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THE WOODSPEEN RESTAURANT
Project category: Restaurant
Furniture: CH24 Wishbone Chair walnut/oak mix/natural papercord, CH24 Wishbone Chair oak/black painted/natural papercord, CH33 smoked oak/stained by Hans J. Wegner
Location: Lambourn Road, Newbury RG20 8BN, Belmont, Berkshire, Great Britain
Architect: Softroom Ltd
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PROJECT
In beautiful Berkshire west of London, the county which boasts Windsor Castle among its historic buildings, a new restaurant which opened in October 2014 demonstrates exceptionally high quality at all levels.
The founder and Michelin star chef, John Campbell, asked London-based architecture and design studio, Softroom, to create the new restaurant, including a bar and a cookery school, on the site of the former Five Bells pub. With an adjoining half-acre vegetable garden to supply the restaurant, the design and the remodeling of the 19th-century property celebrates the local and seasonal food philosophy, whilst reinterpreting the traditional English pub vernacular.
In the cookery school, housed in an adjacent barn dating back to 1811, the Woodspeen offers a unique experience: an intimate kitchen accommodating 10 people gives guests the opportunity to cook with the chef.
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LAYOUT & FURNISHINGS
It is very pleasant to walk into the airy 74-seat restaurant, which opens up to the landscape of the beautiful surrounding Berkshire countryside, with fields and trees as far as the eye can see.
Natural materials which age beautifully have been chosen throughout the restaurant. A new element – the huge vaulted ceiling –is lined with chestnut timber. Extra daylight is let into the space from above through the glazed spine. The grey polished concrete floor balances the greyish tone of the tongue and groove paneling on the walls. Other natural materials include brown leathers, brass and grey wool sofas. A group of lush plants placed in the center of the restaurant brings the outdoors inside, while adding a living, soft screen. Wood is also a prominent element. The tables, designed bySoftroom, are made of solid stained oak and produced by Comren. The chairs chosen were the Wishbone chair in a mix of walnut and oak, and CH33 in smoked stained oak. Both complement the wooden scheme in a harmonious way, while the black Wishbone chairs provide a contrast to the soft colors. The feature glassLEDpendants in the main restaurant are by Tom Dixon, the fitting is called ‘Flask’.
DESIGNER NINA WIGFALL, SOFTROOM, COMMENTS ON THE CHOICE OF CH24 AND CH33:
“Carl Hansen & Søn furniture instantly imbues craftsmanship, quality, elegance and comfort, qualities that were integral to our approach to The Woodspeen. The natural timber finishes were both harmonious with the building’s materiality and the Wishbone chair and the CH33 were chosen for their quiet aesthetic which would be at one with the natural surroundings and the understated ambience of the project.”
Watch product movie CH33 Chair
Go to product page CH24 Wishbone chair
Watch product movie CH24 Wishbone chair
Construction, build and supervision: Milton Architects
Photographs: ©Jack Hobhouse
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