Masters in the art of creating beautiful and functional bespoke furniture, Kate Polak and Ian Taft are something of a dream team. A flick through the gallery of finished pieces on their website showcases their combined talents to craft ingenious furniture to fit in the most awkward of spaces (useful for generating storage in your average Cambridge home). Think oiled Meranti wood drawers set into sloping eaves; a sleek curved wardrobe, made from American walnut and lacquered birch, nestled in an alcove; a quirky book shelf in a chimney breast; handy pull out wardrobes slotted seamlessly into attic roofspace and contemporary kitchens with stunning worktops.
Kate, who has been designing and making furniture since she trained as a carpenter and joiner at Cambridge Regional College in 1999, has a natural creative flair. Her mother was a sculptress who encouraged her artistic endeavours, and Kate worked for over a decade in the film industry. As a woman working in a predominantly male industry, Kate offers a refreshingly different approach to clients; she’s approachable, flexible, and really listens to their requirements.
Ian is a talented boatbuilder, trained at the International Boatbuilding College in Lowestoft, so is adept at building furniture for irregular spaces. His strengths include woodworking, workshop production, manufacture and high-end sprayed finishes.
Together, as KCP Furniture and Finishing, Kate and Ian operate from an expansive workshop in Soham, where each bespoke piece is constructed and spray painted, before being reassembled efficiently on site. Kate visits the clients to discuss the brief and draw up a design, while Ian runs the workshop and manufactures the commission before the pair unite to install.
Most projects are around Cambridge, and there’s currently a three-month waiting list. So if you’re looking for a stylish storage solution to enhance your living space, we suggest perusing their website. You’ll be inspired.
KCP Furniture and Finishing
Unit 9A Regal Lane, Soham, CB7 5BA
Telephone 01353 720372 / 07787 502224
www.kcpfurnituredesign.co.uk
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