15th December 2023 | IN INTERIOR DESIGN PROJECTS | BY SBID ShareTweetPinterestLinkedIn 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. The island features a Fior di Bosco marble waterfall worktop Wall cabinets were extended all the way to the ceiling to maximise storage space What was your brief for the kitchen? 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 Choppy Water design is carved into the oak on the outside of the island The drawers and doors feature a special cut-out handle with brass inlay How did the space create challenges in the design process? 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 drawers and doors feature a special cut-out handle with brass inlay The Choppy Water design is carved into the oak on the outside of the island What can you tell us about some of the materials used? 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. 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. Visit Profile If you’d like to feature your news or stories on SBID.org, get in touch to find out more. If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.