The Materials We Specify, and Why
A short standing list of the surfaces that recur across our projects. We keep it deliberately narrow: a small palette used well ages better than a broad one used once.
Timber
White oak and Japanese hinoki carry most of our joinery. Both are dimensionally stable enough for handleless cabinetry, where a two-millimetre movement across a run of doors reads as a fault. We finish with hardwax oil rather than lacquer so a scratch can be spot-repaired.
- European white oak — rift sawn for consistent grain
- Japanese hinoki — bath and wet-room joinery
- Bleached pine — lighter Nordic schemes
Stone
Honed rather than polished, in almost every case. A honed surface holds its appearance as it wears, where a polished one shows every etch from a spill. We reserve high-movement marble for single pieces so the veining reads as intentional.
- Honed Carrara and Ceppo di Gré
- Volcanic basalt — floors and thresholds
- Travertine — vein cut for wall monoliths
Plaster and Wall Finishes
Lime wash and acoustic plaster do different jobs and are not interchangeable. Lime wash gives depth of colour under raking light; acoustic plaster brings reverberation down in hard-surfaced rooms without a visible panel.
- Lime wash — living and sleeping rooms
- Acoustic plaster — double-height and stair volumes
- Clay plaster — where a warmer tone is wanted
Metals and Textiles
Unlacquered brass and brushed bronze are specified expecting them to patinate; a client who wants a fixture to stay bright is directed to stainless instead. Textiles are flax linen and undyed wool, chosen for how they soften rather than how they photograph new.
- Unlacquered brass — patinates over years
- Brushed gunmetal stainless — kitchens
- Flax linen and undyed wool