in the workshop
the makers
We are a small versatile operation dedicated to producing original, high performance kitchen environments. We encompass artisans of all types: furniture makers; metalsmiths working in stainless steel, wrought iron and aluminium; ceramic tile makers; concrete specialists; artists in paint and pattern; lighting designers and fabricators. As every project is unique we build up a specific team for each one. This includes consultants from structural engineers to all aspects of technical building services, drawn together to meet your particular design needs.
alex zdankowicz - ceramic artist
Surfaces play a big role in our kitchens. An art-school trained and experienced ceramicist, Alex handcrafts walls, backsplashes and floors. In close communication with the client he produces preliminary sketches and glaze samples, bringing texture and colour around a theme or pattern of choice into the kitchen project. With complete control of the production and installation process Alex can make tiles that curve around corners and fit into awkward spaces of any shape. They are all fired in his own kiln.
paul jobst -
blacksmith
Paul is a metalworker of extraordinary skill with the mind of an artist and eye of a jeweller. He also has the strength and manual precision of a blacksmith. Paul handmakes the furniture components, brackets, extractor canopies, handles and rack we use in his forge near our studios in Hampshire. He has revived a nineteenth century technique for immersing forged metal into liquid wax that sinks into the pores of the metal, leaving the texture and character of the iron visible. No chemical lacquers are needed to seal the metal.
imperial stone -
concrete
Custom-made shapes for our countertops and base supports help the designs flow, making for easy movement around the kitchen. Patrick and his colleague Peter have workshops near our studio. This helps us all collaborate closely on projects that can be complex and challenging, needing structural steel and special finishes. We have recently worked with both lightweight and structural concrete, commissioning our own specialist moulds to create sculptural work surfaces up to five metres long. The curved shapes require moulds made from plywood and are rubber-lined for easy casting.
furniture
We have close relationships built up over years with a small number of UK furniture workshops. We match the designs we create for you to their particular skills and strengths. These include specialist handwork, the presence of CNC machinery, mould making for curved shapes, heated presses for bonding fine veneers, turning, carving and highly technical finishing facilities.
