Loci Interiors have just completed the design and fabrication for the new offices of IFM Europe Ltd, Infomedia, at Cambridge’s prestigious Granta Park.
 
Starting with an empty Cambridge Science Park shell, Loci designed and project managed the creation of a new suite of rooms for a 21st Century company. Working closely with the Managing Director, Loci were able to incorporate a Call Center, 4 private offices, a conference room, kitchen dining room and communications hub.
 
Early designs were presented as CAD renders leaving very little to the imagination. The images below show the computer render, the initial space and the finished scheme. It was a terrific project to orchestrate, within a very small time frame. All parties worked extremely well together to produce a space the company can be proud to call home.
 

The Computer render
 

The initial space
 

The finished scheme
 
 

 
I love this image of a 1950s Portuguese hydroelectric power station. Its immense volume, subtle colour palette and curved buttresses create beautifully simple lines, While it’s monumental geometric form expresses the natural flow of water.
A cathederal to the power of our greatest resource.
 
 

 
We’ve always had a soft spot for the practical, military, olive drab aesthetic. Combine that with a brilliant design and you can sign us up!
It would seem that this platoon of Charles & Ray Eames 50′s ‘Shell’ Side Chairs, have been stencilled, ranked and filed ready for some action.
 
 

The result of an international design competition in collaboration with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and run by the British Antarctic Survey, the Halley VI Research Station is the first fully re-locatable research station in the world.

 
This is a great photo by Sylvain Martel. This bold emblem, typifies the New York love affair with Deco and America’s Industrial Empire.
 
 

 
Photographer Manuel Bougot’s Exhibition ‘Chandigarh: Portrait of a City’ in New Delhi last year included this fantastic photo of Neelam Cinema designed by Le Corbusier.
 
 

 
It would seem that Julianne Moore isn’t just a great actress, she also has a great eye for Interior design. Her New York ‘Brown Stone’ has been sensitively refurbished, to maximise the architectural heritage of the building, to underpin a mid century Italian aesthetic. A very honest, simple scheme within the hubbub of Manhattan.
 

Inspiration for design can come from a variety of sources and Nature seems to supply an abundance of source material…

We’ve always been drawn to the geometry and tessellation of organic forms. Their beauty and resonance seem to permeate our psyche.

Yes, that is two chaps rowing across a lake inside a gigantic apparatus…. The Super-Kamiokande, a neutrino detector in Japan.

Science fact is often far more spectacular than science fiction…

William Morris said “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” and we think the iconic French coffee bowl epitomises this statement.  

Eat your cereal out of it, keep your keys in it; it will look equally good on a dresser as it will on your breakfast table…. You can also drink coffee out of it.  

The bowl in the picture is typical of the style manufactured in the 19th century and is still made in the old glazed pottery workshop in Moulin de Loup, near Valenciennes.  

If you feel your kitchen could benefit from something useful and beautiful, drop us line and we’ll sort you out with a stack of classic coffee bowls.

Clients often ask us to source great pieces of artwork. Commercial clients need to quickly revitalise the atmosphere in a lack-lustre space. Residential clients wish for art that they can fall in love with, or that expresses something about themselves.

Paintings or prints can resonate throughout an interior. They inject a new dynamic to a scheme, whether it is through colour, scale or content. A room can be transformed with the introduction of a piece of art.

We love the bold silkscreen prints of Robert Indiana. His gutsy, vibrant, graphic style can’t be ignored. On a simple backdrop, his energetic Americana really packs a punch!

We are so chuffed to hear that our local pub, The Cock at Hemingford Grey, has been awarded ‘Best Pub’ in the whole of the U.K!

As you know, we recently worked with the Cock’s owner, Oliver Thain and his team, on the refurbishment of their latest restaurant, The Tickell Arms at Whittlesford. Since opening, the Tickell has had a tremendous response, so let’s hope for similar accolades in the future!

We are not a bit surprised that they have been given the award. They are so customer friendly and work really hard to keep their standards high.

Well Done Guys! We’ll see you later for a celebratory glass!

We’ve just completed the first part of a really exciting project at the Leys School, Cambridge.

‘School House’ is one of the oldest boarding houses at the Leys, dating back to the 1880’s. After several years of patching up, it was time to give it a new lease of life. After working on various projects with the school, we were thrilled to be asked to help with another venture.

Each Boarding House needs to retain its own identity and this stage of the 2 year project focused on creating an interior style or ‘Brand’ that the boys would help define. We worked closely with the enthusiastic students and House Master, to get a good understanding of their needs. This gave us a great framework, over which our idea for the ‘Gentleman’s Club’ seemed to fit.

In true Loci fashion we merged antiquity with modernity, to produce a comfortable and practical retreat. We incorporated the student’s own artwork with large scale dynamic wall-art to make the space feel less institutional and added some industrial lighting for a practical and stylish touch.

Lets hope the Boys love it as much as we do, when they go back to school next week…

I’ve always loved going to the cinema and certain Films have a special place in my heart and my imagination.

If I look back over 2 decades of designs, I can see how much of my inspiration has been taken from key cinematic childhood experiences.

James Bond movies weren’t just great fun but fantastic showcases for the work of Ken Adams; He was responsible for designing the sets for Dr No (above), Gold Finger, Thunder Ball and many others.

Adams trained as an architect and started working in the film industry in 1947. He was hired as production designer on the first Bond film, Dr No; short on budget he drew on his interest in German Expressionism and the Modernist Movement to create simple, modern sets using light and shadow to create depth and structure.

I’ve always admired his clever, subtle interiors and secretly hankered after my own hidden base in an extinct volcano.

One of the best parts of my job is working with wonderful creative people whose ideas and solutions can transform a good scheme into a great one.

Recently we have been lucky enough to obtain another of Pinch’s beautiful pieces of furniture (The Frey Armoire) for a very stylish client.

Founded in 2004, Pinch is the collaboration between husband and wife team Russell Pinch and Oona Bannon.

Russell is a superb furniture designer and heads up a great English company able to produce lovely bespoke furniture, on time and on budget.

I’m lucky enough to have an office on the banks of the river Great Ouse. Away from designing, I take every opportunity to fuel my passion for canoeing. Getting out on the water gives me a real sense of freedom and I love learning ancient canoeing techniques.

I’ve always dreamed of building my own traditional, wood and canvas canoe and I’m now fortunate enough to tick off one of my lifelong ambitions; earlier this year I went over to the North East coast of the United States, to spend ten days under the expert tutelage of Rollin Thurlow, the proprietor of the Northwoods Canoe Company, building a 15ft Cedar ‘Indian Girl’. (The photo was taken as the planking is being nailed to the ribs).

Now that she’s back in England, I’m going through the lengthy process of applying coat after coat of varnish and marine paint. Once finished, I’ll post some more pictures.

As part of this Blog we’d like to take time to introduce you to some of the art, architecture and design that inspires us:

N C Wyeth (1882–1945) is one of my favourite illustrators and as I’m a keen canoeist I particularly love this picture from a series in a 1907 issue of Outing Magazine. I particularly admire Wyeth’s thirst for first hand inspiration and was fascinated to discover that he travelled widely, working alongside real cowboys in Colorado and visiting the Navajo in Arizona. This was, in part, my inspiration for a recent visit to Maine where I learnt how to make traditional canvas canoes with a local craftsman (more on this later).

Wyeth was a fantastic artist and if you have the time it’s well worth checking out his other illustrations.

We really enjoyed designing some bespoke furniture and artwork for the Anne Furbank boutique in Buckden.

A brief to modernise a reception desk and foyer is always an exciting challenge. It’s one of the most important areas of any shop and it sets a precedent for the entire business.

Our simple, and understated design needed to be both practical and welcoming; a ‘set’ for the clothes and accessories on display, the Walnut and painted timber give rich tones and clean lines.

It’s been wonderful to receive so many appreciative comments from the staff and customers. Thanks!

We loved the new Feather motif for the Tickell from the moment we saw it.

We always try to ensure seamless integration between the brand identity and the interior space.

By chance, one of our favourite wallpaper designers, Georgia Horton, had recently unveiled her feather ‘Quilt’ collection. We were thrilled to incorporate another of her fabulous designs into our scheme. Available in a series of subtle tones, it acted as the perfect backdrop to our individually sourced artworks.

We first met Georgia at Decorex and have gone on to use her stunning designs whenever a simple touch of class is required! Made in England, all of her designs are hand printed. They are £109.00 per roll. Contact us if you would like to place an order.

Jubilation! The Tickell Arms is open for business…and has some very proud designers.

At the end of last year Oliver Thain (Partner of the successful Cambscuisine restaurants…The Cambridge Chop Houses, The Cock – Hemingford, The Boathouse – Ely) asked Loci Interiors to design his newest and most exciting venture…The Tickell at Whittlesford.

Until 1990, The Tickell had a wonderfully eccentric and flamboyant history. The late and infamous proprietor, Squire Kim Joseph De La Taste Tickell, drew in many an intrepid patron. The combination of his incredible rudeness and the building’s overt theatricality became the stuff of legend. Depending on Tickell’s table manner or mesmerising dress sense, his guests would either leave longing to come back, or vow never to return!

We were thrilled to take on the challenge of bringing new life and charm back to a neglected gem.

We have strived to keep a balance between the mythical status of its past with the professional ethos of Cambscuisine. Keeping the rich architectural elements and at the same time creating a warm and inviting interior.

The Tickell beautifully portrays our signature sense of style and elegance. With quirk at every corner, the interiors are punctuated with humour and individuality. It is both welcoming and intriguing, qualities we try inject into each of our projects.

Thanks to Oliver, Max and Richard at Cambscuisine, for giving us the opportunity to get really stuck in with the interiors. We are so pleased you love them too!

Follow our blog over the next few weeks as we show you a more detailed look at our designs, features and works at the Tickell.

P.S. The food is delicious!

If diversity is the spice of life, then we are truly blessed!

We are lucky enough to work with some terrific clients who require bespoke designs. This month has been no exception, with the South Pole beckoning.

White Desert supply elite adventure holidays to experience the wilds of Antarctica.

We designed the initial basecamp for them in 2007 and are proud to say that it’s done its job incredibly well, especially considering this seasons freak weather conditions… not just one but two hurricanes!

However, White desert has been such a success, that the camp needs to grow and evolve, so we have been asked to assist them with the next generation of domes. Less Shackleton, more Sci Fi!

So through the joys of Skype and e-mail, the designs were agreed, fabricators were found and the okay was given to go ahead with the build. The domes were created in America, sent by cargo ship to South Africa and then flown onto Antarctica…. Interior design on a global scale!

These spacious contemporary Igloos are thermally insulated with all the comforts of home.

They should sit well within the epic landscape and act as a perfect retreat after a day adventuring!

To celebrate my Grandmother’s 90^th birthday, we thought we would take her for afternoon tea at The Wolseley, on Piccadilly.

Having been there before, we knew we’d be in for a treat…. A wonderful, atmospheric interior with towering pillars, beautifully cut stone flooring and arches. It’s the perfect place to while away an afternoon with tea and cake or champagne and cucumber sandwiches!

Once a prestigious car showroom for Wolseley Motors Ltd, the interior originally drew on Venetian and Florentine influences, as well as Eastern exotic touches, that were in vogue in 1921. It wasn’t until November 2003 that it re-opened as the café-restaurant it is today.

It’s fantastic to see an interior with such a rich heritage, being re-imagined and brought back to life, to be enjoyed by so many.

It’s the season for celebrations and boy, do we have something to celebrate.

Loci Interiors were selected to represent Cambridge for a feature in this months issue of Vogue!

Using a backdrop of the historical rivalry between our two fair cities, Vogue sought out the best the towns have to offer.

We were delighted to read ” Loci Interiors are an interior design consultancy with exquisite taste.”

It’s great to have this type of endorsement from such a renowned magazine.

Happy reading!

Hello there! Welcome to our news / blog. It’s an exciting time here at Loci, with plenty of irons in the fire!

In fact, we’ve been so busy working on other projects, that it’s taken us a while to really concentrate on our own brand. Now finally, with great help from Jean & Mario at JDJ Creative, as well as Olly & Neil at Fink Creative, we have launched our new website!

We hope you enjoy using it, as much as we’ve all enjoyed making it. It should now be able to evolve with the company, regularly updated with fresh ideas.

It’s reassuring that as we use the latest technology to look to the future, we are also having fun stamping our logo, using a technique from the past.

It is this symbiosis between the best of the old and new, which personifies Loci’s ideals.

Our traditional branding iron was forged especially for Loci in Sheffield. There’s something wonderful about the process of burning your logo onto a piece of timber. It’s not just the smell of carbonising wood, but also the excitement of personally creating another individual print: our symbol of simplicity, honesty and longevity.

Thanks for visiting! Hope to see you again here soon, for our latest news and views.