Three ash pieces in a bathroom where nothing is straight

A bathroom where nothing is plumb

In a private home in the centre of Bagnères, an old, rather chic bathroom was waiting for its storage. With one particularity: in this building, barely a single 90 degree angle, nothing plumb, nothing straight. So every piece had to be made to measure, in dimensions and in angles alike, to hug the walls and slot exactly into each alcove and each opening.

Solid ash, two grains

Everything is in solid ash, with a mix that gives the whole its character: olive ashOlive ash: the heart of the ash tree, when it turns brown and black in strongly marked veins. A hard timber whose figure recalls olive wood, hence the name. The frêne olivier of a French quote., with its strongly marked dark grain, and white ash, much lighter. Some pieces come from one, some from the other. Above the pedestal basin, a wall cabinet closed by a solid door, extended by open shelves with rounded noses running towards the wall. In the alcove below the window, a small unit with two side panelsSide panel: the vertical panel that closes or carries a piece of furniture on its side. The joue in French. and two shelves, fitted to the exact height of the opening. Finished with natural hard oilHard oil: a natural finish that soaks into the timber and protects it in depth, with no plastic film on the surface. It can be repaired locally, which makes it ideal for furniture that lives. The huile dure of a French quote., with Blum fittings.

The stepped shelf unit, the most technical piece

Between two walls, it steps its way down: a side panel resting against one wall, a flat that makes a shelf, a panel stepping down, another flat, all the way to the other wall. Neither of those walls is straight: the angled cuts run in every direction, and every piece was scribed and fitted one by one. It is the modern touch of the ensemble, while staying within the tradition of solid timber.

The questions I often get asked

Why does bespoke change everything in a room that is not straight? Does solid timber cope in a bathroom? Olive ash, white ash, what is the difference? Which finish for furniture in a damp room?

I have practical answers to all of that, and two articles to dig deeper: which timber for a piece of furniture and caring for solid wood furniture. For your specific case, call me: the quote is free.