DE S IGN CENTRE
THE LIFE
Join Anna Burles of Run For The Hills for a sourcing trip to the Design Centre. Here she shares her
favourite showrooms, new design discoveries and the creative details that give her interiors personality, flair and soul – from tactile trims to statement tiles
A
nna Burles came late to interior design. Before that, she worked in publishing, at the BBC and spent a few years as a celebrity reporter, chatting to pop singers and film stars on the red carpet. Thirteen years ago, she set up the award-winning Run For The Hills with
her graphic-designer husband Chris Trotman. With a 15-strong team based in Queen’s Park, the firm is the go-to for hospitality brands, property developers and stylish homeowners, creating highly original, immersive spaces, from restaurants, bars, cinemas, members’ clubs and hotels (Kindred, Kricket, Tivoli Cinema and the Audrey Green café at the National Portrait Gallery, to name but a few). Their unique strength lies in the integration of branding and interior design.
Rather than following separate agendas, these disciplines work in harmony, allowing the team to dial the branding up or down to perfectly suit the physical space. Leading the interior design division, Burles describes their work as a “hybrid” that blurs the lines between commercial and residential environments. “Our residential projects are hospitality-infused,” she explains, noting features like custom kitchen banquettes and intimate semi-private dining nooks. Conversely, their hospitality spaces are residentially inspired, designed to be more tactile, layered and comfortable. In a current residential project, she is designing a master suite for a professional young couple with children that promises a “hotel- style” haven with the practicalities of modern life. A similar “residential with a commercial twist” approach can be seen in a recent Wiltshire stable conversion for Unique Homestays, which features 10 bedrooms and a massive dining table for 26, making it the ultimate gathering spot for large groups. Her team is constantly at the Design Centre, scouting for new materials,
“filling suitcases with samples to bring back to the studio”, while Burles visits as often as she can. Spending a morning with her, it is apparent that the showrooms are a great resource, and attention to detail sits at the heart of her work. At Houlès, a showroom she calls “the home of the oomph”, she demonstrates how trims provide essential contrast and depth. From a tactile brush fringe on the edge of a curtain to a piping cord “to add that little hint of rock and roll”, Burles proves that the smallest additions can redefine a cushion, pelmet or a chair. She recalls how a deep claret fringe once revived a drab pinstripe sofa, highlighting her edgy, high-fashion approach. By mixing clashing neons, leopard print or metallics, she avoids the predictable. As she puts it: “Juxtaposition and tension are good; samey-samey is not.” While browsing Ca’ Pietra’s Design Centre East showroom, Burles
immediately notices the Ornamento tile trims. Crafted from a wood-resin composite, they are water-resistant and easy to cut, shape or paint, encouraging custom finishing touches. From scallop and bobbin to bamboo styles, they “add a bit of fun”. For a high-traffic commercial project, Burles would simply stain them, she says. She is also drawn to the Stone Glaze bricks, featuring hand-
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