Hotel Designs Brit List HDBritList_eventGuide | Page 14

IN CONVERSATION
WITH: GILLY CRAFT,
PRESIDENT, BIID
With the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID) being
the industry partner of The Brit List 2018, Hotel Designs
Editor, Hamish Kilburn, catches up with the President of the
BIID and interior designer, Gilly Craft to discuss Britain’s position
in hotel interior design…
In between unveiling new projects, voicing opinions on major panel discussions and balancing
her interior design studio, Koubou Interiors, the president of the BIID, Gilly Craft, has been a
judge for The Brit List 2018. I met up with Craft to discuss Britain’s position in international
hotel design.
Hamish Kilburn: Will Britain always be a
design hub and why?
Gilly Craft: Absolutely. The history that Britain
has in its architecture and design will always
play a part in keeping Britain the centre of
design. We also have a wealth of very famous
designers - past and present - who have
helped to shape where we are now in British
interior design. What I think is really telling
is the fact that you can see those influences
everywhere.
HK:What impressed you about this year’s
interior designer nominees and entries?
GC: The level of interior design in Britain
keeps surprising me year-on-year. The
nominees for The Brit List 2018 showed vast
amounts of innovation and there were some
very different styles throughout, which was
refreshing.
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HK:Why is it important to support British
interior designers?
GC: If we don’t support the designers of
the future in this country, then good design
will die out – it’s as simple as that. We lead
the world in a lot of ways and we need to
nurture the talent that we naturally have.
HK:What did you look for when judging
this year’s awards?
GC: A design or designer who had
really done something very different and
challenged the perceived rules. I know we
use the ‘wow factor’ phrase a lot, but I think
in this case, this is what I was looking for.