INTERIOR-iD Journal 1

Apartment, Notting Hill Wardrobe with integrated bathroom door in book-matched American walnut.

Cover image: 'Sliding Desk' Solid surface top with sliding function on a metal base.

Overleaf: Bespoke cutlery inserts in solidAmerican Walnut.

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Matthew WoodthorpeProfile — INterIOr-iDCase study — INterIOr-iDrosie WinstonMaterial WorldBen Colgate Behind the scenes Here's to Steiermark Sayed Bukhari

Step in and welcome to INterIOr-iD’s very first issue of the Journal. You must be an interior designer, architect or someone who loves or works in the exciting world of bespoke interiors and that is why you are hold-ing this newspaper in your hands.

there are certain synonyms associated to our niche market from “high-end residential”, “prime resi” to “super prime” or “luxury property market” but the requirements for serving this exclusive market remain unchanged, it is all about delivering the desired effect, quality and intricate design to exceed the expectation of our clients.

Many trades and experts are required to meet those expectations but at the same time few have the expertise of all professions. therefore, communication is crucial between all of these skills, especially between architects, interior designers, building contractors and the specialist trades like INterIOr-iD. the Journal will shed light on the daily lives of these trades and profes-sionals in finding out how they began in their occupa-tions and what makes them special in order to deliver the best of the best.

I am delighted and grateful that we have found interview partners with whom we have built a successful relationship over the past few years having worked together on many prestigious projects in London and overseas. everyone has the same goal, as mentioned earlier, not only to meet but exceed the expectations of our common client base. Spread over several pages you will find the results of our fruitful collaboration with this close knit circle of specialists.

Furthermore, the Journal will give you an insight into the culture, expertise and passion of INterIOr-iD. Dive into it and find out what has changed since our great grandfather started the cabinet making business in 1923 but let me assure you – the heritage of craftsman-ship claims the full glory of this Journal.

Bernd radaschitzDirector, INterIOr-iD

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Contents

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Matthew Woodthorpe

Matthew Woodthorpe is the Founder and Director of MWAI Architects based in central London.

ARCHITECT PROFILE —

Left: Kitchen Detail, London.

Main image: House exten-sion, London.

By Gail rolfe

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changed as we progressed and we now specialise in projects based in Kensington, Chelsea and Mayfair work-ing for billionaires, or at least half-billionaires. We are in that niche semi-corporate market in the private world. It’s private equity at the highest level.

Conversely we also work on cultural projects. We have just been appointed to design the third and final phase of the telford Millennium Community (tMC), a government-led sustainable housing project which comprises of 300 houses, six apartment buildings and one mixed use commercial office building working in collaboration with JrUD to design all the architecture, landscaping and public space for this ground-breaking project.

What kind of corporate work are you involved in?We are in the middle of a long-term multi-level

project on the island of St Helena where Napoleon Bonaparte spent the last years of his life. this includes a strategic master plan, tourism strategy and museum concept for the grounds of Longwood House and the surrounding area.

What residential projects are you working on now?On average we can be juggling ten projects at a

time, each taking about two and a half years to go from planning to completion. recently due to the economic climate we have been working on developing basements in Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea. Our last pro-jects have been for families with instantly recognisable surnames in Chelsea Park Gardens and the Little Bol-tons. these commissions are driven a large degree by the strict guidelines governing extending properties in central London where you are constrained by the types of archi-tecture that can be achieved. It’s much harder to deliver

How long ago did you establish MWAI?I started MWAI four years ago, with co-founder

Alessia Mosci, initially working from my bedroom in Hammersmith. It was a very modest and unassuming be-ginning. We graduated to a desk-share in Holland Park, before moving to our current premises in central London 2.5 years ago and currently have a staff of twelve.

What is your architectural background? Alessia and I met at Lifschutz Davidson, a

respected and “cool” architects practice founded by the late Ian Davidson and Alex Lifschutz, both protégés of Norman Foster and richard rogers. Over the years Alessia and I have both worked on quite diverse projects and hail from a mixed background of commercial design. We started out with public buildings such as a British embassy, the tower Pier outside the tower of London, the Great eastern Hotel with terence Conran, a public library, several large-scale urban design projects and Harvey Nichols in edinburgh.

Describe your type of architecture?Our commissions tend to be fine detail interiors

ranging from a corporate project like the Nespresso HQ in Milan to major residential refurbishments in the high-end market. We don’t have an “in-house style” we tend to think from scratch on each project working very closely with the client to produce something distinctive and relevant to them.

Have the type of architectural commissions altered in the last four years?

Our first project was a domestic extension for a house in Balham. that was representative of the type of work we did initially in the first year i.e. small refurbish-ments in the middle class market. the client base has

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Clockwise from above: Sleek mitred edge detail between front doors and worktop

refurbishment, Chelsea. Kitchen in white Lacquer/Corian/dark stained oak/Cosmic black Marble

Seemless integrated sink within Corian worktop, mitred edge to front doors. Splashback in Cosmic black marble.

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something that looks good and fits the client’s needs when it’s very tight on space, incredibly difficult legally and on the planning side.

What are the aspirations of your clients?they are looking for every opportunity to cre-

ate more space within their existing property. these are incredibly high value commissions. Imagine a project where you spend £1million or more on digging a base-ment when the total cost of the build and interior design is £5million.

Where and when did you meet Bernd Radaschitz of INTERIOR-iD?

We met at a BNI breakfast meeting in 2009. It proved to be an incredibly useful networking platform. eventually Bernd sublet a desk in our office in Holland Park and when we moved to NW1, he moved here too. We didn’t have a contractual relationship but because he was working with us in our office we worked very closely on the project development side of everything. It’s only in the last year he moved into his own office in Notting Hill.

How does the business relationship work? We have a remarkably strong, trusting relation-

ship and working with INterIOr-iD is a pleasure. their quality is amazing and equally they respect and admire our architecture and interior design capabilities. there’s a synergy in the way we work together. We have reached a position where we choose to work with INterIOr-iD every time. I know that Bernd will deliver what is re-quired. they are quite expensive, but when the joinery contract is worth half a million pounds, you have to be able to guarantee impeccable craftsmanship of the high-est level. they produce beautifully crafted pieces for us at the right price and deliver on time.

As the architect we usually head up most projects but it depends on the structure of each job. We like to work directly with INterIOr-iD as it gives Bernd con-tractual control over his own jurisdiction. Often it can take two years or more until the building is ready for the final joinery design and installation. It is impossible to fully specify everything at the beginning, as things may need to change. this time lag could put a lot of stress on us, but it doesn’t because he is so precise and complete-ly dependable.

What makes INTERIOR-iD so special? everything Bernd produces is bespoke and that is

what sets him apart from a standardised joinery compa-ny. With him we are able to adjust the fine detail, which makes things that could be very complex, very simple. What we like to do with him is design new detailing, quite complicated things, he’s very good at executing everything in the Austrian perfectionist way. Quite simply they just do it very well. It’s beautifully put together and they have a real sense of pride in their work.

What does the future hold?Ultimately we aspire to be in more architectural

circles in the arts world or high-end development mar-kets. Cultural projects are where ideally we would like to be placed, working for the government designing new buildings such as museums, universities or corporate projects for private clients.

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From humble beginnings working from Bernd’s flat in Notting Hill, where the joinery commissions had limited budgets of £5,000 to £10,000, they now run a company where the joinery resources for one house or apartment can go from £100,000 to limitless amounts. they employ 30 people at tischlerei radaschitz, the family run Austrian factory and have a team of 10 at INterIOr-iD in London. With a combined workforce of 150 craftsmen from their affiliated companies in Austria, they have the resources to handle up to 50 projects in a year.

It would be naïve to assume that their survival during the current economic situation was merited only by a judicious amount of luck, prodigious talent and astute financial planning, aligned with shrewd use of modern networking facilities, although there is no doubt those qualities contributed to their success. But as Mat-thew Woodthorpe, the architect and co-owner of MWAI architects believes, “there is something extraordinary about Bernd and Johann that sets them apart from the competition.”

For Bernd the answer is straightforward, “the key to our success is impeccable quality and craftsman-

Austrian brothers, Bernd and Johann Radaschitz have defied the odds of the current economic climate and taken the master joinery company, INTERIOR-iD they launched back in 2006 and transformed it into a flourishing and prosperous international business within seven years.

InterIor-iD

ship, reliability, meeting deadlines and making sure the customer is happy.”

“If these resources weren’t already in place, we would not have succeeded during the recession. At this level architects and clients want a company they can rely upon. Our set-up symbolizes our strength”.

that strength and competitive edge meant they have swiftly became one of the leading go-to joinery companies. everything they produce is utterly bespoke, crafted in their workshops in Austria and delivered on time. Most orders are completed in 8-10 weeks and some even faster.

entire rooms of bespoke joinery are assembled in the Austrian factory, ensuring accuracy to one mil-limetre; dismantled and dispatched on Friday in time to reach their destination by Monday. As Johann points out, “doing it this way may seem laborious, but it minimises costs in the long run, as we spend less time on site and thus don’t encounter any problems or tricky situations. It means that compared to the British market our prices are extremely competitive”.

“the world of bespoke joinery these days is a niche market where you have to be conversant with all

By Gail rolfethanks to the Donovan Bar at rocco Forte's Brown's Hotel, London.

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materials”, says Bernd. “It’s no longer all about timber, you need to be an authority and knowledgeable about working with metals, leather, fabrics, stone, glass and state-of-the-art specialist finishes.

“each project can use a myriad mixture of mate-rials according to the vision of the designer, the architect or the client. It's not limited to simply polished steel or chrome, it’s antique patina brass finishes featuring ten variations of metal. It’s treating stone, whether it’s mar-ble or limestone so that it can be sheer and lit from be-low, it’s using fabric as a reflective ceiling, and shagreen that looks like a combination of snakeskin and metal.

“everyone is constantly pushing the boundaries, striving to be innovative, looking for something uncon-ventional, something pioneeringly original that may be the ultimate next trend. Our job is to envisage those aspi-rations and make them a reality”. For a few commissions there are no limits, creatively or financially.

to be able to satisfy the demands for the unique and the unusual married to their consummate crafts-manship has required Bernd and Johann to invest in high-tech machinery over the last two years. “At the 2012 100% Design show we exhibited a unique ceramic

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kitchen island, which is completely new to the UK. It’s very sleek, very minimalist and very resistant, much more so than anything else on the market.

then there’s liquid metal, which can be used for specific applications on certain elements of furniture.

“We are incredibly fortunate to come from a region in Austria with dedicated craftsmen within 10 miles. Close to our factory there are amazing metal, stone, upholstery and leather specialists and other skilled technicians who have all helped our business to thrive. this is how we can offer such superb workman-ship through our intimate knowledge and relationships with other trades and materials.”

there’s no doubt that Bernd and Johann’s path to becoming master joiners was predestined by their genetic inheritance. In 1923 their great-grandfather, Johann radaschitz, a local carpenter, started a business from his garage building furniture and carrying out repairs for the local village people in the small village of riegersburg.

By 1978, the third generation Johann ra-daschitz, (Johann and Bernd’s father), took over the busi-ness, moving it from the original tiny Austrian village and building a high-tech factory nearby. Under his careful direction the business grew from a small, local concern to a flourishing national business. the brothers literally grew up living in a flat above the joinery factory.

In 2009 the brothers took over their family-run factory and business, (tischlerei radaschitz) where every piece of bespoke joinery is made. Johann returned home to run that division, while Bernd remained in London to head up INterIOr-iD, which has proved to be the marketing tool and export platform that has changed the business into todays internationally respected, global joinery company responsible for projects in Monaco, Lagos, Gstaad, Cyprus, Milan and Berlin, as well as London.

“It’s no longer all about timber, you need to be an authority and knowledgeable about working with metals, leather, fabrics, stone, glass andstate-of-the-art specialist finishes.”

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What truly distances INterIOr-iD from their competitors is that the brothers provide a peerless pack-age: they possess the design capabilities, Bernd is a master cabinetmaker, and Johann, an engineer of cabinet making; they are consummate professionals and their at-tention to detail is second to none, as is the impeccable quality of their craftsmanship.

Plus they are capable of making almost anything. they are a bespoke joinery company that is as comfort-able producing kitchens as they are bedrooms, dressing rooms, bathrooms and unique pieces of furniture, which makes them extremely unusual. “We do the whole fit,” points out Johann. Already they are thinking of expand-ing to create the joinery for luxury boats and yachts.

So far, the duo have worked with Candy and Can-dy on a number of apartments in One Hyde Park; plus a further apartment in this prestigious building for the interior design firm, Finchatton. they have also worked on numerous projects worldwide helping them establish the reputation they enjoy today.

Johann points out, “everyone can benefit through communication – the bond between architect, interior architects, interior designers and building contractors is a magic circle that benefits all. the high-end market relies on specialists.”

From a journey that started with humble begin-nings nearly a century ago, Bernd and Johann have fast-forwarded INterIOr-iD and tischlerei radaschitz into the 21st century at lightening speed. Unanimously finishing each other’s sentences they agree, “this is a very exciting journey and the journey should go on. the Austrian mentality of family businesses is very different to the UK. We hope to hand this business on to the next generation and the next.” Who knows where they will be in another century?

Apartment, Knightsbridge. High gloss Maple with leather padded doors, metal inlays, and stone features.

INterIOr-iD – A history

1923 Great Grandfather Johann radaschitz I launched his first workshop at the bottom of riegersburg Castle, size 1,500 SqFt, starting with 1 apprentice.

1952 Grandfather Johann radaschitz II took over the business from his father.

1975 Father Johann radaschitz III took over the business from his father.

1978 New purpose build workshop of 10,000 SqFt in the val-ley of riegersburg.

1984 extension of factory with another workshop hall of 6,000 SqFt.

1997 extension of offices and staff facilities with a further 2,000 SqFt.

2006 Johann and Bernd radaschitz register INterIOr-iD in UK, continue operating from Austria.

2008 Johann and Bernd take over their parent’s business, Bernd moves to UK to lead INterIOr-iD, Johann runs the Austrian factory.

2012 INterIOr-iD’s first launch at an international trade show - 100% Design, whilst workshops extends and under-takes major investments in machinery and production facilities (CNC-routing, CNC-cutting, etc).

2013 New office for INterIOr-iD in Notting Hill, operating a local workforce of 10 people. Workshops invest in a new state of the art high-gloss spray shop facilities. Now working with a direct workforce of 30 craftsmen in a 25,000 SqFt workshop.

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International launch at 100% Design in 2012.

Clockwise from right: Kitchen Island in porcelain ceramic with sculptural breakfast bar with smart handle feature

6mm porcelain ceramic on solid American walnut, mitred edge profile

Seamless integrated sink in porcelain ceramic whilst internals kept in American Walnut

Large storage space behind sleek drawers.

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Case stuDy

CHURCH ROAD, LONDON

DESIGN Fabric Space

JOINERY SCOPE INterIOr-iD Master Bedroom Dressing room Childrens' Bedrooms Media Unit Study Boot room

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Page 16: Study/Library, mi-tred edge detail in Ameri-can Walnut with concealed LeD lighting.

Clockwise from top: Living area, polished high gloss lacquer and fabric in Sha-green pattern

Master bathroom, satin matt lacquer with internals in American Walnut

Dressing room, framed foor detail in dark stained Ze-brano with shagreen inlay.

Overleaf: Master bedroom, polished high gloss lacquer and bookmatched veneer.

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We live by the ethos – if you can imagine it, we can build it - and were delighted to be commissioned by Fabric Space to work with them on the refurbishment of an extensive detached property in Wimbledon.

We facilitated the detailed technical drawings, manufacturing, full completion and installation of a multitude of elements producing innovative solutions to complex specifications, however, remaining sympathetic to the interior architecture and design that was being created for this young family.

We were responsible for the Master Bedroom, Master Bathroom, Dressing room, Children’s Bedrooms, Media Unit, Study and Boot room.

the joinery used various materials and finishes for each room; from a polished high gloss lacquer finish to trending fabric panels and dark grey stained sebrano veneer in combination with ankora leather and the ability to highlight details in glamorous shagreen which again exhibited the dexterity of the craftsmen used by

ourselves and their range of skills. the Master Bedroom utilised both American

Walnut and high gloss white lacquer finish. tall Wardrobe units with tailored internal settings including pull-out trouser holders in solid timber, angular stainless steel shoe rails, wooden pull-out shelves, mirrors and a tV screen concealed behind pocket doors.

Some unconventional elements were included in the children’s bedroom, where although the external finish was executed in a somewhat traditional style with white matt framed doors, in contrast the internal areas showcased purple lacquer. the Study was beautifully finished with book-matched American Walnut veneer in a satin, matt lacquer finish.

We are happy to report that the client involved stated “We are now living in a beautiful home thanks to the high quality of work, impeccable services and crafts-manship of INterIOr-iD.”

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Case study

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INTERIOR DESIGN PROFILE —

rosie WinstonBy Gail rolfe

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Very few people could claim to have gone from a job working as an administrator for a contract furni-ture company to the interior designer responsible for six Crown estate villas in regent’s Park almost overnight. But that is exactly how rosie Winston’s remarkable career began. It is a joyous story of luck, timing, tenacity and undeniable talent.

twenty-five years ago her husband was jogging in regent’s Park when he spied the building work beginning

on the aforementioned Quinlan terry designed Crown estate villas. Curiosity and detective work sparked by a desire to leave her current job led them to Ian Grant, the esteemed architect and interior designer behind the project.

Seizing the opportunity with the naïve confidence of the young and undaunted by the scale of the task, rosie asked to be considered as part of the interior design team. Initially, along with many others, she was

Founder and Director of Clifton Interiors takes us on a journey from traditional to minimalist to contemporary and then back to traditional again.

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Previous page: Bedroom within roof conversion.

top: Living area, London. Open American Walnut bookshelf with LeD spot-lights. Media cupboard with stone cladding.

Above: Master Bedroom, London. Grey Lacquer slid-ing doors with metal and leather inlay. right: Bedroom detail.

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asked to tender for the curtains only, but when the bevy of estate agents brought in to market the luxury villas insisted that they had to be fully furnished to sell, it was rosie who remarkably won the entire interior design con-tract. It was to prove an accomplished and exceptional start to a stellar career.

What makes this tale even more extraordinary is that rosie had no formal training in interior design or drawing skills when she began. “today this could never happen. Now it is an essential part of the job as an interior designer to be able to draw, both on paper and on a computer. Without those skills you simply won’t get a job”.

“Looking back I should have been overawed at the scale of the job, but with Ian Grant as both teacher and mentor always behind me, those six Crown estate villas still rank as one of my all-time favourite jobs. I loved him to pieces and without him my career would never have been the same”.

thanks to their enduring friendship and work-ing relationship she won contracts to interior design the royal areas of the royal Albert Hall and the Grade I listed reform Club. “As we were focusing on the restora-tion work of historically significant properties, my style at the time reflected the traditional and classic”.

She also built up a close relationship with the Crown estate and went on to do further commissions for a family that bought one of the regent’s Park villas.

She is happy to admit, “thanks to that one job I made invaluable contacts and it opened many doors. It allowed me to get my business established and provided me with rock solid credentials.

“But after Ian Grant died in 1998 gradually my business took a different direction. traditional styles were no longer in fashion and the trend was for contem-porary living. My interior design style naturally evolved to reflect the prevailing tastes. I became fascinated by architecture; my staff diversified to embrace the changes and our experience broadened. today I have an in-house architect and interior architect. We’ve grown, we’re very broad with our experience, but we are still a small specialised company providing top end interior design and architecture.

“Over the last few decades it has been fascinating to observe and be an intrinsic part of the constantly changing trends in design. When I first started the vogue was for very chintzy, traditional interiors, it moved through to minimalist and on to contemporary, now we are seeing a move back to traditional. the trend is definitely for more eclectic interiors using wallpaper, rich colours and the traditional ways of making curtains. A lot of modern interior designers are not skilled in those traditional, historical techniques. that’s what clients like about us. We are diverse and skilled across all spectrums of interior design”.

One look at the Clifton Interiors website will in-stantly prove the validity of that statement. the projects range from a beautiful contemporary Gloucestershire barn to a country-style cottage in the heart of London to a renovated Grade II listed house in Hampstead. each represents the companies varied range of design styles.

reflecting on her career, rosie muses, “I didn’t

set out to develop, “a brand”, like some other designers. I’m very much into working with the client and reflect-ing what they want. A home is really a reflection of the people within it, so you can have formulaic interiors, but they are not really very real. they haven’t got any depth. I prefer to give my clients a canvas, which they can add to, something that is enduring and develops as a home over time. It is a cliché but the best jobs are always those where the client is happy”.

“We have larger projects and smaller ones run-ning at the same time, but usually have 7-10 jobs at any given time. It sounds a lot but one may just be a colour consultation, others may simply be a kitchen or a bedroom, while a few projects are an entire home from scratch. We often start with new clients on very minimal basis and then often the projects become larger. I’ve learnt never judge a book by its cover, another cliché, but you should always be open-minded about small projects, which may lead to greater things”.

“In fact that’s how we met Bernd and Johann by being open-minded. About three years ago they sent in a brochure of their work and we were struck by it. We immediately took the decision to meet Bernd. We were so impressed, firstly by his approach, and secondly by the quality of their workmanship provided by INterIOr-iD. One of the first projects we worked on with them was a loft conversion in Hampstead. the superiority of that work, their short lead times, their to-tally professional approach immediately established a close working relationship.”

“Most recently we have collaborated on a unique house in Banana Island, a development that is being hailed as the, ‘One Hyde Park’ of Lagos. “Considering I have known Bernd for such a short period of time, I have the utmost confidence in him. He has a highly skilled team, which has grown considerably in the last few years. Not everyone would have wanted to take on the job in Nigeria, but he embraced it totally. In truth, I learnt something from him – I was a bit too cautious perhaps about taking on this job, but working with him inspired me”.

“even the fact that INterIOr-iD is based in the UK with the factory based in Austria has proved to be a plus not a negative. In fact, it’s a huge positive in a way. there’s something about the precision, that cultural thing that makes it quite attractive. You know they are going to deliver perfect craftsmanship, on time, and if ever anything were to go wrong, I am certain that they would put it right. It’s all about pride and professional-ism”

As for rosie she can only look back with gratitude to that single life-changing opportunity twenty five years ago that led to such a remarkable and enviable career.

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Above: Wardrobe door, polished bird maple with padded leather and nickel feature.

right: Credenza, crocodile leather with brushed steel metal handle.

MaterIaL WorLDWhether wood, stone, metal, glass, leather, textiles or specialist finishes utilising the most innovative of materials INTERIOR-iD work in uniting these different materials together to achieve astonishing results.

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right: Coffee table in liquid bronze metal and piano black lacquer.

Below: tV-Unit:Polished high gloss piano black lacquer with mitred al-mond gold inlays. Leather patterning to conceal speakers. Wall mirror with various antique mirrors in angular shape with concealed LeD lights.

Above: Wardrobe, polished high gloss lacquer with handmade silver handle.

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Standing in a dark, damp unadorned basement two levels below the street outside, with mud for a floor and bare concrete for walls, it’s hard to imagine that this space will one day be the swimming pool, spa area and media room in a super-prime London house worth £14million. Alternatively, envisage the blank canvas of a 9,000 square foot, five-bedroom apartment in One Hyde Park that the owners are now contemplating completely refurbishing to suit their particular taste and lifestyle.

If you were to drop by and pop your head into any of the eight projects that Grangewood, one of London’s leading master builders, has on the go at any one time this is the kind of thing you might see: a house at the beginning of a complete reconstruction, an apartment being reconfigured and redesigned or a new house built to the owners and their architects exacting standards.

Grangewood is owned and managed by broth-ers richard and Mike Stephens and was established in 1992 to concentrate solely on luxury residential build-ing projects. richard, a quantity surveyor is Managing Director, while Mike, who came from a trade background as a bricklayer, is the Production Director. these days the average build cost of each commission is £1.5 to £2.5million, but the company is comfortable working on building budgets of £8million.

It was working with the influential Grosvenor estate that completely transformed them into the highly successful company of today. Ben Colgate, the Business Development Director explains, “Grangewood were initially recommended to the Grosvenor estate

about six years ago by several leading architects and at that point they took the bold and unusual step of offering a totally non-litigious approach to building works”. He goes on to clarify, “in the building trade when jobs go out to tender, some companies will produce artificially inex-pensive budgets or predict quick completion times on the programme of works and then be hunting for every single extra to build their cost base up again. Grangewood start from the opposite perspective: their quote is final; there are no hidden extras. this is what has cemented their long-running relationship with the Grosvenor estate. It is a relationship founded on integrity fulfilled by the exceptional quality of their work”. this corporate division of the business is worth about £11million a year and includes private leasehold work on buildings in eaton Square and other prime Grosvenor estate locations and properties that require refurbishing before being ready to rent or to sell. they have just signed their third three year contract with the Grosvenor estate, a justifiable and ongoing measure of their success.

Ben Colgate joined Grangewood early in 2011. His first innovation was the start of a separate private business division to cover private clients, his second was to rebrand the company and move it forward. He proudly confides that turnover has increased to more than £24million over those two years and is predicted to reach £32million this year. He cheerfully admits spending his first eighteen months constantly visiting architects, interior designers and previous clients, along-side identifying ways to increase the client base and

Ben Colgate Business Development Director at Grangewood talks mud walls, big budgets and working relationships.

MASTER BUILDER —

By Gail rolfe

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expand the business. Within the same time frame he persuaded

richard to employ a dozen new members of staff in-cluding construction managers, site managers, quantity surveyors and general foremen. “It was”, he says, “a very brave decision in the middle of a recession”. But one that seems to be paying off.

the other distinct advantage is that the busi-ness owns a separate brickwork division which turns over about £8million and works for other private contractors, as well as on Grangewood commissions.

“Architects and interior designers are the key source of our commissions. We are on our third project with Nina Campbell with previous commissions from her including two boxes owned by the Qatari royal family at Ascot and a London office for a renowned wealthy indi-vidual. We are just completing our fifth apartment in One Hyde Park for Candy & Candy. But we can get introduc-tions from the most unlikely sources such as quantity surveyors, electricians or AV companies”.

“Grangewood are renowned for an exceptional level of build, commitment and service and that’s one of the synergies we have with INterIOr-iD. We always look forward to working with them. I met Bernd during one of the One Hyde Park projects eighteen months ago where they were the appointed joinery company. they were do-ing the joinery for the dressing rooms. But these were ex-quisitely detailed designs involving wood, leather, stain-less steel and intricate parts and they needed to be made to exacting standards. that German-Austrian mentality of

engineering to the most precise degree worked exceed-ingly well. they delivered meticulous quality and service. Plus they are incredibly conscientious people which makes it a pleasure to work with them. We are working together on a project at the moment where the client flew to Austria on her private jet to view the joinery, landing on the local football field, visited the factory, made a few changes and then got back on her plane.”

“INterIOr-iD was a remarkable new find in the joinery world for us. Clearly they have built exceedingly close relationships with architects and interior design-ers and have been recommended by them as a preferred contractor. It didn’t take long for us to establish that they deliver outstanding quality. Few of their rivals in the industry can deliver workmanship with that attention to detail, particularly now there are so many materials involved. It’s a mutually beneficial working relationship for both of us”.

Grangewood may be celebrating their 21st year in business, but their success has been nothing short of exceptional in the last few years. they have proved that they are on an unrivalled and unique trajectory run-ning what has to be one of London’s foremost building contractors.

Apartment, Knightsbridge. Master bedroom with tV-Unit.

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BehInD the sCenesINTERIOR-iD's Austrian workshop, where high end technology meets traditional craft skills.

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Clockwise from above: 1. each commission is first assembled and quality checked before it is ready for shipping

2. traditional craft skills are trained and kept through a 4 years appren-tice ship programme

3. the view from the work-shop

4. each item is hand sprayed

5. Johann in discussion with our production man-ager to check on the right veneer sheets

INterIOr-iD have their own workshops which have been in operation since 1923 incorporating a modern and innovative approach to cabinet making.

Johann and Bernd maintain a continual invest-ment in the latest equipment and state-of-the-art processes designed to combine high-end technology with traditional skills in order to meet today’s require-ments of speed and accuracy as well as creativity and craftsmanship.

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6. Hand polishing to achieve super smooth surfaces

7. Working on the CNC (computerised) machinery for précised cutting, drill-ing, routing etc

8. Advanced horizontal panel machine with auto-mated storage system

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© Steiermark tourismus / r. Lamm

© Steiermark tourismus / Harry Schiffer

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here's to steiermark

Steiermark is located in the south-east of Austria with Graz being the capital city. the city was afforded the honour of being added to the UNeSCO list of World Cultural Heritage Sites in 1999.

Steiermark has had a tradition of craftsmanship, winemaking and grapevine cultivation in the same viti-cultural regions for thousands of years. the mineral rich and fertile soil coupled with ideal geological and climate elements is ideal ground for various types of grapes, the most famous ones being Welschriesling, Weißburgunder, Chardonnay, Zweigelt and Müller thurgau.the vines are synonymous with the landscape, the culture and daily life and the magnificent conditions are essential for making authentic, distinctive wines with character and personality.

Austrian wine is one of the most interesting phe-nomena happening in the world at present and Steiermark offers a brilliantly fresh and elegant style of region-typical wine. the wines are found on every good wine list and are acclaimed by wine experts and journal-ists alike.

www.steiermark.com

CULTURE —

Steiermark

Germany

Italy

Czech republic

Hungary

Slovenia

Vienna

Swit-zerland

© Steiermark tourismus / Harry Schiffer

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The last thing you bought and love My BMC trailfox tF02 mountain bike.

Somewhere you've travelled in the last year New York. Walking through the streets was unforgettable —an amazing skyline and architecture.

An object you would never part with My family ring, which has been passed down through the generations for 300 years.

Your favourite room My office — we have recently moved into a new building and I have been able to craft the interiors to my personal taste.

The book on your bedside table Voice of Human Justice by George Jordac.

A movie you saw recently The Great Gatsby.

The site that inspires you the Sloane House site we are working on at present.

Your favourite restaurant China tang.

The last music you bought Someone Like You by Adele.

Your favourite shop Harrods in Knightsbridge, London — I am addicted.

Your career in a parallel universe A professional sportsman.

sayed Bukhari

Your greatest extravagance Food — I love dining out.

Your favourite journey London Heathrow to my home. I travel extensively but there's nothing I look forward to more than arriving back at my own personal haven.

When you lie When the truth cannot be absorbed.

Your greatest regret Not turning my phone off on more occasions.

When and where you were happiest Yet to come!

The talent you'd most like to have to be able to sing.

What you would change about yourself I am who I am.

Your most treasured possession Faith.

Your most marked characteristic Attention to detail — I am a perfectionist.

Your hero in life My father.

Your motto Be a man of morals, not of success.

QUICKFIRE —

Founder of HPM Developments.

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INterIOr-iD27a Pembridge VillasLondon W11 3eP

t +44 (0)20 7952 2141

[email protected]