Smile Plastics supports Tala in lighting the way to a greener future with design of Shoreditch showroom.

When luxury lighting brand Tala teamed up with architect Thomas Longley on the creation of its new flagship showroom in the heart of London’s Shoreditch, ‘low impact’ was central to the design concept.

Seeking a material partner to transform the till space and cabinetry, plus supply plinths for displaying product, the Heron range by Smile Plastics, crafted from reimagined discarded white goods, fit the bill perfectly.

By partnering with Smile for the store’s interior—using 13 Heron panels sized 3000x1200x20mm—a total weight of approximately 1040kg of waste was redirected from landfill. For context, that’s the equivalent weight of an adult Bison.

The showroom fit-out had a short turnaround of just over 7 weeks, and with the goal of creating as little impact as possible, much of the existing interior was repurposed for use in the new design scheme, from the wooden floor to the exposed brick walls and metal staircase. The till cabinet was also up cycled to form part of a new kitchenette.

The suppliers chosen to contribute to the interior concept had to offer either recycled or low impact materials; and Smile Plastics' Heron collection did just that. With its subtle, feathery soft grey tones, Heron is bolstered by a smattering of yellow hues, warm ochre flecks and black and blizzard white, providing the perfect backdrop to Tala’s collection of lighting products.

Heron is featured across the showroom’s key design focal points. This includes the till area, where Tala’s logo has been embossed seamlessly into the supersized Heron panel, alongside incorporated light fittings. Plus, used for a large, multipurpose cabinet-come-meeting table with accompanying stools on the showroom’s lower level. And for practical plinths displaying product throughout the space.

"Tala’s new Shoreditch showroom is a stellar example of how to offer genuine customer experience in a contemporary retail setting. It also shows beautifully how the re-use of existing fixtures and fittings can be paired with low impact materials to create a sustainably sound fit-out that doesn’t compromise on either stunning aesthetics or strong eco-credentials" — Smile Plastics co founder, Rosalie McMillan

Discover more about the Tala showroom here.