The Story

This client approached me with the layout he wanted and an idea of the look he was after. He lives in an original first floor Warner flat (Popular in Walthamstow- identifiable by two front doors sharing an arched opening). Because the kitchen opened into a living area, he wanted it to look more like furniture than a kitchen. As such we went for a veneer laid horizontally, with long integral handles to create a mid-century feel that complimented a side board in the living area.

At the veneer suppliers we looked at a variety of woods before selecting Rosewood, both for its beauty and that it tied in with the mid-century theme. This is Santos Rosewood, which is not an endangered species. I had the veneer cut to a width that would give me a repeat of four identical leaves running along the length. The integral handles have a rosewood insert to match the fronts.

As is often the case, there were issues with space created by the position of the boiler and the pipes leading up to it. The washing machine had to go beneath the boiler and was pushed forward by these pipes. Rather than bring all the base units forward, thus losing valuable space, I created a surround and extra wide door that enabled the washing machine to be concealed. Similarly, I made a taller end panel and door for the boiler.