‘Designing for Hospitality’ panel discussion
In the fast-paced world of hospitality, the need for sustainable design has become more crucial than ever. We recently hosted an enlightening panel discussion with industry experts, delving into the significance of sustainable design in the hospitality sector, and the vital role it plays in shaping the future of hospitality.
The panellists gathered in ‘The Attic’ at The Boathouse, to discuss how we can design more sustainable hospitality spaces.
The interior design and construction industries are major consumers of resources and producers of waste. The prevalent throw-away culture that exists in the UK has lead to overconsumption of ‘fast furniture’ and cheap products that prioritise speed and cost over environmental impact. This is an issue in both residential and commercial buildings, but we believe commercial clients can play a significant role in reversing this trend, by demanding better for our planet. If they lead, homeowners will follow.
With this at the forefront of our minds, we convened a group of designers, makers, artisans, and sustainability specialists, at the site of our latest interiors project The Boathouse, to discuss a crucial question: How can commercial interiors become more sustainable?
The panel featured Raw Clay designers - founder Bekki Stovell and interior architect Abbi Greenland; our client, Soulspace creative director Jessica Meins; and various suppliers and creatives from the project.
The sustainability innovator and consultant Mark Shayler, led the discussion which offered practical insights and innovative ideas for industry transformation.
From large scale suppliers to smaller independent makers, the range of panellists offered a variety of perspectives on sustainable design.
The boathouse Project & sustainable design
Jess Meins, founder and creative director of The Boathouse, began the talk by outlining the family company’s journey and the context behind the project. The multi-use hospitality space, which she founded with her sister Charlotte, prioritises soulful design, longevity, and community impact. Jess emphasised how embedding core values at the beginning of a project can lead to sustainable outcomes:
"Inside it was important that we created a space for the heart, and that was about considering how people would feel in the space. We were thinking about what impact our business would have, and the building would have, on the area we were moving into, on the environment, and on the people and community that we were surrounding ourselves with.”
Our creative director Bekki elaborated on Raw Clay’s sustainability commitment, explaining how it is fully integrated with the fibre of the business. She stressed how important it is when designing a space to connect with the business's soul, and to work with local artisans and sustainably minded creatives to enhance both environmental impact and design narrative.
"All the clients we work with want us to come in and not make them too corporate, not make them too glossy, and not take away their soul. It's important that when we design, we tread lightly, and we don't force a design onto something. It’s about doing it in as gentle a way as possible and celebrating what is naturally there."
The riverside location was a key part of The Boathouse soul and so it informed a lot of the decisions made in styling the space.
Artisans, Craftsmanship & storytelling
The discussion around The Boathouse project focused on its sustainable approach, particularly the value of supporting local artisans, preserving traditional craftsmanship, and integrating personal stories into interior spaces. It was noted that using artisans in commercial design projects can enhance the uniqueness and user appeal by reflecting local culture.
Jess highlighted the commercial success of The Boathouse, “Sustainability is part of the depth of service that we offer to our members. All the attention to detail, all of the care and consideration that has gone into the project, add so much quality to the experience our members get when they are here. We talk to people about these things when we are showing them around and that is so important in selling the space and showing that there is meaning behind what we offer and what we do.”
In addition to storytelling, artisans contribute high quality and longevity to a space, making them a valuable choice from a sustainability perspective. Their furniture, lighting, and textiles are superior to mass-produced items due to careful construction, process control, and material traceability.
Panellist and The Boathouse supplier, ceramicist Gabby Smith explained her sustainable practice: “I don't just produce stuff for the sake of it, and I try to not produce excess. I don't carry stock, I mainly work to commission, and I'm really rigorous with reusing and reclaiming materials. My work is naturally a lot slower and it takes a lot longer, but it means that I’m not someone who just brings another load of stuff into the world for people to buy and then throw away.”
While the panel celebrated this approach, they acknowledged that the sustainable benefits of working with artisans are not always fully appreciated by clients and consumers. Gabby added, “Something that brands need to be really aware of, when they engage with artisans and craftspeople, is that it's often about so much more than the monetary value. Whatever they're making represents so much in terms of hours and skill and effort and it’s also so personal.” The panel suggested that we need more education and understanding surrounding the creative industry to encourage investment in artisan-made designs and to preserve the nature of craft.
Gabby created handmade pieces for The Boathouse project, including carved ceramic pendant lights and over a thousand individually sculpted tiles for the cafe bar (above).
Circularity & longevity in interior design
Another key theme of the discussion was longevity and circularity. For our panel, a circular business model that ensures furnishings and interiors are built to last was essential. “In terms of longevity within interior spaces,” said Bekki’ “there's a lot more that can be done with repurposing the things that are already in the building and making sure that those things get another lease of life.”
Alongside Gabby’s rigorous reclamation process, other suppliers’ highlighted their own methods of reusing materials. At Hillcross, repurposing schemes are integral to their business model, especially in their work with restaurant chains. Hannah Evans, sales director at Hillcross, noted that repurposing and reclaiming are more sustainable and can be very cost-effective.
“We’ve worked on projects where, on a commercial level, it makes sense for the client to do things that way. We’ll take back their old furniture and give them credit against the new furniture. Then we can repurpose that furniture... re-finish it, re-upholster it, and send it to the next site with a new lease of life at a reduced cost to us and the next client.”
Reusing preloved materials and products not only adds uniqueness but also imbues the space with a rich narrative. Megan Grace, business development specialist at Ted Todd, explained their collection of flooring called ‘rare finds,’ which is created using wood reclaimed from notable and significant sources. “We’ve just collected all the pine from the old War Office, and obviously the process of reclaiming that, going into the workshop and repurposing the beams into engineered flooring, takes time, but the product is so special and unique that it’s worth it.”
There were concerns that a model prioritising preservation and longevity might be commercially detrimental. However, the panelists agreed that if this were to happen, businesses would need to adapt by offering repair services instead of new products. “For running business sustainably,” said Bekki, “the model of repurposing keeps everyone employed, as the business is then offering a service of ongoing maintenance and repair.”
At Hillcross, warehouses are filled with furniture they have reclaimed from their clients’ sites, all waiting to be repurposed or donated to a charitable cause.
A Materials First Approach
The panel unanimously agreed that longevity, reclamation, and circularity are key to sustainability in the industry. However Bekki emphasised the need to pair this with a consideration of material: “Our approach is mainly about using natural materials wherever we can so that those things are easily repairable, and circular.” The discussion highlighted the need to shift from harmful chemicals and artificial materials to sustainably sourced, natural, and long-lasting alternatives.
Hannah from Hillcross discussed sustainable alternatives to artificial foam in their fixed seating. “Recently we’ve been working with new products to replace synthetic foam. We've experimented with wool and coconut fibres, and to replace the Dacron top layer, a material made from recycled plastic bottles as well.”
Bekki also mentioned the innovative use of mycelium in interior design, “We met a great company at Blue Earth Summit last year called the Magical Mushroom Company. They take the root zone of a mushroom bed and shape it into functional pieces for interiors and brands.”
In the interiors world, Magical Mushroom have mainly produced more sculptural products and acoustic panelling but they are beginning to branch out to even more experimental briefs (image courtesy of Magical Mushroom).
While the use of new materials is exciting, some are not yet scalable. Abbi pointed out, “I think anything where nature has a solution is so clever. With things like leather it’s great that there are sustainable alternatives emerging, but those leathers are not fully accessible at scale in the interiors world just yet.”
Bekki echoed this, noting the difficulty in finding suppliers offering genuinely sustainable products. “We put in a lot of hours outside of projects, trying to find sustainable suppliers who really stand by their values. Unfortunately there is not a huge amount on the market just yet.”
To address this, Raw Clay has started producing their own products. “We’ve started designing our own pieces whenever we can, which allows us to manage every aspect of that supply chain ourselves and ensure those things are being done considerately.”
This optimistic attitude and problem solving approach was mirrored by Megan who highlighted some of the more accessible sustainable products currently on the market, focusing on timber flooring's environmental benefits. “At Ted Todd, it’s really important that we ensure our timber is sourced correctly because if it is, it’s the most environmentally sustainable material there is. The flooring in the Boathouse is oak flooring, and oak is carbon neutral. Even when it’s turned into flooring planks, it continues to store carbon.”
Timber was used extensively throughout The Boathouse.
A holistic approach to sustainable design
This talk was a rich exchange of ideas and experiences. It highlighted the interconnectedness of sustainability, craftsmanship, and community in commercial interior design. From thoughtful material choices to the importance of local artisans, the discussions underscored that sustainable design is not just about the environment, but also about enriching human connections, preserving cultural heritage, and designing spaces that last.
For those who missed the talk, we hope this recap provides valuable insights and inspiration to incorporate sustainability into your own hospitality projects. If you are starting up a project or launching a site and would like our help to make sure your space is sustainably designed, then be sure to get in touch at studio@rawclay.co.uk.
