After a tough deliberation process, this year’s panel of esteemed judges have just announced the winners of the much coveted New Design Britain Awards at Interiors UK.

"I’m looking for a design that will appeal to my readers as well as being something I feel could be easily produced. When originality and beauty are added in to the equation, we discover our winner!”

Surfaces and Fabrics judge, Barbara Chandler

Working from a shortlist of sixteen the judges work to a criteria of finding an original design that has huge commercial potential, and this year the standard was the highest ever. The winners are as follows:

Furniture: Daniel Schofield - Shifty (pictured)

Accessories: Christiana Lonescu - The Three Bears

Surfaces; Helen Dugdale - Paper Knotwood

Fabric: Sian O'Doherty - Perceived Perceptions

People's Choice award: Alice Howard-Graham

Judging this year’s Furniture and Accessories categories were: Rob Scarlett from Scarlett Design, Anthony Rayworth from National Design Academy, Martin Rapko from Willis & Gambier Furniture and Mark Hutchinson from Hutchinson Furniture.

Judges for the Surfaces and Fabrics categories included: Dids Macdonald CEO of ACID, Diane Goode from Fromental and esteemed design journalist, author and photographer Barbara Chandler.

This year at the New Design Britain awards, Interiors UK once again championed the People’s Choice Award, with votes being cast on the show’s Facebook page. Over 1500 votes were cast and the winner of a £250 cash prize from established furniture brand and Interiors UK exhibitor, Ercol, has been awarded to Alice Howard-Graham in the fabrics category for linear and geometric construction.

Interiors UK is renowned as the place to discover the industry’s next big names. The New Design Britain award is one of the most important competitions in the UK for young design talent, acting as a launch pad for their design careers. Surfaces and Fabrics judge Barbara Chandler comments:

“When I’m judging for the New Design Britain award, I’m looking for a design that will appeal to my readers as well as being something I feel could be easily produced. When originality and beauty are added in to the equation, we discover our winner!”

Past winners of the New Design Britain Awards include current judge and founder of Scarlett Design, Rob Scarlett for his Ampilio table in 2003 and James Harrison who has gone on to work at the likes of Conran, Habitat and Sofa & Chair Company.

Other winners include Alex Macmaster for his Iris Pendant Light, James Uren for his Chaise Longue, Rachel Hagger for her wallpaper collection, Sophie Adamson for her knitted textiles and Roland Beaven for lighting and accessories.