Commercial Interiors UK made a confident arrival at Clerkenwell Design Week 2026 with the launch of Design In Focus, a new three-day programme of talks, discussion and connection created in partnership with our media outlet Design Insider.
Taking place at Commercial Design in the Park, in the Garden of St James, St James’ Walk, Design In Focus brought together influential voices from across the commercial interiors sector for a curated programme that reflected the depth, expertise and energy of Commercial Interiors UK’s accredited member community.
Across three days, from Tuesday 19 May to Thursday 21 May, the programme offered designers, operators, specifiers, accredited suppliers and industry leaders a welcoming destination within Clerkenwell Design Week. Through panel discussions, presentations, workshops and open conversation, Design In Focus created a space for the industry to gather, share ideas and explore some of the most pressing themes shaping commercial interiors today.
For Commercial Interiors UK, the programme marked a significant moment at Clerkenwell Design Week. It placed the association at the heart of one of the industry’s most important design events, while also creating a platform for accredited members to demonstrate their knowledge, creativity and relevance across hospitality, workplace, product design, specification, material innovation and business development.
The result was a lively and successful three-day programme that combined insight with hospitality, professional discussion with meaningful connection, and sector expertise with an open invitation to participate.
A New Platform for Industry Voices
Design In Focus opened with the announcement of the Design Insider Ambassadors 2026, hosted by Design Insider. The session introduced a new group of industry voices who will help shape the conversation around commercial interiors in the year ahead.
Led by Alys Bryan, Editor of Design Insider, the announcement set the tone for the wider programme. It positioned Design In Focus as a place where ideas, perspectives and people could come together, while reinforcing Design Insider’s role as a platform for celebrating and amplifying talent across the sector.
This opening session also reflected one of the core ambitions of the programme: to create space for dialogue that feels useful, current and connected to the real challenges and opportunities facing the commercial interiors community.
Performance, Brand and Trust in Specification
The first panel discussion of the programme, hosted by Edmund Bell, explored the balance between technical performance and brand identity in commercial interiors. Titled “More than just a pretty space: balancing performance and brand in commercial interiors”, the session considered how textiles and material choices can support sustainability, compliance, durability and design ambition.
Chaired by Stephen Dobson, Head of UK Sales at Edmund Bell, the panel brought together Christian Wicks, Project Director at Contra Soft Furnishing Solutions, Ashley Mooney, Managing Director at Blue Moon Procurement, and Abi Perry-Jones, Creative Director at Jones architecture + Design.
The discussion looked closely at the realities of specification and delivery, considering how trust is built between designers, suppliers, procurement teams and project stakeholders. When asked what creates trust between different parties, Christian Wicks returned to the importance of communication, noting that 'successful collaboration depends on everyone being aligned and working from the same understanding.'
Ashley Mooney agreed, adding that 'communication must also be transparent. In complex projects, where performance requirements, budgets, timelines and brand expectations all intersect, transparency becomes essential to keeping decisions grounded and relationships productive.'
Stephen Dobson reinforced this point, observing that sometimes 'the most valuable answer is the difficult one.' The answer that a client or stakeholder may not want to hear can still be the one that needs to be said. It was a clear reminder that trust in commercial interiors is built through honesty as well as expertise.
The session offered a practical and commercially relevant discussion about the pressures involved in delivering beautiful spaces that also perform. It also demonstrated the role accredited suppliers play in helping designers and clients navigate specification with confidence.
Hospitality and Workplace Worlds Collide
Later that afternoon, Contract Chair Company hosted “Worlds Collide: How are we blurring the lines of hospitality and workspace?” The panel explored the increasing crossover between hospitality and workplace design, looking at how the comfort, character and service culture of hotels, cafés and lounges are influencing the future of the office.
Chaired by writer, editor and event moderator Clare Dowdy, the session featured Sara Rosselini, Founder and Creative Director of Shepherd&, Toby Neilson, Principal Director at BDG Architecture + Design, Maria Framis, Design Director at Gensler, and Afs Mehrai, Managing Director at Mehrai Design.
The conversation considered how workplace design is moving away from corporate sterility and towards environments that feel warmer, more human and more emotionally intelligent. As expectations of the office continue to evolve, the panel explored how designers can draw from hospitality to create workplaces that people actively want to spend time in.
The session proved to be one of the busiest moments of the programme, with the tent filled to capacity and attendees spilling out beyond the space as the conversation unfolded. It concluded with drinks and nibbles, creating a relaxed opportunity for guests to continue the discussion, make new connections and reflect on the themes raised by the panel.
This discussion captured a key theme running through the wider programme: that commercial interiors are increasingly judged not only by how they look, but by how they support experience, behaviour, wellbeing and belonging.
By bringing together perspectives from across workplace and hospitality, the session highlighted how sector boundaries are becoming increasingly porous. For designers and accredited suppliers, that shift creates new opportunities to rethink furniture, finishes, layouts and service-led environments.
Cohesion Across Fixtures and Fittings
On Wednesday morning, GROHE SPA and Buster + Punch hosted “Aligned design styles across fixtures and fittings”, a session exploring how collaboration between product brands can support more cohesive luxury bathroom design.
Chaired by Joanna Knight, Managing Director of JK.Interiors, the session also featured Paul Flowers, LIXIL’s Chief Design and Brand Identity Officer and Executive Vice President, and Massimo Buster Minale, Founder of Buster + Punch.
The session focused on the collaboration between GROHE SPA and Buster + Punch, and how a shared design vision can simplify the specification process for architects and designers. In a space such as the bathroom, where details are close to the body and experienced at an intimate scale, alignment across fittings, finishes and materials becomes especially important.
Joanna Knight described the collaboration as “music to my ears”, explaining that it can be difficult to find cohesive fittings across a scheme. For designers, the ability to bring together products that have been considered in relation to one another can support a more refined and resolved interior.
Massimo Buster Minale reflected on the growing push towards cohesive design, noting that 'the way people view functional fittings has shifted over time. In bathrooms, where the space is personal and often compact, metal finishes become highly visible and highly significant.' Cohesion in these elements can have a considerable impact on the overall experience of the room.
The discussion offered a valuable perspective on product collaboration and highlighted how trusted suppliers can support designers by reducing complexity, while enhancing design consistency and material expression.
Craft, Surface and Material Experience
The Wednesday lunchtime session brought a more hands-on dimension to the programme, with Lincrusta Wallcoverings hosting “Bespoke Textural Surface Decoration”.
Led by Alison Griffin, Commercial Director at Lincrusta, and Euan Stewart, A&D Sales Professional and Printmaker at Lincrusta, the workshop offered an immersive introduction to a uniquely British natural material made using heritage techniques.
The session invited attendees to explore the decorative and tactile possibilities of Lincrusta, with a focus on bespoke textural surfaces for contemporary interiors. As a workshop format, it added variety to the Design In Focus programme and gave attendees the chance to engage with materiality in a more direct and practical way.
This session also underlined the importance of craft and surface within commercial interiors. In a design landscape increasingly focused on sensory experience, texture and tactility have a vital role to play in shaping atmosphere, memory and emotional response.
Beyond Beige and the New Era of Hotel Design
One of the programme highlights was “Beyond Beige: The New Era of Hotel Design”, hosted by Harlequin. Taking place on Wednesday afternoon, the panel explored the shift away from monochrome and uniform hotel interiors towards layered, expressive and emotionally engaging environments.
Chaired by Alys Bryan, Editor of Design Insider, the session featured Wiktoria Kopycka, Associate Design Director at OBMI, Claire Vallis, Design Director at Sanderson Design Group, and Scott Maddux, Founder and Co-founder of Scott Maddux Studio and Maddux Creative.
The discussion considered how hotel design is evolving, particularly with the rise of branded residences and more residentially influenced hospitality spaces. Colour, pattern, texture and atmosphere were all explored as tools for creating interiors that feel personal, memorable and connected to guest experience.
Claire Vallis captured the spirit of the session with the question: “Who ever remembered a beige room?” It was a concise reminder that hospitality spaces need to leave an impression, and that design has the power to create emotional recall.
When asked how guest expectations are changing, Wiktoria Kopycka spoke about a significant shift in what people now seek from hospitality environments. She noted that 'guests are constantly overstimulated by phones, social media and the pace of everyday life, and are increasingly looking for calm places in which to recover.'
Her comments moved the discussion beyond colour and pattern alone, towards a deeper understanding of wellbeing. She highlighted 'the importance of air quality, temperature, sleep quality and sensory comfort, suggesting that hotel design is now increasingly concerned with the nervous system and emotional recovery.'
The session made clear that successful hospitality design is no longer only about creating visually beautiful or colourful spaces. Guests remember how a space feels. That emotional and sensory dimension is becoming central to how hotels are designed, specified and experienced.
Supporting Business Growth Through Membership
The final day of Design In Focus included “Commercial Interiors UK Membership: How Your Business Can Benefit”, hosted by Commercial Interiors UK with guest speaker Emilio Mudrak of Mudrak and Sons. This session offered an opportunity to introduce businesses to the value of joining the UK’s only trade association dedicated to the commercial interiors sector.
As part of the wider Clerkenwell Design Week programme, the session positioned Commercial Interiors UK as a central support network for accredited members and trusted suppliers operating across hospitality, workplace, healthcare, education, marine and other commercial environments.
The membership session provided a chance to discuss the practical benefits of joining the association, from access to an accredited community and exclusive marketing channels to events, export opportunities, training, industry insight, government influence and business support.
Within the context of Design In Focus, this session helped connect the energy of the talks programme with the wider purpose of Commercial Interiors UK: to lead, inspire and support the growth and global success of the UK’s commercial interiors community.
A Successful New Addition to Clerkenwell Design Week
Across its three days, Design In Focus successfully created an open, informed and welcoming space for conversation at Clerkenwell Design Week. The programme brought together accredited members, designers, specifiers, manufacturers, operators and thought leaders, while giving Commercial Interiors UK a visible and purposeful presence within one of the sector’s most important annual events.
Commercial Interiors UK and Design Insider’s arrival at Clerkenwell Design Week with Design In Focus demonstrated the power of bringing accredited suppliers and industry voices together around shared themes, live discussion and meaningful exchange.
Commercial Interiors UK would also like to thank Contract Chair Company for kindly providing the chairs and furnishings for Design In Focus, helping to create a welcoming and comfortable environment throughout the programme.
As a new addition to Clerkenwell Design Week, Design In Focus made a strong impression. It offered clarity, insight and connection at a moment when the commercial interiors sector is navigating change across every level of design, specification and experience.