Nature Squared and Two’s Company 

Metal Bases for Tables at The Independent Hotel Show

What led to this piece of work?

Our work across a diverse range of sectors has allowed us to evolve as a flexible and adaptable organisation. Sheet metal and sheet metal fabrication has a surprising number of applications and over the years, we have been asked to create all manner of products from glass balustrades and staircases, display stands, external canopies, interior partition railings, cabinet doors and even a metal body suit for an exotic dancer!

The hospitality sector is equally diverse and pulls in suppliers from all backgrounds. Furniture is a core feature of many hospitality venues, and with a growing number of boutique hotels across the UK, the demand for luxurious design and superlative production values has never been higher.

Nature Squared and interior designers Two’s Company were already working in partnership on a project at the Independent Hotel Show, at London’s Olympia on 15 & 16 October 2019. Two’s Company were in charge of designing the VIP suite from top to toe, while Nature Squared were on board as a sponsor and had been commissioned by Two’s Company to create incredible, bespoke furniture from natural, recycled materials. This included a bar front and table tops which would be used throughout the VIP suite.

However, the table legs required some additional technical expertise, which is where we came in.

“Dave Grist could not have been more helpful in designing the metal bases for the Nature Squared luxury table tops. Alroys provided us with fast visual interpretations based on loose discussions around design and was able to put concept into solid form at speed. Nothing was too much trouble and to be able to see progress without delay was very important due to the tight deadline of the show. We relied on Alroys experience to ensure the construction was structurally sound and we adapted the design according to their advice, flexibility was essential, but design perfection was never compromised.”

Nick Sunderland – Director, Two’s Company

Bringing the concept to life

What’s more, this table had many ‘jobs’ to do. It was essential that it looked stunning and appealed to those visiting the VIP suite. But underneath the beauty, the table was essentially a functional object, as is any table. The VIP suite was expected to welcome a host of professionals from the industry, many of whom would be holding business meetings in the suite. Therefore, we knew the tables needed to be capable of supporting computer equipment, crockery and other items.

There are several ways to create stability for an item like this. We agreed that a rigid weight-bearing structure was needed at the core of the base and so we decided up on a box section frame. Wrapped around the frame were tortoiseshell panels formed from sheet metal and on top of these two parts would sit a tray into which we could insert the table tops designed by Nature Squared.

An eye for detail

Nature Squared were already on board as the creators of stunning, bespoke furniture including a bar front and table tops. Their mission is to create ‘unique, luxury surfaces celebrating nature’s beauty’. The table tops they produced were made using natural coloured and dyed guinea fowl and pheasant feathers while the bar front was inlaid with discarded mother of pearl shells.

While the table tops were in production, we were asked to create table bases. To complement the tops, we knew they had to be visually stunning as well as functional.