Perfection for a penthouse

When the furniture maker N.E.J Stevenson was asked to create a suite of tables and cabinets for the interior designer Martin Kemp, we got the call to make it happen.

After being given the brief, we created the drawings for the five pieces, which were destined for a New York penthouse. This enabled us to match the ambitions of the design with the practicalities of the construction, and deliver something that fully met the spec. Everything had to be constructed in such a way that it could be transported to New York in parts, and then assembled by someone without any cabinet-making experience.

The first item of the five was a TV cabinet, made with rift-cut oak, shaped leather panels and selenite crystal handles. A banquette table was veneered with a sunburst pattern, which is extremely difficult to achieve with an open-grain wood such as oak. And the TV credenza showcased our team’s straw marquetry skills, while also incorporating stainless steel, pewter, nickel and a mica top.

We also took great care over the dining table, creating a bespoke ball bearing to ensure the smooth movement of the marble sharing plate in the middle. And a small oak TV unit completed this unique and stylish yet practical collection.

Neil Stevenson: “Getting 1718 on board to support us with a challenging brief worked out very well. Ourselves, Martin and the client in New York were all very impressed by the work.”