Listening rooms are rapidly becoming a staple in contemporary homes, offering a dedicated sanctuary for audio enthusiasts to truly immerse themselves in sound. But these spaces are not just about high-tech equipment; they embody a holistic approach to immersing oneself in sound, focusing on acoustics, aesthetics, and ambiance. To set the mood appropriately, a comfortable piece of furniture is essential. This season, sofa.com has introduced the perfect addition: the Ellora armchair. Floating away on this exquisite pillow armchair offers an unparalleled blend of plushness and style, making it the ideal choice for music lovers and podcast fans alike.
The essence of a great listening room lies in its comfort and the Ellora armchair delivers just that. Its deep seat and ergonomic design ensure one can enjoy hours of uninterrupted listening. It can be perfectly paired with a stylish footstool or a soft throw to create a cosy nook that invites you to sink in and enjoy the mindful moment.
Some great ways to style the room would be opting for sleek shelving for vinyl records, elegant side tables for the sound system, and incorporating soft, ambient lighting to create a warm, inviting atmosphere. A well-chosen rug can also not only help to enhance acoustics but add a further touch of style.
Finally, don’t forget to add a personal touch. Show off your client’s love of music by decorating with framed album covers, music memorabilia, or artwork that reflects personal taste and passion for sound.
sofa.com makes it easy to create the perfect listening space, with the Ellora armchair offering both comfort and sophistication to enhance your audio experience.
About Sofa.com
Passionate about outstanding interiors, sofa.com offers a diverse and design led collection of made-to-order sofas, armchairs, beds, footstools and home accessories. With an extensive range of styles and over 100 fabrics to choose from, as well as the option to upholster in your own fabric, the customisable nature of sofa.com’s products make each piece easily adaptable to any interior style – perfect for interior designers and specifiers looking for stand-out pieces for upcoming projects.
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A trusted supplier of luxury vinyl flooring, Karndean Commercial has partnered with Oxford Brookes University to build a vibrant and sustainable student community in harmony with its woodland setting.
The new Clive Booth Student Village, set close to the university’s Headington Campus, replaces outdated student accommodation built in the 1970s with a complex of accommodation blocks that sit sensitively within the established wooded landscape and conform to Passivhaus and BREEAM design principles.
Appointing MICA Architects and Karndean Commercial alongside a multi-disciplinary team, including landscape architects, ecology and arboricultural consultants as well as transport and heritage consultants, Oxford Brookes University is constructing 12 environmentally friendly blocks containing over one thousand spacious and airy study bedrooms within contemporary shared apartments.
Richard Allen, sales director at Karndean Commercial said: “In an urban area with extreme pressure on rental housing like Oxford, having purpose built accommodation for students is a boon for the university and the wider community. We are proud to be involved with a project that is increasing the availability of much needed student accommodation whilst protecting the established woodland setting, retaining prize specimens and planting new trees to enhance the landscape.
“Our designs are all inspired by the wonderous beauty of nature and the precious woods and stones we source from around the world so we understand the benefits of connecting our living spaces to the healing power of the natural world and the need to minimise our impact on the environment.”
Named after Professor Sir Clive Booth, a former Vice-Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University, the new student village offers convenient contemporary accommodation with light filled study bedrooms and spacious communal kitchen and living spaces.
Jessie Turnbull, senior associate at MICA Architects, said: “The university was keen to construct high quality, low impact accommodation that would be a calm and secure place to live, offering students a living space where they can relax and bring their best selves to their studies.
“The site is positioned adjacent to Headington Hill Hall, a listed historic manor house, and positioned within the Hall’s arboretum so it was important that the new accommodation blocks would integrate into this landscape to create a woodland village. To enhance this feeling of connection with nature, each building has been named in honour of native trees.”
Self-contained apartments include between six and 11 study bedrooms, each with a compact ensuite, and a generously sized shared kitchen dining living room. Wider and shallower than frequently found for student accommodation and fitted with large windows that open for plenty of natural ventilation, the study bedrooms benefit from daylight that penetrates all the way to the back of the room, connecting the interior with its woodland surroundings.
The interior boasts a contemporary biophilic style that has been developed around the project’s key priorities of sustainability, practicality and wellbeing. Alongside a natural colour palette and furniture made from recycled materials, oak design flooring from Karndean Commercial’s Knight Tile range creates a warm and welcoming environment.
Jessie explained: “The university was very keen to use LVT throughout the accommodation as this would be easier to clean and would provide a modern vibe that appeals to both domestic and international students. Carpeted bedrooms are very much a British choice while hard floors are more usual in homes across Europe, Asia and the United States. Following consultation with a group of student ambassadors, we opted for the warm natural tones of Lime Washed Oak in the bedrooms and Rose Washed Oak with its slightly greyer hues in each living space to complement the duck egg blue kitchen units. The concrete frame construction called for a rigid core format, with its enhanced acoustic benefits and easier installation.
“The feedback we've had from students has been absolutely fantastic and, although it’s early days, the flooring is holding up really well.”
With sustainability a key consideration for the project, Morgan Sindall Construction’s CarboniCa tool was used to evaluate the construction’s holistic life cycle, collating embodied carbon and life cycle costing from each material’s Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). With a durable construction that ensures longevity, Karndean flooring contributes a lower overall life cycle carbon cost than other flooring options, as evidenced in its third party verified EPDs.
Karndean’s Knight Tile rigid core flooring, part of the Karndean Living collection, features a host of practical benefits including a waterproof, hygienic surface that’s easy to maintain, a durable 0.3mm wear layer and R10 slip resistance, while an integrated acoustic layer reduces impact noise transfer to rooms below by 19dB. With a click-locking mechanism, Knight Tile is easy to install over most hard subfloors and is suitable for any residential setting or light to moderate commercial use. Each floor comes with a lifetime residential or ten year commercial guarantee.
About Karndean Designflooring
Karndean is a global supplier of commercial and residential luxury vinyl tile flooring. We’re an industry leader in flooring design, offering a wide range of colours, textures and finishes, helping you create unique looks that are both stylish and practical; guaranteed to last. We see flooring differently. We travel the world in our quest to bring you exceptional floors that inspire and delight. From the ancient forests of Europe, to the remote Australian outback, we seek out expressive and intriguing forms in the natural world to influence our unique floor designs. By combining original features with cutting edge design, we create beautiful floors that bring your vision to life and take our clients on an endless journey of design discovery.
C.P. Hart is thrilled to announce its newest room set collaboration with the renowned designer Matthew Williamson, debuting at its Waterloo showroom this December.
Matthew Williamson is an award-winning, British interior designer known predominantly for his unique and unrivalled use of pattern and colour. Having begun his illustrious career in global fashion under his namesake brand over 20 years ago, Matthew has drawn on his decades of experience and pivoted seamlessly into the world of interior design. Matthew now develops several homeware collections to sit alongside his growing residential and commercial interior design portfolio.
“Bathrooms often feel cold and clinical with functionality dominating aesthetics, so I envisioned a warm, inviting space that functions as well as delights,” shares Matthew.
In this striking room set display, Matthew masterfully blends a curated selection of C.P. Hart’s most sought-after bathroom ranges with his distinctive, handsourced treasures. A vintage mouthblown Murano glass light hangs above IdeaGroup’s new Seven freestanding bath; a bespoke mirror overlooks Buto’s fluted Galiano vanity; artwork carefully selected by Matthew mirrors the bright hues of our Inclusion Classico tiles underfoot.
“Living in the coastal village of Deià, I was influenced by the local Mallorcan landscape and Balearic interiors,” Matthew adds. “The sunset’s pink-gold glow inspired the palette; sand-toned terrazzo, blush pink marble and concrete, rosewood, plaster walls, brass, and rattan.”
“Creating this room set was a wonderfully collaborative process,” says Yousef Mansuri, C.P. Hart’s Director of Design. “Matthew brought a clear and inspiring vision to the project, and from there, we meticulously refined the details, thoughtfully selecting each product and finish to ensure they harmonise beautifully whilst retaining their standout appeal.”
Bath: Seven Freestanding Bath in Sahara Matt by IdeaGroup - £3,681 Brassware: Venezia Wall-Mounted Basin Mixers with Nice Spout in Bespoke Pure Brass PVD, Venini Red Murano Glass Handles by Fantini - From £890, Nostromo Floor-Standing Bath Mixer in Standard Pure Brass PVD by Fantini - £4,043 Vanity: Bespoke Galiano Vanity in Brunette Oak with Marble Top in Breccia Rossa by Buto - £4,717 Basin: Petra Domed Oval Washbasins in Beige Stone - Price On Application WC: Shui Wall-Mounted WC in Linoby by Cielo - £1,015 Floor Tiles: Inclusion Classico Tiles in Matt - £88 Per Tile Wall Tiles: Cromie 15mm in Mixed Finishes - £3 Per Tile Mirror: Bespoke Mirror by Buto - £1,667 Lighting: Vintage Pendant and Wall Light
Prices include VAT
About C.P. Hart
C.P. Hart are an established bathroom supplier with over 80 years’ experience of specifying and sourcing the world’s most innovative and durable premium bathroom products. A successful Contracts division works for architects, interior designers and builders, often on major commercial property developments and hotels. While a highly qualified in-house design team works with individual and private clients, ensuring that each of these bespoke bathrooms is unique.
Belgian luxury kitchen appliance brand, Novy, has launched Designer Lighting 2.0, its latest collection of smart touchless gesture-controlled lighting products for the kitchen. The collection includes the Pendant, Shelf and Wall models in a range of new lengths starting from 95cm up to 305cm. In addition, all Designer Lighting 2.0 models are now available in a new Mineral White colourway, together with Mineral Black.
Providing a premium aesthetic for the contemporary kitchen, Novy’s Designer Lighting 2.0 collection has been developed to provide smart lighting solutions for kitchen specialists and interior designers to showcase in their projects. The Pendant is an ideal overhead accompaniment to a Novy vented hob installed within a kitchen island, while the Shelf and Shelf Pro models answer the growing trend for floating shelves as opposed to wall-mounted cabinets in a scheme. The Wall is a further solution that can be used to illuminate a recess in the kitchen or within a home bar, where there is an option to change the colour temperature and hue to create a specific ambience, as required.
The Designer Lighting 2.0 collection is available in Mineral Black or new Mineral White colourways. Every model in the 2.0 collection is manufactured and hand-assembled at the Novy factory in Kuurne, Belgium. Each is hand-sprayed using a specially formulated matt finish powder-coated paint that features a mineralised structure, ensuring it is less sensitive to fingerprint marks and is easier to clean.
All Pendant, Shelf and Wall models in the Designer Lighting 2.0 Collection are available in the following lengths: 95cm, 125cm,155cm,185cm, 215cm, 245cm, 275cm and 305cm. The Shelf Pro models that feature Novy’s Gesture Control Pro technology are available in the following lengths: 125cm, 155cm,185cm, 215cm, 245cm, 275cm and 305cm.
The Designer Lighting 2.0 collection benefits from advanced lighting technology. All models feature smooth illumination from a powerful integrated LED strip line that delivers 3500 Lux, an equivalent of 50% more Lumen per m² than in previous versions. The adjustable light intensity and colour temperature range from 2,700K to 4,000K to deliver ambient lighting with greater depth, and stronger functional or task lighting.
Touchless gesture-controlled lighting is simple to use with a range of learnt gestures that activate the light and adjust the luminosity. With the Pendant, Shelf and Wall models, there is a sensor at the centre of the base. By swiping under the sensor the LEDs are activated, holding your hand under the sensor then changes the light intensity from functional to ambient, while another quick gesture will deactivate it. The Shelf Pro model features Gesture Control Pro with sensors along the entire base of the shelf so the beam can be directed where you want it, above or below the shelf. Holding your open hand just beneath the sensor accesses a palette of colour options, ideal for changing the mood in the room.
Every Designer Lighting 2.0 model in the collection comes with a five-year warranty.
About Middleby Residential Luxury and Premium Brands
Novy is part of the Middleby Residential Group. Middleby Residential offers a collection of premier international consumer brands, dedicated to manufacturing and distributing many of the best-known and loved kitchen appliances in the world. Middleby is a world leader in developing advanced innovation and solutions for commercial, residential, and industrial foodservice. The company is proud to connect with communities through philanthropic engagement, sustainable initiatives and more. Middleby’s aim is to set the standard for tomorrow, with a goal of serving excellence in everything we do.
With over a decade of experience, our London-based brand has become a trusted partner in transforming interiors. At Liang & Eimil, we seamlessly blend modern design with timeless elegance, creating furniture, lighting, and accessories that inspire. From sleek modern aesthetics to refined classic touches, our pieces are designed to elevate any space - whether residential or commercial.
Our commitment to exceptional design ensures that every piece we create meets the highest standards of quality and functionality, making it the perfect fit for both private residences and high-end hospitality projects. Trusted by both residential and hospitality sectors, Liang & Eimil is proud to be a name synonymous with style, quality, and innovation.
Our creations can be found in luxurious hotels, vibrant restaurants, and stunning private residences around the globe, reflecting our dedication to delivering pieces that not only enhance spaces but also tell a story. Whether designing bespoke furniture for private clients or crafting elegant collections for the hospitality industry, we pride ourselves on our ability to create high-quality, timeless designs that speak to a wide range of tastes and needs.
Over the years, we’ve built a reputation for combining innovative design with practicality, ensuring that every project is tailored to the client’s vision while maintaining the integrity of our design philosophy. Our goal is always to offer pieces that are both functional and beautiful, creating environments that inspire and leave a lasting impression.
What truly sets Liang & Eimil apart is our ability to merge convenience with sophistication. As the only company in the UK offering Crib 5 upholstery straight off the shelf, we provide an unmatched solution for hospitality projects that require the highest safety standards without sacrificing style. Our Crib 5 collection is designed specifically for hotels, restaurants, cafés, and other public spaces where fire safety is a priority, offering an immediate solution without the need for custom upholstery work.
This unique offering allows our clients to quickly and easily incorporate luxury and safety into their interiors, making it an ideal choice for commercial and hospitality settings where time is of the essence, and quality is non-negotiable. From elegant hotel lobbies to inviting restaurant spaces, our premium pieces are crafted to enhance every corner of your project.
Our Crib 5 collection delivers a perfect balance of luxury and safety, meeting the highest fire safety standards required by the hospitality industry. Designed with both style and functionality in mind, each piece in the Crib 5 collection is a testament to our commitment to providing solutions that don’t compromise on either aspect. Whether furnishing a hotel suite, a restaurant, or a café, our Crib 5 upholstery ensures that the spaces you create are not only beautiful but also compliant with the necessary safety regulations.
We understand that, for hospitality clients, safety is paramount, and that’s why we’ve designed this collection with the utmost attention to detail, combining premium fabrics and elegant design with Crib 5-approved safety standards. This allows you to create spaces that are both stylish and safe, making sure that your interiors meet the requirements of modern hospitality while still offering the high-end aesthetic your clients and guests expect.
From the moment guests walk into a space furnished with our Crib 5 collection, they experience the elegance and sophistication that Liang & Eimil is known for. Whether it’s the plush textures of our seating, the sleek finishes of our tables, or the bespoke detailing on our furniture, every element is designed to elevate the space it inhabits.
For designers, architects, and hospitality professionals, our Crib 5 collection offers a convenient, stylish, and safe solution for a variety of interior projects. It’s the ideal choice for those looking to create spaces that combine the best in design with the best in safety, delivering high-end, functional environments that meet the diverse needs of today’s hospitality industry.
At Liang & Eimil, we pride ourselves on being a trusted partner in creating spaces that inspire. With over a decade of experience, we’ve honed our craft, offering exceptional design solutions that bring together style, quality, and safety. Our Crib 5 collection is just one example of how we continue to innovate and respond to the changing needs of the hospitality and residential markets.
As we move into 2025, we remain committed to delivering products that not only meet the highest safety standards but also embody the elegance and sophistication our clients have come to expect. Whether you’re working on a commercial project or designing a private residence, our collection of furniture, lighting, and accessories will help you create spaces that are as beautiful as they are functional.
About Liang & Eimil
Liang & Eimil, a British brand that specialises in furnishing design for the residential and hospitality sectors, believes in making ordinary moments remarkable. Renowned for producing expertly crafted furniture, lighting and accessories, they take pride in offering innovative solutions that can be tailored to any interior design aesthetic.
As a leader in the bathroom industry, Roca remains at the forefront of design and innovation, delivering products that blend functionality with aesthetic excellence. In our 2025 Trend Report, we are excited to present four key trends shaping the future of bathroom spaces.
First, the blend of open and closed storage in vanity units reflects a desire for balance between personal expression and practicality. Open storage showcases meaningful items, while closed storage keeps essentials out of sight, creating a clean, customised look.
Next, we see a shift towards softer, organic shapes. As homes become sanctuaries, especially bathrooms, the gentle curves of designs like our Tura bathtub promote relaxation and mindfulness, transforming these spaces into havens of calm.
Our third trend addresses the growing need for personalisation among renters. Cue Roca's Sonata collection, which provides non- permanent solutions that allow renters to customise their bathrooms without making permanent changes, reflecting the trend toward flexibility and personal expression.
Finally, the popularity of warm terracotta, neutral shades and wood-inspired finishes marks a continuing interest in nature. These earthy tones, aligned with the biophilic design movement, create grounding, peaceful environments that promote wellness and stress relief.
I hope you find inspiration in these trends as you explore the innovative possibilities Roca offers, helping you reimagine your bathroom as a space of comfort, beauty and functionality. - Natalie Bird, Marketing Manager, Roca
In recent years, bathroom design has seen a shift towards blending open and closed storage in vanity units. Open storage provides the opportunity for homeowners to showcase their style by displaying beautiful or meaningful items. Whether it's a collection of perfumes or stylish towels, open shelving in bathroom vanities turns these utilitarian spaces into extensions of personal expression. It invites creativity and gives an open, airy feel to the room, adding visual interest while reflecting individual taste.
On the other hand, closed storage offers a practical solution for hiding clutter. We all have items we'd prefer not to display, from everyday toiletries to cleaning supplies, and closed drawers or cupboards ensure these remain tucked away. This approach is particularly useful for maintaining a clean, organised look in a space that often sees high use. Closed storage, therefore, helps keep the bathroom neat while also reducing visual noise, adding a sleek, minimalist touch.
This trend towards a mix of open and closed storage reflects a broader shift in society, where individuality and customisation are increasingly valued. People are no longer satisfied with cookie-cutter designs; they want to infuse their personality into every corner of their home, even in functional spaces like the bathroom. And this balance between display-worthy items and discreet storage also aligns with contemporary design trends, where spaces are not only about how they look, but how they make you feel.
In 2025, bathroom design will continue to move away from the dominance of harsh, angular lines in favour of softer, more organic shapes. This shift not only reflects aesthetic preferences but also runs parallel with broader lifestyle trends like minimalism and the slow-living movement. At the forefront of this design revolution is Roca's stunning Tura bathtub, whose clean lines and gentle curves exemplify this trend.
Incorporating more rounded forms into bathroom design is an evolution of minimalism. Where minimalism once meant boxy shapes and sharp corners, today's interpretation is more fluid and connected to nature.
The Tura bathtub is a perfect example, as it demonstrates how organic forms can embody the simplicity and tranquillity of minimalism while also creating a sense of warmth and calm.
In a world that is increasingly fast-paced and digitally saturated, our homes - and particularly our bathrooms - are becoming spaces of retreat. A bathroom designed with curves and gentle forms promotes a sense of well-being, providing a physical environment that encourages relaxation and mindfulness.
With homeownership increasingly out of reach for many, renting has become the reality for a large section of the population. This shift has brought new challenges for those who wish to personalise their living spaces, particularly in rooms like the bathroom, where fixtures and fittings are usually permanent and difficult to change. Renters are looking for ways to put their stamp on the property, but without risking damage or losing their deposit.
Enter Sonata by Roca, a range of easy-to- install bathroom accessories designed specifically with renters in mind. No need for drilling or screws, the pieces in the Sonata collection can be attached with adhesives, allowing renters to add accessories like towel rings, toilet roll holders and hooks to their walls without incurring the landlord's wrath.
This approach makes it easier than ever to personalise a rented bathroom, giving tenants the freedom to express their style. Best of all, when it's time to move, the accessories can be easily removed without leaving any damage and taken to the next bathroom.
The continuing popularity of warm terracotta, neutral shades and wood-inspired finishes in bathroom design reflects a broader movement towards reconnecting with nature. These design elements, inspired by earthy tones and organic materials, beautifully align with the principles of biophilic design, which seeks to strengthen our bond with the natural world. For people in urban environments, this nature-infused approach provides a soothing antidote to the stresses of modern life.
Terracotta hues, reminiscent of clay and sun- kissed landscapes, bring warmth and grounding to a space, creating an inviting and cosy atmosphere. Complementing these tones are wood-inspired finishes, which introduce a tactile, natural texture that amplifies the room's organic feel. And alongside both of these, neutral shades like soft greys, beiges and off-whites create a calm, serene ambiance perfect for spaces devoted to relaxation and wellness.
Incorporating these natural elements goes beyond aesthetics. It taps into our deep- rooted desire for connection with the outdoors. This design approach allows even the most modern spaces to offer a retreat from urban demands, grounding them in the calming energy of nature.
About Roca London Gallery
Roca have more than 100 years experience of designing bathroom products and kitchen solutions with the aim of increasing peoples quality of life through continuous innovation in the production of sanitary ceramics.
The arrival of autumn heralds the ideal time to explore Arteriors' latest AW24 collection, where lighting transcends functionality to becomes the centrepiece of any room. Renowned for seamlessly blending craftsmanship with innovation, the luxury brand introduces a range of lighting that glows from within, infusing warmth and style to any environment. More than just illumination, these statement pieces are designed to define spaces, create focal points, and transform the ambiance of a room. Featuring a dynamic combination of natural materials and textures, this collection is crafted to capture attention and elevate interiors throughout the UK.
Table lamps offer a unique opportunity to experiment with material contrasts, especially given their prominent placement at eye level within the home. The Chanell table lamp is a masterclass of this approach, where the gleam of metallic finishes meets the timeless elegance of marble. Its tapered brass shade not only reflects light but also diffuses it, casting a glow that transforms any space. This interplay between materials makes the Chanell a versatile piece, seamlessly enhancing contemporary and classic interiors.
Pendant lighting offers an unparalleled opportunity to showcase innovative crafting techniques, becoming a focal point in any room. The Large Indi Chandelier draws inspiration from the rugged beauty of nature, merging traditional motifs with eye-catching, unconventional design. Its expansive dimensions command attention but its intricate craftsmanship is what sets it apart. Indi is composed of a white iron foundation encased in matching white coconut wood, intricately carved to mimic the silhouette of a cactus. Each arm is adorned with clusters of coconut shells which create captivating shadow patterns, adding depth and drama to any interior.
Floor lamps provide a playful canvas for exploring shapes and forms, thanks to their elongated structure. The Elvis table lamp illustrates how industrial elements can be reimagined to create visual intrigue. The lamp’s gear-like structure serves as both a bold anchor and a source of compelling shadows, adding depth and dimension to your space. The lamp balances impactful geometry with a soft, diffused glow bringing spaces to life with texture, contrast, and character.
About Arteriors
Arteriors began 35 years ago as a boutique accessories company and has evolved into a global force in the design industry. With premier lighting, furniture and accessories, Arteriors redefines interior spaces through unexpected creativity and meticulous craftsmanship. Pursuit of innovation drives Arteriors forward. Their imagination never rests. Art, architecture and fashion are in Arteriors’ DNA. They believe good design begins with inspiration, and each of our products in lighting, furniture, accessories and wall décor achieves a balance of ideas, forms, textures and finishes that feel bespoke. The storied techniques of the master artisans with whom they collaborate inform every detail and infuse the touch of the human hand into every design, each with a distinct Arteriors point of view. A leading resource for interior designers and retailers, Arteriors operates four flagship showrooms in Dallas, London, Los Angeles and New York and three permanent, to-the-trade locations in High Point, Las Vegas and the Dallas Market Centre, in addition to retail distribution in 73 countries.
Christmas is the season for classic design, yet at sofa.com, we recognise the demand for a contemporary look when entertaining during the festive season. This year, retailers and designers can inspire clients to combine traditional warmth with sleek, modern accents, creating a refined and memorable Christmas dining experience.
For clients with nostalgic elements in their space, such as an open fireplace or herringbone flooring, consider balancing these with modern, complementary pieces like exposed light fixtures. A rustic dining table, for example, gains sophistication when paired with plush velvet chairs, achieving an elegant, contrasting look that appeals to those seeking both comfort and style.
Additionally, thoughtful colour schemes add impact to the space. If clients opt for a timeless red and green palette, incorporating these colours into modern pieces offers a fresh and updated twist on a classic look. This season, blend traditions with current trends for a truly elevated festive setting.
At sofa.com we explore different aesthetics and design schemes to cater to everyone’s taste.
Fitted kitchen design is packed with benefits. You can optimise every inch of your luxury kitchen with built in storage cupboards to create space for all your stuff – from ingredients to cookware, even a desk in an unused corner. But introducing a freestanding element to bespoke kitchens will elevate your kitchen design to the next level. Blending fitted kitchen cupboards with a standalone cabinet or bespoke kitchen island, will add masses more character and functionality to your luxury kitchen room.
Here are just some of the ways our kitchen designers mix fitted and freestanding furniture. And why a bespoke kitchen from Roundhouse Design is the ultimate style choice.
It’s easy to see why modern kitchen islands remain a popular fixture in today’s luxury kitchens. They can create more storage and kitchen work surfaces plus room for an extra sink. We are also often asked to add a seating perch, so bespoke kitchen islands become the communal hotspot of your kitchen design. But it is the freestanding nature of bespoke kitchen islands that adds so much to a fitted kitchen layout. Play around with shape and colour. Try curved ends to break up the straight lines of built in storage cupboards. Or how about an accent material to enhance the freestanding silhouette of your beautiful bespoke kitchen island.
If you have the space, why not add a freestanding dresser to your luxury kitchen. Our Nightingale display cabinet, backed with mirror panelling, will create a striking statement on an empty wall. The more modern Brompton cabinet mixes clean lines, metal frames and integrated lights to display your favourite glassware and pottery. Combining a fitted kitchen design with a standout dresser will instil so much personality – and you can even add this at a later date. Everything from Roundhouse London is manufactured to order. And we pride ourselves on using traditional British joinery techniques and luxury materials to craft the kitchen design of your dreams.
Another clever way to mix fitted and freestanding furniture in a Roundhouse kitchen is by drawing from both our Design and Studio collections. In this kitchen, black matt built in doors from the Studio collection cover three sides of the layout. Then a bespoke kitchen island clad in antique brass creates a freestanding showstopper that takes centre stage. The look is unified by the gorgeous green stone work surfaces. It’s the perfect example of how mixing Design and Studio cabinetry opens up greater design scope for your budget.
Ok, so long rows of shelving aren’t technically freestanding. However, by substituting built in wall units for kitchen display shelves you’ll create a relaxed, unfitted mood in bespoke kitchens. It’s a design trick we are fond of using here at Roundhouse London: simple yet full of impact. Choose chunky oak shelves to display earthenware bowls, jugs and plants. Or painted white shelves that blend invisibly into the walls of your luxury kitchen. You might even decide to ditch built in storage cupboards altogether on one wall. And don’t worry, our kitchen designers will make sure you have enough kitchen storage before you take the plunge.
Whether your luxury kitchen is big or small, a kitchen pantry cabinet is one of our favourite storage saviours. Roundhouse designers can tailor your pantry to your lifestyle with a choice of herb racks, wicker baskets, slide-out shelving or plug sockets to name but a few. But a kitchen pantry cupboard can also create the appearance of freestanding furniture – even if it’s a fully fitted piece. With double doors, wide drawers, lighting and perhaps painted in an accent colour, a pantry cupboard can add so much to bespoke kitchens. It’s the perfect way to create a freestanding look but with all the efficiency of built in cabinetry.
For more inspiration on how to use standalone furniture in your luxury kitchen head to our blog here.
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.
Pull-out kitchen taps are trending and for good reason. Their versatile design can turn your sink into the ultimate cleaning station for pots and pans, while also allowing you for any rinsing tasks with ease, and pour water without having to juggle items into a cramped space.
And if you pick the right tap – a wide variety of colours and styles are now available – you'll also have a beautiful kitchen that looks ready for a photoshoot.
Not sure if a pull-out kitchen tap is right for your home? Here are a few things to consider.
As suggested by the name, pull-out kitchen taps come with a flexible hose that can be pulled out from the main spout whenever you need to conveniently access areas and items that are hard to reach.
In some designs, the tap offers a dual function, stream and spray, which can be easily switched with a button to optimise water usage during different tasks.
You might be wondering: is it worth upgrading to a pull-out tap? Will it look good in my kitchen? And what kind of difference will it make on a daily basis?
The simple truth is that pull-out kitchen taps offer functionality beyond conventional taps. To make up your mind, explore some of the most compelling advantages provided by these kitchen wonders.
Multi-functional kitchen taps simplify your life with a simple idea.
The ability to pull out and extend the spray head allows you to direct the water exactly where you need it – making it easier to clean every corner of your sink, rinse out awkwardly shaped containers and fill pots or buckets on the countertop.
Moreover, with a 360° swivel spout, extendable kitchen taps enable you to make the most of your second sink and give you extra space for washing larger items.
And to take things to the next level, why not elevate your tap even further with filtered chilled, boiling, and sparkling water functions -- for the ultimate kitchen appliance in one tap.
Did you know pull-out kitchen taps can also lower your environmental footprint and reduce your water consumption?
Indeed, used in their spray mode, a pull-out tap can reduce water usage by up to 70% compared to conventional stream taps. The ability to extend your spout and conveniently direct it towards your target dish or pot delivers additional savings, as you'll be able to turn the water on only when needed.
Kitchen spray taps help the way you move around the kitchen as they enable you to quickly bring water to your kitchenware, rather than the other way around.
Beyond its functional appeal, a pull-out kitchen tap is the perfect idea to elevate your kitchen with a touch of style.
Available in a wide range of finishes such as brass, copper or gold, pull-out taps are designed to complement nearly any kitchen theme or colour scheme. Want to explore a few stylistic ideas? Our Pinterest is full of inspiration, with beautiful homes, and stunning design.
Cleaning hard-to-reach items in your sink or large pots can often be a time-consuming task. Pull-out kitchen taps bypass these issues, enabling you to reach everywhere with ease and swiftly clean even the largest pans.
And with the ability to switch between a steady stream and a versatile spray, you can quickly adjust the water flow to suit the task at hand.
Whether you’re washing dishes, rinsing fruits and vegetables or giving your sink a thorough clean, a pull-out kitchen tap ensures that you have the right tool for the job.
So far, we've shown the remarkable functionality of pull-out kitchen taps.
Pull-out kitchen taps, however, can be much more than a mere water source for your cleaning chores.
With a filtered water tap from Zip, you can enjoy the pure-tasting water – boiling, chilled, or sparkling – always available to hydrate and refresh the whole family.
In particular, the HydroTap Celsius Plus All-in-One Pull-Out is engineered to deliver an unrivalled experience, thanks to an extendable hose built for flexibility and a snag-free extendable spray-hose, powered by its patented compact hose management system that can be easily retracted.
On top of providing delicious, instantly filtered water at the press of a button, it also delivers unfiltered hot and cold water for washing up. But, as with all innovative technology, safety cannot be overlooked. That's why the tap's convenient safety lock can be activated to limit its boiling function and protect young or vulnerable users.
And what's best, our knowledgeable team are here to help, every step of the way. From design advice, to installation, get in touch today for your bespoke solution.
Discover how our HydroTap ticks all the design boxes and is revolutionising hydration at home.
About Zip Water
Experience water at its best with the ultimate in luxury home appliances. Zip Water are manufacturers of the iconic Zip HydroTap - a revolutionary drinking water appliance offering the very best in filtered boiling, chilled and sparkling water; designed to upgrade your lifestyle. A health-boosting, time-saving, space-saving and planet-saving marvel, the HydroTap transforms ordinary tap water into something extraordinary.
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