Iconic British model David Gandy turned to cabinet makers Bakehouse Kitchens to create the elegantly crafted kitchen in his recently renovated home in Richmond, and chose Neolith sintered stone surfaces for the project. Photo credit: Simon Archer.
David Gandy elevated his kitchen with a bespoke redesign that seamlessly blends aesthetic allure and practical innovation. Now, the kitchen reflects both Gandy’s personal taste and his Georgian home’s historic charm, infusing new life into the kitchen. This kitchen transformation incorporates Neolith surfaces across the worktop, backsplash and kitchen island. The surface is a refined display of natural stone at its best, with rich, brown tones to exude timeless class.
The challenge was to meticulously balance the proportions and grandeur of Georgian-inspired design with a contemporary note to exude timeless sophistication and meet the needs of modern family life as well as create a space perfect for entertaining.
Alan Ramm, creative director for Bakehouse, said: “David’s vision was to create an elegant open-plan kitchen and living space with total individuality that would form the central point of his family home and lifestyle. Favouring, a classic and timeless look, he was particularly drawn to the aesthetic of a marble look, but needed a surface solution would not only look beautiful, but also offer low-maintenance and hard-wearing properties that every busy kitchen family kitchen desires.
"Neolith is always one of my preferred specified work surfaces – its quality truly reflects the same longevity and quality to our cabinetry construction and techniques. The Neolith material is extremely versatile to work with, allowing our very talented and preferred fabricator partners, Olympic Marble, to create a stunning central island with sophisticated cutting and mitres, even integrating modular hobs and discreet controls. The continuation of Abu Dhabi White Silk throughout the cooking area, pantry and boot room to tie everything together, really complements our designs and cabinetry.”
A well-organised pantry is the cornerstone of an efficient kitchen, so Gandy closely worked with Bakehouse Kitchens to design a well thought out overflow space for the kitchen. To complement this space and ensure it aligns with the design of the kitchen, Gandy again chose Neolith’s Abu Dhabi White silk in his scullery. This choice ensures a smooth flow throughout the kitchen areas, embodying Gandy’s vision of consistency and balance. The carefully thought-out space is accented with brass hinges, handles and fittings as well as Sub Zero and Wolf appliances.
Gandy opted for a resonant deep green in the boot room, and to compliment this he chose to again bring in Neolith’s Abu Dhabi White silk as the work surface around the sink area. The boot room was designed as “a place where everyone has their own space, perfectly organised”, says Gandy. The versatility of Neolith’s sintered stone makes it ideal for the daily use of a boot room.
“When it came to work surfaces, we wanted something different that stood out. Despite Steph loving marble, we didn’t want natural stone as we have children and love cooking," says Gandy. "We knew that anything nice would be destroyed, so we opted for a marble-effect sintered stone surface. This thing is indestructible and can withstand anything – wine, coffee, kids. It doesn’t crack or mark and it’s all guaranteed. We’ve gone for unpolished stone and you’d never know it’s not real. It's one of my favourite things in the house.”
