When Martin Moore and his wife, Barbara, returned to the UK in 1975 after travelling the world, the designer-kitchen market in the UK—an industry in its infancy—was dominated by modern German and Italian styles. They set their hearts on a Victorian house in Chorlton, Manchester, which was in need of renovation. ‘My father trained as a structural engineer and has a passion for design, instead of buying things off the shelf, he set about making furniture for the house,’ explains Richard Moore, design director of the family-run firm. ‘He started off buying timber pews that were being sold off by the Church—our back garden resembled an open-air congregation. He converted them into furniture for the house, then friends asked for similar items and the business began.’
The designs have always been governed by Martin’s respect for Classical proportions and love of period buildings. Common themes include freestanding dressers, such as the one shown, which was carried into the garden of the company’s West Yorkshire workshop for our photo shoot. ‘Others may have copied us, but we believe we’re the originators of traditional, handmade kitchens. We make the best; our kitchens come with a lifetime guarantee,’ states Richard.
Although there are two contemporary collections, the Martin Moore style is to err on the side of caution with fashion statements. ‘Kitchens have become more flamboyant, but that’s not what we’re about,’ says Richard. ‘“Less is more” is definitely our mantra.’
To date, the company has been commissioned to make kitchens in houses from Copenhagen to Barbados. ‘Because we make everything bespoke in our workshops, we’ve got the skills and flexibility to do pretty much anything our clients want.'
For more information telephone 0845 180 0015 or visit www.martinmoore.com
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