There is now less than one week to go until the Business Design Centre opens its doors for the 2026 edition of the Surface Design Show.
With returning favourites including the Green Grads, Surface Spotlight, Stone Federation and the renowned Surface Design Awards, paired with brand new features such as the Workshop Stage and the RIBA Conference, this year’s Surface Design Show promises to be a landmark in the 2026 design calendar.
Along with the 180 exhibitors who will be showcasing the best in material innovation, many of which will be unveiled for the first time, there are a number of standout features not to be missed.
Squire & Partners will join Stone Federation Great Britain once again to design The Stone Tapestry, an intriguing natural stone showcase which will be presented at the show. This edition of The Stone Tapestry will examine the importance of gaining an understanding of the geological processes behind different types of stone formation which will empower designers to use the material in a more expressive manner. The exhibit will feature an amalgamation of raw and processed stone, highlighting the beauty of texture and colour found in natural stone.
Supporting the new generation of talented designers has always been at the forefront of the Surface Design Show, placing material innovation, sustainability and future-focused thinking firmly at the heart of the show. Discover materials that challenge extractive systems, transform waste streams and place human and environmental wellbeing at the centre of material design by visiting students from the Royal College of Art and the Green Grads at the Innovation Gallery.
Andra Munro will yet again grace the BDC with her gorgeous porcelain creations, situated on the gallery level, UNDAE will explore the quiet beauty of water ripples and the interconnectedness of life - how a single action can resonate outward, shaping its environment in subtle ways. Hundreds of handcrafted porcelain elements form a suspended canopy, their concentric textures inspired by the gentle movement of water. Repetition and variation work together to create a sense of rhythm, echoing natural patterns where no two forms are ever the same. In partnership with LedFlex for the lighting solution and Solid Electrical for technical fabrication, the porcelain reveals its natural translucency, allowing light to breathe softly through the material. The installation will create a calm, contemplative atmosphere - a space designed to slow the pace and offer a moment of stillness within the design show.
Surface Spotlight is at the heart of the show, trend expert Sally Angharad curates a material showcase curated around this year's theme ‘Material Innovation’. Material Innovation calls for a rethinking of newness and how we can make a shift from waste to worth and celebrates thoughtful design redefining what it means to be new whilst championing circular systems, material transparency and inventive reuse.
The comprehensive speakers programme consists of 21 presentations and features over 50 industry experts who will be bringing their insights to the stage including Michelle Ogundehin, head judge on Interior Design Masters and ex editor of Elle Decoration, Siobhan Murphy & Charlotte Beevor, also of Interior Design Masters fame, along with award winning industry designers and architects including Giles Miller and Tim Bowder- Ridger. The programme kicks off with the opening night debate hosted by design author and journalist Katie Treggiden. Titled Waste: The Raw Material of the Future, the session examines how discarded materials can drive innovation.
New for 2026 is The Workshop Stage, with a table designed and built by U-Build, who will also be joining SDS26 as an exhibitor. Created based on feedback from the design community, this stage gives visitors a chance to get hands-on with materials in guided workshops. From jewellery making from recycled materials through to introductions to concept and in-development materials.
British interior designer Siobhan Murphy presents Demystifying the Myths of Maximalism, an interactive workshop for interior designers exploring maximalist colour schemes through pattern clashing. Using magazines, wallpapers, paint chips and fabrics, participants will learn how florals, stripes and animal prints can work together cohesively, leaving with a bold design concept to apply to their own projects.
The Surface Design Awards will have its annual awards ceremony on the 4th of February. Presented by Hamish Kilburn, the awards celebrate the best in material innovation, both through projects and products. The trophies for this edition of the awards have been designed and made by Revive Innovations using their RE-CD material made from 100% recycled CDs without the use of harmful resins or binders.
With its ambitious vision and diverse agenda of exhibitions, installations and discussions, Surface Design Show 2026 promises to be a standout moment in the design calendar, celebrating creativity, material intelligence and the evolving role of surfaces in the built environment.
