This is a CPD session that traces the evolution of the domestic kitchen—from its historical origins and changing social functions to its current role as the heart of contemporary living—and provides practical strategies for seamlessly integrating luxury appliances to enhance both form and function.
Lunch provided, please advise of any dietary requirements.
SBID Members earn 4 x CPD points for attending!
Bespoke is one of the most frequently used terms in luxury kitchen design, yet its meaning can vary considerably. From cabinetry available in an extensive selection of finishes to furniture conceived and crafted for a particular space, the distinction is not always immediately clear.
For interior designers, understanding what lies behind the term is essential. True bespoke design offers far more than aesthetic choice. It provides the freedom to respond to architectural conditions, develop individual details and create furniture that reflects how clients live.
At Roundhouse, bespoke kitchen design combines creative freedom with the manufacturing expertise needed to bring ambitious ideas to life. The value lies not simply in producing something different, but in delivering thoughtful solutions that enhance the wider interior.
So, what should designers look for when specifying a genuinely bespoke kitchen?
A comprehensive palette of colours, materials and door styles can offer considerable flexibility, but this alone does not make a kitchen truly bespoke.
Customised kitchens generally provide choices within an established system, while made to measure furniture adapts existing designs to suit particular dimensions. Bespoke design goes further, allowing the cabinetry itself to evolve around the project, from its proportions and construction to internal arrangements and individual architectural details.
The distinction becomes particularly important when a design calls for something outside a manufacturer's standard offering. Can cabinetry depths be altered as readily as widths? Can a completely new door profile be developed? Can internal storage be designed around specific requirements rather than predetermined components?
Roundhouse's Meunière project demonstrates how this freedom can shape the character of an interior. Bespoke beading was developed to give the cabinetry the appearance of traditional wall panelling, while push to open doors allow appliances and storage to remain discreetly concealed. Rather than standing apart as a conventional kitchen, the furniture becomes an integral part of the elegant living space.
For interior designers, the significance of bespoke lies in this ability to achieve a particular design intention. Individuality has the greatest value when it contributes to the overall composition, functionality and experience of a room.
Successful kitchen design begins with an understanding of the building itself. Proportion, natural light, sightlines, circulation and connections to adjoining spaces should all inform the design long before cabinetry finishes are selected.
This is particularly relevant in renovations and kitchen extensions, where early coordination between the kitchen designer and the wider project team can help establish a more coherent scheme. A layout must also be considered in the context of the complete interior. An island that appears generously proportioned on a drawing may feel entirely different once dining furniture, open doors and everyday movement are taken into account.
The importance of architectural sensitivity is illustrated by Roundhouse's Meard Street project. Within this Grade I listed London property, the kitchen furniture was designed to avoid contact with or disturbance to the protected original architecture.
The existing building therefore informed the design from the outset, rather than becoming a constraint to resolve later.
Bespoke manufacturing provides the flexibility to respond to such conditions through carefully considered dimensions, changes in height or depth and precise junctions between furniture and architecture.
For designers working with unusual proportions or sensitive historic interiors, this adaptability can be fundamental to achieving a successful result without compromising the visual language of the space.
Some of the most compelling applications of bespoke furniture are found in areas that conventional cabinetry struggles to accommodate.
Sloping ceilings, irregular walls, shallow recesses and changing floor levels can present opportunities for creative design. However, making use of every available centimetre is only beneficial when the resulting space remains practical and accessible.
At Roundhouse's Chilvers project, bespoke walnut joinery follows the changing height beneath a staircase, transforming an otherwise awkward area into purposeful storage.
The design responds directly to the architecture, making the most of the available space without sacrificing usability.
The same principle applies within kitchen cabinetry. Effective internal storage design begins with understanding the client's possessions, routines and practical requirements.
Large appliances, serving dishes, unusually shaped cookware and everyday essentials can all influence the dimensions and arrangement of drawers, cupboards and internal fittings.
For interior designers, this level of detail is an important consideration when assessing bespoke capability. If the exterior dimensions can change but the internal configuration remains fixed, the design may still be restricted by the limitations of an existing range.
Genuine bespoke furniture allows both the exterior and interior to be developed together, ensuring that the finished cabinetry responds as thoughtfully to its contents as it does to the surrounding architecture.
Creative freedom is only as valuable as the ability to translate a design into beautifully executed furniture.
Complex curves, specialist metal finishes and intricate junctions require a detailed understanding of materials, construction and manufacturing. The relationship between the designer's vision and the maker's expertise is therefore central to the success of a bespoke project.
Roundhouse manufactures its Design Collection at its own factory in Malvern, Worcestershire, where traditional cabinetmaking techniques are combined with precision engineering.
This close connection between design and manufacture allows individual details to be developed with the craftspeople responsible for producing them, extending the possibilities beyond a predetermined collection of components.
The Fairgreen project is an example of this approach. A sunken, curved banquette is incorporated into the back of the kitchen island, creating an integrated dining arrangement. Elsewhere, antique brass wrapped wall cabinetry has been hand burnished to achieve a distinctive patina.
The success of the design lies not simply in the selection of curved forms or brass finishes, but in the precise geometry, construction and finishing that bring these elements together.
When specifying bespoke furniture, designers should consider how a manufacturer approaches unfamiliar details. The ability to collaborate with skilled makers, test construction methods and develop individual solutions can make the difference between adapting an existing product and creating something genuinely unique.
Bespoke kitchens are inherently individual, and their cost reflects the decisions involved in design, specification and manufacture.
Although no two projects share precisely the same requirements, transparency around investment remains important. Scale, construction complexity, specialist finishes, internal fittings, worktops and appliances all contribute to the overall cost.
The value of luxury bespoke kitchen design extends beyond the visible materials. It also encompasses the design development, technical expertise and skilled craftsmanship required to achieve a particular result.
Roundhouse's Ashbury project illustrates how carefully selected details can establish the identity of an entire scheme. Bespoke brass detailing and a steel table frame positioned within the island introduce sculptural contrast, creating a distinctive focal point.
For interior designers, the challenge is often to determine where investment will have the greatest impact.
An exceptional island, a carefully engineered dining arrangement or storage developed to resolve a particular architectural challenge may justify a more complex specification. Elsewhere, simpler detailing can help balance the overall budget without diminishing the design.
Early conversations about cost can support these decisions. Roundhouse's pricing calculator provides an initial tailored estimate based on the size and layout of a space, materials, appliances and project complexity.
Although it is not a substitute for a detailed quotation, it offers a useful starting point for understanding the factors that influence investment.
Clear specification is equally important when comparing proposals. Designers should establish what is included within the quoted scope, from VAT and installation to worktops, appliances and delivery, as well as identifying any separately priced building works or services.
Ultimately, bespoke design does not depend on unlimited budgets. It depends on thoughtful priorities, technical understanding and the ability to direct investment towards the elements that make the greatest difference.
The defining quality of a genuinely bespoke kitchen is not simply its individuality, but how successfully that individuality serves the wider interior.
From cabinetry developed around protected architectural features to specialist finishes, integrated seating and precisely tailored storage, bespoke furniture offers interior designers the freedom to respond to the particular demands of each project.
When design intent, manufacturing expertise and practical requirements are considered together, the result is more than a beautifully finished kitchen. It becomes an integral part of the architecture, shaped around the people who will use it and the space it occupies.
For interior designers looking to incorporate bespoke kitchens and furniture into their next residential project, Roundhouse offers the opportunity to explore individual materials, detailing and design solutions. Download the Roundhouse brochure for inspiration from completed projects, or arrange a showroom visit to experience the craftsmanship, finishes and possibilities of bespoke design first hand.
About Roundhouse Design Ltd
Founded by architects, Roundhouse is a multi-award-winning British company, creating beautiful bespoke kitchens and furniture. Their stunning kitchen designs feature a signature understated aesthetic, influenced by contemporary and traditional design, using innovative materials, texture and colour. Each project is made to measure from a wide range of stunning finishes. Expertly crafted by skilled designers and makers in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Malvern, Worcestershire. Visit any of seven Roundhouse Design kitchen showrooms; Wigmore St, Clapham, Fulham, Richmond, Cambridge, Guildford & Cheltenham.
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This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a seamless kitchen design by 2025 SBID Awards Finalist, Poggenpohl St Albans.
A family with a love of cooking and entertaining commissioned Poggenpohl St Albans to create their new kitchen. The client wanted a large, professionally capable kitchen, offering a seamless design and understated luxury. Using a large remit of Gaggenau appliances and two Zip taps, the kitchen also needed to offer relaxed seating. Both a bar and casual table seating were incorporated into the island, which has no worktop joins, but instead offers a step up to create a unique design and height difference. Glass cabinetary creates a beautiful addition to the design, allowing the customer to display collectibles.
Category: Kitchen Design
Design Practice: Poggenpohl St Albans
Project Title: Pine Trees
Project Location: Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
Design Practice Location: St Albans, United Kingdom
The architecture wasn’t changing for this kitchen design, there was to be no extension or removal of walls, which is fairly unusual now. It was already a fabulous open space, but with a kitchen that wasn’t fit for purpose, especially for a family of keen cooks who love to entertain and even sometimes employ professional chefs to come to the house. The home often has a lot of young people coming and going. The client wanted somewhere to sit as a family of four in the main part of the kitchen, to be close to the cooking, which would mostly be on the hob, so an array of cooking surfaces was requested. Very specifically, the brief required there to be no joins in the worktop at all, with symmetry and order high up on the wish list.
The challenge of listening to a brief and being fully allowed, by the client, to create a space that would work perfectly for their family and how they live and move within their home.
Siting 2 hot taps, with the one on the island being particularly challenging. The real challenge though was anticipating that the two ends of the tall run needed to float to bring the symmetry demanded in the brief, it would have been easy to ignore it and add a panel to the floor where the free-standing cooling was located, leaving a plinth return on the oven end. We set about adding a necessary panel to the floor and that created a plinth line for the return, then added a floating panel so we now had both end panels floating. It’s a small detail in a kitchen packed with unseen detailing but the most rewarding to get right. We also had to ensure the sliding pocket doors were unhindered, and our wall units fitted to a sub frame all specified in our drawings. The new tiles on the floor were also planned exactly so we could remove the previous, widen slightly and keep the existing timber floor as if nothing had changed.
To be given the project by the client who understood our vision, all our suggestions were considered and agreed upon, and then left for us to deliver, so exceeding that expectation meant we had to really galvanise the specification and surprise them with the little things. A step ladder in the plinth was added to reach higher into the cupboards, lighting in all the pull outs and drawers, down to the accessories that you see when opening a drawer - practical in their location but matching subtlety, down to the plate holders in the pull outs.
We have a strong connection as a company to these awards, this is the second time St Albans has been a finalist in recent years, and all three Poggenpohl London studios have their own tally and successes. Being part of the SBID community is so important, as well as hopefully the accolade of wining allows us to promote ourselves further within the interior design industry.
Personally, the accolade is a recognition for my core belief of the adage ‘the devil is in the detail’. The entire team followed that principle and delivered that ethos throughout, from the worktop and tabletop heights to matching larders in two different size tall units. It demonstrates that thinking past the norm or standard, really will deliver you the perfection we all strive for. For the business it has given us the confidence to stand by our design principles and present them to prospective clients as the right choice for them. This is a professional standard and by becoming a finalist, we prove our design can match our product as market leader in the luxury kitchen market.
Questions answered by Robert Bell, Studio Manager at Poggenpohl St Albans.
We hope you feel inspired by this week's design!
If you missed the last instalment of Project of the Week, featuring a vibrant bar design, click here to read it.
Gaggenau is renowned within the prime and super-prime residential development market for its luxury appliances. Having relocated, we invite you to view our range of beautiful kitchen appliances in the historic 1929 Portman Square building.
Kindly confirm your attendance by 11 November 2026. Please use the email subject line “Gaggenau Event – 17 November”
SBID Members earn 2 x CPD points for attending!
Dream Design’s expanded Design Centre in Christchurch, Dorset, offers an insight into the studio’s approach to kitchen design, bathroom design and complete residential interiors, bringing leading design houses, specialist craftsmanship and a materials library together within considered lifestyle settings.
A room setting can begin a conversation that a drawing or an individual sample cannot. A client might respond to the atmosphere before recognising what creates it: the proportions of the furniture, the relationship between materials, the placement of lighting or the detail of the cabinetry. Exploring that response can reveal as much about their aspirations as a written brief.
At Dream Design’s 5,000-square-foot Design Centre, these conversations form an important connection between inspiration and the development of a home. The recently expanded space in Christchurch brings kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms and living areas together, offering a flavour of the studio’s design thinking and the possibilities available through its network of manufacturers and specialist craftspeople.
Visitors can experience unfamiliar materials, appreciate the construction of a piece of furniture and recognise qualities they would like to bring into their own surroundings. With the studio’s guidance, those observations become the basis for a more personal design discussion.
Presenting design within lifestyle settings gives individual elements context. A sofa can be understood through its relationship with an armchair, a rug and the space around it. Decorative lighting contributes to the balance of a composition, while architectural details and fitted joinery establish the character of the room.
For clients, this makes the experience both inspiring and useful. Comfort, scale and finish can be assessed directly, alongside the less easily measured qualities that make an interior feel welcoming or restful.
For the design team, it creates opportunities to understand the thinking behind a preference. Someone drawn to a kitchen may be responding to its material palette, its openness or the way it accommodates entertaining. Identifying that distinction helps the studio develop a response suited to the client’s property and way of living.
The Design Centre therefore offers a shared reference point, helping clients and designers establish a clearer brief.
Dream Design was founded in 1984 by Andrew Rizza, whose career began in carpentry before developing into bespoke joinery and cabinetry. From a Hampshire workshop producing fitted furniture, the business grew as clients invited Andrew to become involved in more areas of their homes.
Today, Dream Design is an award-winning interior architecture and interior design studio undertaking private residential projects throughout the UK and internationally. Andrew continues to lead its creative direction, bringing more than four decades of experience and a craftsman’s understanding of materials, proportion and construction.
That grounding informs an integrated approach to residential interior design. Spatial planning, lighting, furniture and finishes are developed in relation to one another, with bespoke joinery connecting practical requirements to the architecture. Within the Design Centre, visitors can see how this thinking carries through from the composition of a room to its smallest details.
Kitchens demonstrate this relationship particularly clearly. Cabinetry, worktops, appliances and lighting must work together within a layout that supports preparation, cooking, storage and social use. Connections with adjoining dining and living spaces are equally important, influencing circulation, sightlines and material choices.
Dream Design’s partnership with German kitchen manufacturer SieMatic spans more than 30 years. Alongside appliances from leading brands such as Gaggenau and Miele, the kitchen settings provide opportunities to explore integrated appliances, storage solutions and work surfaces in context. For traditional interiors, the studio’s bespoke kitchens offer Shaker-style cabinetry and specialist joinery tailored to the property.
Bathroom design requires a similarly coordinated response. Layout, sanitaryware, brassware, bathroom furniture and surfaces establish how comfortably the room functions, while lighting and material combinations shape its atmosphere. The bathroom settings help clients consider these relationships together, from the proportions of a bath or basin to the balance between practical illumination and softer ambient light.
Across both disciplines, the studio considers how each room contributes to the wider home, developing spaces around the people who use them.
The living, bedroom and dressing settings extend this approach through furniture, textiles, storage and lighting. Pieces from leading design houses including Flexform, Poltrona Frau and Giorgetti sit alongside bespoke cabinetry, demonstrating how established collections and individually commissioned work can form a coherent interior.
Experiencing these pieces in person allows clients to assess seating comfort, construction and finish, while understanding their scale within a furnished room.
The breadth of the centre gives visitors an insight into what is possible. The studio’s judgement helps determine which pieces, materials and commissioned elements are appropriate for the individual project.
Alongside the lifestyle settings, the materials library offers a focused environment for developing an interior palette. Colours, textures and finishes can be brought together, compared and considered against the client’s brief.
This helps translate an initial impression into a considered specification. A surface takes on a different character beside timber, upholstery or metal; tone, grain, sheen and texture all influence the balance.
Practical considerations are part of that discussion. Kitchen worktops, bathroom surfaces and frequently used furniture each place different demands on a material. Appearance, tactile quality, durability and maintenance need to be understood together.
With guidance on selection, specification and customisation, clients can make informed decisions while preserving the character of the overall scheme.
Dream Design’s services encompass interior architecture, kitchen and bathroom design, lighting design and furnishing, through to procurement, installation and final styling.
The Design Centre supports that process as a place to discover, discuss and refine. It brings creative possibilities into focus and gives clients greater confidence in the decisions that follow.
For the studio, it expresses a belief that a successful home emerges from understanding the whole: the architecture, the people, the materials and the details that shape daily life.
Explore Dream Design’s Design Centre in Christchurch, Dorset. Visits are available by appointment.
About Dream Design
Dream Design is a luxury kitchen, bathroom and interior design centre in Dorset, creating one-of-a-kind private residences across Dorset, Hampshire, Poole, the UK and internationally. Supported by its award-winning interior architecture and interior design studio, Dream Design specialises in bespoke kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, living spaces and complete home design. The 5,000 sq ft Design Centre brings together leading brands and specialist ateliers across kitchen design, bathroomware, appliances, surfaces, lighting, furniture and interior architectural details, creating a distinctive design destination for private clients, architects and developers seeking a considered, highly tailored approach to residential design, specification and project delivery.
This beautiful kitchen design began in the Ledbury Studio showroom, when the owner of a central London townhouse was drawn to the studio’s signature Verdigris copper. But she so loved the effect that she asked that the Verdigris be boosted even more. “It took us some time to craft a sample closer to the effect seen in the finished kitchen, but it took many more months of work to develop each sheet of copper so that it perfectly matched her vision,” explains Charlie Smallbone, founder of Ledbury Studio.
The kitchen is part of a complete two-year renovation of a stunning Georgian townhouse in central London. The client’s brief to her designer was to create a home that was ‘better than any hotel, superlatively comfortable, flexible to their needs and alive’. And, as the kitchen is the star of a dramatic open-plan living space, it needed to live up to and even exceed those expectations. This is where the warm tones of the copper come into their own, adding a sense of theatre to the light-filled interior.
Ledbury Studio has developed a well-earned reputation for creating beautiful effects with aged metals. “However even with all our acquired skill, patinating a sheet of copper is anything but an exact science,” says Charlie. “Over several months, we had to refine the patination, carefully developing each sheet by hand so it both matched out client’s vision and they came together as a whole.”
The team also created a bespoke protective finish to ensure the kitchen was durable enough for day-to-day use, while retaining its good looks. Instead of a worktop, the island is topped with a sheet of low-iron glass. This both protects the copper and makes the island appear as a solid piece of sculpted copper.
While this is a fully functioning kitchen, there is a commercial kitchen elsewhere in the house where all the main cooking takes places. So Charlie was free to design it with pared-back elegance, allowing the copper to take centre stage. However the key to that elegance is ensuring it is clutter free, so there is plenty of hidden storage. Behind the solid copper doors there is both a larder with full-width wooden drawers and a crockery cupboard to store all essentials.
There are also drawers and cupboards under the sink run, as well as within the island, which feature dividers to keep the contents organised. Finally, under the stairs are discreet painted cabinets, which conceal further storage as well as a handy breakfast cupboard.
“Placed at the heart of a dramatic space, the finished result is a kitchen of remarkable restraint,” concludes Charlie. “It’s more akin to a finely crafted piece of contemporary furniture than a conventional kitchen, sitting effortlessly among the artwork, sculpture and architecture of this impressive room.”
About Ledbury Studio Ltd
Ledbury Studio is a new and exciting design studio, showcasing Charlie Smallbone’s latest kitchen designs. Small and personal, Ledbury Studio has been established to explore and develop the interface between kitchens to cook and work in, and kitchens to live in. The company offers something very different in the world of kitchen design, something not found elsewhere. Combining exquisite materials and artisan craftsmanship, the new kitchen collections are striking and innovative and the culmination of Charlie Smallbone’s history at the forefront of cutting edge kitchen design.
- Gaggenau: Designing Luxury Appliances into Domestic Kitchens During the CPD we explore the kitchen’s historical context, its role in homes, and its transformation to enhance modern living. We will cover various product categories, discussing dimensions, practical aspects, style and installation consideration.
- SieMatic: The Science of Colour SieMatic’s approach to “the science of colour” refers to its highly curated system of kitchen colours, materials, and sensory design, where colour is treated as an emotional and functional design element grounded in composition, perception, and neurasthenic principles.
Natalie Fry, Founder & Creative Director at Grid Thirteen Design Studio, has given her insights into the industry.
I’ve been fortunate to build a career exploring the relationship between furniture, architecture and the way we live within a space. My training in interior architecture and design laid the foundation for that, but much of my understanding has come through experience - working alongside some of the UK’s leading designers and architects, learning from the people around me and developing a particular depth of knowledge in furniture design.
As my career developed, I later went on to lead design studios for a number of companies, including those working with both SieMatic and Poggenpohl, with responsibility extending beyond the design teams into the technical and installation side of the business.
That combination of training and practical experience gave me a strong grounding in furniture, architecture and spatial planning, but perhaps more importantly, taught me that a strong concept is only part of the process. The real skill lies in carrying that design intent through the technical detail and into the finished space.
In 2013, I reached a point where I wanted to create a studio that reflected my own approach to design, and I founded Grid Thirteen. At the time, the youngest of our five children was just three, so it was a significant decision both professionally and personally. It was a busy chapter of family life, but it also felt like the right point in my career to build something of my own and establish the kind of design practice I wanted Grid Thirteen to become.
Grid Thirteen initially specialised in kitchen design, but as the studio has grown, that expertise has evolved into furniture design throughout the home - from kitchens and living spaces to bedrooms, dressing rooms, bars and other interior spaces. Furniture remains at the heart of what we do, with materiality and spatial planning helping to shape the spaces around it.
Today, we are an independent Yorkshire design studio with a growing team and our own handmade furniture offering alongside SieMatic. That combination gives us greater freedom in the way we approach furniture and interiors, allowing us to create highly personalised spaces with a design language that responds naturally to both the individual and the architecture.
I’ve always been fascinated by the relationship between people and space - why we respond instinctively to certain environments and how the spaces around us can influence the way we feel and live.
The more experience I gained, the more interested I became in the human side of design. Beautiful spaces matter of course, but understanding why somebody feels comfortable in one environment and not another, or why the same space might work completely differently for two people, is far more interesting to me.
That is probably what has kept me engaged with design for so long, there is always something more to understand - about people, materials, craftsmanship or the way we experience space. Experience gives you confidence in your judgement, but I don’t think it should ever stop you questioning, learning or being open to another perspective.
The people, no two clients live in quite the same way, and that is what continues to make residential design so interesting to me.
The early design process is as much about listening and observing as it is developing the design. I enjoy understanding the routines and small details of everyday life that can easily be overlooked - where the keys are put down, where the school bags end up, how a family moves through the house and what happens when everybody arrives home at once, those details tell us a great deal about what somebody really needs from their space.
For me, that is where our work goes beyond aesthetic preference and becomes about understanding the individual, how they live and how they want to feel in their home.
Our ‘The Architecture of Luxury’ project has undoubtedly been a highlight. The project won ‘Best Luxury Kitchen Design’ at the 2026 Designerati North Awards and has subsequently been shortlisted in the forthcoming national Designerati Awards and SBID Awards. It’s great to see the recognition this project has had in titles such as The Times, Yorkshire Life and The Yorkshire Post.
Alongside the recognition for our work, one of the things I’m most proud of is seeing the team develop, a number of our designers joined Grid Thirteen as graduates, and watching them grow in confidence, develop their own style and become accomplished designers in their own right has been incredibly rewarding.
My role is to give the team the technical grounding, support and confidence to trust their own judgement, seeing their individual design identities emerge, and watching that confidence grow, has been a real highlight for me.
I’m drawn to projects where we have the freedom to explore ideas and create something genuinely individual, I’ve never been particularly excited by designing to a rigid formula.
I enjoy the unexpected - contemporary alongside traditional, precision alongside craft, quiet architectural elements with something more expressive. Our blended concept is probably the clearest example of that approach, combining the precision and restraint of SieMatic with the tactility and individuality of hand-crafted bespoke furniture.
They are two different design languages, but I don’t believe they need to imitate one another to coexist, if they make sense together and create interest, then that is the approach we will take. For me, pushing boundaries isn’t about being different for the sake of it, it’s about understanding the principles, understanding the person, and having the confidence to challenge convention when the design rationale supports it.
One of the greatest challenges is maintaining the integrity of an idea from the initial concept through to the finished space. As projects become more ambitious, the relationship between creativity and technical understanding becomes increasingly important.
Proportion, tolerances, junctions, lighting, services, material behaviour and installation all influence whether a design ultimately feels resolved. Technical understanding gives you greater creative freedom - when you understand how a design will be constructed and the principles behind it, you have greater confidence to explore ideas beyond the expected.
Experience has also taught me to recognise when somebody else’s expertise can make a project stronger. I’ve always believed in collaboration over competition, and our relationship with William Howarth and Holly Stott, the co-founders of luxury bespoke bathroom design studio, Holt Living, is a great example of that. We’re aligned in our approach to design, the premium products we work with, the client experience we want to deliver and, importantly, the level of technical resolution behind the finished space. Their strength in creating bespoke bathroom designs, master en-suites, spa wellness rooms and custom-made bathroom furniture sits naturally alongside our focus on furniture design, allowing us to work collaboratively across more areas of the home and extend that collective expertise to each other’s clients for an exceptional outcome. Our successful partnership was recognised at the 2025 designerati North Awards winning the award for ‘Best Trade Collaboration’.
To trust my instinct sooner.
In the earlier years of Grid Thirteen, I probably believed that with enough effort I could make every opportunity, partnership or relationship work. Experience has taught me that recognising when something isn’t right is just as important as knowing when something is.
I’ve also become much more conscious of protecting the culture within the studio, design is collaborative, and our people produce their best work when they feel trusted and valued. We have a team with different strengths and perspectives, and I don’t want everybody around the table to think like me - our work would be far less interesting if they did.
Take your time to develop your own style and try not to get too caught up in the constant pursuit of the ‘latest trend’. When a client is investing significantly in their home, they want to feel that the design is genuinely theirs - a response to how they live, what they are drawn to and the architecture around them, rather than a generic aesthetic that may be superseded over time.
I would also say that it’s important to value the technical side of the profession. A strong concept needs to be technically resolved, and the creative at the front end has to be backed up by a process that supports the project all the way through to delivery and project completion. Understanding how a design develops from concept through to technical detailing and installation doesn’t limit creativity, it gives you greater freedom and the confidence to explore ideas with real intent.
Spending time on site with the people installing your work is invaluable, understanding the challenges they face and seeing how decisions made at the design stage translate into reality will make you a better designer. Some of the most valuable things I’ve learnt have come from those conversations, and from building relationships with people whose knowledge and experience are different to my own.
And finally, stay open to the people around you, I’ve worked in the industry for over 30 years and I’m still learning - sometimes from people who have been designing for far less time than I have. Experience brings knowledge and confidence, but there should always be room for another perspective.
There’s no question that technology and AI will inevitably continue to influence how we work and live, but I think there is an interesting counterbalance emerging. As our lives become faster and increasingly connected to technology, I find myself thinking more about how we experience our physical environments through the senses - and the role our homes can play in allowing us to step away from some of that constant stimulation.
Neuroaesthetics is an area I’ve become increasingly interested in, particularly how the pace of activity within a space, and the level of decision-making taking place, might influence the way we experience that environment. A kitchen or entrance hallway, for example, can involve fast movement, conversation, noise, multiple tasks and a constant series of small decisions. Compare that with a bedroom or wellness space, where the intention may be to reduce stimulation, slow things down and allow us to switch off. When designing for this approach, one question I always ask myself is – ‘if the demands we place on ourselves change from one environment to another, should the sensory demands of those spaces change with them’?
For me, this is something I want to explore further through our work as a practice. It raises interesting questions about how these factors can inform a more individual response to design, rather than being considered purely through the aesthetic of a space.
Becoming an SBID Accredited Design Practice is important to us because it recognises the professional standards behind what we do. Interior design is creative, but it also carries responsibility, and that requires knowledge, technical competence, integrity and accountability.
As an independent studio in Yorkshire, being part of SBID also connects us to a wider professional design community. We’re fortunate to work alongside some exceptional designers and architects here in the North, and I value the opportunity accreditation gives us to share ideas, learn from others and contribute to the wider conversation around our profession.
The SBID accreditation represents the standards we hold ourselves to as a practice, while giving us the opportunity to be part of a professional community that supports collaboration, knowledge-sharing and supporting the next generation of designers.
About Grid Thirteen
Grid Thirteen is an independent luxury interior design studio based in North Leeds, specialising in bespoke kitchens, bedrooms and living spaces throughout the UK. Every project begins with understanding how our clients live, ensuring each space is shaped around the way they live rather than passing trends. Our work combines interior architecture, technical precision and exceptional craftsmanship to create interiors that feel timeless, functional and deeply personal. Collaborating with carefully selected manufacturing partners alongside our own handcrafted furniture collections, we deliver beautifully resolved interiors where every detail has purpose, every material is carefully considered, and every project is approached with an unwavering commitment to excellence.
Andrew Rizza, Founder and Creative Director of Dream Design, shares how his background in craftsmanship continues to shape the company’s approach.
I began as a carpenter before moving into bespoke joinery and cabinetry, founding Dream Design in 1984. What started as a workshop making bespoke cabinetry grew naturally as our clients invited us to become involved in more areas of their homes.
Today, we specialise in kitchen design, bathrooms and complete residences throughout the UK and internationally. That grounding in craft still informs every project, from the overall proportions to the smallest construction detail.
We remain family-run, now in our second generation. My son, Connor, joined in 2018 and leads our brand and client experience, while I lead the studio’s creative direction. That year also saw us open our Design Centre in Christchurch, Dorset.
It grew naturally from making furniture. I became increasingly interested in the space around each piece and how the whole room could work better.
Interior design brought together the things I enjoy most: creativity, craftsmanship and practical problem-solving, with the opportunity to make a lasting difference to someone’s home and quality of life.
Helping clients see possibilities they had not considered. A conversation about replacing a kitchen might lead to relocating it, opening the house to the garden and transforming how the family uses the space. Kitchen design brings together so much of what we do, from spatial planning and bespoke cabinetry to materials, lighting and the practicalities of cooking and entertaining.
Those discoveries begin with listening. Seeing clients enjoy the result, then being invited back for another home or the next generation, is especially rewarding.
We recently completed a full refurbishment of a stunning coastal home in Dorset. What made the project particularly rewarding was the clients’ trust in us, which gave us complete creative freedom to explore the property’s potential. Considering the home as a whole allowed us to bring everything together into one cohesive design. That is how we most enjoy working and where we do our best work.
Another highlight was completing an extension to our 5,000 sq ft Design Centre in Christchurch, Dorset, where clients can explore fully realised kitchen displays alongside bathrooms and living spaces. It gives them an opportunity to experience the quality, craftsmanship and approach to design that define Dream Design.
Residential projects where we can become involved early and consider the home as a whole, whether a new build or a refurbishment. Developing the layout, lighting, materials and furniture together allows every decision to contribute to the finished result.
The architecture and the clients give each project its character. Discovering what will bring out the best in both is what interests me.
Carrying the quality of an idea through to the finished home. A seemingly simple detail can require considerable thought and coordination, so clear drawings and close relationships with craftspeople are essential.
Equally, clients need confidence throughout the process. Helping them understand priorities and make informed decisions is an important part of our responsibility.
How much depends on listening and communication. Asking the right questions at the beginning shapes everything that follows, while explaining decisions clearly helps everyone work towards the same result.
Learn how things are made. Spend time in workshops and on site, handle materials and follow your designs through installation. Understanding construction sharpens your judgement and gives you greater freedom to design with confidence.
I think considered advice will become increasingly valuable. Clients have access to endless inspiration and information; helping them decide what belongs in their home is where our experience makes a difference.
It gives clients reassurance when choosing who to trust with their home. From there, that trust is strengthened through thoughtful advice, careful detailing and consistent service, throughout the project and after its completion.
On a large residential development, the question is rarely whether every kitchen should be bespoke. The more useful question is where bespoke design will make the greatest difference.
Efficiency matters when a specification is being repeated across multiple properties, but so does character. Interior designers need to create homes that feel considered and distinctive while working within the commercial and practical realities of a larger programme.
The two ambitions do not have to compete.
A successful kitchen strategy can standardise the elements that benefit from repetition while allowing greater freedom in the materials, details and spaces that define the finished interior. The result is a more intelligent use of the design budget, with investment focused where it will be most visible and valuable.
At Roundhouse, our experience across luxury residential and multi-unit projects has shown that the key is not choosing between standardisation and bespoke design, but understanding where each earns its place.
Consistency across a development does not mean every kitchen needs to look the same.
A stronger approach is to establish a recognisable design language that can evolve between different property types and levels of specification. Proportions, sightlines, colour palettes, hardware and cabinetry details can create a sense of continuity, while layouts, materials and finishes respond to the individual property.
This also allows investment to be distributed more intelligently. A core apartment might prioritise a refined, repeatable specification, while a premium property introduces richer materials or more individual detailing. At penthouse level, the kitchen can become an entirely bespoke architectural feature.
Roundhouse supports this approach through three cabinetry collections within one design and delivery structure. Partner provides a solution for repeatable schemes, Studio introduces a broader choice of materials and configurations, while the fully bespoke Design collection allows considerably greater freedom in layout, material and detail.
The specification can therefore evolve without introducing a different supplier at every level. Design expertise, technical coordination, project management and BIFIS Accredited Installation remain part of the wider Roundhouse approach.
Not every element of a bespoke kitchen needs to be different to make the finished space feel individual.
Some of the most useful opportunities for repetition sit behind the cabinetry. Where property layouts allow, carcase dimensions, hinge and drawer systems, internal fittings, appliance interfaces and service positions can be rationalised across multiple kitchens.
Doing so reduces the number of variables moving through technical approval, procurement and installation. More importantly, it can release budget for the elements that homeowners will actually see and experience.
This process is particularly effective when the kitchen specialist is involved early. Founded by architects, Roundhouse designers can review layouts before key architectural and service decisions become fixed. A relatively small adjustment to a wall, opening, service position or kitchen dimension can sometimes allow a cabinet configuration to work successfully across several property types.
Our design and technical teams coordinate cabinetry with architectural drawings, MEP layouts and appliances, with samples, show kitchens and mock-ups developed where appropriate. Resolving these details early allows an agreed solution to be reproduced across a development with greater confidence.
Once the underlying specification is working efficiently, bespoke design can be concentrated where it has the greatest impact.
A sculptural kitchen island, beautifully matched veneer, specialist metal finish, distinctive door profile or illuminated cocktail bar can establish the character of an entire interior without requiring every cabinet to be individually designed.
This becomes particularly valuable in premium apartments and penthouses, where the kitchen may need to respond directly to the architecture. Cabinet widths can be calibrated around sightlines and architectural datums, while specialist finishes, unusual materials and purpose-designed pieces can create something entirely individual to the property.
Cabinetry can also extend beyond the conventional kitchen footprint into dining areas, bars and adjoining living spaces, allowing the design language to become part of the wider architecture of the home.
Made to order at our Malvern factory, Roundhouse's Design collection gives designers and craftspeople the freedom to develop ideas beyond a predetermined catalogue of dimensions and finishes.
The value of bespoke in these spaces is not simply greater choice. It is the ability to create something memorable and specific to the property.
A successful design concept is only valuable if its quality can be maintained across every property in which it appears.
For larger schemes, this means controlling variation rather than attempting to eliminate it. An agreed design hierarchy can be translated into individual property specifications, ensuring dimensions, finishes, appliances and bespoke details are manufactured and installed in the correct locations.
Physical samples provide an important reference throughout this process. Paint colours and specialist finishes can be approved against control samples, while the natural characteristics of timber, veneer and stone can be understood and agreed before orders are placed. Where particularly close visual continuity is required, materials can also be batched and reserved for a development.
Manufacturing plays an equally important role. At Roundhouse's Worcestershire factory, precision machinery provides repeatable accuracy while experienced craftspeople oversee veneers, specialist finishes and individual details.
The same thinking needs to continue onto site. A kitchen that appears economical on a cabinet schedule can quickly become more costly if service clashes, repeated RFIs, fragmented deliveries, installation delays and extensive snagging begin to affect the programme.
Looking at specification, manufacture and installation as one connected process provides a more meaningful measure of value than cabinet cost alone.
The most successful approach to bespoke at scale sits somewhere between complete standardisation and designing every kitchen independently.
It uses repetition deliberately. Technical elements are rationalised where doing so makes delivery more efficient, while greater design freedom is reserved for the materials, features and properties where it will contribute most to the finished interior.
For one apartment, that might mean a beautifully detailed island against a more repeatable cabinetry specification. In another, it could be a specialist finish, an exceptional run of veneer or a bespoke bar connecting the kitchen with an entertaining space. A penthouse may justify a completely individual response.
The point is not to introduce variation for its own sake. It is to give interior designers the freedom to create moments of distinction without losing sight of budget, programme or the practical demands of delivering multiple properties.
For Roundhouse, that balance is where bespoke bring value, combining design creativity and craftsmanship with the technical and manufacturing discipline required by larger residential developments.
If you are planning an upcoming residential project, get in touch with their Professional team or book a showroom visit to explore how Roundhouse could support your project.
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