It’s that time of the year when preparations are underway for the Surface Design Show, which returns to London’s Building Design Centre from 6-8 February 2024. Old and new elements will be featured in this year’s line up, such as the Opening Night Debate, a featured Charity Partner and the expert speakers programme, all alongside the 12th edition of the Surface Design Awards.
Mindful living
This year’s theme is ‘mindful living’ which explores the balance between design intuition and analytical thinking to achieve meaningful experiences. The idea of mindful living will address what role materials and their properties will play in the multi-sensory space; how the virtual and real worlds continue to merge and what technological advancements and investments in new design approaches mean for the built environment. A prominent feature within the theme is Surface Spotlight Live, the material showcase curated by design and trend expert Sally Angharad. Located at the heart of the show, this feature will once again expand your mind on cutting-edge surfaces, processes and finishes that embrace the future and harness the vital role materials play in design across all dimensions.
A further focus within the mindful living theme is the crowd-pleasing Opening Night Debate. It’s found on the main stage, where a range of debates, panels, trend forecasts and insights into the latest material innovations will take place over the course of the show. The ‘Legends Live’ series of fireside chats with experienced industry professionals also returns.
This year’s Surface Design Show will see a presentation by Colour Hive entitled CMF Directions 2025. Colour Hive, which has more than 20 years’ experience forecasting and publishing design, colour and material insight will host live seminars featuring two diverse stories from their 2025 forecast exploring the ‘macro drivers,’ colour palettes and material and finish directions.
2024 Awards
The Surface Design Awards are always a highlight of the show, receiving global recognition and attracting an impressive number of entries from across the globe. The 2024 edition will be judged by an expert panel, co-chaired by Charlotte McCarthy, head of interiors at Heatherwick Studio and Nimi Attanayake, director and co-founder of NimTim Architects. Through discussion and hot debate, the judges will debate the 2024 Award winners from eight categories: Commercial Building, Housing, Landscape + Public Realm, Light + Surface, Public Building, Temporary Structure, Architectural Photography and new for 2024, Product of the Year Award.
A popular element to the show, for those up-and-coming creatives is the New Talent area, curated once again by Jennifer Castoldi, chief creative director at Trendease. This must-visit section displays the very best in emerging creatives, showing an inspiring range of biomaterials, natural materials, textiles, furniture and wallpaper.
New for 2024, Surface Design Show is partnering with a worthy charity called Furnishing Futures. It creates beautifully designed, fully furnished homes for women and children who have escaped domestic abuse and been given empty social housing, often without flooring or white goods. The charity partners with the interiors industry to provide a sustainable solution to tackle waste, enabling the charity to repurpose good quality ex-display, returns, props or donated furnishings to create beautiful, fully furnished homes.
Get ready for the 2024 show – a chance to explore the latest in innovative surfaces.
Article submitted by the Surface Design Show