Calling All Designers: Grand Designs Live Launches ‘Under the Stairs’ Competition at The NEC @granddesigns

Calling All Designers: Grand Designs Live Launches ‘Under the Stairs’ Competition at The NEC @granddesigns

After its success at the London show in May, Grand Designs Live’s Under The Stairs feature will be reimagined at Birmingham’s NEC this October. A new series of 8 installations, each imagined by a different interior designer, will be on display only at Grand Designs Live, from 9th – 13th October 2019.

The competition will focus on the increase in the use of unconventional spaces and Grand Designs Live are inviting pioneering interior stylists bring their ideas to life at the show.

Aiming to attract a diverse range of creative and clever ideas to transform Under the Stairs spaces; designers will dress the rooms with products which are easily accessible to exhibition visitors and are either in stock or online from current retailers, manufacturers and designers. Every room can have many purposes and uses, unique to each designer and their needs, ranging from a workspace, to a downstairs toilet or a playroom for the kids. This imaginative and exciting feature will aim to inspire visitors and encourage them to take home new ideas, information, supplier contacts and spark creativity in them all, for their very own ‘Grand Design’.

From the 8 finalists chosen from the entries submitted, the winner of the competition will be announced on the Grand Theatre at the show on the 9th October 2019 with judges including Kevin McCloud, Jenny Gibbs of the KLC and a representative from the British Institute of Interior Design (BIDD).

Entries for the Under The Stair Competition are now open, closing on the 22nd July. For the chance to bring your ideas to life at Grand Designs Live NEC then please create a digital mood board that portrays your design and send to [email protected]

Details on provisions and restrictions for the competition can be found below.

Media 10 will be responsible for the following in terms of build of the Under the Stairs Project:

Each room will be approximately 2200mm x 850mm. You will be supplied with plain exhibition carpet which should be covered in your design. Any flooring used needs to be easily removed and any laminate flooring used must be loose lay or remain unglued.

Each room will be supplied with:

1 x 500w double power socket.

1 x 500w power supply for you to connect a light fitting.

Additional sockets and power supplies are available for each set but the cost for these items will need to be covered by the designer if requested.

Any extra fittings that are added on site such as skirting board/shelving/brackets etc.. will need to be removed by the designer.

Designers Commitment:

You will need to undertake the complete ownership of your Under the Stairs space, designing and implementing the pre-agreed brief from Media 10.

Pre-Show Marketing:

You will be expected to provide Media 10 with product information for inclusion on the Grand Designs Live website and onsite signage boards. It is key for show visitors to be able to quickly and easily identify where all product is available from.

Onsite Delivery:

You will be responsible for the delivery of the content of the set in it’s entirety. This will include:

  • Sourcing, contacting and liaising with furniture suppliers to deliver their Under the Stairs space.
  • Managing the deliveries of the furniture.
  • The onsite management and dressing of their Under the Stairs space (a tight time scale of 2 days applies)
  • Sourcing of wallpaper / paint and paying of tradesmen to apply.
  • All sourcing and fitting of flooring, curtains, fabrics, accessories, lighting and anything else needed to achieve the desired set.
  • The onsite removal and collection of the furniture and fittings post show. (a tight time scale of 4 hours applies)
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