Interiors news: Part K call for evidence, Box 9's brick-clad Kid in Soho, Karta herringbone and a Babymore cot warning (24 October 2026)
The Building Safety Regulator has opened the first substantial review of Part K in more than 20 years, covering stairs, handrails, guarding and glazing in homes. In Soho, Box 9 has clad a new restaurant almost entirely in bricks made from construction waste.
Also this week: a recycled leather floor in an oversized herringbone, castors withdrawn from a Babymore cot after an overturning risk was found, and two lights stopped at the border.
Box 9 clads Soho restaurant Kid in bricks made from construction waste
Kid, a modern take on a Turkish mangal restaurant from chef Sertaç Dirik, has opened on a corner site at Frith Street and Bateman Street in Soho, Dezeen reported on 20 October. Interiors studio Box 9 joined two formerly separate units to make a 307 square metre restaurant. Most of the interior is clad in K-Briq bricks from Kenoteq, which are made from at least 90 per cent recycled construction and demolition waste and are not fired. Box 9 says they release a tenth of the carbon emissions of fired-clay bricks.
The two halves of the building are treated differently. The Victorian Frith Street side uses a traditional bond and joint; the contemporary Bateman Street side uses a soldier bond with a raked joint. Upstairs, a 14-seat wine room is brick throughout, and the downstairs bakery has movable tables by Jan Hendzel Studio so it can double as an events space. "It wasn't about fancy materials; it was about using the best material for the purpose," said Box 9 co-founder Lou Davies.
Source: Dezeen, 20 October 2026.
The Building Safety Regulator opens a call for evidence on Part K, closing 28 December
Following the stairs research covered here last week, the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) launched a call for evidence on 19 October on Part K of the Building Regulations and Approved Document K. Part K covers protection from falling, collision and impact: stairs and ladders, ramps and handrails, guarding, windows, doors and gates, glazing and vehicle barriers. BSR says it has been more than 20 years since a substantial review.
The call for evidence is not proposing policy changes, and the current requirements stay in place during the review. Any future changes will go to a separate consultation. The online survey opened on 19 October and closes on 28 December 2026; BSR estimates it takes 10 to 45 minutes, and responses can also be emailed to PartKCfE@buildingsafety.gov.uk. Architects, designers, contractors, manufacturers and building owners are all named as respondents BSR wants to hear from.
Sources: Building Safety Regulator, 19 October 2026, BSR Citizen Space: Part K call for evidence.
Karta adds an oversized herringbone to its recycled leather flooring
Karta, part of the Ted Todd Group, has added an oversized herringbone format to its Recycled Leather Series, SBID reported on 20 October. Each block measures 200 mm by 900 mm by 9 mm. The click-fit floor has five layers: a cork base that doubles as underlay, a PEFC-certified wood fibre core, a layer of post-industrial leather offcuts sourced in Europe, a surface printed with biodegradable inks, and a plastic-free AC5-rated topcoat.
It comes in four designs, Mitchell, Magnus, Bowen and Wyld, and more than 40 distinct blocks can be laid before the surface image repeats. Karta pitches it as an alternative to plastic-based resilient flooring for hospitality, workplace, retail and residential projects.
Source: SBID, 20 October 2026.
Babymore withdraws castors from its Space Saver Cot after an overturning risk
The Office for Product Safety and Standards published a report on 23 October on the Babymore Space Saver Cot (Grey), model 2620003, barcode 5060417270910. The cot may overturn when pushed sideways with its castors fitted, which could let a child fall out. The sample tested also had a sharp wood splinter on a side bar and an exposed rough edge. It did not meet the General Product Safety Regulations 2005.
Babymore has removed the castors from existing stock and future production and sent updated safety information to retailers and owners. OPSS says the cot can still be used without the castors fitted. The notification number is 2610-0027.
Source: OPSS product safety report 2610-0027, 23 October 2026.
Two lights rejected at the border: a ceiling light that could overheat and a candle warmer lamp
Trading Standards stopped an LED Ceiling Light, model JM6001, at the border (notification 2610-0098, published 21 October). It was fitted with an incorrect supply cord with excessive resistance that could overheat and melt or ignite nearby materials, and it failed the electric strength test for Class II equipment.
A Candle Warmer Lamp, model TL-167, from Dongguan Yicheng Trading, was also rejected (notification 2610-0093, published 22 October). It had single-insulated mains wiring touching accessible unearthed metal parts, so the metal could become live under fault conditions. Both were rated serious risks under the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016.
Sources: OPSS product safety report 2610-0098, 21 October 2026, OPSS product safety report 2610-0093, 22 October 2026.
What this means for designers and homeowners
If your projects involve stairs, balustrades, glazing or loft ladders, the Part K survey is the place to say where Approved Document K no longer matches practice; it closes on 28 December, and today's rules still apply until any new consultation. If you have a Babymore Space Saver Cot in a nursery scheme, take the castors off. When specifying lighting from online sellers, check for clear markings and instructions: both lamps stopped this week were missing required safety information.