The vastly-talented Dan Dixon-Spain is the creative force behind The Plaster Collective.

Over the course of 2017, Dan has joined Viero UK at our applicator masterclasses and has become a regular user of our range of decorative plasters.

He took some time out from his busy schedule to tell us more about his work and why he’s chosen to collaborate with us…

Tell us a bit about your business?

The Plaster Collective runs out of a design studio in Hackney and I’ve lived in east London for almost two decades. It’s been a great place to see the business evolve. It’s become an eclectic place with lots of musicians and people who write film which is probably why I’ve stayed here for so long; there’s a creative edge to the place these days.

I’ve been working with waterproof plasters for more than 10 years, but have moved into the world of decorative plasters within the last four to five. I think this change was inevitable as I studied fine art and it is a line of work which brings my artistic mind to the fore.

What projects are you working on at the moment?

We’ve got some exciting opportunities abroad on some big projects next year. But as for the UK, I’d say our work is split evenly across London whereas in the past there was never as much demand as there is in east London today.

We’re doing more and more decorative work all the time and the challenges of this really draws on my fine art painting background. As a creative team, we work day in day out in the studio to create bespoke designs. If I had to guess, I’d say we have around 300 samples in the studio which shows the breadth of work we do and gives an idea of the service we want to provide our clients.

How did you first start working with Viero UK?

I remember it quite vividly because one of my contractors recommended Viero UK to me. Just by chance, I was working on a project shortly afterwards where the architect requested that we used the Viero UK plasters and I was confident after looking at the products that I could apply them well.

I completed the project and enjoyed using it so signed up for the training course and have been using it ever since. I’d like to have a closer affinity to the brand in 2018 because it gives me a look that I love. It enables me to make designs look distressed rather than pristine show walls, which is something clients want more and more these days.

What do you like about working with Viero UK?

I have predominantly used Marmorin Hydro from the Viero UK range and I find it fantastic for application; it’s so versatile. You can layer it up, work it for a long time, give it a matte effect, add a wax to give a polished look and easily create textures.

I also find the team really accommodating to work with. You always get the feeling that the people at Viero UK want to help you. Their delivery service is super quick too which helps when you get the go-ahead at short notice on a project. I like being on board and am sure I’ll be working with them for many years to come.

What do you think the future holds in the world of surface design?

The trend these days is most definitely around a natural aesthetic and I think this will continue for quite some time yet. Of course there are people out there who still like the traditional Venetian plaster, but architects and interior designers seem to be asking for softer effects, more depth and seamless looks.

I think because of the price of property at the moment people are happy to put some money into their interior designs because people like to personalise their spaces. A slightly imperfect design will continue to win the race in my opinion.