-quality stainless steel lid.
A really nice touch that surprised me and that I had never experienced before is the fact that the thread is actually on the inside of the bottleneck for a much smoother drinking experience. It is the small design details like this that really make Black+Blum stand out to me. It’s like they really have gone above and beyond during the design process to give the user the best possible experience.
The lid’s design also ensures that there is full glass and stainless steel contact with the water. The paracord loop makes it really easy to carry around and is very sturdy.
Eco-Friendly Leakproof Lunch Boxes
The two eco-friendly lunch boxes that I received are the perfect size for breakfast and lunch. The smaller glass lunch pot holds 450ml and is 100% leakproof making it suitable for taking cereal or overnight oats for the morning. This works well for me as I can’t eat first thing so I often end up either skipping breakfast altogether or taking it to the office with me. Whilst I’ve been using it for breakfast the glass lunch pot would obviously be suitable for a small lunch portion.
The larger glass lunch bowl is great for salads and pasta which I tend to take to work and I love the fact that it is leakproof. I’ve lost count of the times that salad dressing has leaked in my laptop bag previously or I’ve had to take a lunchbox inside a carrier bag inside the laptop bag.
The glass lunch bowls are also made from borosilicate glass which is lightweight, stain resistant and strong. It actually took three years to develop this design as Black+Blum wanted to ensure it was lightweight and leakproof unlike other glass products on the market.
The protective outer bowl is made from sustainably-sourced wood fibre and a PP mix base which helps to keep the contents cool. Both the glass bowl and the wood fibre bowl are microwave safe. The silicone lid can be used instead of clingfilm when microwaving and the little lip on the lid can be tucked inside the rim of the glass to prevent a vacuum from forming – genius! The glass bowl and the silicone lid are both oven-safe and the whole lot is dishwasher and freezer safe.
Eco-Friendly Lunch Bag
The eco-friendly lunch bag holds 6.7l and is made from recycled PET. The welded/sealed edge construction makes it leakproof and the insulating inner surface ensures that the contents stay cool. It has an innovative roll-top construction, which makes it easy to carry, collapse down for storage or strap it to another bag.
The bag is really quite large and can fit a lot inside. It is more than adequate for the small glass lunch pot and the glass lunch bowl along with the glass travel cup. However, I couldn’t quite fit the glass water bottle as well. But if you were only taking one eco-friendly storage container along with a water bottle and maybe some fruit it would all fit with no problem.
The only criticism that I have about any of these products is the fastening mechanism that latches the carry handle together on the lunch bag. It is really easy to do up and undo and it very secure, but if the bag is quite heavy and you intend to carry it by hand, the clasp can be a little uncomfortable for smaller hands.
Eco-Friendly Meal Prep Containers
All in all, I am extremely impressed by the new glass range of eco-friendly lunchboxes, water bottles, and travel cups by Black+Blum and the eco-friendly lunch bag. The design is impeccable and they have really thought of every little detail to minimize the impact that these products will have on the environment but also to make sure that the user experience is second to none. There have been no compromises in the quality of these products and it really does show.
I asked if I could review these products because I really do believe that Black+Blum is using the power of good design to bring about positive change. Design has what it takes to help us solve many of the environmental problems that we are now faced with. Companies like Black+Blum who are brave enough to step away from planned obsolescence and offer products that are more circular, designed to last and that can be reused thanks to the availability of replacement parts, all while ensuring an excellent user experience both in terms of product and service are the ones who will thrive in the long run.
I really do admire their approach and it has been a real pleasure testing these products. I have no hesitation in recommending them to anyone looking for lunchboxes for adults and the associated accessories. I really do find that Black+Blum offers the best eco-friendly lunchboxes (affiliate link).
If you’d like to hear from Dan Black, founder of Black+Blum, talking all about the new range you can catch this interview I did with him here.
Maisons du Monde is one of the partner brands working with ufurnish.com, the furniture comparison site
Today, I want to tell you a little bit more about one of the things I struggle with when it comes to shopping for my own home. I am incredibly indecisive. I think this mostly comes down to my journalism background. I love research and I’m really good at it. So when I’m looking for products for my own home, I never ever spot one I like and buy it there and then. Never. This just doesn’t happen.
Let me walk you through my thought process.
“Wow, I love that bedding. The colours are perfect for our bedroom. Maybe I should buy it?”
“Wait, but what if there is other bedding out there that I love more? What if another colour combination could work better? What if I can find something cheaper? I better keep looking!”
And this process is ENDLESS. I know deep down that the first thing I fall in love with is the thing I should buy and I should trust my instincts but I can’t seem to stop myself from continually looking, just in case there is something better, more suitable, cheaper, bigger, smaller.
So what happens is, I very rarely ever buy anything. The fear of choosing the wrong things can be crippling. Does anyone else get this? Please tell me I’m not the only one.
If only there was a way to shop smarter, to search for an item and have all the options come up in one place. Nobody has time to search through tens of different websites in pursuit of the perfect coffee table, do they? I mean we’re all super busy people.
So imagine how happy I was when I discovered ufurnish.com (affiliate). Founded by Deirdre McGettrick and Ray Wright, ufurnish.com basically aims to be the Skyscanner of the furniture world. A furniture comparison site. A place where you can quickly and easily compare items and prices across a whole host of retailer websites without having to visit each one independently. I won’t go into too much detail here because Deirdre kindly agreed to tell us all about it.
The Dulwich corner sofa from Darlings of Chelsea, one of the partner brands working with ufurnish.com.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background?
My name is Deirdre Mc Gettrick, I am 32 and I grew up on the west coast of Ireland in a village called Ballymote in County Sligo. It’s a relatively small town with about 2,000 people living there. My family owns a small clothing shop on the high street where I spent many years watching my Dad run the business and engage with his customers.
I am an avid reader and follower of all things interior design and my Mum would take me to the furniture stores around Sligo when I was younger to go through what styles we’d like to apply to our family home. We’d then go home and create those styles in scrapbooks so we had a blueprint of what we wanted to do. I was so passionate about interior design from such a young age.
Leaving home at 18, I studied Law & Accounting at University in Limerick and completed an MSc in Finance at Trinity College Dublin. I moved to London originally in 2008 for an eight-month internship during my undergraduate degree and then returned again in 2011 to work in the world of finance which has led me to set down my roots in the UK.
What were you and Ray doing before ufurnish.com?
Prior to starting ufurnish.com, I’d been working in the world of Investment Banking for HSBC. It’s been a fair step-change moving from that environment into launching my own online tech business.
Ray’s background is in SaaS (Software as a Service) where he worked for a rapidly growing marketing software company. He joined that business as a start-up and they took it global over six years so there was a lot of time spent travelling and expanding the company. His experience and contacts aligned quite nicely to what we required at ufurnish.com so Ray took the first step to leave his role and set about creating the business in the early days.
Vox Lori Desk with Storage in Graphite from Cuckooland, one of the partner brands working with ufurnish.com, the furniture comparison site.
You founded Kuldea off the back of your own shopping frustrations, can you tell us more?
The idea for ufurnish.com came from my experience in furnishing my own apartment. I knew what I wanted through seeing furniture on Pinterest, Instagram, in magazines and whilst out in restaurants and cafes, but when it came to finding the items online, I found it so difficult to find them. I’d spend hours trying to search on Google and clicking through retailer website after retailer website after retailer website, it really was a painful, frustrating process.
After reviewing the problems I was having I thought to myself, ‘why isn’t there one website that aggregates all furniture across the market so I can search and find what I want in the easiest way possible? A place where I can find what I want and discover new and niche furniture retailers that I would never have found otherwise.’ It just didn’t exist, so I set about solving the problem by creating ufurnish.com with the vision of a website that helps everyone searching for furniture discover what they want, no matter how unique it is to them. It’s like what Skyscanner has done for flights or Airbnb for home rentals. Simple, valuable, informative and inspirational all in one for consumers and furniture retailers alike.
How exactly does ufurnish.com work? What’s the model?
We describe ufurnish.com as ‘The Home for Furniture Discovery’. Consumers visit the website and can dive straight into a search for specific furniture items (affiliate) and interior design content to help them gain a greater idea of what they might like and where they can get it from.
Further to that we’ve built amazing functionality into ufurnish.com where consumers can favourite products, build out collections of products across multiple retailers (i.e. a collection of sofas to compare or a collection of living room furniture for a home furnishing project), set sales alerts on products so they are immediately informed by email if a product goes on sale and share products and collections with others so they can collaborate on purchasing decisions.
Once a consumer has found the product/ products they want, we provide them with a simple click to enter through to the product on the furniture retailer’s website where they can their purchase and make payment.
Maisons du Monde, one of the partner brands working with ufurnish.com, the furniture comparison site.
How do you choose which retailers to feature on ufurnish.com? Are there any requirements or requisites?
We tend to look at furniture retailers who are known for their quality and by that, I mean quality products and quality service. Because furnishing your home is such an emotive experience, we’re eager to ensure that the retailers found on ufurnish.com have a strong reputation for meeting customers needs.
There’s a really broad mix of retailers (affiliate)on the website from companies like John Lewis, Habitat and Maisons du Monde to smaller more niche companies like The French Bedroom Company, Graham and Green and OWO Living.
Overall ufurnish.com’s offering is that it brings the market breadth of choice so, as a consumer, you know you’ll find exactly what you want for your home.
Who do you see as your ideal customer? Can you describe them?
That’s a tough question as we service the needs of anyone searching for furniture to place in their home, so whether it’s furnishing an entire house or just replacing one item, ufurnish.com is the easiest and most effective way to do it. Regular website users are people aged between 25 and 45, many of whom have recently purchased a home or are upgrading their current home or a particular furniture item.
First time buyers are popular users as they like the top tips content articles helping them demystify the world of buying furniture for the first time. For example, who knew what an ottoman or divan (affiliate) was before going shopping for beds for the first time?
Many people also use ufurnish.com to find smaller furnishings for their homes and use the feature articles available on the website to keep up to date with new product releases and styles they might want to buy in the future.
Zuiver Birdie Cage Light from Cuckooland, one of the partner brands working with ufurnish.com.
What are your main objectives for ufurnish.com moving forward?
Our main objectives for ufurnish.com are continuing to grow and enhance the website in every way possible so that consumers and retailers really benefit from our work. We’re always speaking to new retailers and bringing them on board to showcase their brand and amazing products on the site. There are so many interesting retailers out there and we want consumers to discover them.
For consumers, we’ll continue to enhance the website’s functionality and build new features that meet their needs. There are a lot of projects underway for the website which we know consumers will love so watch this space for the next exciting updates.
Overall, we feel happy if we have helped people find the perfect piece of furniture they are looking for in an easy and simple way.
Can you tell us about your own personal interiors style?
Firstly, my style has changed over time. I grew up in a colourful house, every kitchen cabinet was a different colour, blue, green, yellow, red…. I hated it and longed for neutrality. My desire for a neutral colour palette has been changed from my life experiences such as travelling where I was introduced to the beautiful colours of Alpaca wool in Peru. Today, my personal style is probably best described as minimalist and simple but with dashes of colour and texture thrown in. I am a particular fan of yellow/mustard colours and velvet textures at the moment.
What are your top tips for creating a home that reflects your personality and style?
I think there is a lot of pressure on people to follow trends and be en vogue with their design. My advice is to forget about whether your design is Instagram-worthy and instead create your space with you and those sharing the space in mind.
The reason this is so important is that you are going to spend the most time in your home so it needs to give you maximum happiness. Yes, we all like our visitors to like our space and compliment us but they won’t be living in the space. Therefore, think about how you will use the space and ideally live in the space for a while before you furnish it.
I am a big fan of sustainable sourcing and being aware of the environmental impact of our purchases. Therefore I believe where possible we should choose high-quality products that will last a long time. If these products are going to be in our homes for a long time, you need to ensure you won’t get bored with that design, sticking with a more neutral design should overcome this.
Then really imprint your style on your home through the softer furnishing that you can change over the years, think paintings, rugs, lampshades, cushions and throws. A new paint colour on the walls can have a dramatic impact on your home.
Overall, don’t be afraid to go rogue, take risks and follow your instincts, be selfish!
Maisons du Monde, one of the partner brands working with ufurnish.com, the furniture comparison site.
I’d like to thank Deirdre for taking the time to answer my questions and for sharing with us her vision for ufurnish.com and how the furniture comparison site can help us all have a better online shopping experience.
What do you guys think about ufurnish.com? Would this kind of furniture comparison site appeal to you? Could you see yourself using ufurnish.com to improve the way you shop for your home? Let me know in the comments below.
Step inside the Stratford home of artist Jon Stiff, and you step into a world of colour and texture. Jon has converted his entire terraced home into a space to showcase his unusual work and even plans to open it to the public as the pandemic eases.
Stratford artist Jon Stiff – (c) Stuart James of Emotive Eye
Jon, who calls his business Stiffy Art in light-hearted reference to a childhood nickname, won nationwide acclaim after starring in the Channel 4 series Drawers Off back in the spring of this year. (The series celebrates life-drawing by inviting five amateur artists to sketch each other – stripped off!) Alongside TV fame, Jon Stiff has been bagging regular valuable commissions from private and business buyers alike.
(c) Stuart James of Emotive Eye
Alongside his career as an artist, Jon also works as a litigator, fighting contentious claims in the construction industry. He works in various styles – including floral, abstract, and surrealism using a variety of unexpected household items to paint, rather than brushes. He also likes to apply his art to unusual surfaces, from wheelie bins to discarded vehicle parts. Implements Jon adapts to paint include a garlic crusher, spatula, and turkey baster.
(c) Stuart James of Emotive Eye
His work may be unconventional, but there are buyers a-plenty and Jon receives regular commissions for prices of around £5,000 a piece. He has also now teamed up with his seamstress daughter, Carrie, to create art on homemade canvasses and has launched a series of ‘open house’ events from his three-storey home in Bull Street, in Stratford’s historic town centre. The walls, ceilings, garden and even the furniture show off Jon’s eclectic and vibrant creative range.
(c) Stuart James of Emotive Eye
“I was from the outset self-taught and whole experience has been uplifting as it offers the opportunity to be creative and really pull out some ‘hidden’ desire to be an exhibitionist! That in its self is liberating beyond belief and beyond words,” says Jon. “It’s an addiction.”
He doesn’t see his lack of formal training in any way limiting. “As for restrictions, for me they are to be viewed as temporary hurdles. Of course you need to be ‘accepted’ to some degree. What I find refreshing is the support that other artists provide, marginally critical but over overwhelmingly supportive,” he says.
(c) Stuart James of Emotive Eye
Some of Jon’s own favourite pieces are based on his experiments in ‘dual imagery’. These are based upon the studies of one of his favourite artists, Jackson Pollock, and created using the rudiments of household paints and raw canvases. To create these large pieces, he uses various assemblies or structures as a frame then drapes them with canvas to create a result that can be viewed from both. He also uses luminous or ultraviolet paint to give different results in different lights. One of his favourites, ‘Wing’, is oils on untreated canvas on an aircraft wing, measuring 190cm by 150cm in total.
(c) Stuart James of Emotive Eye
“I like the larger pieces,” says Jon. “Size is one thing, but the piece has to have presence and purpose and almost demand attention. With ‘Wing’ I enjoyed the process of tailoring the canvas and doing the eyeleting as well as the wrapping and tensioning with rope.”
‘Wing’ front – (c) Stuart James of Emotive Eye‘Wing’ rear close up – (c) Stuart James of Emotive Eye‘Wing’ rear – (c) Stuart James of Emotive Eye
Jon’s favourite artists include Bridget Riley, Gustav Klimt, Gerhard Richter and Jackson Pollock.
“I am still experimenting and learning and am bowled over by the amount of support through word of mouth as my story spreads,” he says. “Normality, standardisation and the status quo don’t sit well with me. Frankly, predictability and certainty violently oppose the change I am searching for. I have spent time in lockdown making my art more visible at home and it seemed a perfect idea to invite people inside to see for themselves.”
Family is at the heart of Jon’s passion for his craft, especially as he is inspired to follow his calling as an artist by his late nephew Corporal Graeme Stiff who was killed serving in Afghanistan, aged just 24, when his vehicle hit an explosive device, in March 2009.
Jon says: “We shared the same nickname as people with my surname do. When something as terrible as losing someone so brilliant and young happens, you feel disconnected from the world. To carry on, you have to do what you love.”
The first open house event by Jon Stiff was held in the summer and he is now planning another event, to be held next spring. To find out more, visit www.stiffyart.co.uk.
Bespoke luxury kitchens are always a favourite find of mine. As I started my career working as Staff Writer on a Kitchen and Bathroom trade publication, kitchens and bathrooms have always held a special place in my heart. So you can imagine my delight when I first set eyes on this stunning kitchen by H. Miller Bros a few months ago. I hadn’t heard of H. Miller Bros at the time but the UK-based company was founded in 2019 by ‘Brothers in Craftsmanship’ Hugh and Howard Miller. Their vision is to combine the art of kitchen design with the mastery of modern craft to create unique wooden kitchens. I wanted to find out more about them and their bespoke luxury kitchens and luckily they agreed to an interview.
Howard Miller (left) and Hugh Miller (right) co-founded H. Miller Bros to create bespoke luxury kitchens
Can you please tell us a little about your background?
Howard: We grew up on The Wirral (over the water from Liverpool). I studied Architecture (undergrad at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, and diploma at Glasgow School of Art) and I also have an MSc in Architecture Advanced Environmental Studies from the Wales Institute for Sustainable Education.
I have worked for a range of architects and started out working as a historic building architect in New York doing restoration of some of the heavily decorated ‘wedding cake’ skyscrapers. When I qualified as an architect I worked in London for architects Hayhurst and Co. on a mixture of high-end residential and educational projects and we won a number of awards during my time there.
We moved back to Liverpool when my partner and I had our first child and that is when Hugh also moved to Liverpool as we had always wanted to share a studio and work more closely together. Shortly after we moved, I won a gold medal at RHS Chelsea Flower Show for the Dark Matter Garden. It led to a number of commissions, and though I am an architect by training, the kind of design work I’ve done is quite wide-ranging, from product design, exhibitions, and landscape, to interiors, furniture and restoration as well as architecture.
Hugh: I also studied Architecture(undergrad at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, and Masters at the University of Sheffield). I had always loved making things and I started a workshop making furniture when I was 24.
A key moment for me was becoming a Winston Churchill Memorial Fellow: I travelled widely in Japan researching Japanese wood craftsmanship. In Japan, they have a system of ‘national living treasures’; people who are regarded as the pinnacle of their craft tradition, and are funded for the rest of their lives to carry on producing and keep the traditional alive.
I met four of these national living treasures that specialised in woodcrafts and this experience moved my design work and making to another level. In response to the research, I created ‘The Coffee Ceremony’ which is a collection of furniture that has been shown widely, including exhibitions at the Saatchi Gallery, London, in the British Pavilion at the Cheongju Craft Biennale, South Korea, the Næstved Museum, Denmark and is about to be exhibited at the Walker Art Gallery in 2021.
When did you first become interested in design?
Howard: We used to make things like treehouses and dig up clay in the garden to make into things. Our mum used to put us to work with digging, paving and general garden construction. I taught myself to lay bricks when I was in early high school. It sounds crazy now but dad didn’t generally bat an eyelid if I asked him to pick me up a bag of cement. Family friends used to say “oh, he’ll be an architect” from about age 4… they were right!
Hugh: Our grandfather had a little workshop and I used to mess around in there. He was so patient with me letting me use tools and he helped me to make simple things. He used to make us wooden toys too; I think it was that realisation of ‘oh, if I just keep at this, I could make something like that one day’.
What is it like working with your brother?
Howard: I enjoy working with him a lot, I think that we are lucky in that we have complementary skills, we overlap when it comes to a shared vision, but in getting it realised we have totally different things to bring and tend not to get in each other’s way. We’re both naturally curious and love generating ideas at the start of a project. It tends to be that when one of us is stuck, the other will have different experience to bring to the problem to help solve it.
Hugh, can you tell us more about your interest in Japanese design?
Hugh: Initially, I was fascinated by the way that you can tell a design is Japanese; what was going on culturally to make this the case? I put it partly down to designs that appear simple on first glance but in fact a great deal of complexity is going on, its not hidden, it awaits careful inspection.
In the UK, we tend to celebrate complexity as a design feature, that would be considered showing off and something to be avoided in Japan. I just find that distinction so very thoughtful.
Howard, you aim to create tactile, beautiful, elegant spaces. How important is texture in interiors and why?
Howard: If you imagine the most beautiful place you have been in, you will probably be able to remember the effect it had on all of your senses; the smell of oiled timber, a slightly echoing sound of the space, the cool touch of a stone floor on a hot day, as well as how it looked. If an interior doesn’t give you anything but visual stimulation, it’s not wholly satisfying; it can sometimes feel a bit fake or uncanny.
That is where I think texture comes in. As humans, we’re trying to verify the information about the outside world with as many means as possible and we do this by touching, inhaling, and receiving reverberations as well as looking. Textures also describe how materials have been made, whether it be the grain of timber (showing how the tree grew) or a woven fabric say, where strands overlap to make a net. Describing how something has been made is part of designing, it’s a bit like the specific choice of words a writer might use to convey meaning.
What is it about natural materials that make them so important to your work?
Howard: I think it’s about using the right material for the right job rather than necessarily using ‘natural materials’ per se. It just so happens that timber especially is the right material for so many jobs for so many reasons. It’s sustainable, lightweight, strong, and affordable, there is massive diversity in species and properties, it’s warm and, last but not least, it’s beautiful.
Can you explain how you work with clients to ascertain what exactly they need and want from their bespoke luxury kitchens?
Howard: As well as the practical considerations, we want to try to tease out the more intangible things that might spark off a design idea that we can use to make the project genuinely original. These do tend to emerge as we get to know the client more. We have a well worked out method of doing this and essentially it starts wide and general and it becomes more and more particular and increasingly detailed to the client and their home.
Observation of how people work in their spaces, or more often what’s not working in their current situation is key. We also look at the things they choose to have around. Sometimes a couple want different things and this makes for an interesting design challenge. We also put a lot of effort into modelling the design in 3D and creating visualisations, samples and mock-ups as we go to check with the client that we are getting it right.
Which of the bespoke luxury kitchens in your portfolio was your favourite to design and make?
Hugh: Obviously the Furniture Maker’s kitchen is my favourite – because it’s my kitchen. I love using it, I think it’s every designer’s dream to do a project for themselves.
Your award-winning Furniture Makers kitchen is my favourite too. Can you tell us more about this project?
Hugh: I wanted my own kitchen to take inspiration from my love of Japanese design and their cabinet making traditions. I’ve written a book on Japanese wood craftsmanship, lectured widely on the subject, and acquired a collection of Japanese antique woodworking tools and ceramics.
My previous kitchen was within a large room that encompassed the kitchen, living and dining area. Firstly, I wanted to define the kitchen space as separate from the living area. We had a desperate need for additional storage, and with plenty of room at room-height level due to the 3-metre ceilings throughout, the idea of a three-tier kitchen with cabinets above head height began to form.
At the bottom of these three levels, a base layer of drawers and cabinets made from Iroko wood was created, with recessed inset doors that act as a foundation. Above counter level, the mid-layer is a calm, functional work zone with a Caesarstone ‘London grey’ worktop and cabinetry painted in Farrow and Ball ‘School House White’. Above this is the ‘canopy’ level defined by a long, slim, structural truss that forms a threshold between the kitchen and the rest of the living space.
Facing the truss and above the kitchen, deep storage cabinets, with undulating doors to reference the slatted screen of the truss, are reachable by a purpose-made ladder to add functionality and interest. The structural truss was a pure labour of love as the slats allow natural light to pass through and reference the shoji screens of traditional Japanese homes. The open shelving houses my ceramic collection and features Japanese shoji paper lanterns that light the space, forming beautiful silhouettes and intricate patterns through the structure at night.
What would be your dream project to work on and why?
Hugh: We would love to do a project where we design and make everything: the building, garden, interior and furniture. A total work of art in the way that Greene and Greene or Charles Rennie Mackintosh did. We would also like to build a purpose-made workshop and showroom at some point; that’s a medium-term goal.
Anything exciting on the horizon at the moment?
Howard: We’re making a really interesting set of furniture for a superyacht at the moment. We also have a kitchen due to be fitted this summer with some amazing Scandinavian and Japanese inspired features that we’re very excited to publish when it’s finished.
What an inspiration! I’d like to thank Hugh and Howard for speaking to me about their work. What do you think of the Furniture Maker’s Kitchen? Do you love it as much as I do? If you’d like to see H.Miller Bros full portfolio of bespoke luxury kitchens, head over to their website.
The beautiful rustic granary bench by Wearth London is handcrafted in Buckinghamshire from reclaimed wood
Sustainable interior design has been on the agenda for many years, but with growing interest in the circular economy and biophilic design, and the impact of the global pandemic, sustainability has once again become a priority for both businesses and consumers. As we spent more time confined to our homes during lockdown, we had the opportunity to stop for a moment and consider how our purchasing decisions affect the planet. During this time of reduced activity, when life seemed to slow right down, we became more aware of the impact that our fast-paced, convenience-based lifestyles have on the environment. Many of us have resolved to at least try to practice more mindful consumerism.
This is particularly pertinent when it comes to our homes. Never before have we spent so much time at home. The lockdown provided us with an opportunity to really inspect our homes and to reconsider how we decide what we fill them with. It’s so easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of ever-changing trends and feeling like you need to redecorate or at least re-accessorise every season. But the speed of change is simply unsustainable and we have come to realise that what is more important is creating a home that we love and that makes us feel good and that doesn’t have a negative impact on the planet and our resources.
I wanted to find out more about designing our homes with sustainability in mind and luckily I knew the perfect person to give me some insights. Caoimhe McKenna is co-founder and creative director of Yellow Brick Road Design and she really understands our collective responsibility when it comes to choosing more sustainable practices, both as consumers and the design industry as a whole. Her interiors practice strives to gain greater knowledge about sustainable practices and work with suppliers and manufacturers who share this desire to do better.
Caoimhe has recently written a really meaty guide to sustainable interior design, which you can read here. So I thought it would be good to bring her on board to answer some of my questions.
For us, sustainable interior design means re-evaluating the choices and processes involved in all areas of an interior project, from the suppliers and manufactures we procure from to the contractors we use on-site, to ensuring that the end result answers the client’s style and brief while simultaneously causing as little negative impact on the planet and its people as possible.
HOW EASY IS IT TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE INTERIOR?
With a limitless budget, I would say at this point in time it is as easy as a non-sustainable one. However, not everyone has that luxury to hand so the key is to look beyond current trends and Pinterest as an influence. It is about being resourceful, forward-thinking and researching the right questions to ask both suppliers and manufacturers.
There is an ever-increasing range of suppliers and manufacturers who have placed the importance of sustainability at the core of their business and with a little extra time spent sourcing and a more clever use of budget, a sustainable interior design scheme is becoming more and more achievable.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN CREATING A SUSTAINABLE INTERIOR DESIGN SCHEME?
The brief! What is it you are looking to achieve? Is it that you are looking to recreate an image in a more sustainable way OR are you willing to be a little more creative while simultaneously letting go of the overriding need for stuff that we have all become so accustomed to? Question each element of the brief and try to hone it down to the absolute necessity.
Sustainable design is not about purchasing all sustainable fixtures and fittings it is more about minimising the impact. By saying this I am not suggesting you must compromise on style or lose the dream space, but by questioning the necessity of all the elements from heating and lighting through to furniture and accessories you can create a space that can breathe, that is built for longevity and is filled with pieces that you can connect with.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHALLENGES WHEN DESIGNING A SUSTAINABLE INTERIOR?
There is no doubt that there is a more limited range of sustainable finishes and fixtures available especially when it comes to the domestic market and it can be a minefield when it comes to distinguishing the green facts from fiction! The term ‘greenwashing‘ has been banded around for some time, describing how brands can use exaggerated or misleading claims about the environmental impact of their products or processes.
There are however a growing number of governing bodies that are doing their best to set strict standards that need to be adhered to in order for a company to gain a green stamp of approval. It is important, therefore, for customers to be armed with the right questions and the knowledge it takes to understand what the answers mean and their implications for the environment.
It is also important, not to overload yourself with excessive information and counter-arguments. In the words of the zero waste chef Anna Marie Bonnear, “We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly…..we need a million people doing it imperfectly.”
WHAT KIND OF MATERIALS SHOULD WE BE LOOKING TO INCORPORATE?
In general, look for products made from rapidly renewable sources such as cork, bamboo and hemp or look to reclaimed or recycled materials and finishes. Our ‘Definitive Guide to Creating a Sustainable Interior Design Scheme‘ breaks down the five key elements involved in any interior design pallet: Flooring; Wall Finishes; Furniture; Fabric; and Lighting.
We look at the alternative options, the pros and the pitfalls to look out for when sourcing each individual element and in many cases, we have noted a supplier we feel can deliver on both sustainability and style.
HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT FURNITURE CHOICES ARE SUSTAINABLE?
DuraOcean, the award-winning outdoor chair from LifestyleGarden, is made from nets, ropes and plastic waste recovered from the world’s oceans.
There is something extra special about finding a one-off piece, whether it’s vintage, recycled, upcycled or inherited, that makes it one of the most rewarding and easiest ways to design sustainably. But when it comes to purchasing new it can indeed be more complicated. Apart from commissioning a bespoke crafted piece lovingly crafted from a locally felled tree, the range of options can be somewhat confusing.
Within our Guide to Creating a Sustainable Interior Design Scheme, we have pulled together a number of furniture makers and supplies throughout the UK that we feel provide both style and sustainability while also retaining a level of cost awareness to suit a range of budgets.
Our biggest advice however, would be to purchase wisely and buy for life, invest in pieces that you truly love and can adapt with time.
IS IT MORE EXPENSIVE TO FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY IN INTERIORS?
I would have to admit that in the main, unless you are willing to concentrate on the mantra ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ to furnish your home, a sustainable Interior can appear to be an altogether more expensive option than the alternative and comes with a larger upfront cost.
However, to be truly sustainable this is where our thinking needs to switch from ‘on trend’ to ‘longevity’. Look beyond the ‘now ‘and design with flexibility in mind, minimizing single-use purchases. Interior spaces with few pieces of furniture are the inspiration for 2021.
ARE THERE ANY HEALTH BENEFITS TO LIVING IN A MORE SUSTAINABLE INTERIOR?
There is absolutely no doubt that an interior created from natural finishes is better for our overall mental and physical health. We have all come across the term ‘Sick Building Syndrome’ which can be attributed to the use of synthetic furniture, carpet and painted surfaces. All of these contain a large number of fungicides, biocides, toxic pigments and chemicals which are the leading causes of off-gassing of VOC’s in our home and work environment.
By introducing healthier materials into an interior scheme we are simultaneously introducing the many health properties they hold such as their naturally occurring anti-allergenic and antibacterial properties, resistance to mould and mildew and general breathability of the walls, thus boosting the overall air quality within the home.
YOUR PRACTICE FOCUSES ON SUSTAINABLE INTERIOR DESIGN. WHAT CAN A CLIENT EXPECT WHEN WORKING WITH YOU?
As with any interior project we take on, we firmly believe that the entire process is a collaboration between client, designers, manufacturers and contractors. We see each brief as a journey which we all take together and when it comes to sustainable interior design, the only difference is that we use a more condensed list of the above, using vendors with a proven track record of sustainable manufacturing practices and a documented policy for sourcing rapidly renewable resources.
For 2021, we are hoping to increase our custom furniture design so we can work with more local woodworkers and makers and source locally from small businesses to minimize our carbon footprint. While looking after our planet is the overall aim, we do not in any way see this as a reason not to enjoy the process and end result.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF WORKING WITH AN INTERIOR DESIGNER WHO CREATES SUSTAINABLE INTERIORS?
This is a question that comes up many times within the interior design world. With the ever-expanding range of interior inspiration sites, everyone has access to any interior trend or style at the click of a button. What an interior designer brings to the table is the experience it takes to implement that design, create the finer details that render the space unique while simultaneously having the knowledge it takes to avoid the pitfall that an interior fitout project can bring.
In regard to sustainable interior design, there is no doubt that we are all on a rapid learning curve. There is no perfect solution at the moment, however, an interior designer who recognises the importance of creating a healthier environment can work with clients so that they too can understand the damage that the production and transport of certain materials is causing.
Is sustainable interior design something you would consider when it comes to your own home? If so, and you would like more information, check out Caoimhe’s Definitive Guide to Sustainable Interior Design for further tips and advice.
