There’s something incredibly emotive about a barn. The scale, the rawness of the materials and the way the architecture draws you into the space. Our Hawkesbury Project for Hamilford Design’s award winning The Barn, gave us the opportunity to work with those qualities from the outset, creating a bespoke kitchen that feels intrinsic to the room, responding to its architecture rather than simply being placed within it.
We’ve worked alongside Hamilford Design on a number of projects over the years, and they have become much more than clients or collaborators. They’re friends, colleagues and people with whom we share a genuine enthusiasm for design. There’s a familiarity that comes from working together repeatedly, but also a real creative energy; each project brings its own challenges and gives both teams the opportunity to explore something new. Hawkesbury is the latest chapter in that relationship.
Emma Wiseman, our Senior Designer on this project, describes the relationship between the two studios as an important part of the process: “One of the things that makes working with Hamilford so enjoyable is the trust that has developed between us. We can be quite open with ideas and have conversations early on about what might work, what could be pushed further and what perhaps needs to be pulled back. That dialogue is often where the most interesting ideas come from.”
Letting the Architecture Lead.
The generous proportions of the barn immediately influenced the way the furniture was approached. Rather than attempting to fill the space, the cabinetry is carefully positioned within it, creating a sense of rhythm while allowing the existing structure to remain visible and influential.
This is particularly evident in the way the darker cabinetry sits against the reclaimed timber. The contrast gives definition to the room without feeling stark, while the antique copper introduces warmth and catches the changing light throughout the day. The stone brings its own movement, with natural veining providing a more expressive element within an otherwise restrained palette. It was less about choosing individual finishes and more about understanding how they would behave together.
For Emma, the proportions were one of the most considered aspects of the design. “When you’re working in a space with this much volume, you become very aware of the visual weight of everything. We looked carefully at where the cabinetry should break, how the vertical lines related to the structure of the barn and how much open space to leave around each element. You want the furniture to feel confident in the room, but never as though it is trying to dominate it.”
A Palette That Will Evolve.
There is an appealing imperfection to the materials chosen for Hawkesbury. The reclaimed timber has its own variation, the stone is naturally unpredictable and the antique copper has a softness that will continue to develop with time. Even the cabinetry has a tactile quality that keeps the darker elements from feeling too severe.
Hamilford’s interior scheme is rich in texture and contrast, bringing reclaimed timber together with deep, tactile cabinetry, antique copper and expressive veined stone. Rather than competing with the barn, the palette works with what is already there, giving the space warmth and depth while retaining the sense of scale that makes it so distinctive.
As Emma explains, “We were drawn to materials that already have a sense of age and character, rather than finishes that are completely uniform. The copper will change, the timber will develop and the stone has its own natural movement. Those qualities mean the room can acquire more character over time, which feels particularly appropriate in a space like this.”
The Quiet Decisions.
It is often the less obvious decisions that make the greatest difference to a bespoke Mowlem and Co. project. The exact proportions of a cabinet, the point at which a run changes direction or the way one material meets another can subtly alter the balance of an entire room. These are the details that may never be consciously identified, but they contribute to the sense that everything has landed exactly where it should.
Emma sees this as one of the most rewarding parts of the process. “You can spend a surprising amount of time refining something that, when the room is finished, looks completely effortless. That’s really the point. If you’ve done it well, you shouldn’t necessarily be able to see all of the decisions that went into it. You simply feel that the proportions are right and that everything sits comfortably together.”
For a project such as Hawkesbury, that level of precision is particularly important. The furniture has to work at the scale of the room while still feeling connected to the finer details of the interior.
Designed to be Lived With.
For all its scale and material richness, Hawkesbury is ultimately a home, and the design reflects that. The room has been created for everyday use as much as for entertaining, with the generous proportions lending themselves naturally to gathering and spending time together. There is nothing overly precious about the scheme. The materials have been chosen to withstand use and, importantly, to become more interesting with it. That gives the room a sense of permanence without making it feel formal.
As Manuela Hamilford, Founder & Creative Director, Hamilford Design comments “The kitchen had to feel as though it had always belonged in The Barn. We used reclaimed timber, blackened oak and richly veined stone to give it warmth and character, but it also needed to work really hard as a family kitchen. I love that balance of craftsmanship and practicality, it feels completely connected to the architecture.”
Perhaps that is what makes Hawkesbury so successful. It doesn’t attempt to reinvent the barn or disguise its character. Instead, Hamilford’s interior design builds upon it, introducing richer layers of material and detail while allowing the architecture to remain central. For our Chelsea studio, the task was to translate that vision into bespoke furniture, considering not just how the cabinetry would look, but how it would sit within the architecture and contribute to the atmosphere of the room.
A huge congratulations to Hamilford Design, whose work on The Barn has been recognised with an award from Design et al. It’s a wonderful achievement and one we’re particularly delighted to celebrate alongside them. We’re incredibly proud to have played our part in bringing this project to life, and even more so to see such a brilliant collaboration recognised.
Inspired to explore what’s possible? From private residences to collaborations with leading interior designers and architects, our Chelsea studio is a place to discover the possibilities of truly bespoke furniture. Come and meet our design team and begin the conversation. We look forward to welcoming you.
Photography by Darren Chung