GROHE
faucets installed in professional kitchen at the Violin Factory in London
Imagine discovering a tranquil spot for a
luxurious loft-style home right in the heart of London. This is what happened
to Louise McDonnell and her husband, who stumbled across a crumbling Victorian
violin factory in Waterloo. In this particularly built-up part of the capital
with its dense jumble of houses and industrial buildings from every decade of
the past three centuries they created their dream home which also serves as an
exclusive event location. Highlights on the ground floor include a spacious
hotel-style kitchen which opens towards the dining room. The equipment of this
sophisticated kitchen would not be complete without modern GROHE water fittings
and the special functions they are renowned for.
Bright and airy spaces behind tall walls
The Violin Factory is a modern interpretation
of a classical factory building but it took the owners a lot of time, effort
and money to make this dream come true. When Louise McDonnell stepped into the
dilapidated factory for the first time, she instantly fell in love with the
run-down structure which at the time bore no resemblance to a comfortable
residence whatsoever. Her architectural practice, MCD Architects, spent roughly
two and a half years marrying the original elements of the building with
minimalist architecture and fitting it out to the highest specifications. While
the industrial charm of the Violin Factory has been preserved in full, new
industrial fittings continue the old industrial story - reddish brick walls are
combined with wood panelling, steel reinforcements meet timber beams. The
transformed interior derives its unique character from the large glass facades
and skylights, which flood the space with natural light all day long. This
loft-style atmosphere is further enhanced by the impressive ceiling height of
more than nine metres in the reception and presentation areas.
The decor blends acrylic with glass and
combines leather with fabrics. Modern design classics are juxtaposed with
industrial lamps while a fireplace competes for attention against
state-of-the-art consumer electronics. Rather than creating a sense of
disharmony, this eclectic mix works together well and comes across as a
well-balanced whole, deftly treading the fine line between “too much” and “too
sober”. A sure sense of style and extensive use of warm colour tones give the
entire property a homely feel.
A space for entertaining friends and guests
The whole ground floor - comprised of the
winter garden, the dining room, the kitchen and the function room and private
cinema - is available for private dinners, promotional events, fashion shows
and concerts. Whatever the event, it can be turned into a five-star occasion in
these luxurious and glamorous surroundings. The open-plan kitchen is equipped
to the very highest professional standards, including high-tech GROHE water
fittings. This ensures that top-flight chefs hired for exclusive events can
treat their guests to the same high level of gastronomy as they would expect in
the finest hotels and restaurants.
The
GROHE line-up at the Violin Factory is led by GROHE Minta Touch, a unique
kitchen faucet featuring a hybrid user interface. In addition to a conventional
operating lever, it is equipped with a sophisticated touch-technology which
allows running water simply by touching any part of the spout with the back of
your hand or your lower arm. This comes in handy e.g. when your hands are messy
from kneading dough or cutting raw meat. Another highlight is the GROHE Blue®
water system for chilled filtered water. GROHE Blue® even offers a choice
between sparkling, medium sparkling and still table water; the level of
carbonation can be adjusted to each guest’s personal preference simply by
turning the handle. When it comes to doing the dishes, washing vegetables and
filling tall pots and vases, the K7 professional kitchen faucet is always up to
the job. This highly versatile kitchen sink mixer with its professional spring
spout makes light work of many chores and is much appreciated by the
professional chefs hired by hosts entertaining guests at this atmospheric
venue.
A luxurious dream home
The first floor houses two comfortable guest
suites with windows overlooking the reception and the dining area. A
spectacular glass walkway takes you to the owners’ private library from where a
secret door provides access to a spiral staircase. Hand-crafted wooden stairs
lead up to the top floor comprising a gym under an opening glass roof, the
master bedroom, a luxury bathroom and a sauna.
The numerous and complex challenges of the
redesign made for a fascinating story which featured on the TV show Grand
Designs on Channel 4. However, the property’s ascent to TV stardom began much
earlier. Back in 1988, in its previous incarnation as a factory, it served as a
set for four episodes of the famous BBC sci-fi drama Doctor Who.
Conservation, futuristic thinking and
audacious architectural design - this is the formula which drove the
transformation of the Violin Factory into a dream home made of bricks, glass
and lots of style.
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