The Harris Kitchen uses our slatted cabinet design which draws on contemporary shaker and vernacular country but with a modern rustic feel. This design lends itself beautifully to both freestanding or fitted furniture and can be used to make a wide range of freestanding pieces such as larders, dressers and islands. This Kitchen is made from English Character Oak and custom finished with a translucent sage coloured Hard Wax Oil which we mixed in house, and has the effect of a subtle wash of colour without detracting from the character, tonal variations and warmth of the wood. This is a brilliant hardwearing, natural and breathable finish which is water and stain resistant, food safe and easy to maintain. The slatted cabinet design was originally inspired by old vernacular freestanding kitchen furniture such as larders and meat safes with their simple construction and good airflow which helped store food and provisions in a healthy and safe way, vitally important before refrigeration. These attributes are still valuable today although rarely used in modern cabinetry, and the Slat Cabinet series does this with very narrow gaps between the slats in the doors and cabinet sides. Emily & Greg commissioned this kitchen for their beautiful old thatched cottage in Warwickshire. The kitchen it was replacing was out dated, didn't use the space well and was not fitted sympathetically to the space with its old uneven walls and low beamed ceilings. A carefully considered cupboard and drawer layout ensured we maximised their storage space, increasing it from before, whilst opening out the space and making it feel less cramped. The cabinets are made from Oak veneered birch and poplar core ply with solid oak frames, panels and doors. The main cabinet drawers are dovetailed and feature Pippy/Burr Oak fronts with Sycamore drawer boxes, whilst the two Larders have slatted Oak crate drawers for storage of vegetables and dry goods, along with spice racks shelving and automatic concealed led lights. The wall cabinets and shelves also have a continuous strip of dotless led lighting concealed under the front edge, providing soft light on the worktops.