Materials and surfaces determine the effect and essence of an interior - whether coarse surface concrete, finely woven wickerwork or shimmering plastics. In the latest issue we present a wide range of examples where the selection of materials is as many and diverse as the applications themselves: from futuristic penthouses to simple hostels, from strident boutiques to purist documentation centres. Technical issues are addressed in the articles "How Rooms Sound - The Acoustics of Interior Spaces" and "GRP in Interior Design".