Grand Dorset Design

Bespoke fitted furniture for an ultra-modern new build inspired by the owner’s time in West Africa

When it came to finding their dream home, Sue Wardell and partner Mark Oppe knew location was crucial, which is why they bought a ‘rather sad’ house on a perfectly located idyllic plot in Dorset with plans to renovate it. Working with designers Tony and Debbie Browne of Design Projects Partnership, they soon found that the original building was not fit to refurbish, and the decision was made to demolish it and start again.

The new property was a timber-frame structure built on site, which met Passivhaus standards thanks to a host of climate-friendly features such as solar panels and air source heating. The house was finished to an exceptional standard and needed fitting out in a way that would continue this level of quality through every room.

Having worked with Basically Trade for many years on many different projects, Architectural Designer and Project Manager Tony knew the team could be relied upon for beautiful, bespoke kitchen, bedroom, utility and bathroom furniture, without stretching the budget. As always, we were able to work to the client’s specification to provide exactly what was needed to achieve the desired finish.

Basically Trade provided made-to-measure handle-less kitchen cabinets in EGGER U762 Dust Grey using the Graphite finish GOLA rail system with Slab style doors and drawer fronts in EGGER Perfect Sense Matt Graphite Grey MDF. The team also produced an expansive kitchen island using a combination of GOLA B top rail and Legrabox Orion Grey Tip on push-to-open, soft-close pan drawers. Kitchen units were manufactured to incorporate the client’s chosen appliances and the handle-less design of the kitchen lent itself well to the clean-lined contemporary décor throughout the open plan living space.

This room had to be both versatile and practical, and Basically Trade was also able to create a discreet Salice Concertina folding door system on the dresser unit to close off the couple’s workspace when not in use. In an interview with SelfBuild and Design Magazine, Sue said the kitchen was her ‘best buy’ noting that the affordability was “remarkable” given the quality and style.

In the utility room just off the kitchen, Basically Trade manufactured units to the client’s precise measurements which meant that every inch of the space could be properly utilised – including raising up the washing machine and dryer for accessibility. To capitalize on the remaining space beneath, a large storage drawer was created as well as a shallow pullout for placing the laundry basket on during use. We also sourced open vegetable drawers at the client’s request and created a bespoke wall-hung wine rack. The Slab style PVC edged doors in EGGER U708 Light Grey finish ensured the room combined hard-wearing practicality with bright and airy aesthetics.

We provided the fitted storage for the master en-suite bathroom which, again, meant that there was no need to compromise on space, with a ‘floating’ two-drawer bathroom vanity cabinet in EGGER U636 ST9 Fjord Green making best use of the available room beneath the sinks. These drawer boxes were specially built in a U shape to avoid the waste pipe.

The bedrooms were designed with contemporary fitted furniture all in the same finish of EGGER U762 Dust Grey to avoid cluttering the space. Basically Trade was able to provide the ideal made-to-measure solutions. In the master bedroom, there is an open outlook on three sides, so a large bespoke wardrobe was created to fit behind the head of the bed. A subtle solution with a deceptive amount of storage space.

Designers Tony and Debbie Browne didn’t hesitate in contacting Basically Trade for this project. Tony said: “We’ve worked with Basically Trade countless times over the years because they consistently go above and beyond to bring the design to life. We continue to compare with other companies, but they seem to rise above every time. Their reliability and commitment to quality makes them a perfect supply partner and always at a competitive price. Not only did they manufacture the kitchen, utility, bedroom and bathroom furniture to our design, they also collaborated with us in solving one or two design challenges in practice.”

Property owner Sue Wardell said “I just can’t fault Basically Trade. Their attention to detail is incredible and they have engaged throughout the process with the designers to help resolve a multitude of technical challenges. Finding a mechanism to work for the folding doors of the workstation was particularly tricky, but Basically Trade came up with a superb solution. They followed through on all manner of additional design requests such as an oven tray cupboard, and advised on every aspect of the project right up to the point of final installation. The after sales service has also been exceptional.”

Get in touch with Basically Trade for a no-obligation discussion about your next project. We can help bring your next concept to reality.

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