Trades & Services : Fit-Out & Interiors News

Best Indoor Plants for Your Home Decorating Attempts

The interior design and all the specific elements that you will decide to incorporate in your home have an effect on the general air in the place. A badly chosen item can provoke anger, anxiousness or even physical headaches on a daily basis, just as the right fit can light

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BRITCON COMPLETES MAJOR REFURBISHMENT FOR GOOLE ACADEMY

Building and engineering company, Britcon has completed major refurbishment works for Goole Academy high school.  The project, valued at close to £1m, was awarded to Britcon by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) working with Arcadis LLP. It is part of the Government’s £4.4 billion Priority School Building Programme

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Dura Ltd Launch New Website as Part of Expansion

Dura Ltd, the Brackley based Modular Furniture manufacturer has announced the launch of a new website. Although the launch of a new website is not uncommon for companies nowadays, Dura Ltd hope that is will help to reinvigorate the business while celebrating the 20th anniversary of inventing The Fitted Garage.

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Latest Issue
Issue 334 : Nov 2025

Trades : Fit-Out & Interiors News

Indeglas wins £500,000 interior glass solutions contract on Belfast’s riverside Allstate offices

Indeglas , the Scotland headquartered business recognised as a world class supplier of interior glass solutions, is set to undertake supply work to the value of half a million pounds for purpose-built offices on Belfast’s riverside of Allstate NI, the IT support arm of Allstate Corporation, a US insurance company.  Indeglas, formerly known as Deko Scotland, is a specialist contractor and sole distributor in the UK and Ireland for the products of award-winning glass manufacturer, Deko of Denmark.  Established 17 years, Indeglas distributes and installs all over the UK and Ireland, and is one of the only full-service, Category 1 subcontractors which can source, design, and install Deko’s leading-edge glass solutions.  Jeanette MacIntyre, Managing Director, said: “As a purpose built office building, the architects, WDR-RT-Taggart of Belfast, have delivered an amazing design concept which specifies top quality materials and we are delighted that they selected DEKO glass solutions for the interior glazed screens.”  Indeglas has been contracted to provide all interior glass solutions, including meeting rooms, boardrooms and individual offices. In addition, it is providing freestanding writable screens. These high-tech screens operate like a whiteboard, but due to an interlayer within the glass, anything written or drawn on the board can be saved by camera then wiped off leaving no residue.   Indeglas’s highly skilled engineers are already on site in Belfast and work is expected to be concluded by March 2018. When complete, the purpose-built complex will comprise five storeys of riverfront office space. The principal contractors are O’Hare & McGovern, a County Down-based main contractor with over 40 years’ experience.  This is yet another repeat contract for Indeglas, which worked with O’Hare and McGovern on the new Boroughmuir High School in Edinburgh and the £25 million Ballymena Health and Care Centre, the largest of its kind in Northern Ireland.  Mrs MacIntyre said: “I like to think the fact that so many contractors and architects are repeat customers is a sign of the diligence, excellence and quality of materials that Indeglas designs, supplies and installs as a matter of course.  “We are particularly proud of the freestanding writable glass solutions. The ability to have group strategy discussions, notes, ideas, and targets displayed on these attractive, interlayered  glass panels located at each desk cluster is an innovative solution which represents the kind of joined-up thinking we like to make available to all our clients.”

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Best Indoor Plants for Your Home Decorating Attempts

The interior design and all the specific elements that you will decide to incorporate in your home have an effect on the general air in the place. A badly chosen item can provoke anger, anxiousness or even physical headaches on a daily basis, just as the right fit can light up the room without the use of electricity. You might not believe in good vibes, Feng Shui or whatever you prefer to name it. Still, there is no denying that some rooms make you feel like you can play casino games here and never lose a hand, while others practically suck the life out of you. Years of extensive research have identified the presence of various types of plants as one of the main interior design elements to have had an effect on the research subjects. Following is a list of the top recommendable indoor plants you should keep in your home – and with factual proof to support their claims.    Aloe Plant A room filled with sunshine is the perfect location for an aloe plant in your home. Under such conditions, the plant grows rather fast and will be able to protect you from all kinds of chemicals from cleaning products that might pollute the air. Apart from that, the leaves from the aloe plant could come in handy in case you burn or damage your skin during activities like cooking, repairing or cleaning around the house.   Peace Lily The peace lily is the perfect solution for someone that doesn’t have too much of a ‘green thumb’, as it is low maintenance and doesn’t need any extra living conditions. In fact, it is better off kept under a cooler temperature in shade. Still, residents in your home are bound to benefit from its presence there, as it is known to purify the air of all kinds of toxins.   Snake Plant The snake plant is yet another low-maintenance instance of indoor flora that could survive just fine in any corner of your home. Remembering to water it from time to time is enough to make it grow tall and do its thing – it is known to absorb the carbon dioxide from the air at night and release pure oxygen, making it the perfect bedroom decoration.   Philodendron Philodendron owners could enjoy its benefits for years at a time, as long as they are able to provide it with proper amounts of water and exposure to sunlight on a regular basis. Despite the gentle appearance of its heart-shaped leaves, the philodendron is a known protector from the commonly found chemical substance xylene.   Red-Edged Dracaena The red-edged dracaena is primarily famous for the pleasant aesthetic effect it provides. Under the right conditions (which mostly implies lots of exposure to sunshine), the dracaena can grow higher than ten feet and fill up any awkwardly empty space in your home. As for health benefits, owners of the red-edged dracaena plant will experience a toxic-free environment, as its leaves relieve the air of xylene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene.

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BRITCON COMPLETES MAJOR REFURBISHMENT FOR GOOLE ACADEMY

Building and engineering company, Britcon has completed major refurbishment works for Goole Academy high school.  The project, valued at close to £1m, was awarded to Britcon by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) working with Arcadis LLP. It is part of the Government’s £4.4 billion Priority School Building Programme which is rebuilding or refurbishing those school buildings in the very worst condition across the country. Britcon has replaced all drainage around the complex of buildings on Centenary Road originally built in the early 1900’s.  It has also completed major external works which include new hard and soft landscaping including an extensive new Multi Use Games Area (MUGA), roads, paving, planting and irrigation and fixtures such as lighting. John Whitmore, Director at Britcon, said, “The project was complex in that we have to replace critical facilities whist in a live school environment where over 1000 pupils and teaching staff are circulating.   The Academy has a listed element and due to the age of the buildings the draining needed renewing. The external works also provide for a more productive environment with new class leading sports facilities and enhanced wayfinding.” Britcon has extensive expertise in the education sector. As well as the Goole Academy it has completed major building and refurbishment projects for Royds Hall School in Huddersfield, Roundhay Primary School in Leeds and Ward Green School in Barnsley Other projects include the University of York, University of Bradford, University of Huddersfield and Queen Ethelberga’s Collegiate. As a business Britcon also actively engages with all the Education establishments with whom it works to support learning practices in the construction sector, setting coursework around its projects, and providing educational site visits and placement opportunities. Established for more than 26 years, Britcon is £50 million turnover business headquartered in Scunthorpe and directly employs 90 people on its project sites across the UK. It is currently listed by the London Stock Exchange in its latest report of ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Europe’. @Britcon_Limited

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BCF launches PaintSafe initiative at the 2017 National Painting and Decorating Show

The British Coatings Federation (BCF) in association with the Painting and Decorating Association (PDA) and the Scottish Decorator’s Federation (SDF), has launched a new initiative ‘PaintSafe’ which aims to promote the safe use of paint and related products and provide best practice for decorators and other applicators during preparation, application and drying. Working in collaboration with the major paint manufacturers in the UK, the first phase of the campaign focuses on decorative paints, and was launched 28 and 29 November at the 2017 National Painting and Decorating Show. A second phase to promote safe use of industrial paints will be launched late in 2018. Unveiled as part of the campaign includes a tri-fold leaflet, which outlines do and do not points to follow whilst painting, and specific guidelines with regards to lead exposure and preparation. The leaflet is available for download at www.paintsafe.org.uk and will be available via trade outlets across the UK in the first quarter of 2018. BCF’s Chief Executive, Tom Bowtell commented: “Whilst we know most decorators are aware of best practice, it never hurts to be reminded of the best and safest ways to work with paints and coatings particularly when sanding and spraying, or dealing with period houses that may have been previously painted with lead based paints in the pre-1960s period.”  

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Dura Ltd Launch New Website as Part of Expansion

Dura Ltd, the Brackley based Modular Furniture manufacturer has announced the launch of a new website. Although the launch of a new website is not uncommon for companies nowadays, Dura Ltd hope that is will help to reinvigorate the business while celebrating the 20th anniversary of inventing The Fitted Garage. The company first created this concept in 1997 and been working since to transform the interiors of garages and workshops for customers with the delivery of their modular furniture system. It is thought that workshops with a disparate and cluttered array of oily toolboxes as well as wheelie bins and benches can be transformed wit Dura’s modular systems into state-of-the-art workspaces that are efficient. The company say that the solutions offered create a space that is as efficient and technical as a combination of a formula 1 garage and the operating theatre. Over the years that company has developed, and become so successful that they have become the standard for a number of premium automotive brands such as Audi, Aston Martin, Jaguar and Land Rover at their locations around the world. Dura Ltd has also received the Red Dot Design Award and the Queen’s Award for Enterprise during their company history. Now, after twenty years of success, the company is wanting to transform the way that the workplace is used and thought about in the industrial, commercial and educational sectors. In order to move into these new markets, Dura has launched a new division, with their own website. The website has been designed in house and is a great platform to advertise their services while showcasing what they are able to their customers in any sector, from manufacturing to precision engineering, education and training facilities as well as research & development and laboratories. The company hopes that the experience and expertise that has been gained in the automotive aftermarket can be used to offer a similar solution for a range of different sectors going forward.

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Interior design tips: Creating an Illusion of a Bigger Space

A lot of students live with tiny space, littered with personal stuff and educational supplies, wishing for a normal apartment or at least for a bigger room. But if it is not possible, or there is no such opportunity in the nearest future, there is still a hope. Here are some tips on how to make your room bigger, without fully remaking it. Installing a greenhouse can really make you garden look bigger, check out some replacement greenhouse glass, just to be prepared for the worst. Multifunctional furniture Buy such things as ottomans, which can be used as a coffee table, an extra seating or even as a place to keep your personal belongings, if you will choose the one, which comes with a storage inside. Any multi-purpose item is a good investment in a small space. Cleanliness Keep your room clean and tidy and de-clutter from time to time. Get rid of the stuff you don’t use anymore or wouldn’t buy it now. Colour code Colour code everything. Books, clothes or anything else that is visible in your room, this way instead of making a potential clutter, you will make them look organized and will showcase your personality. Mirrors The quickest way to appear room look larger is to use mirrors, preferably large ones. Not only they reflect light, but a cleverly placed mirror can bring more depth or height to the room. Placing a mirror near the window can make it look like there is another window in the room and will create a more spacious or wader look. Or by placing it behind chest or end table, you can make it seem like there is a whole other space behind it. Use of natural light Natural light makes the room seem light and specious. There more light is in the room – the bigger and wider it seems. Leave your windows uncovered, or if you feel like there is not enough privacy, use roman shades or blinds. Curtains only add “stuff”. Keep it minimal, keep it simple. However, if you really want them in your room, choose light coloured ones and mountain them above the window. And don’t let them hit the floor. Leave your curtains or drapes a few inches below, and use a bar that extends far beyond the window frame, so if needed you can fully expose the window. As well as with mirrors, open windows add more depth in the room and make it appear larger. Minimalism Don’t overload your shelves, don’t keep unused stuff in sight, don’t overload your room with colours. Keep it light, bright and airy. Create unity, by using different shades of the same colour. When buying sheets, stay away from loud colours and overloaded patterns. Don’t add unnecessary decorations and details. Following this tips, you will not only make it more visually appealing, but will also make your small room look bigger. Shelving Wall-to-wall or floor-to-ceiling bookcases will trick the eye to see the ceiling higher or walls wider. And it also adds more place for the storage. Just don’t forget that they should be organized and colour-coded if possible. It’s a great way to keep the things together and in place, but it’s extremely easy to mess up by cluttering everything on those shelves. Furniture with legs Furniture which is raised on legs, creates a sense of light and space. By creating a look of openness and movement, you will create and illusion of larger space. But this trick will only work if the area under the furniture will be kept clean and organized. Transparent furniture By placing a glass table top instead of your wooden desk, or pairing your work space with acrylic chair, you will make your room appear not as crowded as it would be with a regular furniture. Lucite items are now totally trendy and while providing a needed function, they don’t take too much visual space. Lightning Ditch the overhead fixtures, that pools all the light in one space. Instead use several lightning elements to draw the eye around the room. The best, easy way is to place lamps on your bedside tables. Be dramatic There is a wrong common opinion, that a small furniture in a small room is the way to go, but a few bigger pieces will fool the eye to perceive a space as a more expansive. Instead of a gallery wall, choose large and bold art pieces. It will create a focal point in the room and will add some structure and depth. Another way of dramatism in the interior design is to pop your ceilings. Dark ceiling creates depth and draws your attention upward creating an illusion of height. To make it even more interesting, you can mimic the night sky with stars, or even a milky way.

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