There has never been a better time to design for interiors. A review of statistics from Haskel and Pesole notes that businesses in the United Kingdom are investing up to £35 billion a year on design and that design-intensive industries are employing up to 350,000 people with many more workers in design-related roles1.
Designers are talking about ‘new luxury’; creating spaces that elicit special feelings, experiences and memories for clients. This differs from ‘old luxury’ which was more about the products themselves, and the expensive brands. ‘New luxury’ demands that electrical accessories contribute to a room’s overall aesthetic impact.
Ranges like MK Electric’s new Elements Collection of wiring accessories equip designers with a palette of colours and textures. Dimmers and sockets can now take on the appearance of stone, wood, hide or ceramics to complement or contrast with their surroundings. It’s this sort of attention to detail that high-end designers are looking for to create a space that they can truly claim is unique.
Hand-in-hand with the designer’s quest to create something individual is the user’s expectation of the latest in technology, a demand experienced in both the luxury hotel and residential sectors. Specifiers are looking for functionality which is high-tech but also instinctive, such as MK’s new touch technology for on-off switching and dimming functions.
These are exciting times for interior design globally. Electrical accessories are a small part, but an important one: that first touch of a switch can set the tone for the whole room experience.
