Basement spaces exude cosiness and charm, but subterranean living is not without risk, as this family in St John’s Wood sadly discovered when their home suffered a flood. Happily, they turned the disaster into an opportunity and enlisted the help of Charlie Smallbone from Ledbury Studio to give new life to their cooking, eating and living space.
For this project, Charlie created a new open-plan kitchen-living-media room, along with a utility and a master ensuite bathroom. Pale oak, illuminated quartzite and brass accents are just a few of the materials Charlie used to bring light into this basement space. Here, he elaborates on how the designs came together.
I designed the kitchen area to take advantage of the sun, which slants down through the windows in the morning. The family can sit at the breakfast bar and enjoy it while sipping a coffee. The working area of the kitchen is separated from the more formal dining area by a peninsula, the back of which forms the upholstered bench seating. This not only provides a comfortable solution for longer dinner parties, but also maximises the space available.
We selected a classic oak for the cupboards, which was sanded back to expose the grain and then coated with a pale pigmented wash. This treatment allows the natural beauty of the Ember - which is book matched across the furniture - to shine through while keeping the overall look of the cupboards light. To achieve a contemporary aesthetic, the base cabinets are handleless and the wall cupboards feature on-trend ribbed glass. Additionally, the wall cupboards have patinated brass handles that match the brass surrounds and kick plate on the base cupboards.
A notable feature is the sink, crafted from hardwearing Diamond quartzite. Not only does it have a stunning appearance, but it also catches the morning sunlight. We used the same material for the worktops, which we edged in patinated brass and underlit. This, together with LED lighting above and below the cupboards, adds real wow factor after nightfall.
The media room is an extension of the kitchen-dining space, so I continued the design of the furniture here to create a visual connection. I’ve used the same pale-washed oak to create fitted alcove drawers and cupboards. Additionally, there is a fireplace surround made from Diamond quartzite and patinated brass, along with a built-in TV. For the cupboard doors, we chose a sophisticated opaque bronze glass, which is illuminated by warm lighting to showcase the interior.
To maximise the use of the compact utility room, we installed oak cupboards that match the finish of the kitchen. These cupboards extend all the way to the ceiling and are illuminated at the top to create the illusion of height and provide practical light in this otherwise dark space. The furniture was custom designed to accommodate the washing machine, dryer, large fridge, and freezer. We also included tall pull-out cupboards for additional storage, ensuring that everything has its place. Additionally, we utilised the space under the window by installing a small sink for added convenience.
To maintain design continuity throughout the house, we carried key materials into the master ensuite bathroom. For the double vanity, we used pale-washed oak and Diamond quartzite, incorporating both open and drawer storage. The vanity also features patinated brass handles, adding a touch of elegance. A stunning point of difference, however, are the hand-painted mirrored panels in the cupboards placed either side of the mirror, which were designed to pick out the colours of the beautiful basins.
Prices for a Ledbury Studio kitchen start from £70,000.
About Ledbury Studio Ltd
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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Charlie Smallbone, the founder of Ledbury Studio, has created a signature style that combines contemporary elements with traditional artisanal skills. His kitchen designs are meticulously handcrafted using techniques that have been passed down for generations, while also incorporating modern methods. One stunning example of this is Ledbury Studio's Marquetry Collection.
"Marquetry is the art and craft of applying pieces of veneer to form decorative patterns, designs, or pictures, and it has adorned finely crafted furniture since the 15th century," explains Charlie Smallbone. "We've given this exquisitely detailed art form a 21st-century redesign, with crosslaid veneers accented with liquid metal inlays. The result is our very special Marquetry Collection."
“Marquetry can be created with any wood and to any design – our clients might have a piece of marquetry furniture that they would like us to recreate in their kitchen. We will then interpret this to form a part of their unique kitchen design,” Charlie continues. Here, we highlight some of the features of the Wey Valley and Weybridge kitchens.
Charlie applied a grey colourwash to the walnut joinery, creating the unique hue of the Wey Valley kitchen. The doors showcase veneers arranged in a herringbone marquetry pattern, enhanced with liquid bronze inlays, and completed with custom-designed and hand-aged bronze bar handles. The cabinetry is framed with a brushed brass frame and illuminated with concealed LED lighting.
This sleek kitchen is part of an open-plan living space, so the stunning marquetry design conceals many of the working parts of the kitchen, including a second kitchen hidden behind sliding pocket doors. Pocket doors also conceal a pantry with integrated microwave, while access to the utility and boot room is designed to look like part of the kitchen with double doors in the same finish. The L-shaped Cambria Berwyn quartz-topped central island accommodates a breakfast bar and dining area complete with banquette seating.
Aged bronze inlays highlight the hand-applied directional veneers featured in the Weybridge kitchen, which adorn the full-height cupboards and sink run. These cupboard conceal ovens and pull-out storage, as well as the fridge and freezer. Meanwhile, bespoke handles also in aged bronze add the finishing touch.
The relatively dark cabinetry is complemented by a hardwearing porcelain, designed to mimic natural stone and used for worktops and wall cladding. It also wraps round the solid brass panel that features on the outside of the island, which has been distressed by hand, then aged and patinated to create this show-stopping effect.
About Ledbury Studio
Are you dreaming of a kitchen that perfectly matches your style and needs? Look no further than a bespoke kitchen designed just for you, such as those created at Ledbury Studio. Working with a kitchen designer can bring your vision to life and create a space that is both functional and beautiful.
Here, Charlie Smallbone, founder of Ledbury Studio, rounds up his essential five steps to working with a bespoke kitchen designer.
The first step is finding the right professional for your project. Take the time to research different designers to ensure they have the experience and expertise in creating custom kitchens. It is also important to meet with potential designers in person to discuss your ideas and see if you have a good rapport with them. Chemistry is key in any relationship, and that includes the one you'll have with your designer!
But, how do you really know if the designer sitting in front of you is the one for your project? Ask to see previous work. Looking at their portfolio allows you to see if their style matches your own. And if you're still in doubt, ask to speak to a previous client. This will provide an invaluable glimpse into the creative process of your potential designer and their problem-solving abilities.
Once you have selected a designer, it is crucial to communicate your vision clearly. Start by gathering inspiration from magazines, websites and social media platforms, and create a mood board to showcase your ideas. Share this with your designer to give them a better understanding of your aesthetic preferences. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words! For example, in our Camden kitchen, the client showed us an image of a 1970s screen she’d found in an antiques shop and requested a version of it for her kitchen. Inspired by this, I created this screen of brushed and polished stainless steel that can be used to divide the room, as required.
Apart from aesthetics, it is important to think about how you'll be using your kitchen. Are you the ultimate host, needing a huge island for entertaining? Or perhaps you're a culinary whiz with a big family and need space for all your cooking essentials. By clearly communicating any practical requirements to your kitchen designer, they can whip up a design that's both stunning and perfect for your lifestyle.
Before starting your kitchen renovation project, it's important to have a heart-to-heart with your designer about the all-important budget! By laying out your financial expectations from the get-go, you and your designer can work together to create a plan that matches your wallet. This ensures you won't have to sacrifice your dream kitchen and helps your designer find the best quality materials, appliances and finishes to fit within your budget. Without a clear budget in mind, it's easy to get swept up in flashy, pricey ideas that can come with big, surprising expenses later on. So, define your budget and ensure all costs stay within it.
At the start of any kitchen design journey, a designer is like a detective with a million questions, trying to get inside your life to figure out how you live. Why? Because every home chef is unique and has different needs. A good case in point is the Hackney kitchen, where the homeowners were such keen entertainers that they requested a bar area next to the dining table. Meanwhile, in our latest design, the Hampstead kitchen, the clients asked not only for a drinks cabinet next to the table, but also a breakfast cupboard conveniently placed just behind the breakfast bar. By chatting about your cooking style, entertaining preferences and daily routines, your designer can get the lowdown on how your kitchen should be designed.
Finally, working with a bespoke kitchen designer is a collaborative process. Your designer will present you with initial design concepts and it is important to provide feedback and ask questions. Remember, the design process may involve several iterations before reaching the final design, so be patient and provide constructive feedback to guide the design in the right direction. Your kitchen will probably be the biggest investment you make in your house, so it is worth going the extra mile to make sure it exceeds expectations!
“When it comes to kitchen design, discussing the latest trends can be tricky,” says Charlie Smallbone, founder of Ledbury Studio. “Unlike other areas of the home, such as furniture or decor, kitchens require a significant financial investment. Therefore, homeowners are more likely to choose timeless and durable materials and designs that will withstand the test of time, rather than embracing short-lived fads that quickly become outdated.”
Here, Charlie identifies six long-term trends that align with the need for durability and sustainability.
Transitional design, a perfect blend of classic and contemporary styles, is a great example of a longterm trend. This design aesthetic combines the warmth and elegance of traditional materials with the clean simplicity of modern design. The result is a timeless and versatile style that appeals to a wide range of tastes and preferences. Ledbury Studio’s Hampstead kitchen perfectly embodies the spirit of transitional design, with its modern interpretation of a classic Shaker kitchen and stunning marble worktops.
Our second trend is closely linked to the first, as metals have always played a key role in transitional kitchens – although primarily in smaller details such as handles or taps. At Ledbury Studio, we were ahead of the curve in expanding the use of metals beyond hardware and giving them a starring role in our kitchen designs. For instance, our signature copper-fronted kitchen cabinets are made by individually aging and patinating sheet copper to achieve a beautiful Verdigris effect. This approach combines the traditional warmth of copper with an on-trend aesthetic resulting in an entirely new look, which nonetheless won’t go out of style for years to come.
The rise of tactility in kitchens is not just a passing trend but a reflection of our desire for a more sensory and immersive experience in our homes. This has resulted in the popularity of tactile elements like fluting and reeding, which also add movement to surfaces and, when used sparingly, bring a subtle level of interest without overpowering the overall design. This technique is particularly useful for giving a contemporary kitchen a softer look and can be applied to various materials and surfaces. This Camden kitchen boasts many show-stopping features, as well as some more subtle additions that lend serious weight to the overall design. Take note of the delicate reeded oak on the ends of the island: it adds texture and depth to the otherwise flat surface.
What could be better than coming home after a long day and heading to your own home bar to make your favourite drink? Or hosting friends and offering them a variety of perfectly chilled beverages instead of relying on what's in the refrigerator? That's why many people are now opting to include a home bar as part of their new kitchen. It's also the reason why Charlie is increasingly being sought after to incorporate these bars into his designs.
The Hackney kitchen features a generously proportioned home bar with a Stone Italiana Ambra countertop that provides ample preparation space. There's even room underneath for a pull-out wine rack and a compact wine cooler. However, the true highlight of this bar is the glass cabinet. It has fluted glass doors (another on-trend feature) and can be illuminated from within, creating a visually appealing display and adding fantastic mood lighting in the evenings.
If breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day, it's no surprise that a breakfast cupboard is becoming a must-have in every Ledbury Studio kitchen. Whether it's freestanding or built-in, a breakfast cupboard is designed to provide space for storing your breakfast essentials and keeping them conveniently in one place.
For this kitchen in an Edwardian home in the New Forest, the design brief was for a contemporary aesthetic. Charlie achieved this by combining beautiful book-matched walnut veneer and hand-patinated zinc panels edged in walnut. The addition of aged-brass handles adds an elegant finishing touch. In line with Ledbury Studio’s transitional design style, Charlie also created a spacious breakfast cupboard that pays homage to Edwardian homes while incorporating a modern edge. Inside, there are shelves for a microwave and breakfast items, with pan drawers below and fluted-glass cupboards on either side, illuminated from within.
A second kitchen is gaining popularity because it serves multiple purposes. It can offer additional prep or cooking space, double as a laundry or utility room, or provide storage for various items. Its versatility depends on its size, but its primary function is to relieve pressure from the main kitchen and provide a place to hide everyday clutter. This is particularly beneficial in open-plan kitchens where the main kitchen is always visible.
Ledbury Studio has reached new heights with its latest project – all the way to the 15th floor, to be precise. This stylish contemporary penthouse, located in Malta, boasts breath-taking views over the island thanks to floor-to-ceiling glazing that opens onto three expansive outdoor terraces with sitting and dining areas. There’s even room for a swimming pool!
Creating a kitchen and bar area that would perfectly complement this luxurious setting was no small undertaking – but Charlie Smallbone rose to the challenge! Here, he tells us how the design as a whole came together.
“The couple who own the apartment have grown-up children with families of their own, so they wanted it to be a space where they could all gather. When they acquired the property, it was an empty shell, giving them the freedom to design a fully open-plan space. In the resulting layout, spaces flow effortlessly into each other – from a comfortable living room, to a kitchen and dining area, and finally to a bar with additional seating. My brief was to design furniture that would contribute to that feeling of openness by creating linked but distinct areas where the family could socialise and enjoy everything from dinners to casual snacks and drinks.”
“The kitchen comprises a generous island that serves as the centrepiece, backed by a single row of cupboards that provide space for storage, appliances and a breakfast cupboard. Our challenge was that the kitchen is located in the middle of the space without any walls to work with. Therefore, all components had to be freestanding and are visible from every angle, including from above when walking up the stairs.”
“To address this, we clad the backs in a mixture of beautiful materials that look good wherever you stand in the space. On the back of the breakfast cupboard is polished fluted stainless steel. Meanwhile, the microwave section of the tall cupboard features a screen made from wooden slats with backlit opaque glass slivers, and the fridge-freezer is backed in polished mica panels.”
“Yes, the island is quite large – measuring almost 5 metres by 1.5 metres! But when you’re designing for a space of such huge proportions, with 10-metre-high ceilings, an average-sized island would look all wrong. You have to work with the scale of the building to ensure the island is proportional. We then added to the drama with a waterfall worktop of Mont Blanc quartzite, which ‘flows’ over the end. On the front, we added eye-catching polished mica panels and a liquid metal kicker. All the materials on the island both look great and are easy to clean, making them practical choices that combine to create a truly show-stopping piece.”
“The island’s size also means that we could accommodate many of the working elements of the kitchen within it, as well as generous bar seating. It features a hob with integrated extraction, sink with Quooker boiling-water tap, plus a 900cm-wide built-under oven, a dishwasher and plenty of storage to keep the kitchen clutter free.”
“The tall cupboard includes a large cabinet with pocket doors, which cleverly hide prep space, storage and additional sink all in one area, so any cooking detritus can be concealed as needed. There is further storage above and below the microwave oven and a fridge-freezer to the left. We grounded this large piece of furniture in the room with timeless black palm veneer for the fronts, with a stained oak frame that is the same shade as the oak ceiling.”
“The idea behind the breakfast cupboard was to create a standalone piece that was completely different from everything else in the kitchen. As such, it is made of stainless steel with liquid bronze pocket doors that slide back to offer full access. Inside, there are polished stainless steel and walnut drawers, as well as a countertop made of practical Mont Blanc quartzite, which adds to the modern elegance of the piece.”
“To tie the bar’s design to that of the kitchen, we once again used black palm for the base cabinets and the same bronze handles. We then harnessed our signature use of metal to create hammered pewter fronts for the wine cabinets. To add a dash of theatre to the space, we chose crystal quartzite for the worktop and framing, both of which are lit from underneath to create a stunning effect at night!”
“I have to say that I love the funky bar table! It’s shaped like a shield with a centre section in onyx that is lit from underneath, with black and white marble and a leather armrest around the outside. The blackened steel legs hide all the electric components of the design. Sitting at that table, having a drink from the bar, and enjoying those views, it doesn't get any better than that!”
Charlie Smallbone, founder of Ledbury Studio, may have made his name in kitchens, but at his core, he is a furniture designer. Charlie’s passion lies in taking natural materials and crafting beautiful pieces – for any room. As such, when the owner of this Hampstead home enlisted the help of Ledbury Studio for a complete home makeover, Charlie designed furniture not only for the kitchen but also for the master bedroom suite and media room.
“This is a very elegant and spacious Edwardian home, with high ceilings and lots of natural light,” says Charlie. “Therefore, we designed pieces that followed the classic lines of the house, but with plenty of contemporary touches. It was a particular joy to work with swathes of stunning natural stone in every room. I’m delighted with the final result – as are our clients!”
The Ledbury Shaker kitchen is a modern interpretation of Charlie's original painted kitchens from the 1980s. This version features beautifully crafted and simply made furniture, updated cornicing, and bespoke aged-brass handles. It blends seamlessly with the house's age while maintaining a contemporary style. Painted in a muted colour palette of soft white, it incorporates luxurious materials such as Arabescato marble worktops, splashback, and a specially designed integrated double sink. The cooker hood above the Wolf range cooker is finished with textured Marmorino Venetian Plaster for added visual appeal.
Upstairs, in the master bedroom, Charlie designed an upholstered headboard in natural oak that wraps around the bed and matching bedside tables. This creates a peaceful and serene space to unwind. Additionally, there is an adjoining kitchenette, eliminating the need to go downstairs for a drink! Designed in walnut and marble, this handy space houses a coffee machine and kettle, with a fridge drawer for cool drinks on demand.
Moving into the master bathroom, the walnut and marble theme continues. Charlie selected a walnut veneer for the impressive double vanity, which features walnut interiors specifically designed around a chimney breast to maximise storage space. Above the vanity, there are custom mirror cabinets for additional storage. However, just like in the kitchen below, the standout feature is the stunning Arabescato marble. It is used for the vanity tops, bath surround, and shower, adding a touch of Hollywood glamour reminiscent of the golden age!
The master suite is completed by the dressing room, which is surely every fashionista's dream. This beautiful space includes a custom-made teak dressing table placed by the window to make the most of the view. The stunning piece not only has leather-lined drawers to keep items organised, but also a convenient vanity basin set into the top.
Last, but not least, Charlie designed furniture for an incredible media room. Fast becoming an essential for the family home that has it all, Ledbury Studio is being asked more and more to create cupboards like these. In this design, walnut veneer is bookmatched across the width of the cabinets to fabulous effect. Housed inside are a drinks cabinet, TV and sound system, plus drawers for storage, including an integrated fridge drawer. Illuminated open shelves for showcasing treasured pieces provide the finishing touch.
Charlie Smallbone is well known for going to great lengths to create exquisite furniture for his clients. And now, in his designs for the open-plan kitchen of this 23rd-storey penthouse in London’s Canary Wharf with stunning views of the River Thames, he has taken his craft to great heights too.
Charlie tells us how the Canary Wharf project came together.
Our client wanted a kitchen for entertaining that could accommodate large parties of friends, as well as cosy suppers for two. The design also had to deliver wow factor, but through elegance and simplicity rather than fancy or complicated elements. This was music to my ears, as I always prefer the beauty of natural materials to shine through!
The kitchen is part of a spacious, open-plan room that also houses the dining and sitting areas. Despite its size, not a huge amount of space has been allocated to the kitchen, so we had to be creative with the layout. There wasn’t much room for tall cupboards, for example, not least because the client had specified a full-height Sub-Zero fridge-freezer and wine cabinet. To maximise storage space, we extended the wall cabinets to the ceiling, but added glass fronts to stop them from feeling too imposing. In addition, we designed the base cabinets to be roomy, avoiding smaller cupboards that are less efficient in terms of storage. In this design, every inch of storage space had to count!
The design for the dark-stained oak cupboard doors began with the cut-out handles, which our client had seen and loved. To add an element of drama, we incorporated brass inlays behind the handles and a matching kick plate. The requested wow factor is in the detail of the beautiful book-matched Fior di Bosco marble waterfall worktop, which cascades down the sides of the island. To make the island stand out even more, we placed a panel of our signature Choppy Water carved oak on the outside. Its grey tones work perfectly with the marble. Finally, the splashback is antique mirror, which offers a suggestion of the views behind without an outright reflection – so much more intriguing, to my mind.
Founder of Ledbury Studio Charlie Smallbone has stepped back in time for his latest project, creating the beautiful Stroud Kitchen for the owners of a 16th century Cotswolds home. The results speak for themselves - but the quirks of a home built when the first Queen Elizabeth was on the throne nonetheless provided Charlie and his team with a few challenges. Here he talks us through the project.
Our clients sought us out because they wanted a kitchen that would be in sympathy with the age of the house but that also had a contemporary look. Our projects range from Georgian townhouses to warehouse conversions, so we’re accustomed to striking this balance with many of our kitchens. This is why the owners came to us the minute they’d exchanged on the house.
The original kitchen had a small scullery attached. We knocked through the dividing wall to create one large space for cooking, eating and entertaining. However, the age of the property meant that none of the walls were straight and there were a lot of original features to account for. Plus, the low windows and doors, original brickwork and huge fireplace all had to work in harmony with the kitchen furniture.
We designed the island as the main working area and this houses the hob, prep space and plenty of storage, as well as a breakfast bar. As you stand behind the island, you can see a central dividing wall ahead, which is where the oven housing is situated (see image 4). The sink is in the corner and the fridge-freezer is on the other side of the dividing wall, next to the door to the garden (see image 5). At the other end of the island there are steps down to the utility room and a door into the dining room. Although it's one large space, there are clearly defined zones of activity in the kitchen
We used a range of finishes so that the various elements of the kitchen have their own identity. However, there is also a unifying theme: they are all designed to look like pieces of furniture. From the island to the oven housing, the fridge-freezer and wine storage, and the sink area – each resembles a bespoke freestanding piece. These include some clever design ideas: for example, to hide the electricity meters, we designed a shallow-depth cupboard (see image 6) that we've turned into a feature as a bar area with aged brass shelving above.
The ‘Choppy Wood’ carving on the back of the island cupboards and meter cupboard is a signature Ledbury Studio finish. It's created by hand-carving stained oak to form a textured surface that chimes well with the unevenness of the dark wooden beams in the room.
For the oven housing and fridge-freezer, we selected a patinated copper. The oven housing is visible from the breakfast bar, and there is a small drinks area next to the fridge (see image 7), so both pieces needed to be decorative. However, they are also practical: there is pan storage below the ovens and a large breakfast cupboard and larder sits alongside the fridge-freezer and wine storage (see image 13).
Adding contrast to the dark oak furniture, the sink area is in white-painted oak, while the worktops are Stone Italiana Ambra quartz, an excellent hardwearing choice for the working areas of the kitchen.
To add some glamour, the sides of the island are in Verdigris copper, which ties in beautifully with the oven and fridge-freezer housing. Meanwhile, the worktop on the island is edged in aged brass (see image 9), mirroring the handles used throughout. Finally, possibly my favourite feature, is the aged brass and oak screen (see image 10) that sits beside the stairs to the utility room. It’s for safety, but who says it can’t be a sculptural piece at the same time? Overall, I think the kitchen looks like it has always been there, which was what we intended, but it also adds a large dose of contemporary wow factor!
Ledbury Studio kitchens start from £70,000.
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.
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Ledbury Studio creates kitchens that are uniquely personal to every client – a point happily noted by the owners of this stunning home in Poole. “It was love at first sight when they saw the eclectic range of materials on show at our studio in Notting Hill,” says Ledbury Studio founder Charlie Smallbone. This, coupled with Ledbury Studio's skill for mixing and matching these beautiful materials to create truly bespoke designs was perfectly aligned with the clients vision for a contemporary kitchen that oozes wow factor.
Extensive building work was required to create the light-filled, open-plan space that now exists. To divide the large space into smaller areas of activity, Charlie designed a screen in black-stained oak and aged brass to frame the kitchen. From this vantage point, the eye is automatically drawn to the striking mirrored splashback embellished with aged copper. It provides a stunning backdrop to the island, another talking point thanks to the verdigris copper panels edged in black-stained oak on one side and the black-stained oak cupboard doors surrounded by aged brass on the other.
To pull the various metallic elements together, Ledbury Studio’s design included an aged-brass rack over the island. This creates a small space to display beautiful objects.
Injecting a neutral note is the poured concrete flooring and the base cupboards that run in an L-shaped configuration to the island. Made from oak and painted white to allow the beauty of the grain to shine through, the cupboards are topped with a pale quartz worktop and feature patinated brass surrounds and kickplates to coordinate with the other cupboards in the kitchen.
Also sharing the space is a bank of built-in tall cupboards illuminated by an LED surround. They incorporate a large larder for food storage, ovens and a fridge, and the cupboard fronts are made from liquid metal in a specialist shagreen finish. Aged-brass handles unify the look. "Every Ledbury Studio kitchen is truly unique and this one was no exception," says Charlie. "Our clients were thrilled with the result, and in particular, with the range of materials used."
A spacious kitchen for eating and entertaining was an essential for the Italian family who moved into this stunning home in Ascot. Their first decision was to relocate the existing small kitchen into a generous extension. Next stop was Charlie Smallbone, founder of Ledbury Studio, to request a show-stopping kitchen design imbued with his signature mix of materials. The result is a stunning kitchen that’s perfect for busy family life.
Charlie’s design centres around a generous island that’s hand-painted white and wrapped in a hard-wearing Calacatta Quartz waterfall worktop. The island is positioned below a roof lantern that floods the room with natural light throughout the day; a trio of decorative pendants provides effective task lighting at night.
“The couple wanted a sleek, contemporary aesthetic for their kitchen, so we chose grey-stained natural oak for the base cupboards,” explains Charlie. “Then, to create a contrast, the island cupboards are also oak but stained white. Staining timber in this way allows the natural beauty of the grain to shine through.” A large double larder and a breakfast cupboard flank the wall run. The doors are also grey-stained oak with exquisite brass inlay in a diamond-shaped design. “And one of my favourite elements is the liquid pewter finish with shagreen-like texture we created for the wall cupboards in between,” adds Charlie.
The adjacent wall is dedicated to the practicalities of the kitchen: a bank of ovens and a dedicated fridge and freezer separated by an impressive wine cooler. Huge slabs of porcelain in a Cararra marble finish were chosen for the floor as a final touch to this fabulous open-plan kitchen where practicality and glamour go hand in hand.
Ledbury Studio kitchens start from £50,000.
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