Insight
Bringing Design to Life at WOW!house 2025
By Peter Forfar, CEO of InteriorLAB
It was a privilege for InteriorLAB to take part this year, and to be entrusted with the construction of the Laura Hammett x Samuel Heath bathroom.
The concept was a reimagining of Art Deco, in celebration of its centenary. The final design brought together vibrant 1920’s jewel tones, geometric silhouettes, bold materials and refined detailing, and it was our job to bring that vision to life.
As a main contractor, our priority is exceptional delivery, making sure every detail is finished to the highest standard. But personally, I’ve always had a passion for design, and believe it makes a difference when your contractor understands and appreciates the value and intricacies of this. That doesn’t mean overstepping the designer’s intent, it means respecting it and working hard to protect it.
InteriorLAB’s Design Manager, Sam Nicholls, described the key role he played in coordinating the project:
“The design from Laura Hammett and Samuel Heath was incredibly considered, but it also came with real build complexity and a hugely challenging timeline for construction on site. From the structural coordination behind the stonemasonry to the precision joinery required for the bespoke vanity, it required careful consideration and meticulous planning strategy.
That’s where collaboration really matters. Our in-house joinery partner, Ashton Bespoke, played a key role in delivering the substructure and support for the stonework. Every element had to be incredibly accurate, both to achieve visual alignment and to support the material weight. This wasn’t a place for approximation, it demanded total accuracy.”
Graham Goodall, Managing Director at Ashton Bespoke, explained it well:
“At first impression, the bathroom design seems straightforward and seamless, which speaks to the skill of the designer. But once we completed detailed analysis, the complexity quickly became clear, especially the required precision in coordinating the range of materials used. A room like this would usually take weeks to build, and we had only four days to install it. That made detailed planning and pre-manufacturing critical.
Ashton Bespoke was involved in two areas: the room structure and sub-structure for surface finishes, and the bespoke double vanity unit. One of the most challenging aspects was ensuring the vertical stone strips on the walls lined up perfectly with the floor. The corners were at 45 degrees, with four triangular columns dividing the space, and each piece of stone had to be specially shaped to accommodate eglomise glass and special hand-painted panels.
Early in the CAD process, we realised we’d need to pre-construct the room to create templates for every piece, ensuring millimetre perfection yet allowing some tolerances, as working with stone and glass at that level is far more complicated than with wood. Day one on site was anxiety-ridden, but thankfully everything went up with relative ease; nothing that couldn’t be fixed with gentle persuasion from a small hammer!
It was an absolute pleasure for Ashton bespoke to have been involved in this project. A chance to apply our experience and attention to detail on something so carefully considered.”
Speaking with Laura Hammett on reflection of the build, she said:
“Creating our WOW!house room was such a rewarding experience, not just for the design itself, but for the extraordinary collaboration behind it. Working with InteriorLAB and Ashton Bespoke felt completely seamless, rooted in years of trust, shared standards, and mutual respect. I’ve worked with InteriorLAB across many of our private residential projects, and their level of communication, precision, and commitment to excellence is second to none.
Ashton Bespoke brought the joinery to life in our WOW!house room, with such clarity and craftsmanship—it was truly a pleasure to see their artistry unfold within the scheme. This room was a culmination of long-standing relationships built on a genuine understanding of what it takes to deliver exceptional design at every level, and I wouldn’t want to have trusted anyone else to carry out our vision.”
The Samuel Heath team added:
“This collaboration gave us the opportunity to create something truly original. The basin tap, finished in Vintage Bronze, was the first piece we developed, and it set the tone for everything that followed. Designed by Laura and Aaron Hammett and handcrafted in our 19th-century Birmingham factory, every detail was refined through multiple prototypes to ensure it delivered on both form and feel. To see it installed so precisely within Laura Hammett’s Art Deco vision, and executed with such care by InteriorLAB, was a proud moment for the whole team at Samuel Heath.
Communication with InteriorLAB and Ashton Bespoke was really straightforward and with so much accurate planning done in advance we were able to hit a very tight deadline for such a complex installation.”
We were fortunate to work with a brilliant group of suppliers throughout the process. It’s a credit to the full team that the space came together as seamlessly as it did.
Capietra Artisans
Stuart Fox ltd.
Prado
Lapicida
Cadogan Gallery
For me, WOW!house is always an exciting event. It’s a reminder that the best results happen when everyone involved values the craft, whether you’re designing the space or building it. As contractors, we might not always be the face of a project like this, but we’re proud to be the team that brings it to life.
The bathroom was featured in several publications. Read more here:
Architectural Digest
House & Garden
Country & Town House
Business of Home
If you’d like to hear more about our work, or how we collaborate with design teams to deliver incredible spaces, please get in contact.