Meet the Designers - Scotland and Northern Ireland Projects

Now open for 2024, the BIID Interior Design Awards returns for a third year 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 Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland region. Blacksheep received the inaugural regional award for the outstanding Glenlivet Visitor Centre renovation, followed by Pringle & Pringle in 2023 for its impressive residential project on the Isle of Arran.

Coast to Coast: A Multigenerational Home

Led by Creative Director Sophie Pringle, Pringle & Pringle’s deeply personal approach ensures each client’s sense of self is maintained whilst also keeping the home functional for daily living. Set on the stunning Isle of Arran coast, Pringle & Pringle’s new build project is designed to optimise waterfront views. Judges of the awards remarked that the design impressively integrates the family home with its natural surroundings. When the project made the awards shortlist, BIID Registered Interior Designer expert site assessors visited and appreciated the sociable yet tranquil space in person. When meeting the assessors, Sophie commented:

“It was a privilege to visit the island project with the site assessors. Making the journey by ferry meant the assessors had time to share invaluable advice they had gained from many years of experience in the industry. When we toured the home, they made me feel completely at ease and proud to share all the hard work our studio had put into this design.”

The detached family home won for its sustainable design and careful consideration of multigenerational living. The judges commented that the home achieved a quiet triumph of high-quality design by catering to the diverse needs of the family, promoting togetherness, and still allowing for individual preferences. The home remains a durable, functional space with a peaceful ambience by mirroring outdoor hues in the natural colour palette and using minimal design to highlight the expansive view.

“Our Scottish island project was true to our values as a company and prioritised sustainability as part of the brief, so we feel the entry requirements really played to our strengths. It is wonderful to have our work recognised by the BIID. For people who may not know a huge amount about the industry, it gives us real credibility to be awarded by our sector’s professional institute and our peers in the industry. The design industry can be quite London-centric, so smaller design companies can struggle to stand out. It is incredibly rewarding to see regional projects in the spotlight. There are so many outstanding design projects happening around the country and they deserve recognition.”

Drink in the Wilderness: A Whisky Distillery

Blacksheep is known for its dynamic and immersive designs across branding, interior design, and architecture. Its renovation of the Glenlivet Visitor Centre demonstrates this ideology through its cutting-edge experiential design. Located in the wilderness of the Cairngorms National Park, the distillery takes inspiration from the surroundings by connecting visitors to the place where Glenlivet’s whisky is crafted. Blacksheep harnessed raw materials directly from nature, emphasising the sensory journey for visitors with locally sourced materials, clever lighting, and state-of-the-art technology.

The project won for its creation of a premium, immersive experience for visitors, and judges praised the design for successfully creating a public space that feels intimate. The awards celebrate projects of all scales, both commercial and residential, showcasing the breadth of the industry and the diversity of design styles. Blacksheep commented on what winning meant to the team:

“We were thrilled to be announced as the winners in the Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland Region at the BIID Interior Design Awards 22. 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.