Welcome to our Q&A with design studio Copper & Ash Design. We spoke with Matthew and Kayleigh to find out more about their unique approach to design and specifying furniture, what current trends they are seeing and our recent project collaboration for Mode transport.
Let’s dive into the questions.
1. Can you tell us how your design process works and where you find inspiration?
We begin our process with an in-depth briefing meeting with our client to get a full understanding of their requirements. It’s key that we distinguish what is and isn’t working for them in their current set-up, what their non-negotiables are and an idea of their budget. In terms of where we find our inspiration, this is a constant. We keep up to date with what’s happening in all walks of design and are continually inspired by what we see in person as well as in digital form.
2. What are the first steps you take when specifying furniture and what resources do you use?
Initially directed by our client, we look to understand what’s important to them. Whether that be style, comfort, function, ease of cleaning or budget. Inevitably it’s a combination of them all but their level of importance is client dependent. We then advise our client and source the furniture based on those credentials. We lean on our suppliers for their expertise and knowledge to help with this process.
3. What trends are you seeing in office design right now?
There is certainly an increase in home from home type furniture following the pandemic. Clients are eager to provide a comfortable working environment for their staff, so areas such as breakout spaces and casual meeting areas are present in nearly all workplace designs now.
4. Are you seeing a shift in office design to encourage employees to return to the office?
Most definitely. Employees have been used to working from home and so have gotten used to a certain level of comfort. Companies know that offering a table and chairs in a staff canteen no longer keeps staff happy. We’ve noticed an uplift in enquiries for comfortable seating, and interestingly in relatively industrial office environments. Prior to the pandemic, it’s unlikely they’d have considered home comfort as a key factor in their office design.
5. What materials are you seeing more of and how are you including sustainability in material choices?
Sustainability is at the forefront of design and we believe it is only at the beginning of its journey and innovation. It’s something we’re keen to push and include in all of our designs. In the past there has been a compromise of offering budget friendly sustainable options that deliver all the requirements however the gap is slowly closing, which is great.
6. What tips do you have for creating a comfortable and relaxing environment where employees can take lunch breaks etc?
If space allows, offering a variety of seating is the best way forward. People naturally have different wants and needs when it comes to relaxing so offering space for individuals to sit comfortably as well as areas for larger communal gatherings is great for inclusivity.
7. What would your ideal office look like?
Somewhere that reflects us as a company. Well designed, classic with a contemporary twist and comfortable.
8. We collaborated on a project recently for Mode Transport. We’d love to hear more about the project requirements and brief for this project.
Mode was a fantastic project and one we loved working on. Their brief was for us to design a flexible office environment with ample storage, separate meeting rooms, a breakout area and a kitchen space that provided a social space for team members. Their plan was to bring elements of furniture from their previous office so we worked with them to source items that worked with the new design and sat alongside their current furniture.
See below some projects completed by Copper and Ash Design.
Thanks to Copper & Ash Design for taking the time to share their expertise and knowledge with us. We look forward to collaborating again on projects in the future.
