The Beauty of Bespoke: An Imaginative Collaboration with Jacob Alexander Cabinetmakers
I firmly believe the best interiors are born from a meeting of minds and when there’s a shared appreciation of craftsmanship, imagination and storytelling, the possibility arises to transform an idea into one-off creations. In this piece I’ll explore the studio’s recent collaboration with Jacob Alexander Cabinetmakers where we worked together to create a suite of bespoke pieces that blend Art Deco elegance, Modernist sensibilities and Japanese serenity.
Jacob’s deep understanding of materials and form, combined with my passion for layering influences to craft soulful, original interiors, made this a natural partnership. Together, we designed and crafted three standout pieces.
Before we look at these pieces, a brief Q&A with Jacob:
A: I’d love to know how you find the process of working with interior designers like myself?
J: We really enjoy working with interior designers, and I would highly recommend that anyone who can engages one. Designers are able to truly understand and establish a project’s vision and bring its many constituent parts together in a cohesive way. We’ve also found that great interior designers are extremely client-focused. We know that when we’re working on projects with an interior designer, someone is always on top of the client’s needs which can sometimes get lost in the complexity of executing highly bespoke projects.
I also appreciate designers’ ability to create a personal narrative from diverse, or even seemingly disparate, elements. It could be in a more abstract sense, like your suggestion of fusing different design styles in a single piece, or in the way you mix antique or vintage furniture with contemporary pieces. In a world of quickly passing trends, this can really make a project’s interior feel thoughtful and authentic.
When we’re working with your studio in particular, I get the sense you approach each bespoke item as singular form in itself. You don’t feel the need for a rigid design language to be employed throughout a property, so the furniture we collaborate on is always playful and truly unique.
A: Which was the most challenging piece to create and why?
J: The low-level units for the sitting room alcove and room divider involved both complex and highly precise processes. The side panels have large-radius corners, which we 3D-machine on our CNC router and then custom-veneer in a vacuum press which can be very stressful, as there is only one chance to get it right.
The reeded fronts on those units use reeded oak like marquetry, and the mitres on all four panels need to meet perfectly at a central point with decimal-level precision. We’re lucky to have a highly skilled team who love any challenge.
Curved Alcove Units: Soft Sculptural Simplicity
There’s something about curved forms that calm a space and add an inherently pleasing softness. These alcove units were designed to embrace the home’s existing Victorian architecture, following its natural lines rather than imposing upon them, while also complementing the contemporary furniture within the space. The result feels seamless and brings a freshness to the period details like the ornate crown moulding and fire surround.
Originally, we considered incorporating botanical marquetry detailing on the doors and explored a more decorative style. However, as the design evolved, a subtler reeded detailing reminiscent of straw marquetry was chosen. It works beautifully and is a great example of how allowing space for a measure of fluidity and exploration can lead to the ideal outcome.
Shoji Room Divider: A Whisper of Tokyo
The Aman Tokyo where the homeowners honeymooned is a masterclass in creating a sense of peace and refinement through design. Its shoji screens which play with light and shadow to evoke an atmosphere that feels simultaneously ethereal and grounded became the inspiration for this piece which delineates the cosy snug at the rear of the double reception room from the elegant sitting room at the front of the house.
We wished to define the two spaces without fully closing them off from each other as well as introduce more light to deepest corners of the snug. The traditional rice paper allows sunlight to filter through from the bay while introducing a sense of rhythm and delicacy. Crafted from beautifully detailed natural oak and translucent rice paper, the divider captures the quiet luxury and subtle elegance I’ve long admired in Japanese interiors, with the choice of blonde wood reinterpreting the style through a mid-century Scandinavian lens.
Modernist Dressing Table: A Nod to Ocean Liners & Art Deco’s Endurance
The Art Deco period is one I return to again and again. It’s almost surprising to think it’s having it’s centenary year as its bold geometry, rich materials and sense of movement feel as exciting now as they did a century ago. For the wife’s dressing table, I was inspired by the sleek, curvilinear forms of ocean liners, reminiscent of the De La Warr Pavilion, a 1935 Modernist masterpiece that appears to float along the Sussex coastline like a lost swan surrounded by traditional Edwardian ducks. It was my first bricks and mortar architectural crush (or more accurately, my first concrete and steel crush) and is an enduring reference that unfailing pulls fresh ideas to surface each time I revisit it.
The dressing table mirrors that same effortless sense of motion, with sweeping curves, sculptural presence, and a rippled burl finish that plays with light and reflection. It’s graceful enough to meld into the broader scheme but not so modest as to sit demurely on the sidelines, making its striking form the perfect piece to bring a sense of occasion to everyday rituals.
One of the greatest pleasures of my work is collaborating with skilled artisans like those in Jacob’s workshop. By working together, we’re able to unite our complimentary skills to turn sketches into reality and make deeply personal pieces that are designed to last a lifetime (and with some luck will still look rather fetching on their centenary years too!) Somewhat sentimentally I also like to think that when the pieces we fill our homes with are imbued with thoughtfulness they help create a home that is full of feeling as well as beauty.