Meet The Designers - Midlands and East Anglia Projects

Now open for 2024, the BIID Interior Design Awards returns with its Midlands and East Anglia regional award and the search is on for this year’s winners. The awards celebrate exceptional design projects across the UK, with both residential and commercial projects previously receiving the accolade for the Midlands region. The 2023 winner of this category was DesignLSM, a creative studio specialising in Interior Design for the hospitality industry, for their ambitious Heythrop Park project. The inaugural winner of this category in 2022, was Studio Osborn who won for their charming restoration project The Old Post Office.

Luxury Hospitality

The prestigious Heythrop Park Hotel, is a stunning Grade II* listed property on the outskirts of the Cotswolds, which has undergone a large scale transformation. DesignLSM honoured heritage elements, enhancing them through thoughtful material choices, lighting, and unique design statements that convey the building’s narrative and history effectively.

The judges commented that the project was a masterful restoration with striking, colourful and impressive design detail. The judges felt that the project's cohesive, elegant, and functional transformation is a remarkable and impressive achievement on an ambitious scale. DesignLSM’s ability to create a harmonious array of spaces, reflects the project's success in this category.

DesignLSM’s team comments; “Winning the BIID Interior Design Awards was a very special moment for us. The recognition of our work on the Heythrop Park Hotel project was a fantastic achievement, marking a culmination of over a year and a half of dedicated effort. This project was one of the most significant for our studio, and to have it acknowledged celebrates the passion, hard work, and creativity that our team poured into every aspect of the design.

The response from our peers and the design community has been overwhelmingly positive. Being recognised by the BIID Interior Design Awards has not only elevated our profile within the industry but has also reinforced our commitment to excellence. The Heythrop Park Hotel project, with its inspired design elements and meticulous storytelling, has garnered admiration and praise from our indstury counterparts, further validating the success of our creative approach. We are grateful for the support and acknowledgment received, and this prestigious award serves as a testament to the dedication and innovation that define our approach to hospitality design and strategy."

"While projects in London inevitably receive significant attention, it’s important to acknowledge the abundance of remarkable work taking place across the UK. Interior design is intricately tied to the local culture, history, and traditions of a region. By spotlighting projects beyond the capital, we can celebrate a more comprehensive representation of the rich cultural diversity that defines the UK. Each region contributes unique perspectives and influences on the design landscape, creating a tapestry of creativity that deserves recognition.”

Restoring the Old Post Office

The Old Post Office is a Grade II Listed Cotswold stone thatched cottage dating to the 1540s. The two-up, two-down property included a large barn at the rear. By completely renovating the barn, a new kitchen and dining space was created, and an extension provided a utility room and enlarged master suite.

Studio Osborn’s brief was to maintain and highlight the historical features, such as the original stone walls, low-beamed ceilings and inglenook fireplaces, while using sympathetic design and materials throughout the renovation.

The project won due to Studio Osborn’s imaginative redesign of this period building, which creatively connects the old with the new. The judges said ‘it far exceeded… expectations with good use of textures and reclaimed materials’. The judges felt that the layout was well thought out and that the refurbishment and remodelling of the rooms, plus repurposing the old barn into a kitchen/eating area has made the cottage into a ‘fully functioning dwelling, eminently suitable for our times.’

Bee Osborn, Founder of Studio Osborn comments: “We were thrilled to be announced as the winners in the Midlands & East Anglia Region at the BIID Interior Design Awards in 2022. It was a fantastic opportunity for us to show our team’s tremendous work on an outstanding project. The BIID award scheme reflects the supportive and rewarding community we all work in and provides an opportunity for unknown projects and small teams to have their moment to shine.”

ENTERING THE BIID INTERIOR DESIGN AWARDS

The winners will be awarded across 7 regional categories, celebrating every type of interior design, from the largest commercial project to the smallest residential dwelling. In addition we award 2 landmark prizes – the Interior of the Year Prize, which is awarded to the best interior design project in the UK and the Anna Whitehead Prize, which is awarded to the best achievement in sustainable interior design. 9 awards will be given out in total, along with acknowledgements of Highly Commended projects.