London, England
Ash Studio is the transformation of a small studio apartment in Dalston, London. Squeezed by the tight curve of the street, the room's converging walls and roof had made the space difficult to arrange without disrupting access to the garden beyond. The client - two artists with a shared eye for colour and craft - asked Medium to reconfigure the kitchen to make better use of its difficult plan, as well as to design a flexible partition to create separate zones for sleeping and living.
Taking reference from foldable dressing screens, the large piece of Ash joinery looks to separate the main room of the studio into two distinct spaces - one for sleeping and one for living. But while offering some privacy, it does not block the natural light or sense of openness of the space. Panels fold and open, concealing storage and revealing views.
The new kitchen centres around a central sink - a 'font' - that curves into the room and is topped with a wide rack for drying dishes. Ash boarding and dowel is used for the bespoke joinery throughout, stained a deep blue below the worktop. A 'tiled' linoleum floor follows the grid of the new kitchen, rather than of the original house, embracing its awkward geometry. An above counter cupboard does the opposite, stepping back to align with the main house.
The kitchen at Castle Drogo by Edwin Lutyens
Client: Freya and Eddie
Bespoke Joinery: Bench Studio / Nicholas Rouillard
Photography: Rory Gaylor / Benjamin Wells
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