What strikes you about this West Sussex kitchen on first glance is the sheer number of finishes and techniques on display. Testament to the craftsmanship and skill involved in creating it, the space has been transformed from its previous incarnation. “When I first visited the house, the kitchen was dated but the room as a whole was bursting with potential,” remembers Charlie Smallbone, founder of Ledbury Studio. Here, he reveals how he channelled his client’s love of antiques and eclecticism to turn it into a sociable space designed for serious cooking.
The couple are keen on entertaining, but the kitchen also has to function as an ad-hoc office, as our client’s partner works from home. And then, because our client works in an auction house and loves antiques, they wanted us to take an eclectic approach to the design with a rich mix of materials and finishes. In this case, less is not more! My brief was to create the feel of freestanding furniture, rather than of a fitted kitchen – so it looks like somebody has gone out and bought lots of lovely pieces. As such, the kitchen we designed for the couple is a beautiful, informal, living, dining and kitchen space that ticks all boxes.
When the couple visited our Notting Hill showroom, they instantly fell in love with our signature Metallics Collection copper-fronted cabinets. Naturally, we integrated two into the design — either side of the window for a lovely framing effect. The copper is a living finish that will mature over time, developing a rich patina.
The painted cabinets were given a primer in our workshops and then hand painted in situ by our artist Emma, in close collaboration with the client. The beautiful burnished paint effect was inspired by the grey-green elements in a favourite copper vase. There are four hand-painted layers, one of which is a tinted pearlescent. This makes the paint shimmer, so the colour isn’t flat, and it’s this that unites all the finishes in the kitchen.
This tall freestanding piece acts as a breakfast cupboard housing a coffee machine, toaster, kettle and all other breakfast paraphernalia. It has the aged-pewter finish on the doors, over which we’ve put a protective finish so that fingerprints don’t mark it and the surface is easy to clean.
The cabinets below the breakfast cupboard feature a pattern we call Choppy Water. Solid oak panels were carved and then stained dark to create the effect. If you look carefully, you’ll see that it’s been finished with gold-leaf appliqué, which injects a dash of glamour into the kitchen. Both the wood and the appliqué are protected by a 5% sheen lacquer. The Choppy Water finish has also been used on the appliance housing opposite.
We used the same work surface throughout, which is a man-made quartz called Arabesque from Stone Italiana. It is a very practical solution — non porous, hard wearing, resistant to heat and scratching, and does not require sealing. What’s more, it allowed us to seamlessly incorporate a sink, also in Arabesque. Losing the join lines between the worktop and the sink lends the kitchen a sleek look.
Ledbury Studio kitchens start from £50,000.
About Ledbury Studio
Charlie Smallbone needs little introduction. The founder of iconic brand Smallbone of Devizes, he has been pushing the boundaries of kitchen design for over 40 years. Charlie’s latest venture, Ledbury Studio, was born of his desire to harness the beauty of original materials whilst creating practical kitchens that exude style and elegance.
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The team at Graphenstone encourage designers to re-consider the process by which you specify paint for your projects. It’s more important than ever to consider both the environment and human health when it comes to making responsible design decisions for clients and end-users. So how can your decisions on paint make an impact?
Most paint brands focus your attention on one overriding priority – colour. No one doubts that this is a very important element to deliver on both design and mood. But let’s be honest, these days all the recognised brands have a fantastic range of colours, regardless of the fancy names and the marketing spiel.
In this time of overwhelming need for ecological change, we need to consider characteristics of the paint, well beyond just colour. We should seek information to evaluate:
These crucial factors can no longer be ignored or simply brushed over!
180,000 tonnes of plastic micro-beads are reportedly washed into rivers and oceans from the paints industry annually, six times the volume of micro-plastics emitted by the cosmetics industry – where they’re already banned. A day of reckoning awaits the paints industry, and you can help lead the charge.
The microscopic pieces of plastic now pour down globally in ‘plastic rain’, seeping widely into agriculture and our precious food chain, and according to the journal ‘Environmental Intentional’, in late 2020, even into the foetuses of unborn babies.
Indoor Air Quality in areas where high VOC paints are applied can be highly detrimental to the health of inhabitants, as toxic chemicals off-gas into the space, for years after application. 30 tonnes of toxic waste according to the WHO is produced for every ton of paint manufactured. And the chemical blend cannot break down at end of life, turning into plastic dust and spreading far and wide. These are just a very few examples on the long list of egregious risks and damage from a paints industry, which continues largely unchecked.
Check out the report ‘The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet’ here from CIEL.
It’s time to change, ‘Beyond Colour’.
Usually, you won’t see any declaration of ingredients. Neither will you find any trusted alternative to the declared list, such as a recognised ‘harm-free’ product evaluation certification, from the likes of Cradle to Cradle Institute, or Eurofins. These all require a careful and detailed inspection of all the contents, conducted on behalf of the consumer as solid verification of an ecological, or genuinely sustainable claim. So, all the usual paint additives could still be present, from solvents, de-foamers, driers, preservatives, additives, heavy metals and other harmful chemicals.
With ‘estimates of nearly 55% of raw material used by paint companies being crude oil derivatives’, the impact ecologically on our planet and the damage caused is becoming more widely known and repudiated.
“Paints, lacquers, and varnishes are among the chemical everyday products that have a particularly distinct effect on environment and health (chemicals in conventional paints can include glycols, toluene, and xylene).
Acrylic paints typically include a range of biocides to protect the latex, which can include arsenic disulphide, phenol, copper. Just because a paint says it has low VOCs does not mean it does not give off hazardous vapours.” – Architectural Digest Australia/Daniel Wurm, Greenpainters.
Mineral based paint systems are all automatically water based, since they don’t require solvents, using water as the base.
So don’t be misled by the apparent innocence of the “Water Based” paints label. It can disguise a toxic mix of polluting oil and plastic based ingredients, both highly damaging in production and no less toxic at point of use!
About Graphenstone
Graphenstone is the brainchild of a chemical engineer Antonio León Jiménez who dedicated himself to the idea of developing a natural, ecological and health conscious coating for the 21st century. Since the production of their initial range of paints and coatings, they have continued to work diligently creating ever more healthy and sustainable coatings for all manner of buildings.
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SBID member Kay Hare Art creates unique art pieces by mixing different eco-friendly materials and using unusual techniques. Her art brings liveliness and positivity to the overall ambience of interiors, inspiring the clients and shaping their awareness to make more environmentally conscious choices. The oil on linen paintings reflect dream landscapes with natural gemstone diamonds and gold leaf.
The paintings are not so much a brand as each one is quite different and as I work to the specification they do change. However, the roots lie in nature. I am inspired by trees and especially enjoy long walks getting lost in the woods. I love all the seasons and find beauty in the cold, wet weather of winter with frosty mornings. All my time spent outdoors is absorbed on a subconscious level and then translated into oil paintings. I work quietly alone in my studio with the paintings almost meditations in themselves often detached from reality.
I work on commission and enjoy the challenge of turning abstract ideas into a plan I can discuss clearly with clients. I enjoy offering paintings I already created. If these are not quite to the style ie. the right colours or often the right size, I will go to length to sketch out what I think the client wants, sometimes it being watercolour on paper. Once the client is happy we decide on a deadline and I make sure to stay in touch throughout the working period. Providing weekly and sometimes daily updates.
I think I bring much more than just the painting. I often suggest ideas that the client has not thought about. I am keen on working with local materials and can often suggest more environmentally conscious ways of doing things. Working with nature and natural colours can really enhance an environment as well as remind people that the natural world is precious and something we have to take care of. I like my paintings to radiate positivity and I like to bring my own enthusiasm to the project, hopefully uplifting others and providing inspiration.
I am quite direct when I am working with clients as I find this approach saves time and money. I also like to recommend other services or sometimes artists that perhaps may work better or as well as my own work. I am disciplined enough to know right from the start if the project is something realistic or not. I can bring to the table many past projects and the experience of thirty years of working on commission. My outlook generally is a Pollyanna mindset that anything is possible, however, we do have a responsibility to be aware of our carbon footprints and find economical, non-polluting, and eco-friendly ways of working that can still be luxurious and comforting.
I think the trend is very much in the natural world and it should be. We all have to monitor our consumption habits, choose biodegradable products, be accountable for our travel habits and conscious of our environments. How can we work harder to sustain an organic world? We can use more organic products and this can be hinted at through fabrics, prints, and décor generally. Encouraging eco-friendly environments through the way buildings are designed and then running this theme through to the interiors can influence and shape an individual’s awareness and an entire community. Making natural product-based materials and overall styles that hint at the salvaged, second-hand market is important to influence and support the younger generation who will have to embrace more sustainable ways of living without giving up on beautiful interiors.
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Silestone® by Cosentino, the world’s leading hybrid mineral surface for architecture and design, is launching its second series worldwide under its new corporate image. The new Silestone® emblem and character has given rise to the Ethereal collection, which also comes with a major campaign featuring entrepreneur and international fashion icon, Cindy Crawford.
Ethereal by Silestone® represents a quantum leap in terms of design, innovation and sustainability, in line with the transition that the Silestone® brand name is undergoing externally and internally with the development of the cutting-edge HybriQ® technology. This evolution of Silestone® leads to a series of patterns over a white canvas designed to become a best-seller in interior design, and which are the main reason for the title of Cindy Crawford’s campaign with Silestone® Ethereal, ‘Metamorphosis’.
This marble-inspired collection consists of four colours, namely Ethereal Dusk, Ethereal Haze, Ethereal Glow, and Ethereal Noctis, which recreate the dream-like beauty of the sky. The designs offer a deep, fine veining on a white foundation.
Ethereal Dusk showcases an urban look in which the blueish tone of its veining brings a modern and avant-garde touch to the space. It symbolises a unique, unforgettable and personal sunrise, in which peace, solemnity and tranquillity are seen on the horizon in the last moments of darkness.
Ethereal Haze includes a dynamic range of grey tones to emit plenty of personality. This colour conveys both calm and character thanks to an interplay of gradients which blend into pure neutrality. Ethereal Haze takes us to an imaginary world where the wind moves the clouds over the mountains, creating an optical illusion of tranquillity and fluffiness.
Ethereal Glow is simply pure, classic elegance. Its golden and grey veining merges with a tinged white foundation, running through the entire design and bringing an accent of colour to every corner. It is inspired by the sunset and its igneous colours and glow, a vision from which you cannot look away. It is an evolution of our internationally acclaimed Silestone® Eternal Calacatta Gold colour.
Ethereal Noctis is synonymous with sophistication. The tinged white foundation is broken up with short grey and black veins, providing contrast, depth, simplicity and modernity. It is inspired by the darkness after sunset, making us feel life with a strange halo of unreality.
Silestone® Ethereal is the result of HybriQ+®, the exclusive and pioneering technology developed for Silestone® by Cosentino. HybriQ+®, launched in 2020, is a qualitative leap in the evolution of Silestone® brand. It is a new production process characterised by the company’s commitment to the environment, the circular economy and sustainable management. With HybriQ+®, in addition to Cosentino’s environmental milestones, such as the use of 99% recycled water and 100% renewable electric energy in the production process, at least 20% of recycled raw materials are used in the manufacture of Silestone®.
Furthermore, HybriQ+® technology stands out for its new formulation in the composition of Silestone®, where the presence of crystalline silica is significantly reduced. Instead, a new hybrid formulation of mineral raw materials with equal or better performance than quartz and materials of a recycled origin is used. With this new composition, Silestone® benefits from the same mechanical and technical features and an appearance that enhance its beauty, but with a sustainable focus and new design possibilities including improved depth and translucency.
About Silestone® by Cosentino
Silestone® is the hybrid surface of premium minerals, quartz and recycled materials more advanced and sustainable on the market, manufactured with the exclusive and innovative HybriQ® technology. Since its creation, Silestone® has set major trends in its market, transforming the world of kitchen worktops and today it is a benchmark in interior design.
Identifying genuinely sustainable and ecological paint brands requires some careful research and checking. But it’s worth it! At stake is both the health of our planet and those that inhabit your space. Here Graphenstone presents a few key pointers:
Do they claim ‘Low VOC’ levels or ‘Ultra-Low’? Low VOC can be as high at 30-50 grams per litre! Low VOC is a misnomer, it’s nothing like low enough. Even low or Ultra Low VOC products can contain other harmful additives and chemicals.
What evidence does the brand offer to validate their sustainability claims? Check to see if they provide Toxicological or Ecological data, or does it simply say ’No data available’ or not reference it?
Window-dressing; does the brand highlight positives like planting trees, or removing plastic from oceans, while explicitly avoiding any reference to their manufacturing process, the paints products themselves or their carbon footprint? Some brand use these distractions to window dress to shift your attention from other more damaging, un-ecological aspects of their offering.
Are there Independent certifications available from recognised ‘harm-free’ product evaluation agencies? These are essential to verify claims. ’Trust but Verify’ as Ronald Reagan, US President, once famously stated.
Are the paints genuinely petro-chemical, micro-bead and plastic free? Micro-beads are so damaging to the global ecology of rivers and oceans and the scientific evidence is now clear that these tiny plastic particles are now falling globally, onto land, via ‘plastic rain’.
Do they list ingredients with no verification from recognised, respected third party product evaluation agencies? How can you know if those really are the only ingredients? Check their certifications for independent evidence to confirm that all ingredients are ‘harm-free’ and healthy.
The paint industry is one of the most polluting globally. Billions of Kilo’s of VOC’s released annually into our precious atmosphere. For every ton of paint manufactured, the WHO claim that there’s 30 tons of waste water requiring processing. Only 30% of global paints are manufactured with a water base and even these can contain plastic and petrol-chemical based ingredients.
Graphenstone is certified by the most rigorous of all the ‘harm-free’ evaluation agencies including the most widely respected and holistic agencies such as Cradle to Cradle Institute, Eurofins, Green Tag and many others. No global paints brand has more certifications in the ecological and sustainable space.
This London pied-à-terre is a masterclass in open-plan living. Despite its relatively compact proportions (5m x 7m), the homeowners wanted to slot in a well-equipped kitchen, dining and living areas. Charlie Smallbone of Ledbury Studio was tasked with designing a kitchen that would both furnish the space and enhance its overall look.
“Just because a kitchen is bijou, it doesn’t mean it can’t be big on style, and I think this project perfectly demonstrates this,” says Charlie. “We have hidden much of the functionality behind closed doors meaning that all you can see is a collection of handmade pieces of furniture. So, whether the family are dining at the table or lounging in the living area, they always have a beautiful view.”
To ensure the kitchen is a seamless extension of the living area, Charlie opted not to install wall cupboards above the base cabinets. This created space for floating glass shelves, allowing the homeowners to weave in a touch of character with plants and decorative objects. A hanging rail was also added, retaining the much-coveted open feel whilst keeping kitchen paraphernalia close to hand.
Charlie’s greatest challenge was to fit all the functional aspects of a kitchen into the single wall of furniture. “It was tricky but I am happy with the final arrangement, which incorporates a lot of storage as well as all the essentials,” he explains. “It features a stone sink and Miele induction hob sandwiched between a tall, integrated fridge-freezer and larder cupboard at one end, and a dropped-down worktop with storage above it at the other.”
The cupboards themselves feature pewter fronts, which speak to the homeowners’ eclectic style. Made from sheet metal that is hand textured with hammers and heat, and given an aged patina using acid, the surface is then sealed with lacquer so that it stands the test of time. The cupboards are finished with concave stainless-steel handles that have been blasted to dull the shine and darken their appearance.
Bianco Macaubas Quartzite was specified for the worktop; a hardwearing but stunning natural stone with rich marble-esque veining. Charlie paired this with a Verre Eglomise splashback, whereby pure gold leaf was applied to the reverse of toughened glass and antiqued. Not only does it look stunning, but its reflective properties help to bounce light around the room and increase the feeling of space.
Charlie Smallbone, founder of Ledbury Studio, and his team faced a significant design challenge in this latest project. The existing kitchen of a 1920s house in North London was long and narrow with very little natural light. Located to the rear of the house and accessed via an adjoining dining room off the entrance hall, the advantageous lofty proportions of the space were unfortunately complicated by three different ceiling heights (the consequence of crude building works some 30 years ago). At the back of the kitchen was a door leading to a former cold store that had been converted into a cramped utility room. Here, Charlie reveals how they created the stunning new space.
Firstly, I wanted to get more natural light into the space. To achieve this, the utility room was replaced by a small lean-to extension accessed via glass doors at the rear of the kitchen and we also installed a large roof light.
Secondly, the client was keen to push the cupboards as high as they could to maximise every inch of storage space. However, at the same time, they wanted to retain the original coving. My solution was to put coving on top of the furniture and use this as the lighting recess that runs all the way round the room. The recess then joins seamlessly with the ceiling coving above, which in turn becomes part of the furniture. It is a great way to link the architecture of the room and the furniture, making them appear as one.
We chose fluted glass for cabinet fronts to keep the design light and airy, but without having the contents on display as you would with open shelves. The worktops are hard-wearing Classico Marble Arabesque quartz coupled with Verre Eglomise splashbacks, whereby pure gold leaf was applied to the reverse of toughened glass and antiqued. Demonstrating an eye for detail, the client requested a floral design be gilded onto the Verre Eglomise surface behind the hob, transforming it into a standout feature.
The kitchen is mainly taken from our Ledbury Shaker collection, but the client was also keen to introduce our signature use of metals. We added aged brass to the edge of the cooker hood and also used it for the plate rack’s supporting brackets, the hanging rails mounted on the splashbacks and the cupboard handles.
The client is a prolific cook with a library of recipe books now housed in a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf within easy reach of the prep space. There is a generous breakfast cupboard too, combining a wealth of storage with dedicated space for microwave and coffee machine. Space to store wine was another priority, so we integrated a wine storage appliance into the design, in addition to the open wine storage in the mint-coloured cupboard. To the right of this is a walk-in cupboard for the boiler, and a slot for the washing machine and tumble dryer, stacked one on top of the other to maximise space.
Finally, the units either side of the range cooker constitute one of the most important parts of the design for me. What looks like multiple wall and base cupboards are actually two complete pieces of furniture.
Architectural and interior designer, antiques dealer and furniture designer Rose Uniacke is pleased to present Rose Uniacke Paint, a debut paint collection that was launched this month.
Taking Rose Uniacke’s renowned fabric collection as inspiration, the range comprises 14 colours that offer a refined backdrop to the timeless decorative style that the designer is celebrated for. The debut paint range will be 100% natural and chemical-free and is suited to both traditional and modern interiors.
An effortless versatility underpins the palette of carefully considered neutral colours which range from the gently green-hued ‘Apple Mint’ to the softly pink-toned ‘Bloom’. Made using the highest quality natural and sustainable materials, the ecologically accountable paint range offers exceptional performance, durability and coverage while being preservative and plastic-free.
“I have long mixed my own bespoke paints for the projects I design and so it made sense to share some of these colours. I wanted to do this in an environmentally conscious way, and so creating a range that’s 100% natural and chemical-free was a priority from the outset.” says Rose Uniacke.
After a long search for the perfect partner, Rose Uniacke chose Norfolk-based Graphenstone to develop the range of 100% natural and chemical-free paints.
A world-class innovator when it comes to sustainability, Graphenstone paints contain Graphene, a nontoxic pure carbon that is the strongest material known to science. Packaged using 100% recycled materials, the natural mineral base paints require some dilution before use, helping to reduce the CO2 emissions by not transporting water around the world.
The range is available in three finishes suited to both internal and external applications. Grafclean and Grafclean Midsheen are composed of vegetable resins and ecological materials, while half of the range is available in Ecosphere, a paint based on pure lime which helps purify the air by absorbing CO2. So pure is the Ecosphere paint that 15L will absorb nearly 5.0kg of CO2.
“It was an absolute must that we developed our debut paint collection in partnership with a brand which has the environment at its core” added Uniacke.
Rose Uniacke Paints are sold exclusively in the new Rose Uniacke Fabric Shop at 103 Pimlico Road, SW1, and online.
About Rose Uniacke
Rose Uniacke is an interior designer, a designer of furniture and lighting – for individual clients as well as for her shop – and a dealer in both antiques and pieces by other, usually well known, designers.
Charlie Smallbone, founder of Ledbury Studio, has garnered a reputation for collaborating with talented artisans. His latest project in Wimbledon is no exception. It features stunning stained-glass windows by celebrated artist Brian Clarke that strike a colourful contrast to Charlie’s cool, industrial-inspired design.
“As a lover and collector of modern art, our client wanted a minimal look to the kitchen that would allow her paintings, as well as the stained-glass windows, to really pop,” explains Charlie. To achieve this, Charlie used aged, hand-finished solid zinc doors from the Metallics Collection on the side of the island facing the room. Elsewhere, the cabinetry features a specially commissioned paint-effect created onsite by Ledbury Studio’s resident artist Emma Culshaw Bell. “To maintain the less-is-more approach that our client covets, all cabinets are handleless to create a sleek, unfussy look,” adds Charlie.
Two sets of natural oak drawers with exposed dovetail joints inject a craft-inspired vibe into the pared-back design. Airy Concrete Caesarstone was then chosen for the worktops; a perfect complement to the concrete flooring. The finishing flourish is Crittall patio doors that open into the garden – an essential element of any industrial-inspired kitchen.
“This is a kitchen that works on so many levels,” concludes Charlie. “It’s a highly functional family kitchen, a great open-plan entertaining space – that links so well with the garden – and the backdrop for some truly stunning pieces of art. I couldn’t be more delighted with the finished effect.”
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