Chameleon Business Interiors – a Yorkshire-based interior design, fit-out and furnishing business, specialising in commercial buildings – has been operating internationally for over 20 years. The interior design and fit-out industry has experienced a lot of challenges during this time, but none more so than in the last two years. As the sector continues to negotiate supply chain delays, inflated material costs and a national labour shortage, Shaun Watts – chairman of Chameleon – shares his reflections from the last 12 months, makes his predictions for the year ahead, and offers insight into the plans to secure continued growth. It has certainly been a challenging time for our industry, and it’s incredibly sad to see firms in our sector close their doors recently. No one knew what to expect as we entered 2021. If you believed everything you heard at the time, you’d think that the office working model was dead and that we’d all be working from home permanently. Indeed, 2021 saw a slow-down in our Canadian business, despite delivering several projects successfully due to our strong management based in Toronto.  But, overall, I’m very grateful and humbled that we have bucked the trend, starting 2021 on the back of the growth and success of 2020. We secured a number of large and complex contracts early on, with clients that took a long-term view to workspaces: they wanted to think creatively, design spaces their employees wanted to return to, and prioritise collaborative and safe working. As a result, we doubled our turnover and we have our innovative and hard-working team to thank for that. I also saw clients’ confidence in us grow because we’ve continued to invest and recruit. But I do recognise that we represent a small proportion of companies that emerged from 2021 in a strong position. 2022: industry predictions As we look ahead to 2022, I believe that: Sustainability will continue to influence everything we do. Carbon neutral buildings will become more important to occupiers and we’re even seeing projects that are aiming to be carbon negative. It’s a phenomenal purchasing mindset shift. Employee wellbeing is absolutely front-of-mind; the pandemic has focused everyone on this and they’re now investing significantly in their workspaces. It should be about putting people first and really considering how existing spaces can be maximised for the people that use it. Safe yet sociable hubs that enable collaborative working is essential for the return to office-based working. The workplace has changed forever and we have seen this new model work well in 2021.  Reducing the office footprint is not the right approach – you can’t expect employees to live their whole career in their bedroom. There’s limited personal development opportunities with this model and it’s short-termism, in my view. British manufacturing has an opportunity to really thrive – with all of the delays and inflated costs we’re experiencing importing materials and furniture into the UK, now is the time for British manufacturing to make its mark. 2022: industry challenges In terms of challenges this year, I predict we’ll be looking at: The skills gap presenting us with ongoing difficulties – recruitment across the sector has been very difficult and there isn’t a large talent pool out there. To combat this, we need to be offering more opportunities to those entering the industry and enabling them to develop long-lasting and fulfilling careers not just ‘jobs’. Cost continuing to impact our sustainability goals – unfortunately, doing the right thing comes at a price. If we’re ever going to move the needle, we need to find some way to appease both clients’ budgets and the sustainability agenda. Motivating staff after a very busy few years becoming a bigger challenge – this is a challenge faced by businesses all over the world. The last two years have been stressful and we’ve all been working very hard. So this year will be the ‘Year of Fun’ for the team at Chameleon to give the team the opportunity to bond and have fun together again. It’s been well overdue! Chameleon’s 2022 The year has begun well, with a number prestigious projects already on site across country that we’re all very excited about and new projects in design stage. With the addition of new talent and expertise to the business, we anticipate the size and complexity of our projects continuing to grow. Acquisition will be part of our growth strategy in 2022, and I am actively looking for the right opportunity. We have some ambitious targets to meet that will stretch us all but we are up for the challenge. The infrastructure and talent we now have in place gives us the strength in depth to support our growth ambitions over the coming year.

Daval Furniture, award-winning British designer and manufacturer of quality fitted furniture predicts furniture trends, with a rise in made-to-measure furniture for the kitchen, living space and bedroom as UK consumers seek interior solutions that optimise space management in 2022. Simon Bodsworth, Managing Director at Daval says: KITCHENS: Painted kitchens will embrace the mellow and gentle hues of nature where land meets the sky so look out for shades of grey, cream, green and blue echoing the colours of the British countryside. When it comes to material, timber will be a go-to solution providing both traditional grounding for modern in-frame kitchens, as well as a tactile and organic contrast to pared back linear schemes with Scandi-style undertones and eco-attributes. Two key looks will dominate the kitchen market next year – Refined Country, inspired by the timeless beauty of painted Shaker-inspired furniture and Natural Renewal, in which recycled materials and tactile surface treatments and finishes take precedence. It’s safe to say the market is enjoying the ability to create whole-house interior design schemes so that the kitchen living space now includes added-value living areas like a home bar or utility/boot room with ease. Broken plan and open plan will continue to evolve with elegant and versatile made-to-measure, made-to-order furniture serving real needs in custom kitchen design. Still the cornerstone of the modern home, optimizing how the kitchen space can adapt with your lifestyle to create a supportive environment with ample storage and worktop space to accommodate family life is going to be vital next year and one of the furniture trends. Post pandemic life will bring a deeper appreciation of the capabilities of custom-made furniture, alongside the introduction of hygienic surfaces and hardworking kitchen storage like walk-in pantries. LIVING: Hybrid home-office lifestyles have brought new options to the meaning of a healthy work/life balance, and this is set to continue next year with flexible interior spaces becoming increasingly important. In fact, we are getting requests to assist customers with personalised garden rooms to work as an outside office or entertaining space. This alone underlines the markets determination to optimise indoor outdoor living all year around and offer a home office which is separate from the main building, for extra privacy and comfort. Beautifully designed media rooms, home offices and space for outside entertaining will all see resurgence next year as one of the furniture trends and built-in furniture is your answer to achieving both style and function affordably. There is real benefit to selecting furniture which is designed around the evolving needs of your growing family or changing lifestyle and so carefully curated personal spaces will become standard fare next year. BEDROOMS: In 2022, the master bedroom is all about quality time with considered space management becoming critical to enhancing wellbeing at home. This will see a rise in tactile surfaces with silky-soft finishes and ergonomic handles topping the charts alongside easy-to-use storage components, which help create a deluxe space built for comfort and relaxation. Added to that, tailor-made dressing tables, walk-in wardrobes and fitted drawer systems will evoke a five-star feel to the home, so regardless of any potential travel restrictions, you can enjoy a boutique look and feel at your leisure. I believe the sustainability theme in interior design and growing responsibility to reduce carbon footprints at home and in business, has already encouraged more people to ‘shop local’ and Buy British. This has led to a greater appreciation for family-run British manufacturers in the creative industries both regionally and nationwide.

Granite and quartz worktop supplier, Roann Limited, has been appointed by Formation Group PLC to provide the worktop materials for two high profile projects in London, Tottenham. Comprising of an apartment block in Tottenham Hale’s Berol Yard and phase two housing for Ashley Gardens in the London Borough of Haringey, the constructions by Berkley Square Developments have provided more than £1 million worth of work to Roann Limited to supply and fit high-quality, durable worktops. The team specified 166 units of Cosentino Silestone Lusso worktops with splashbacks for Berol Yard to complete the high-level finish seen throughout the build, and 310 units to Ashley Gardens.  “We have always found the Roann team to be professional, pro-active and an efficient organisation. Both projects at Wembley and Berol Yard, Tottenham have been handled superbly and delivered as per our schedules. Roann Limited is a pleasure to work with and we would have no hesitation in recommending them to anyone,” said Commercial Manager of Formation Group, Mark Gordon. With the projects on track to begin in January 2022, the new homes will be populated by Winter 2023.  “Working with Formation Group and providing the new developments with worktops is a great way to kickstart the New Year and continue our business growth into 2022. Providing housing with durable, attractive and long-lasting materials is what we’re passionate about so being selected for this prestigious project is an exciting step for us as a company,” added Scott Wharton, Sales Director at Roann Limited.