Product: Rusticork Bark
Location: Clane, Co. Kildare, Ireland
Vyvyan Byrne is Creative Director at Vyvyan Byrne Interior Design, a business built on holistic style and mindful spaces, guided by sustainability, integrity and ethical design. Every project is bespoke, and Vyvyan believes people need spaces that resonate with them and tell their own story, whatever the setting — home, office, hotel, bistro or restaurant.
Her clients wanted to transform what was once a young family’s games room into a functional space for grown-up entertaining. What struck Vyvyan immediately was the view over the landscaped garden and a tiki-style pergola, handmade by the client’s husband — the couple’s love of their garden, the pergola and their travels all fed directly into the concept.
The room already had reclaimed brick on three walls, adding warmth and texture Vyvyan wanted to build on, while connecting the space to the garden and pergola outside. A wild tropical concept quickly emerged, helped by clients with a strong creative flair and no fear of bold decisions. The room’s double-height wall was the natural choice for a feature, and Vyvyan introduced her clients to Surface Wow’s natural surfaces — they were drawn to Rusticork Bark straight away, and a showroom visit confirmed the choice, letting them see and touch the material in person.
Rusticork Bark panels, made from the bark of the cork oak tree, create natural, bold, one-of-a-kind walls with a distinctive character no other material can match. Lightweight and straightforward to install, the panels are 100% natural and sustainable, biodegradable and free from PVC or other harmful chemicals, while offering strong acoustic and thermal performance.
Vyvyan created a fully bespoke design: a freehand wave halfway up the wall, with a striking colour above to set off the bark, finished with LED lighting to blend the two surfaces together. The result is a unique, talking-point feature that also does practical work — the Rusticork Bark helps dampen sound in a room that will host frequent social gatherings.
Vyvyan and her clients were delighted with the result. As she put it: “It worked out fabulous. It is true, sometimes less is more! Surface Wow are a fantastic resource to the design industry across all sectors… The showroom itself is a feast for your visual senses and an endless source of inspiration.”
