Across the project’s development, Bleat founder Tristin Norwell became a familiar face in the Retrouvius shop and has incorporated salvaged, reclaimed, vintage and sustainable materials throughout the studio’s multifunctional editing rooms. Earlier this month he gave us the grand tour.
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RE-USE IN ACTION: MAHOGANY CABINETS
Salvaged from an array of wonderful and inspiring museum. These traditional pieces became redundant as archival techniques modernised - thus becoming available to Retrouvius for the purposes of re-use.
The concept of the entire rebuild of this home is encapsulated by the re-use of these quality pieces of salvage.
In this kitchen a pair of mahogany cabinets create an island. By reorganising the casing and drawer elements, space is made for two ovens - their depths fortuitously matching one of our cabinets.
Leftover component parts feature throughout the entire room. Drawer fronts from the cabinet itself (too shallow for kitchen items) become functional drawers used throughout the kitchen. Runners from the casing form the base of a bespoke dining table - the raw and natural untreated mahogany in contrast to the original numbered and highly lacquered finish of the drawers.
The re-used cabinet is the first thing seen when entering the house. The use of mirror and the twinkle of glass welcomes the return home from work and a greeting to evening dinner guests. Introducing glazing to the hinged doors allows light flow.
In re-use, the introduction of modern elements: glass, fabrics etc. can balance the formal and heavy appearance of rich mahogany pieces.
What is common to all our ex museum cabinetry is the exceptional quality of joinery and craftsmanship on offer - that would otherwise be extremely expensive if bought new.
