Why Artists Choose Inglis Hall: A Contemporary Kitchen in Hove
There is a particular kind of client who finds their way to us. They notice things. The weight of a drawer as it closes. The way light catches a grain. The quiet tension between a rough surface and a smooth one. Often, they are makers themselves, or they simply see the world through a maker's eye.
Matt and Dermot are two such people. Their contemporary kitchen in Hove is a study in restraint and confidence. It began, as these things do, with a conversation about how they wanted to live.
When an Artist Chooses Your Cabinetry, That Is a Particular Compliment
Artists tend to ask different questions. Not what is fashionable, but what is honest. Not what impresses at first glance, but what endures. They understand that restraint is a skill, that simplicity is harder to achieve than complexity, and that the most considered spaces are rarely the most obvious ones.
This is why we find so many creatively minded people around our work. Because what we make, and how we make it, speaks the same language.
Matt is a ceramicist. His work explores how contemporary practice can address and unpack historic legacies, and has exhibited in some of London's most prestigious spaces, including the V&A and Kensington Palace. He understands materiality, form, craft.
Is this what drew him to Inglis Hall?
We thought we'd ask
What drew you to Inglis Hall?
We wanted to work with a local company and support local makers. The designs at Inglis Hall really appealed as did the quality of the craftsmanship and eye for detail.
What was your vision for the space?
I was hoping for a kitchen where the kitchen itself was not too dominant and worked more like furniture - helping to make a space where people wanted to spent time.
Do you feel your art has influenced your home redesign?
I think when you make objects for a living, you can become very specific about finishes and making details. I hoped that the house would feel calm and not too designed while at the same time spoiling people who visit. Before I became an artist, I worked in museums and so making spaces for artworks, objects and sculpture was always in my mind when thinking about the spaces we had to work with.
What’s your favourite thing about the kitchen?
Tough question! There really is nothing I would want to change, including the experience of working with the team at Inglis Hall. If I had to pick one thing, it would be the quality - the kitchen feels incredibly robust and is working really well.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
The level of customer service we received was incredible. Bringing a kitchen into a building site can be tricky. A couple of issues arose, not due to Inglis Hall, and the team were incredibly helpful, calm and good humoured about finding solutions. I wouldn't hesitate in recommending them.
The brief: a considered contemporary kitchen in Hove
Matt and Dermot came to us wanting something bold, but never brash. A kitchen with real presence, yet one that felt calm to be in. They had the eye of people who understand composition, and they trusted us to translate that instinct into cabinetry.
The space itself sat within a home that called for a modern touch. A new extension on the back of a beautiful period property. A familiar story, perhaps. But this kitchen feels entirely its own.
Colour plays a leading role. So does texture, and the interplay between the two.
Although aesthetics were key, we began as we do with all Inglis Hall kitchens, with flow and function. Before a kitchen can feel beautiful, it must first work beautifully. Only once we decided how the kitchen was going to be used did we begin exploring the more imaginative opportunities. And there were plenty.
The Yakumo island: band-sawn oak, brass and honed granite
At the centre of the room sits our Yakumo island. It carries the weight of the whole design. Matt's dream was for it to echo his pottery studio at the back of the garden. A visual thread from inside to out. A clear vision, and, we think, a total triumph.
Band-sawn oak, perhaps our signature material. People seek us out for this alone. Each board is hand-picked for character, its surface alive with saw marks. The grain runs seamlessly from panel to panel, because we buy our oak by the boule, a whole log, so every board is related.
Against the dark blackened oak, we introduced brass. Patinated, not shiny. A subtle glint from under the slab of honed granite, the matte surface catching the light softly rather than throwing it back. A tooled edge. The mark of the craftsman's chissel. A small detail, but one we cherrish.
Quiet luxury.
An oak island with real soul.
A bold red kitchen, no paint required
FENIX CABINETS
For the back run, Matt and Dermot were brave, and we admired them for it. They chose Rosso Namib Fenix, a warm brick toned red that gives the kitchen its confidence.
A red kitchen can so easily tip into gimmick. Not this one. Fenix offers an ultra-matt, soft-touch surface that resists fingerprints and wear. Almost velvety in texture, absorbing light rather than reflecting it. The red reads rich and grounded, never glossy or loud.
It is a bold statement made with total control. The choice of an artist who knows exactly how much colour a composition can carry.
QUARTZ WORKTOPS
The worktops needed to hold everything together without competing for attention. They chose Fresh Concrete quartz from Caeserstone for its refined simplicity and durability. A non-porous stone, far more resistant to scratching and staining than concrete itself.
We played with thickness too, setting 20mm against the 30mm island granite to create subtle shifts in weight and shadow across the kitchen. A small decision, easily missed at first glance, yet one that rewards a second look.
Balance, restraint and the artist's mind at work
What this kitchen achieved is balance. The rough band-sawn oak against the smooth Fenix. The bold red held in check by the blackened timber and concrete quartz. The glints of brass bringing it all together.
Nothing shouts. Everything sits in harmony.
This is a kitchen composed the way an artist composes a piece, with an understanding that restraint is often the boldest choice of all. It is contemporary without being cold, characterful without being cluttered.
A space made to be lived in. A kitchen that will patinate and soften over the years, growing more beautiful with use.
Why work with a local maker in Sussex?
Our showroom sits on the high street in Lewes, with our workshop just down the road. Both within easy reach from Brighton and Hove. This is how Matt and Dermot's kitchen began, with a walk past our window and a decision to step inside. That is often how it starts.
Proximity means real collaboration. Come and visit the workshop. Watch your kitchen take shape. Run your fingers along the oak before it ever reaches your home.
It also means we can come to you. We can observe the light. How it travels through a room, where it settles, how it lingers.
We notice the quiet architectural gestures, the details that give a house its particular voice. We work with them, never against them. It goes well beyond measuring. It is about absorbing the character of a home, and the people in it.
There is no salesperson here. No receptionist. The person who picks up the phone is the same person helping to design and build your kitchen. With every project backed by a lifetime guarantee.
That is not a small thing. It is a reflection of how confident we are in the quality of our work.
Begin your own project
This modern kitchen extension shows what happens when a discerning eye meets serious craft. If you are considering a contemporary kitchen of your own, in Hove, Brighton, Sussex, or anywhere in the UK, we would love to hear your story.
Questions worth asking
What makes an Inglis Hall kitchen suited to creative clients?
We treat every kitchen as a considered composition rather than a product. Materials are chosen for texture, tone and how they age, and design decisions balance function with imaginative detail. Clients with an artist's eye appreciate this layered, deliberate approach.
What is band-sawn oak and why is it special?
Band-sawn oak is our signature material, defined by depth and character. Its surface lightly textured, we hand-pick each board by the boule so grain and tone flow seamlessly across the whole kitchen. Very few makers work it the way we do.
What is Fenix and how do you use it in a kitchen?
Fenix is an innovative, durable surface made from paper and thermosetting resins, heated and pressed to create a finish that is genuinely unlike anything else. An excellent alternative to painted cabinetry, it comes in a vast range of colours, all with an ultra-matt finish that is soft to the touch and remarkable to look at. It absorbs light rather than reflecting it, which gives it an almost velvety quality. It also resists fingerprints, scratches, and the general wear of a working kitchen.
In this contemporary Hove kitchen, we used Rosso Namib, a warm brick-toned red. A bold choice, beautifully controlled.
How much does an Inglis Hall kitchen cost?
Smaller local kitchens typically start around £45,000 including cabinetry, worktops, appliances and installation. Every project is different, shaped by scale, detail and material choices, and we are always happy to offer early guidance around budget.
Do you only work with clients in Hove, Brighton, and Sussex?
Not at all. We work on projects the length and breadth of the UK, from Devon to the Isle of Skye. There is something we treasure about working close to home in Sussex, but some of our most rewarding projects have taken us much further afield. Wherever you are, we would love to hear about your kitchen.
How do I start a project with Inglis Hall?
It starts with a conversation. Download our brochure. Message our design team. Visit our showroom in Lewes. Our advice is always the same: it is never too early to get in touch.