Harvey Nichols, Birmingham

The brief for the new Harvey Nichols store in Birmingham was to create a contemporary and imaginative boutique environment; moving away from a department store approach and revitalising the intrinsic values of the brand: style, daring, creativity and wit. The theme is one of ‘controlled disruption’ with a free flow store layout, disparate materials and contrasting textures.

Designers Virgile and Partners wanted to continue the complex graphic-shaped flooring, created in tiles of varying colours and sizes throughout the store, into the private dining room and the first floor beauty rooms, but using wood for greater warmth. The intricate patterns of triangles, rhombi and trapezoids were created by Havwoods Bespoke using select grade oak, brushed, smoked, sanded and finished with white hard wax oil, and delivered to site as pre-finished engineered panels.