Carrara marble
StoneSoft grey veining on a white ground. Honed for a matt, tactile surface.
- Oak
- Brass
- Warm plaster
Materials
Made of real things.
We begin every project with material. Stone, timber, metal and glass decide the feeling of a room long before the layout does.
Surfaces we use
Dark marble
StoneDeep brown and black stone with a bold white vein. Dramatic on a splashback or a basin.
- Walnut
- Brass
- Matt lacquer
Travertine
StoneWarm, fossil-textured limestone. Filled and honed for worktops and islands, so the surface is smooth under the hand.
- Matt black
- Linen
- Walnut
Oak veneer
TimberOpen-grained and oiled, kind to fingerprints. Pale for lightness, smoked for depth.
- Marble
- Brass
- Reeded glass
Reeded glass
GlassFluted glass for display cabinets. Softens what is behind and catches the light.
- Oak
- Dark lacquer
- Brass
Veined stone
StoneWarm veining in copper and grey on a pale ground. Used sparingly, as a feature.
- Limestone
- Brass
- Cream
Material guide
Seven materials, in plain words.
What each one is like, where it works best and how to look after it. General guidance: the maker’s instructions for your own finish always come first.
01 · Timber
Oak
- Character
- Open-grained, warm and quietly varied. Oak takes oil well, hides small marks in its grain and deepens gently towards honey with light and time. It sits comfortably beside stone, plaster and brass.
- Best used for
- Cabinet fronts, drawer interiors, open shelves, oiled worktops and panelling. Veneered oak on a stable board suits large doors and tall units. Solid oak suits edges, shelves and worktops.
- Care
- Wipe with a soft, slightly damp cloth and dry. Keep standing water away from sinks and dishwashers. Refresh the oil from time to time on worktops, and sand light scratches along the grain.
02 · Timber
Walnut
- Character
- Darker, richer and more formal, with a grain that moves like water. Walnut gives a room weight and depth, and looks best against pale stone and soft light.
- Best used for
- Tall units, feature walls, islands, niches and shelves, where its depth can be read against calmer surfaces.
- Care
- Keep it out of long, direct sun, which lightens it slowly. Wipe spills quickly and dust often, because dark timber shows fine dust. Oil lightly if the finish is oiled.
03 · Stone
Limestone
- Character
- Soft, matt and warm, with a fine, even texture and gentle variation. Honed limestone is calm under the hand and suits plaster, oak and linen. Travertine is a related stone with a more pitted, fossil-textured surface.
- Best used for
- Islands, worktops and splashbacks in households that cook gently, and floors in the kitchen and the rooms around it. It needs sealing on the face and a gentle routine.
- Care
- Seal it, clean with a mild pH-neutral soap and keep acids and harsh cleaners away. Use boards and trivets. It marks more easily than harder stones, so wipe spills at once.
04 · Stone
Marble
- Character
- Veined, luminous and varied, from soft grey on white to dark stone with a bold white vein. Marble is soft, so acids etch a polished surface and it ages into a patina. A honed finish quietens the marks.
- Best used for
- Island ends, back walls and statement splashbacks. As a worktop, it suits households that accept a surface that changes.
- Care
- Wipe spills quickly, especially acids such as lemon, vinegar and wine. Clean with a pH-neutral soap, seal the surface and renew the seal when water stops beading. A specialist can hone out etching.
05 · Painted finish
Lacquer
- Character
- A sprayed, painted finish in matt, satin or gloss, in almost any colour. It is smooth and even, and gives large flat fronts a calm, uniform surface. Gloss shows fingerprints, matt feels soft.
- Best used for
- Handleless fronts, tall units, wardrobes and deep colours that timber cannot give, such as charcoal, forest green or chalk.
- Care
- Use a soft cloth with warm water and mild soap. Avoid abrasive pads and solvents. Keep edges away from standing water. A damaged panel can often be re-sprayed.
06 · Glass
Glass
- Character
- Clear, tinted, reeded or fluted. Reeded glass softens what lies behind it and catches the light, and smoked or amber tints add warmth. It hides fingerprints better than a smooth pane.
- Best used for
- Display cabinets, sliding doors, splashbacks and lit niches.
- Care
- Clean with water and a drop of mild soap, or a glass cleaner, and a lint-free cloth. Brush the ribs gently to lift dust. In hard-water areas, wipe dry to avoid limescale spots.
07 · Metal
Metal
- Character
- Brass, bronze, steel and aluminium sharpen a design. Brass and bronze darken to a soft patina, steel stays cool and precise, and powder-coated finishes are the most stable.
- Best used for
- Fine details: grip profiles, shelf edges, glass frames, niches, taps and handles.
- Care
- Clean with a soft cloth and mild soap and dry afterwards. Polish brass if you want it bright, or let the patina develop. Avoid abrasives on brushed finishes and acidic cleaners on any metal.
Care guide
Looking after what you choose.
A few habits do more than any product. Wipe spills early, dry what is wet, use boards and trivets, and test samples at home before you decide. For stone and oak in more detail, read the care article.
| Material | Every day | Avoid | Now and then |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oak | Soft, slightly damp cloth, then dry | Standing water, steam from the dishwasher, hot pans on oiled timber | Refresh the oil on worktops, sand light scratches with the grain |
| Walnut | Dust, then a soft damp cloth | Long direct sun, standing water | Light oiling if the finish is oiled |
| Limestone | Soft cloth, pH-neutral soap, rinse and dry | Acids, bleach, limescale removers, abrasive pads | Test for sealer with a few drops of water, reseal when it darkens the stone |
| Marble | Soft cloth, pH-neutral soap, rinse and dry | Lemon, vinegar, wine left on the surface, harsh cleaners | Reseal, and have a specialist hone out etching if it bothers you |
| Lacquer | Soft cloth, warm water, mild soap | Solvents, abrasive pads, standing water at the edges | Touch up or re-spray a damaged panel |
| Glass | Water with a drop of soap, lint-free cloth | Abrasive pads, leaving hard water to dry on the surface | Brush the ribs of fluted glass to lift dust |
| Metal | Soft cloth, mild soap, dry | Abrasives on brushed finishes, acidic cleaners | Polish brass if you want it bright, or leave the patina |
See them in your light.
We bring physical samples to your home so you can judge each material where it will live.