Categories
News

Hat-Trick Of Wins For The Terrace At ASA Design Awards 2023

The Terrace Bar and Café took home three awards from the Aberdeen Society of Architects Awards in recognition of the venue’s recent redevelopment.  

The awards were judged by twelve leading figures from across the architecture and design professions and were announced at a ceremony held in Aberdeen’s Union Kirk. As well as winning the coveted Project of the Year Award, The Terrace was awarded the Design Award for the Commercial/Public category and the Design Award for the Interior Design category. 

In addition to ourselves, the team behind The Terrace’s redevelopment was made up of 3 Design, David Chouman Architect and Carden Project Management who partnered to deliver a stunning space which overlooks Union Terrace Gardens. 

Speaking with Aberdeen Live, Jane Spiers, Aberdeen Performing Arts Chief Executive, thanked those involved following their award success. 

She said: “It’s been such a privilege for Aberdeen Performing Arts to deliver this project for the city, emerging from the pandemic and striving to deliver the best possible customer experience for returning audiences. 

“Winning the ASA Design Awards is a fantastic way to say thank you to everyone involved.” 

The Terrace Bar and Café opened in December 2022 and provides the ideal setting for pre-show dining, light lunches before matinees or celebratory dinners before evening performances.  

For more information, visit: https://www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/the-terrace/ 

Our team has created plant and floral designs for bars, hotels, and restaurants across Scotland. From a soothing green wall for your hotel spa to beautiful pub hanging baskets, we do it all. And we are proud to have worked with interior designers to bring to life plant and floral designs for some of the Scotland’s most iconic and popular hospitality venues. 

To learn more about how Benholm can use real or artificial flower displays to enhance your venue get in touch today for a free quotation. 

 

Categories
News

Outdoor Dining In Scotland Boosted By Removal Of Red Tape

outdoor-dining-kong-garden-glasgow

Hospitality  businesses in Scotland will be given the green light to set up outdoor dining areas outside their premises without planning permission from the end of March. 

The proposed changes were backed in a consultation carried out by the Scottish Government and will apply from March 31 ahead of the busy Easter period.  

Speaking with the Scotsman, David Lonsdale, director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, welcomed the news saying: “These new flexibilities on outdoor seating are encouraging and should allow eateries to get on and do what they do best – serving customers. Hopefully, they will give people a little more reason to spend time and money on our high streets. This is especially important at a time when footfall remains below pre-pandemic levels and one in six stores still lies vacant.” 

For further details regarding the changes visit: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2023/35/article/7/made 

group-celebration-image

With warmer weather and longer nights just around the corner; it’s a great time to start thinking about how to make the most of your outdoor hospitality space. 

A One-Stop Shop

outdoor-dining-the-social-glasgow

Designing your outdoor space can be a daunting task. That’s why we offer an all-in-one exterior dining design service to make it easy. Rather than dealing with several suppliers we’ll help you plan everything from the furniture to the plants and parasols. 

Our unique ability to offer truly all-in-one outdoor dining area design, including greenery, makes Benholm unmatched for service and value in the Scottish and UK market. 

Why Choose Benholm

outdoor-dining-at-johnnie-walker-princes-street-edinburgh
Visitor experience created, developed and produced by BRC Imagination Arts, brcweb.com

We’ve got many years of experience in providing a wide range of outdoor dining solutions for the hospitality sector. Our team is on hand to advise and provide you with attractive proposals that suit your premises both visually and financially.  

Our customers use our services each year because they know their plants and outdoor areas will be maintained to a very high standard without any effort, hassle or distraction. 

Don't Delay

wunderbar-glasgow-exterior-seating-area

If you want to get your new outdoor dining space operational for this summer, you really need to start at least 8 weeks in advance. This usually allows enough lead time for some of the key items such as parasols and awnings, although it could be longer for specific branded items.    

Find out more about the ultimate outdoor dining experience

mass-exterior-dining-at-pub

Download our Outdoor Dining Guide for Scottish Businesses in 2023 for more advice on how to create the ultimate outdoor dining experience and see examples of the venues we have worked with. 

Categories
News

Nifty at Fifty: ScotHot Makes Triumphant Return for Milestone Event

ScotHot, Scotland’s leading showcase for food, drink, hospitality, retail, and tourism, took place at Glasgow’s SEC on the 8th and 9th March marking the event’s milestone 50th anniversary.

The bi-annual event returned following a four-year hiatus due to the pandemic and featured the latest and greatest products and services for hoteliers, restaurateurs, and other hospitality industry professionals. From furniture and fixtures to food and beverage companies, there was something new and exciting around every corner. There were also plenty of opportunities to mingle with industry professionals and learn more about the latest trends.

The event was particularly useful for those looking to get their hands on some of the latest innovations in hospitality. Fresh from their appearance on ITV were GW Group, who brought along a fleet of futuristic robots which moved around the venue serving food and drinks to visitors.

Hospitality is an industry that is constantly evolving. Every year, new trends and technologies emerge that have the potential to change the way we design and operate our hotels, restaurants, and resorts.

One of the most exciting areas of innovation in recent years has been in biophilic design which is the integration of plants and other natural elements into the built environment. This trend is gaining traction in the hospitality industry as more and more research is being conducted on the effect of biophilic design in terms of human health and well-being.

We had our own stand in the exhibition hall where we were able to showcase the advantages of biophilic design, as well as kitting out the Spotlight Stage and VIP area with our award-winning plant displays.

We had some familiar faces neighbouring our stand in Caffia whose friendly team were showcasing their coffee expertise, new products and equipment. Caffia work closely with office fit-out companies, interior designers, and architects to find the perfect coffee machine for their clients, ensuring the correct space is allocated at the design stage, and that the machine is suitable for their business type and functionality. Like plants, great coffee encourages excellent performance and high staff satisfaction, so we were all too happy to pop round for a brew whenever we had the chance. 

Attendees at the event were thrilled to receive a free peace lily from our stand and we were overwhelmed with how popular these turned out to be. Plants are a key component of biophilic design and are especially important in hospitality where first impressions are everything. This giveaway provided the perfect opportunity to open up a conversation with our visitors about the benefits of plants in hospitality and the possibilities of what we could do for their premises.

If you attended this year’s ScotHot, you may have noticed our Nordik Moss display located just behind the Spotlight Stage.

This was used as the centrepiece of the selfie-spot we created to give visitors the perfect place to snap a photo and share their experience at ScotHot 2023. The spot was a huge success on social media and was a great way to demonstrate the versatility of Nordik Moss.

The wall was the result of an internal all-staff design competition which was won by our very own Kyleigh Fielder. Her design was conceptualized from her love of the rugged Scottish outdoors and features her colourful interpretation of Loch Goil.

Benholm Director, Adrian Byne, attended both days of the event and relished the opportunity to speak with industry professionals about the challenges they face:

“A lot has changed since ScotHot was last held in 2019. While we received lots of compliments about the beauty of the plants we had on display, there was a real appetite from visitors to learn more about the science behind what we do and how adding these natural elements can benefit their customers and staff.

We look forward to following up with the connections we made over the coming weeks and hopefully delivering planting schemes that will help their businesses to thrive.”

ScotHot 2023 was a big success, and it was great to learn more about the industry’s most pressing issues. We would like to thank the event’s organisers and partners, as well as everyone that took the time to come and have a chat.  We’re already looking forward to coming back in 2025 and doing it all over again.

At Benholm, we care about your customers’ experience as much as you do. Our florists and installers can create plant and floral designs for hospitality that will wow every guest who walks through your doors and help keep your staff smiling all day long.

To learn more about how Benholm can use real or artificial flower displays to enhance your venue, get in touch today.

Additional Resources

Download our free Hospitality plant displays brochure

Read our recent blog: What will the hospitality industry look like in 2023? – Six Key Trends for 2023

Categories
News

Meldrum House win Best Wedding Venue at Top Tier Awards

meldrum-house-win-best-wedding-venue-at-top-tier-awards-image-1

We would like to extend our congratulations to the amazing team at Meldrum House on their recent success in winning the Best Wedding Venue award at the Top Tier Wedding Awards.

The gala dinner where the winners were announced was held at the Union Kirk in Aberdeen on Sunday 26th February, 2023. In a refreshing change from the traditional format of award shows where a panel of judges will normally pick the winners; the Top Tier Wedding Awards are voted for by brides and grooms who choose the top three suppliers they used on their big day. This type of voting system will surely make the win all the more satisfying and speaks volumes about the quality of the venue and the dedication of the staff.

Tucked away in the picturesque Aberdeenshire countryside, the 13th century manor house sits in 240 acres and is a stunning retreat.  Combining centuries of history with the latest in luxury, Meldrum House Country Hotel is a place to relax and enjoy.

We are proud to have been a part of making Meldrum House the premier wedding destination in Scotland. Back in 2021, our talented team created a maple tree from scratch using locally sourced materials to be used as a centrepiece inside the Titan Sky Bar.

meldrum-house-win-best-wedding-venue-at-top-tier-awards-image-2

We thrive on the creativity required to bring events to life. Are you planning an important event that would benefit from lush greenery? We’re delighted to have designed and installed unforgettable plant and floral displays for some of the biggest brands in the world. From major sporting events, annual occasions and conferences to graduation ceremonies and trade shows, we’ve helped customers amp up their events when they really needed it.

Contact our team to discuss the endless possibilities our bespoke branded plant and floral designs could bring to your next brand event and get a free tailored quote.

Categories
News

Moss Ceilings: A New Way to Bring Nature Indoors

For over 30 years we have championed the benefits of using moss in interior environments and our award-winning designs can be found in several businesses across the UK.

As the popularity of this tactile material continues to grow, we wanted to take the trend one step further and are delighted to announce that we now offer moss ceiling installation.

What is a moss ceiling panel?

What are the benefits of moss ceiling panels?

What colours are available?

How long will a moss ceiling last?

What sizes are available?

How much does a moss ceiling cost?

How long will it take to install?

What is a moss ceiling panel?

Moss ceiling panels are an innovative new product that can change the aesthetic of your interior. Moss ceiling panels are made of real moss that is preserved and set into a panel. The panels are then installed on the ceiling, creating a unique and refreshing look.

What are the benefits of moss ceiling panels?

Moss ceiling panels have several benefits, including:

 

Minimal maintenance requirements

The moss is treated to preserve it using a natural mineral process. This means it does not grow or need any looking after.

Fire retardant

Our moss ceilings are fire retardant, making them a safe and stylish addition to any space. (Certificate A2-S1,d0 – classed as a non-combustible material in Scotland)

Sound absorption qualities

Reindeer moss has been proven to reduce noise levels by up to 10dB with an absorption rating of 0.96. This moss is dense and tightly packed making it ideal for improving acoustics in any interior environment.

Made from sustainable materials

The moss used in our ceiling tiles is a sustainable resource that is harvested by hand from the forest floor and is 100% biodegradable.

What colours are available?

Moss ceiling panels come in four beautiful colourways:

 

Forest Green

Lime Green

Medium Green

Mixed Moss: Forest, Medium and Lime Green

How long will a moss ceiling last?

Provided it is not subject to physical damage or a drastic change in conditions, a moss ceiling should last indefinitely and many of our original moss installations continue to delight our clients to the present day.

In the unlikely event that your moss ceiling ever needs a little refurbishment, or if it does get damaged, we can provide a speedy one-off repair service.

What sizes are available?

Currently, only 58.5×58.5cm sizes are available.

Not suitable for your ceiling? We have a wide variety of alternative ways we can seamlessly incorporate moss in your space. 

The design possibilities with Nordik Moss are endless. You can frame it like a picture, transform a whole wall, or even incorporate it into furniture. We can create patterns, words, or logos, on flat, contoured or 3D surfaces, and you can choose from a beautiful spectrum of colours. Whatever your vision, our team can put it on the wall for all to see.

Our teams carefully craft your bespoke moss installations by hand, tuft by tuft, to bring your vision to life. With its flexibility and longevity, Nordik Moss can be used in just about any interior space. It is light weight and easy to install, with no complex wall structures required.

For more information, download our free Nordik Moss Brochure.

How much does a moss ceiling cost?

The cost of installing a moss ceiling in your building will depend on your location and size of your space. Please get in touch for a free quotation from a member of our friendly team.

How long will it take to install?

Most installations are carried out within 4 or 5 weeks from order and the installation itself should only take an hour or two.

From your very first contact with our design consultants, until installation of your moss ceiling and beyond, our friendly team will maintain a consistent line of contact with you so that you know what to expect throughout.  

We provide a complete service package including planning, creation, installation and maintenance. We pride ourselves in working tidily and with minimal disruption to business.

Don’t just take our word for it, click here to read an interview with Design Director, Tracey Forbes who shared her experiences of working with Benholm.

Get in touch

Looking to arrange an installation or have a question that’s not covered in this blog? Our team is at your service. Whether you’re looking for installation advice or just have a general question, we can answer it.

Additional resources

If you are looking for a way to change the look and feel of your space, then a moss ceiling may be the perfect solution. Check out our previous blogs for more information about the benefits of moss:

 

Categories
News

Ica Studio win Architectural Excellence Award for Virgin Hotel renovation

The winners of the 2023 Scottish Property Awards were announced on the 23rd of February in front of 650 guests at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

Recognising the finest accomplishments in Scotland’s built environment; the independant competition is assessed by a team of specialists from several sectors who combine industry expertise and market knowledge.

Among the winners were our friends at Ica Studio, who took home the Architectural Excellence Award (Commercial Use) for their work on the Virgin Hotel in Edinburgh.

The award-winning project was a complete renovation of three listed buildings situated in Edinburgh’s Old Town, brought together to create Virgin’s first European hotel. The hotel features 222 Chambers and Grand Chamber Suites and multiple dining and drinking outlets, all with their own unique space and distinct design.

“Virgin Hotels Edinburgh is our first hotel outside the US so it had to be special. We’re thrilled with the design Ica delivered. Edinburgh’s character and Virgin’s signature brand are strikingly reflected in both the interiors and exteriors”. Teddy Mayer, Vice President Creative Director, Virgin Hotels.

We were delighted to be approached by Ica Studio to add our professional planting expertise and creativity to this exciting heritage project. You can read more about our contribution here.

 

Our team has created plant and floral designs for bars, hotels, and restaurants across Scotland. From a soothing green wall for your hotel spa to beautiful pub hanging baskets, we do it all. And we are proud to have worked with interior designers to bring to life plant and floral designs for some of the Scotland’s most iconic and popular hospitality venues.

Contact our design team to discuss the endless possibilities our plant and florals could bring to your next interior design project and get a free tailored quote: https://www.benholm.com/contact-us/