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The Wildernesse Restaurant in Kent

“The use of timber is important to the sensory quality of the space, and the choice of materials is otherwise representative of the architects’ values”. – Felice Carlino

Constructed from timber, featuring a dramatic sequence of vaulted ceilings, the Wildernesse Restaurant in Kent, UK, offered an exceptional opportunity to showcase the TIRAR range of solid timber door handles in a unique environment, surrounded by untouched woodlands, housed in a heritage listed conservation area.

The restaurant is a centrepiece of the Wildernesse Estate, a luxury retirement community and includes an elegant pavilion, warmly cocooned in birchwood vaults and American White Oak folding shutters.

Plywood infill panels create internal vaulting across the entire ceiling, a key element of the design. Ribbed oak timber detailing lines much of the interior and the TIRAR door furniture is completely at home in this ‘forest’ of rich, natural timbers. The architect specified TIRAR Universal door levers in solid American White Oak be fitted to the shutters, not simply because the wood perfectly matched the shutter timber; the ergonomic design and shape of the lever perfectly fits the human hand making opening and closing easier, a key requirement for those with limited dexterity.   

Internally all the timber structure is left exposed, adding a warmth to the space and a relationship with the natural landscape surrounding it. The timber adds to the sensory quality of the space; internal timber joinery elements complement this palette, and the TIRAR door furniture celebrates to maximum effect the tactile quality of solid wood, worked to perfection by fine craftsmanship.

Design by Morris + Company
Photography by Jack Hobhouse
Online: Wallpaper Magazine