Category: Blogs

The Timeless Appeal of Oak Front Doors: Beauty, Strength, and Durability

Introduction: The front door is the gateway to your home, making a statement about your personal style while providing security and protection. When it comes to choosing a front door that offers both elegance and durability, oak front doors stand out as a timeless choice. Crafted from one of the most beloved and versatile hardwoods, oak front doors exude natural beauty, strength, and durability. In this blog post, we will explore the numerous benefits and unique features of oak front doors, showcasing why they are an excellent addition to any home.

1. Natural Beauty and Warmth: Oak is renowned for its stunning grain patterns and warm tones, adding a touch of natural beauty to any home exterior. Oak front doors are often crafted to highlight the unique characteristics of the wood, showcasing the intricacies of the grain and the rich, warm hues. The result is a door that becomes a focal point, enhancing the curb appeal of your home and leaving a lasting impression on visitors.
2. Strength and Durability: Oak is a dense and sturdy hardwood known for its exceptional strength and durability. When used in front door construction, oak provides robustness and security. Oak front doors are highly resistant to impact, weathering, and everyday wear and tear, ensuring they can withstand the test of time. With proper maintenance, an oak front door can serve as a long-lasting investment that continues to look and perform beautifully for years to come.
3. Enhanced Insulation and Energy Efficiency: In addition to its strength, oak is a natural insulator, offering excellent thermal efficiency. Oak front doors help to keep your home comfortable by reducing heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer. The insulating properties of oak contribute to energy efficiency, allowing you to lower your heating and cooling costs while maintaining a cosy indoor environment.
4. Versatile Design Options: Oak front doors come in a wide range of design options to suit various architectural styles and personal preferences. Whether you prefer a traditional, rustic look or a more contemporary design, oak can be crafted to match your desired aesthetic. From panelled doors to glazed options, you can choose a style that complements the overall design of your home and reflects your individual taste.
5. Low Maintenance: Despite its natural durability, oak front doors require minimal maintenance. The wood is naturally resistant to rot and pests, reducing the need for frequent treatments or repairs. A simple cleaning routine and occasional resealing of the finish are usually sufficient to keep your oak front door looking its best. This low-maintenance characteristic allows you to enjoy the beauty and functionality of your front door without the hassle of extensive upkeep.

Conclusion: Oak front doors made by Reeve & Co Interiors in Suffolk embody the perfect combination of natural beauty, strength, and durability. They add a touch of elegance and warmth to any home exterior while providing security and insulation benefits. With their versatility in design, Reeve & Co Interior’s oak front doors can be customized to suit various architectural styles and personal preferences. The low-maintenance nature of oak ensures that your front door will continue to be a welcoming and impressive feature of your home for years to come. If you are looking for a front door that embodies the timeless appeal and exceptional performance, an oak front door is a choice that you won’t regret.

Buying your own home is one of the most delightful moments in your life. These moments become more enjoyable when your home interior reflects your personality and taste. But it is a challenging task. If you do this with proper planning, you will have a happy home. Otherwise, you could have a hodge-podge of furniture, clothes, and miscellaneous items. After painting and furnishing the interior decoration of the house, choosing the right furniture is the most important thing. This article will articulate some tips for decorating your home according to your taste and space.

1. Avoid Grocery When You’re Hungry

Grocery shopping when hungry is often wasteful, and makes poor choices. So avoid running to the furniture store to fill your empty home with misfitted furniture. Yes, you need chairs for your living room. But the joinery that looks good in the showroom does not necessarily look good in your home.

Therefore, take a professional approach and do first thing first.

2. Proportion and Scale are Key to Design

The most common mistake people make is buying joinery and furniture without measuring. Space planning is essential in interior decoration. If you seek perfection, go for made-to-measure bespoke furniture that fits your home accordingly. But if you want to buy ready-made furniture, first take the measurement of each room and then make or buy the furniture according to your space scaling.

3. Craft out the Floor Plan

After completing the repairs, the next step should be the floor plan. AutoCAD software is a good approach, but you can choose the traditional way by drawing lines on paper with a roller and pencil. From the floor plan, you will know ​​what kind of furniture will look good in your room, and you can experiment by positioning the joinery in different locations.

4. Tell them who You are

Following the trends can be a good approach, but trends keep changing. If you are in favour of changing the interior after every two or three years, then follow the trend. Otherwise, it is your home, and you are its master. So instead of following trends, do what you want with your interior. The interior of your home can be traditional or contemporary, visually bold or calm, or promote formality and comfort. In short, your home can reflect your personality, aesthetic sense, and style.

5. Get the Inspiration

Generating ideas on your own and implementing them is a very tricky task. But this task can be done conveniently by taking inspiration from various sources like the Internet and social media. You can find countless home decor ideas on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. After a few changes, these ideas will reflect your nature. This work may take time, but by following this, you will end up with a perfect interior. Apart from this, you can also contact an expert.

6. Be Bold with the Colors

Until recently, there were strict rules for choosing paint colours. But these rules are not followed in today’s modern age. You can go for any colour you like in the interior design. If you want to paint your room with bold colours, go for it, as there is no colour restriction. Apart from this, you can paint your room with a combination of two colours.

7. Now it’s Time to visit the Furniture Store.

As we discussed earlier, choosing furniture is the most crucial part of the interior design process. So, here are some key factors that will help you select the perfect furniture for your home.

Durability & Functionality

Most furniture and joinery items are expensive, and their use is rough and tough. Therefore, it is essential to consider the durability of the furniture while choosing it. This will save you from wasting money, and your furniture will remain functional for a long time. So, to be safe, do market research before buying furniture and buy from reputable companies like Reeve & Co Interiors which are known for producing quality bespoke furniture.

Colour Scheme that Matches the Interior

Joinery and furniture such as coffee tables, bedroom sets, clever storage cabinets, accent chairs, and sofa sets form part of the living room and other rooms. Therefore, you should consider the colours in choosing the furniture. If you buy a piece of furniture that doesn’t match the colours of your space, it kills the appeal of your entire decoration, no matter how beautiful it is.

Style and Design

An essential aspect of picking furniture is choosing its style. It depends on your personality and taste. If you want a touch of antique look in your living, you can pick Shaker-style bespoke furniture. And if you want a touch of modernisation in your lifestyle, you can select modern contemporary furniture. Apart from this, you can also choose Suffolk furniture from Reeve & Co Interiors, which has an innovative blend of contemporary and Shaker.

Flexibility and Adoption

The choice of furniture should be such that it does not depend on changing trends but remains evergreen. So always choose versatile furniture so that it doesn’t feel outdated even a decade from now. Also, a noteworthy aspect of buying furniture is choosing multi-functional freestanding furniture. So you can easily place it in any part of the house and use it.

Materials and Timber

It is a best practice to check the quality of anything before choosing it. A good buyer considers the sustainability of an item more than its price and beauty. When it comes to furniture, custom-made solid wood or bespoke furniture made of Birch Ply / MR MDF sheets is preferred over ready-made furniture made of vinyl sheets.

Brands like Reeve & Co Interiors only use the most premium materials and timber to maintain the quality of their products. So whenever you buy furniture, choose a good and reliable brand.

Last but not least, following these tips, you will have a great experience with your interior designing experience. But Reeve & Co Interiors advises you to consult an experienced interior designer to get the expert touch on your home’s interior. We have years of hand on experience in the field of crafting joinery and interior designing. It will be our pleasure to serve you.

How to ELEVATE your home with HIGH-END fitted joinery

While building a house, the first thing that is thought of after construction and painting is choosing the right Joinery or furniture. Every person wants to make their home as lovely as possible, so choosing tier-1 joinery is indispensable. But how to choose the perfect suit for your residence, and where to find it? Well, when it comes to tier-1 joinery, Reeve & co Interiors are proud to provide our matchless services.

Here are some noteworthy aspects that need to be considered while choosing High-End Bespoke joinery for your residence.

Choosing the right TIMBER

The first thing for high-end Tier 1 joinery is timber selection. A good choice of wood can result in good doors, windows, staircases, kitchens, and other joinery items. Each wood has different characteristics like its colour, character, density, durability, etc. These properties make the wood unique for diverse applications. According to research, there are more than 10000 species of wood in the world and each type of wood. Some of them must be protected as they are about to become extinct. Reeve & Co interiors uses only the finest wood from reliable and sustainable sources like FSC timber.

Staircases are CENTRAL PIECES of buildings.

A staircase is the essential and central joinery item of a house as it connects one part, for example, rooms and stories. Moreover, when a guest enters the house, the staircase is the first thing he encounters in many cases. So, staircases are crucial in two aspects: they are functional and also welcoming.

Therefore, due to its elevated and crucial role within the Joinery, the decoration of the staircase is as important as the other parts of the house.

You can find several options to get a readymade staircase to save time and money. But sorry, that won’t be enough. If you need to embellish your home in the best way, you need a bespoke high-end staircase. It will have many benefits. Firstly, high-end joinery uses the best wood that will last with you for a long time. One of the advantages of bespoke joinery is that it is designed for your space exactly. And the most notable benefit of the staircase is the diversity of choice.

Several staircase designs are trending. You can choose one with the consultation of your interior decorator. Modern spiral staircases, farmhouse staircases, glass staircases, alternated tread staircases, straight staircases, metal staircases, etc., lie in the tier 1 joinery category. Fortunately, in this age of technology and the internet, you can get inspiration from diverse locations. Moreover, Reeve & Co interiors at Suffolk UK is eager to serve you with our matchless expertise in providing a high-end tier 1 joinery for your residence.

Windows to add VALUE

There are many things to consider when you are designing your dream home. But one necessary thing that needs to be given more attention is the windows. While windows perform the same role in any building as lungs play in the human body. Windows may look the same, but there are countless types from which you can choose according to add value and warmth to your home, like slimline glass double-glazed units that are only 10 mm thick and can sometimes be fitted in listed buildings. The thing to mention here is that in their selection, it is vital to consider many aspects besides aesthetics. There are many factors to ponder, from safety and durability to light, heat and ventilation, so it’s significant to think about what’s important to you before making a decision.

So if you are buying a listed Suffolk farmhouse or luxury home in Westminster, Knightsbridge, West Brompton, or Chelsea home, you must want to find windows that match the class of your home. You should choose tier-1 Bespoke windows made of high-end materials.

Reeve & Co interiors always keeps track of modern window trends and styles and uses the best materials to amuse our clients with the best practices of our expertise. You are welcome to visit us in Suffolk, UK, to admire a look from stormproof to mullion windows to box sash windows.

First IMPRESSION: Front DOOR

The first impression cannot be called the last impression, but still, it leaves a deep impression on the viewer. But when it comes to the front door, this adage rings true. In short, your front door plays a vital role in the aesthetics of your home and makes a difference by adding curb appeal.

Up to show some class? A well-crafted bespoke wooden front door will bring style to your home. It will not only strike a perfect balance between your preferences but will also create such appeal to the eye of the beholder that it will also substantially increase the value of your property. Moreover, a wooden door also gives you peace of mind as it never compromises safety and security.

At Reeve & Co interiors, we craft bespoke wooden doors with quality materials that lie in the tier 1 category of handmade front doors. Our clients from Suffolk to Westminster always appreciate our high-end wooden doors and joinery units.

Make some DIFFERENCE with HIGH-END Joinery

As discussed earlier in this blog, high-end joinery plays an undisputed role in lavish home decor. So whether it is a box sash windows, large and luxurious doors, or stairs case, the heart of your home – the kitchen or a custom-made, walk-in dressing room/wardrobe, everything adds to the grandeur of your home.

Moreover, you cannot ignore the importance of glass while decorating your home. Integrating glasswork with wooden joinery will bring brightness to your home because the glass reflects light in different directions. This brightness will make your home look bigger, lighter and wider rooms.

On a closing note, we are proud to have some of the best joiners in the UK in Reeve and Co interiors. Our work is exemplary. Over the past few years, we have completed numerous Tier-1 joinery projects such as Metal Stair Suffolk, Westminster home, Tuddenham House, Ipswich School, Grosvenor Office Bespoke Joinery, etc. All these projects are showcased on our website, and you can also visit our showroom in Suffolk, UK.

FIVE BENEFITS OF BUYING A HANDMADE BESPOKE KITCHEN OVER AN OFF-SHELF PRE-MADE KITCHEN

Since handmade bespoke kitchens are more expensive compared to off-the-shelf pre-made kitchens, so they require a lot of prudence and proper motivation while investing money in them. However, the benefits of custom-made, bespoke kitchens are more than cheap, ready-made kitchens. This article will discuss some of the distinct advantages of a Reeve & Co handmade Kitchen from Suffolk.

1. Personalised Exactly for Your Space

Every home is different in size, design and structure, so it is almost impossible that a bulk-made off-the-shelf kitchen will not be a perfect fit for your room. It is a fact that readymade kitchen companies follow the trends. Still, even high-end brands will provide you kitchens with slimline cabinetry and filler panels that may fill up various slots in your room but with clutter and not maximise the space like a handmade bespoke kitchen.

On the other hand, handmade bespoke kitchens are crafted in such a way that they can cover all the dimensions of your room and make the most of the space. Everything is perfectly proportioned, be it kitchen cabinets or islands, free-standing kitchen units, or kitchen appliances. In simple words, every kitchen element is designed to maximise space utilisation.

If your home has special architectural features, our joiners and designers will craft a personalised bespoke kitchen to add value to your space.

2. Unmatched Quality that Speaks for Itself

Are you someone who wants to add quality to your home to increase its value? If yes, rest assured that pre-made off-the-shelf kitchens are not for you. The best match for you is a handcrafted bespoke kitchen in which no single detail is overlooked. All of Reeve & Co’s handmade kitchens are made by seasoned joiners and craftsmen to ensure every detail of quality is achieved while making cabinets and other kitchen units.

Handmade Bespoke kitchens such as Traditional Shaker Kitchens, Contemporary Kitchens, Kensington Kitchens, Scandinavian Kitchens, etc., and other furniture items manufactured at Reeve & Co are kept in mind modern and traditional techniques and use the best materials to ensure that they possess exceptional quality.

3. Follow Your Taste Instead of Trends

While spending money renovating your home, everyone wants everything to suit their taste and imagination. Some people want modern contemporary style decoration while some people want antique style interior. High-street off-the-shelf kitchen planners follow market trends and always try to provide their customers with what is in vogue, but in doing so, the customer’s preferences and tastes are pushed down. Such kitchens may look very modern and up-to-date for a while, but when the trends change, they also become outdated in a few years. After that, either the customer has to buy a new kitchen or live with the old design kitchen.

Since handmade kitchens are custom designed, our designers and joiners take care of your tendencies and make the kitchen as stylish and evergreen as possible so that it will look out-of-date even ten years from now.

4. Built to Last Bespoke Kitchens

If you have ever bought flat-packed furniture, you must have experienced that in their boxes, you will find spare parts like screws and other hardware. High Street companies know that their furniture is cheap but also unsustainable. That’s why they ship with some extras.

But if you spend more on a luxury bespoke handmade kitchen, rest assured, you’ll choose furniture built to last. Custom kitchens and other furniture use everything from sustainable raw wood to the highest-quality finishing materials. Also, the look of a handmade kitchen can be changed with little effort and cost. In classic Shaker kitchens, a change of colour or a change of handles and knobs looks like everything else in the kitchen has been changed, completely updating your Kitchen after a few years.

5. Enlivened Your Dreams with Expert Advice

Comparing pre-designed kitchens from catalogues with kitchens hand built by experienced joiners and carpenters with years of experience based on your ideas would be utterly unfair if you want a great and quality bespoke kitchen for your home. In that case, you need to leave the idea of spending money on a pre-built kitchen and visit our showroom in Suffolk, UK., where you will tell the experts your design specifications and budget. Our joiners will use all their skills to make your dreams come true by crafting a top-notch bespoke handcrafted kitchen. We work locally in Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridge, along with London but do also work in the whole of the UK.

6. Sustainable Materials are Kinder to the Environment

Mass-produced off-the-shelf kitchens use materials that have a negative impact on the environment. In contrast, in making handmade bespoke kitchens, care is taken to use sustainable FSC timber materials and make the production process as eco-friendly as possible. All our electricity is renewable too.

At Reeve and Co, we guarantee that everything from raw wood crafting to furnishing is done under environmentally friendly principles. That cleanliness is taken care of in factories and the homes we fit in.

If you are planning to get a new Bespoke Kitchen or renovate an existing one, it’s essential to get into the right place. Last year our world entered a new decade of the century. And with the new era, handmade kitchen and interior design requirements have also been updated like other things.

Suppose you are wondering how to plan a kitchen design. In that case, many design elements must be considered, such as splashbacks, worktops, sizing, colour schemes, storage spaces, and a good layout with the best working triangle. In the past few years, there has been a significant change in the design choices of bespoke kitchens. Until recently, traditional and classic style kitchens were preferred, but as the living space has become relatively smaller, people prefer contemporary and minimalist styles. Also, all-white and light colours have been in trend for kitchens for a long time, but now, in 2022, The homeowners’ choices have gravitated towards cosy and warmer colour combinations.

For example, bright blue can be a good choice, or teal and mustard are a great combination. However, it is entirely up to your personal preference and inclination. It’s just important to remember that whatever you choose should be the best because it’s your kitchen. The heart of your home! And this kitchen represents your taste and style. So have fun with it and make sure that you love the result!

Last year and this year, we built many new style contemporary kitchens here in Suffolk, UK. In this article, we will introduce recent bespoke kitchen trends that became popular in 2022 and will further reach the heights of popularity in 2023.

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1. Trending Looks for Bespoke Kitchens in 2022

It can be anticipated that the natural elements of wood will have to come to the front once again to enhance the beauty of kitchens. Apart from this, the use of stone countertops can also be popular, and brass fixtures are also expected as they add to the bespoke kitchen’s grandeur.

Whatever the design, kitchen functionality is critical, so hidden appliances and ample storage will remain key features. However, the open kitchen concept is worth mentioning. The dining room and living room will be kept to a minimum for ease of entertaining and daily living, increasing functionality and usability.

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2. Dark and Bold Color Schemes

Classic shaker kitchen cabinets without handles are still among the most loved handcrafted bespoke kitchen trends, but it can be hoped that we are slowly moving towards colourful cabinets. Along with anti-fingerprint matte finishing, people now demand bold colour schemes.

Among other trends today, teal blue, forest green, and anthracite grey are dark and bold colour schemes that people are increasingly looking to define with their kitchen cabinets.

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3. Hidden Storage Units

Lack of space is the biggest issue nowadays, so organising storage to promote overall well-being is imperative for kitchens. Hidden storage is becoming a trend in kitchens where everything from ingredients to cooking utensils and crockery must be kept.

A plan to create ample space for hiding the clutter of objects in hidden storage is like building a bridge over the bridge. For this purpose, it will be necessary to customise any bespoke kitchen layout according to your space.

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4. Wood Flooring for the Win

Wood design porcelain tiles in a herringbone pattern are trendy as they reflect light very well and do not feel dull even in sunlight. In addition, they add warmth and a textured look to the kitchen and are very easy to clean. You can also use these tiles as splashbacks as they are also available in fine textures.

Sustainable and eco-friendly options like FCS-certified wood, cork, and Lino can also be excellent choices for you.

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5. Contemporary Handles

Handles are an essential component of kitchen cabinetry. Shaker doors use contemporary tumbled black or brass handles. Over the past few years, people have started to prefer gold and brass profiling instead of the classic style handles, which gives these doors a more contemporary touch.

These metal handles look very attractive on blue and green units, but when it comes to marble texture cabinetry, we cannot use these types of handles as stone effect doors reflect our focus on the environment and nature.

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6. Utility Rooms and Pantries

It is arguably proven that utility rooms are one of the most sought-after bespoke kitchen trends today. As kitchens are becoming much more open-space living rooms these days, it becomes necessary to have a small space next to the kitchen to keep extra utensils and laundry out of sight.

Pantries are next to the list of top trends. No problem if you don’t have the space for a separate utility room. Having a kitchen pantry is an enviable addition if you have floor-to-ceiling open shelving.

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7. Simplicity with Functionality

The streamlined kitchen trend will be the most popular Bespoke kitchen layout in the coming era as it provides the most minimalist look in the least space, making the kitchen look calm with clean sweeping lines. This contemporary look is the epitome of functionality and simplicity, but you have to choose the best materials to achieve this look. This type of design uses hidden storage units to keep smoothness forefront. You can update your existing kitchen with clever storage solutions to clear worktops.

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8. Two-Toned Kitchens

As we enter this new decade, the trend of combining two colours through bespoke wooden kitchen cabinetry has gained popularity. The combination of two different colours not only gives a new twist to your aesthetic taste but also takes the whole feel of your room to a different level in the best way. Two contrasting colours, one bold and dark and one light and bright, will add depth to the aesthetics of your kitchen.

This trend is not only limited to different colour combinations on the walls, but you can choose anything from worktops and cupboards to other painted items.

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9. Green Cabinetry and Accessories

The blue was observed excessively in recent years, but now we expect to see green in kitchens. It involves in use of green cabinetry and tiles. This trend of darker hues and combinations has been practised since early 2021. Deep forest green in the tones of emerald can be combined with latte shades, smoky glass, and softened metallic handles and hardware to bring opulence to the kitchen, with white marble work to bring light to the kitchen.

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10. Modern Twist on Tradition

As mentioned earlier, classic designs, especially Shaker-style kitchens, are still loved today; giving them a modern touch is also becoming a new trend. To adopt this style, you must use modern colours in a traditional kitchen.

Your kitchen is the heart of your home and gets a lot of use. Even if you aren’t a big cook, the chances are you use your kitchen on a daily basis, so it needs to look good but also work hard. 

Your kitchen should be a space that you enjoy, whether you use it for cooking, entertaining or family meals. This means you need to make it work for you, which takes some thoughtful kitchen design. 

Here at Reeve & Co, we help create stunning bespoke kitchens to help bring your plans and inspiration to life. However, to help us design and make a kitchen that truly ticks all the boxes, there are a few things you should consider about what you want and need your space to deliver. 

Here are a few things to think about when designing a kitchen from scratch or renovating the room you have.

Traffic Flow

The traffic flow of your kitchen helps you ensure that everything is put where it needs to be for easy use. Not considering how you use your kitchen could mean you end up crossing it multiple times when cooking a meal as nothing is to hand where you need it. 

Your layout needs to follow the way that your family uses the kitchen so you can use it easily and without needing to work harder. For example, food and other ingredients should be stored near the cooker, as should pans and utensils. Ideally, your cooker should be placed away from high traffic areas to avoid spillages, whereas your fridge should be easily accessible to those cooking in the kitchen and people passing by. 

Think about the way you use your kitchen and what annoys you about the layout of your existing room to create an accurate traffic flow that will help with the layout. 

Corners

Corners can prove to be a nightmare in a kitchen. You don’t want to have to close the kitchen door just to be able to open the oven, so you need to ensure that cabinets and appliances are placed carefully. 

To achieve this, you need to plan solace for every cabinet’s door clearance and the same with your oven and fridge. You need to make sure that doors can be opened at the same time without banging each other, otherwise, the functionality of your kitchen will be affected.

Lighting

The lighting in your kitchen shouldn’t be an afterthought as it is an important part of creating the right ambience for the space. Your lighting helps to set the mood and allows you to change the feel of your kitchen depending on what you’re using the room for. You also need to be able to cook and prepare food safely, which means being able to see what you’re doing. 

Consider what types of light sources you want to use and where you may need extra lighting. It is generally a good idea to incorporate some wall lighting – either in the form of spotlights or a cooker hood – along with overhead lighting so you can fully tailor the feel of your kitchen. 

Ventilation

You want your kitchen to look great but it also needs to be functional, which means thinking about proper ventilation. Ventilation when cooking is important as it helps to avoid condensation, which can lead to mould and mildew, as well as gets rid of cooking smells. 

Ideally, you should include an extraction fan in your kitchen design plans to help improve ventilation and ensure your space stays fresh. 

Countertop Details

Ensuring you have ample countertop space is important both for storage and cooking. Too little countertops can leave you working in cramped conditions and make it difficult to keep your kitchen clean and tidy. 

Think about what appliances need counter space at all times, if there is anything else that will be kept on the counter – such as coffee canisters and knife blocks – and how much space you’ll likely need for cooking. 

If space is at a premium in your kitchen, you can also start considering clever storage options that still make things easy to access but don’t result in a cluttered countertop. This can include pop-up plug sockets, magnetic knife strips and fold-down spice racks. 

Island Function

If your dream kitchen includes an island, the best way to ensure it is actually useful is to decide on its function. It’s great to have extra counter space but if you aren’t sure how you’re going to use that space, you won’t get the most out of it.

Is your island going to be used for cooking, eating, as a sink area or something else? Will it help with the design and use of your kitchen to use the base of the island purely for storage or will it help with the flow of your kitchen to place appliances like your dishwasher underneath it?

Thinking about these factors will ensure that you can fully use your island rather than it simply taking up space. 

Materials

The materials used in your kitchen will determine both the way it looks and its longevity. Ideally, you want to use materials that look great, are suitable for the way you use your kitchen and will continue to be strong and attractive for years to come. 

While it can be tempting to cut corners to bring the price of your kitchen down, this is usually a false economy with cheaper materials costing you more in the long run. Choosing high-end materials will ensure your kitchen continues to be functional, is less prone to damage and will still be doing you proud for years. 

Handmade furniture is looking amazing right now. 

Many in the furniture design industry anticipated a resurgence in popularity of handmade furniture this year. I for one love it and have enjoyed seeing it appear more and more in interior shoots and designs online. But did it ever fall out of fashion? Handmade furniture is such a broad umbrella term full of different elements and styles. simply saying I don’t like it doesn’t fit. Not all handmade furniture is to everyone’s taste, but I know everyone has one piece they see, and it resonates uniquely. So, what are the magic elements of handmade furniture that designers yearn for and consumers become consumed by?  

The Story 

When another handmade furniture product is brought into existence, it is contributing to the layers of history that has come before. Greater than its contribution is its humble reference to how furniture used to be made and why. Handmade furniture shuns the cold heartless clone production of mass made. It instead celebrates the maker as an artist, highly skilled craftspeople concentrating their years of practice and toil into a fine artefact for your home. A standoff in production ideology that has existed for centuries. Customers fond of handmade appreciate this connection with the maker. It adds a layer of authenticity to a product. 

The Journey 

Similar to the story, The journey covers the process involved in making the product. Customers want to know the machines and methods used. See experts with their age old tools. The factory and bench set up with their favourite products being honed and refined. Images of spaces weathered and scarred from making furniture for decades. In knowing all this information it provides assurances to the customer that the product is a unique handmade labour of love. It demonstrates the work that really goes into handmade furniture. The ingenuity of a maker with his tools. The finesse of a sharpened chisel, the brawn of ripping lumber. 

The Material  

When I think of handmade, I don’t just think of the genius and craft behind the hands. I think of the material the maker has chosen to dedicate himself too. Handmade jeweller using fine metals and precious gems. Metal smiths hand pouring molten iron into casts enduring the blazing heat. Cabinet makers planing fine timbers like Oak, Cherry and Walnut. If a manufacturers ethos has been to retain a handmade approach to making and use skilled workers to make unique, beautiful products, you can bet the material will be beautiful in its own right. Our makers James and Paul have pride and pleasure in their work because of their beloved Oak. They make sure it is shown off at its best. 

Why the resurgence?

With social media and instant access to information these days, furniture makers can provide people with regular updates about their process and exquisite products. For many, this has been the key to realising the potential in handmade furniture and understanding more than the finished product. Designers and enthusiasts using handmade furniture in their interiors inspire the rest of us, posting thousands of photos every day. For many this extra depth of interest and seemingly timeless furniture design is what keeps handmade furniture re-emerging and trending. Iconic, traditional handmade furniture is so flexible in interiors made for modern living. they are often made of better grade, longer lasting materials like hardwoods. They do not reinvent the wheel designed for function first with ingenious systems that look beautiful. Hardware is high quality and furniture repairs/maintenance is possible making it a sustainable choice compared to other furniture products out there.