ABDA Design celebrates double recognition at prestigious national CEDA Awards 2025

We are proud to announce our recent success at the CEDA (Catering Equipment Distributors Association) Awards 2025, where we were recognised for our outstanding contributions to the catering and design industry. This achievement is particularly meaningful as it comes just three months after the management buy-out by Claire Smith and Richard Steade, marking an exciting new chapter for the company.

Operations co-ordinator, Amie Rice, was honoured with the Rising Star Award, a prestigious accolade that celebrates emerging talent within the sector. Amie’s achievement recognises her dedication and exceptional work ethic, having joined ABDA Design only two years ago from a completely different profession. During this time, she has quickly established herself as a vital member of the team taking the lead on wellbeing and introducing new initiatives to support the business.

In addition to Amie’s individual success, we were also shortlisted for the Project Management Award for our work on the Charnwood Bakery project. This complex piece of work required detailed project management skills to complete within a tight eight-week timeline. With it being a live site, operating around the clock, the ABDA team had to collaborate with other contractors and demonstrate their flexibility to manage and co-ordinate all aspects of the build.

Claire Smith, managing director of ABDA Design, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been recognised by CEDA this year. Being shortlisted for the Project Management Award for our work on Charnwood Bakery is a fantastic achievement for the whole team, but I’m especially proud of Amie for winning the Rising Star Award. She has gone above and beyond to learn and understand a completely new industry, and her dedication to not only our business, but the whole sector in such a short time is incredible. This recognition is so
well-deserved, and we’re all incredibly proud of her.”

Amie Rice added: “It meant so much to me that the team wanted to put me forward for this award so to be shortlisted and then win is so special. From my very first day at ABDA Design, the whole team has been so supportive, helping me learn and grow in an industry that was completely new to me. I’ve had the chance to work on some amazing projects, and I know there’s still so much more I can learn from such an inspiring group of people.”

The CEDA Awards celebrate the best in the catering equipment and design industry, highlighting innovation, professionalism, and excellence across the UK.

ABDA Design’s recognition at this year’s event reinforces its position as a leader in the field and a business that is committed to nurturing talent and delivering exceptional results for every client.

The ABDA Design team is passionate about how it can help the wider industry and have been supporting the work of CEDA in a variety of ways. Our managing director, Claire Smith, is now part of the board of directors. She is particularly passionate about supporting and growing the next generation coming through the industry and creating a more diverse workforce.

Team members Amie Rice, Kate Nuttall, and Sam Pearce are involved in the CEDA Academy, an initiative designed to connect and empower young professionals within the sector. The Academy provides opportunities for collaboration, mentorship, and events, helping to attract new talent and strengthen the future of the industry.

ABDA Design has announced an exciting new chapter as long-serving directors, Claire Smith and Richard Steade, have taken over the hospitality design consultancy, ensuring its continued success and future growth.

The transition marks a new era for ABDA Design ensuring continuity and fresh leadership from within. With their deep understanding of the company and its values, the duo is committed to maintaining its legacy while bringing fresh ideas for the future.

ABDA Design works with hospitality businesses offering interior design and brand development, commercial kitchens, and build and interior fit out. For almost three decades, the business has been led by David Summers who will continue to work within the business.

Creativity and storytelling are at the heart of every project at ABDA Design. Their combined expertise and integrated approach to interior and kitchen design enable them to deliver high-quality design and fit-out services. With a diverse portfolio spanning hotels, restaurants, leisure venues, heritage sites, and business and industry spaces, ABDA Design is highly respected in both hospitality and design circles.

Richard Steade, joint managing director said: “Having worked at ABDA Design since 2006 and for the last six years as design director, this marks an exciting new chapter for myself, Claire and the team. We want to build on the solid foundations of the business and work with our existing team to develop it for the future. I’ve got lots of new ideas I want to bring to the business including strengthening our work on sustainability and developing our work further in specific markets.”

Claire Smith, joint managing director added: “Having dedicated my entire career to this industry, I am truly passionate about hospitality and design. Owning and leading my own business has always been an ambition of mine, and I’m incredibly proud to have reached this milestone. ABDA Design has a strong heritage within hospitality, and I am excited to build on its success, continuing to work with our fantastic team and clients and taking the business to new heights.”

Those who work in the industry will know that projects can take a number of years to complete and the ABDA Design team have been working for some really exciting clients recently. The last few years have been our busiest ever and we’ve worked right across different sectors in hospitality.

To help you learn more about the work we have been doing, we have put together a collection of some of our work in our hotel, bar and leisure portfolio. This includes some work which will soon be live, recently completed projects and our old favourites to give you a full flavour of what we do.

Download the hotel, bar and leisure portfolio

We have an immensely talented team at ABDA Design and this document highlights the level of work we have produced for some prestigious clients. If you would like to learn more about how we could help you, get in touch via our Contact Us page.

This year we have recognised the long service that some of our team have dedicated to working at ABDA Design. One of the team members who has worked with us for over two decades is our talented senior designer, Michael Hall. To celebrate this achievement, we wanted to look back on his journey and some of his highlights.

Michael studied 3D Design at Leicester De Montfort University. It was a broad ranging degree with modules including Colour Theory, Hospitality Design, CAD and Model Making. He was runner up in the design of a pop-up exhibition restaurant which included an inflated roof. This was a great experience to be a part of and it led to his interest in the hospitality side of interior design.

“Growing up, I knew I wanted to do something in design, but it wasn’t until I was at university that I found the work in hospitality so rewarding as I received lots of encouragement and my creativity was recognised.”

Michael likes working for ABDA Design as it is constantly changing with the times and providing new challenges, whether that be the areas of design we target, the technology we use or the clients we support. Throughout all of these changes, the colleagues that Michael has worked with have been outstanding and helped to make his work life so enjoyable.

“Over the last 23 years, the thing I have most enjoyed is the people and fun we have in the office. Without exception, everyone here, past and present, are total stars.”

Reflecting on his most memorable project, Michael loved working on the office design for EMW Crawley. This was a design and build project which we saw through from concept to completion.

“We got lots of positive vibes from the client as well as from their customers. It was a fresh approach to design with a friendly and professional environment. The design looked stunning, the client was awesome, and the fit-out team were very helpful which when all combined made for a great project.”

Thinking about his other successes, one of those would be the work we recently completed on the public areas at Holiday Inn Leicester. Emma Kendall, the hotel manager, was so happy and positive about the completed refurbishment.

Looking ahead to the next 20 years of design, Michael thinks there could be a movement to more socially aware venues and the impact on the planet. He believes venues will have strong ties with charities, good causes, the environment, and local procurement. Equipment such as furniture, lighting and even fixtures may be re-used.

“As historic features of a building are recognised, and as materials such as hardwood and natural stone become rarer, keeping them within a design will become more important. It may be seen as an accomplishment to work as many existing features into a new scheme as possible. This throws up lots of new challenges as to how things can be adapted and re-purposed but it’s an exciting opportunity as a designer.”

 

ABDA Design was asked by Valor Hospitality to develop a new bedroom and corridor concept for DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Piccadilly. We have worked on the bar, restaurant, reception, and meeting rooms in the past, so it was fantastic to be asked to help with the bedrooms and corridors too.

The narrative behind the designs

Working with Valor allows us to be open-minded as they give us the freedom to develop a unique narrative for the design. To kick-start the project, we researched the history of Manchester to find a unique link that we could incorporate into the design. Manchester was instrumental in textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution and at the time was heavily involved in cotton production. Senior designer, Rachael Sheldon, delved into the textile industry and discovered Manchester was involved with the development of dyes. Colours included shades of blue, yellow and orange so she wanted to incorporate these colour palettes within the room, as well as building a connection back to the textile industry.

Using the space effectively

The works for the room involved stripping back the space and completing a full refurbishment. Designs also included a new headboard with a larger bed configuration, new lighting and new carpet throughout. A hybrid table was introduced into the space which allowed for more flexibility within the room, meaning the space could be used for dining or work. Part of the brief was to retain the existing wardrobe system but everything else in the room was to be replaced.

As the hotel is used by guests staying for both business and leisure, we wanted to ensure the room styling would appeal to everyone. We have created a softness to the room so that it appeals to all, whilst still maintaining a contemporary feel. The corridor areas received a new lease of life with a full redecoration, directional signage, carpet and an eye-catching feature mural in the lift lobby area.

Working with suppliers

For the lighting in the bedroom, we worked with Chelsom Lighting. The items included the bedside light with integrated reading light, table and floor lamp and we went for a bespoke bronze finish to make the fittings more unique. Behind all the headboards, we used a feature print from Tektura. We worked with Elegant Clutter to create a large feature mural to the lift lobby area. Our inspiration for this was the locality of Manchester and the hotels proximity to the train station. The mural also featured several colours that link to the dye narrative which we had been using in the bedrooms.

The feedback on our work has been really positive, not just from the client, but hotel guests too which is inspiring for our design team to hear.

Earlier this month, the ABDA Design team had a group outing to the Surface Design Show. It provided our design team with an opportunity to spot trends, see how they are evolving and talk to suppliers face to face. This is valuable for seeing what’s new on the market and learning about new products to help with future designs.

Five standouts from the show

“This year I noticed lots of recycling products that clearly showed the recycled content within them such as broken pieces of plastic.” Sam Pearce, designer

“Terrazzo style still looked strong and pastel/mint green was a popular colour. There was a lot of 3D textures to materials too. A supplier that really caught my eye was Foresso, it is made from waste timber chips, offcuts and water-based non-toxic binder. This gives it a natural look and has amazing colours.” Michael Hall, senior designer

“The Vita Nova stand was fantastic and a great concept. The stand was there to promote recycling items such as solid surface samples which typically just go to landfill when they are no longer required.” Rachael Sheldon, senior designer

“There were a lot of products supporting the importance of sustainability. More recycled products or recyclable at the end of life. A lot of products around the show, like wayfinding signage, was made from recycled materials. So, the whole show was not only hosting a variety of suppliers but also using their products around the event.” Anabel Twitchell-Requena, designer

“I was really looking forward to seeing Smile Plastics, who were sponsoring the show. I came across them on LinkedIn prior to the show and did some research. Their approach to sustainability and reusing and reimagining products in a different way really intrigued me. I couldn’t wait to see their Earth Collection Set, as this really stood out visually as well as the reasoning behind it. Sustainability, natural materials, reimagining waste into new and usable products and recycling were hot topics at this show. CDUK had an initiative to take back old products to reuse them, they created a very immersive experience with a robot.” Tansin Blankley, designer

Exploring as a team

This year the designers went to the show together and this made a huge difference to the overall experience. Our designer, Melissa Bratton believes that going to events as a team inspires creativity as they can find inspiration for current or future projects together. Taking time out to visit shows like this really helps her increase her knowledge on products and companies which then helps with her individual and the overall team’s creativity.

Sam felt that the ability to reference other designers to the reps, as opposed to saying ‘I’ll pass this information on’ made the whole experience more valuable. All the team specialise in different things so by having a wider knowledge and presence there meant the reps could engage with ABDA Design more.

The team is all over the country currently so getting everyone together at the same time is hard but by visiting this show as a group, Rachael felt they could all bounce ideas off one another as they walked round.

Tansin feels it is important to be able to see new products and materials in person, where possible, to see and hear first-hand the benefits and how they can implement these into their designs. The team always do a great job of sharing new products over email or doing ‘lunch and learns’ to keep everyone up to date, but there’s nothing better than seeing and feeling materials first-hand.

Why do we visit shows?

It really does help to get out to these shows. We are currently working on a new hotel concept and Rachael found that she managed to source loads of ideas for materials and products which would fit the bill. It was great to speak to suppliers and see the products in the flesh, which is always better than just seeing an image on the Internet.

Sometimes we’re channelled into sticking with what we know as it’s safe, but when you speak with people in person it’s a lot easier than researching online. You also start to build a relationship by meeting face to face. New suppliers keep our list of resources refreshed instead of using the same companies all the time.

 

As hotel, restaurant, bar and leisure designers, one of the best ways to get us feeling creative is to fully embed ourselves within the hospitality industry. It helps to see what the latest trends are and explore the venues consumers are visiting. Simply being away from your desk can trigger a new idea. We also spend time researching local areas so that each design tells a story and is representative of the location.

As part of her annual creativity day, one of our senior designers, Rachael Sheldon wanted to explore what Jersey has to offer in terms of the food and drink market. She is working on a hotel project in a similar coastal town so wanted to visit as many food and drink venues as possible during her stay to get a feel for the venues. During her visit, she wanted to take time out for herself enjoying the stunning coastlines. Simply walking along the coast and enjoying nature is an effective way of improving creativity.

Creativity and nature

There are several studies that have found a link between exposure to nature and creativity. According to a study conducted by Stanford  researchers [i], 80% of participants were more creative during and after a hike than when sitting down. Another study, completed in 2012, by Ruth Ann Atchley et al..,[i], looked at the consequences of more time spent with media and technology over nature. The research found that backpackers who spent a few days hiking showed higher levels of creativity in a word association test than before they immersed themselves in nature.

Enjoying hospitality experiences

One of the venues Rachael loved during her visit was The Blind Pig which is a really cute speakeasy hidden away on a back street in St Helier.  This place was great if you were after something a little different. It offered a great selection of cocktails, and the staff were incredibly attentive and knowledgeable.

During her visit, Rachael stayed at The Grand Hotel and loved being able to see the coastline thanks to a sea view room. Guests have access to the spa area to encourage rest and relaxation and the hotel also has a cinema where all guests can book to watch a film of their choice.

Visiting Bohemia Bar

One of the highlights of her trip was a visit to Bohemia Bar which is within a hotel that has a Michelin starred restaurant. Rachael booked into the bar for their lunch menu. The food was so good they ended up staying for a three-course meal and had to cancel their evening meal reservation as they had such an incredible lunchtime experience.

Exploring design influences

During her stay, Rachael did a lot of walking and there are some fantastic buildings with French design influences. There were also some great wall murals around and she enjoyed just exploring and soaking up the atmosphere.

Something different 

Most of the ABDA design team have been to visit London for their creativity days but Rachael wanted to do something totally different and head to a coastal area. Jersey has been running a big campaign on the TV and radio to drive tourism, so she thought this was a good opportunity to see what it had to offer.

Looking back on her experience and the introduction of creativity days at ABDA Design she said: “I thought the introduction of a creativity day for every team member was a great idea. We attend a lot of hospitality and design shows, but it was nice to go off and do something that would benefit each person personally and professionally. It’s so important to step away and take a break. I tend to find if I am struggling with an idea, that when I step away from it the solution or design will then just come to me organically.”

References 

[i] Oppezzo, M., & Schwartz, D. L. (2014). Give your ideas some legs: the positive effect of walking on creative thinking. Journal of experimental psychology: learning, memory, and cognition, 40(4), 1142.
[i] Atchley, R. A., Strayer, D. L., & Atchley, P. (2012). Creativity in the wild: Improving creative reasoning through immersion in natural settings. PloS one, 7(12), e51474.

In the design world, maintaining creativity is a necessity. Sometimes we can find ourselves getting stuck in a rut with our busy lives and day job tasks taking over. That’s why it’s important that we ensure our team are given plenty of opportunity to actively work on their own personal creativity and well-being. We know that everyone finds their creativity in different things; for some it might be a walk with nature, for someone else it might be completing a craft-related activity, for others it could be visiting somewhere that’s full of culture. This is why we introduced our own creativity days to allow each team member the chance to do an activity that allows them to work on their artistic flair in their own way.

Spreading creativity

Not only does ABDA Design allow each team member a full day off to boost their creativity, but we also cover the costs of whatever they choose to do. The only requirement is for our team to share their learnings with the rest of ABDA so that the creativity can be further spread and embedded across the team.

Working on their creativity allows the team to break away from routine, discover emerging trends, and stimulate the mind. Making our creative days part of our annual calendar, was a strategic move by the ABDA directors to grow and evolve within the design world.

Creativity in action

The first of these new creative days was experienced by Claire, Tansin, Melissa and Amie who all agree that it’s important not to get stale and stuck behind your desk. Melissa said: “If we don’t force ourselves to get out into the industry and see what’s happening, we aren’t exposing ourselves to new trends”. Not only was the day about improving creativity but as Tansin, Amie and Melissa are fairly new to the team it was nice for them to spend time outside of the office together.

Claire Smith, director at ABDA added: “Keeping yourself creatively stimulated when you work within a creative business or industry is super important. You can’t grow and develop without constantly feeding your mind. Not allowing yourself time away from your desk because of workload or being caught up in day-to-day tasks can prove to be a real barrier to creativity. You have to want to make moments for yourself to take time for creativity.”

Embracing art

The creative day included visits to a range of arts and hospitality venues including The Royal Academy, Fortnum and Mason, National Portrait Gallery, Royal Opera House, Somerset House, Whitechapel Gallery, Tate Modern and the OXO Tower.

The group were shown around the Royal Academy by Grace who is the general manager for the Jose Pizarro café, restaurant and also the private dining space which was stunning. The art in all the spaces is provided by the Royal Academy and changed frequently.

The visit to Fortnum and Mason was not part of the original agenda but once the creativity was flowing the team decided to visit. As well as seeing their flagship ice cream parlour, they were shown around the tea rooms and tasting room which was very traditionally and quintessentially British with hints of colonial design.

Spring at Somerset House was another highlight which the team stumbled upon. As well as being a stunning space, the team discovered they have introduced a ‘Scratch Menu’ which is announced at 3pm every day. Spring offer three courses for £30 everyday with dishes produced from the waste of the previous services.

ABDA Design has been working with museums and galleries for years, however it is becoming more apparent that clients are wanting to create destinations in these spaces, and we wanted to see what best practice was in the industry.

Trendspotting

Tansin Blankley commented: “There were trends that were clearly visible throughout the venues we visited such as natural materials, muted tones and sculpted counters. Most spaces were unbranded and utilised the artwork from the associated gallery. We noticed a distinctive pattern with the furniture that was used within these spaces.”

Thinking about future creativity days and the impact they will have on the team our operations co-ordinator, Amie told us: “It’s so important for the team to get out and explore new places and experience different things to allow themselves to be inspired. What we don’t want is people to feel as if they’re stuck to their desks and then struggle with creativity. Allowing people to take some time away and explore their creativity is vital for a business’s success.”

Look out for more of our creativity articles to discover how other members of the team have spent their time.

 

Last week our director, Claire Smith stepped on stage at the Independent Hotel Show alongside consumer psychologist, Karen Fewell. The duo were exploring what’s inside the mind and the psychological impact of hospitality design. Despite being the final session of two days of fascinating talks, there was a full audience ready and waiting to grab some scientific learnings.

Whilst Claire and Karen are knowledgeable on all areas of the psychology of design, this session specifically looked at wellbeing and the fact that design decisions have a huge impact on your guests’ behaviour and mood. From simple, inexpensive interior changes to starting-from-scratch choices, there were plenty of practical ideas for attendees to take away.

Science of design

The session got underway with Karen sharing scientific evidence that confirmed why the ABDA design team place such a huge emphasis on psychology. With the majority of the world’s population spending around 95% of their time indoors (Spence, 2020) it’s so important the interior environment promotes wellbeing. The insight highlighted the impact of applying science right from the initial booking stage to the memories that guests take home with them.

Here’s just a few of the studies which Karen shared: –

“Eyesight is the sense that triggers most emotions experienced by people (ca. 80%)” Tuszyńska-Bogucka et al., 2020

“Architectural space can have various emotional meanings (positive or negative), thus increasing or decreasing positive emotional stimulation and the sense of security and comfort for the individual concerned.” Tuszyńska-Bogucka et al., 2020

Cool colours such as green, blue, and purple reflect wellness better than warm colours like orange, red, and yellow. Hee Lee et al., 2018

“Study participants are significantly and substantially happier outdoors in all green or natural habitat types than they are in urban environments.”
MacKerron, 2012.

Claire followed this fascinating insight with some of the practical ways her team create designs for both bedrooms and public spaces in hotels.

Impact of lighting

Light is something we always consider when designing a bedroom, both natural and artificial. This is key for regulating circadian rhythm which is the body’s internal clock that signals when to be alert and when to rest. Light also affects the production of melatonin which helps aid sleep.

Less clutter

Space is also key for helping with wellbeing and our designers look at ways to maximise the rooms we work with. This includes minimising clutter, having separate rest and working areas and ensuring guests can walk around the area freely. Lack of space to move around a room was one of the biggest frustrations amongst members of the audience at the Independent Hotel Show when Claire asked them about design woes.

Calming colours

Colour is always a key decision to make with interior design. Depending on the type of venue and how it’s being used will vary our colour options dramatically. Our team will look at the emotions we want hotel guests to feel from that environment and choose colours accordingly.

If we are going for a natural background to promote wellbeing, we’ll look at creative ways to bring in cosy colours to furnishings such as curtains, wallpaper, cushions, and linen.

Seating and scents

Claire also revealed the ways designers consider the furniture choices in both bedrooms and public spaces. Rounded styles of furniture are more likely to be used for comfiness in spaces where you want guests to stay for longer, but more angular and upright furniture is used for workspaces when you want to enable your guests to work efficiently. It’s vital that we address the different needs and behaviours of guests as ‘bleisure’ travel becomes more common.

The final area we addressed in this session was scent as smells are very personal choices. From simple diffusers to full systems that pump scents into bedrooms and public spaces, there are many ways we can help our clients to create the right smells in hotels to improve wellbeing.

Making memories

At the end of the session, Karen talked about cognitive biases and in particular the peak–end rule. People judge an experience based on how they felt at its most intense point and at its end, rather than based on the full experience or average of every moment of the experience. These heightened feelings could be positive or negative. A design frustration could be one of the key events guests remember about their stay if it triggered a strong emotion.

Want to know more?

If you would like to know more about the science of design and how we can apply this to help your hospitality business, get in touch using our contact us form. For those who would be interested in booking Claire and Karen for a speaking slot, email claire.smith@abdadesign.co.uk for speaker profiles.

Developing up and coming talent in the hospitality design world is really important to the ABDA Design team. Over the last few years, we’ve been building strong relationships with the lecturers and students from the University of Northampton’s Interior Architecture and Spatial Design course. Last year the ABDA design team visited the University to support the students with their learning and offer practical support. It was inspiring to share ideas and absorb the enthusiasm and new ways of thinking from the students.

You can see some of the highlights from the event in our video

Following this collaboration, we have been proud to welcome rising star of the commercial design world, Melissa Bratton to the team and can’t wait to showcase some of her work on our social media channels over the coming weeks. We caught up with Melissa to learn more about her.

What attracted you to working with the ABDA design team?

I like ABDA’s creativity, design ethos and the range of the projects they work on in the hospitality sector. In the first few weeks, I’ve found the whole team so welcoming, and I am looking forward to working on the projects they have got coming up.

Tell us more about the course you are studied.

I have recently graduated from the University of Northampton studying Interior Architecture and Spatial design. Now that I’ve completed my studies, I think my time at ABDA will give me more of an insight into the hospitality and design industries and help me to gain valuable knowledge.

What are you most looking forward to working on over the next year?

It’s just going to be great to work with a strong design team on some of the exciting projects they’ve got coming up. I’m looking forward to developing and gaining more design skills to build on what I learnt at university. It always helps to be able to work on a live project that has a set brief and client constraints as this challenges us to be more creative with resources than when we worked on hypothetical projects at university.

What is your favourite type of venue to design?

I have always loved commercial design. My favourite projects to work on are hospitality and more specifically, restaurant projects. I don’t have one particular dream project, as I want to work on a variety of food and beverage venues as I believe this will really broaden my skillset.

Tell us the most effective ways of boosting your creativity.

This is something that is so important as a designer, so I like to go for walks at weekends, being around nature really boosts my creativity. Spending time relaxing and socialising helps me to become more creative too.

If you weren’t a designer, what other career options could you see yourself doing?

I did textiles for A-levels so maybe something more related to that, I’d always want to do something that’s creative and artistic.

Tell us about your favourite place to dine out.

I enjoy trying new restaurants and feeling inspired by seeing new interiors, so I don’t really have one favourite place as I like to explore as many venues as possible.

What’s your foodie guilty pleasure?

I would have to say a traditional Sunday roast in winter.