Having opened our Gallery in 1998 with the intention of selling high class Japanese antiques and design accent pieces we started receiving requests for our in-house Japanese designer to use her skills for design projects for private residences. This part of the business has grown over the years and we now offer a design service for a range of interior styles ranging from a very traditional Japanese style interior with sliding screens and tatami mats to more contemporary designs.

The underlying design philosophy is the same however and is guided by the principle that the beauty of the designs should come from the function they are to serve and not by the dictums of passing trends. Indeed the acid test for any design is whether they still look good in ten or twenty year’s time.
To find out more about this service and how it works please feel free to call us on 01243 779239

Go to Tatami Page

  

 

Kuniko Kataoka first started her career in the boutiques of Tokyo and has worked with a variety of respected designers including the Dane, Per Schmolcher. Her work is invariably guided by the principle that designs should be kept as simple and functional as possible.

The work undertaken has varied greatly over the years and includes both commercial and residential work in both Japanese and contemporary styles. Clients will generally give us an outline of the project and then a set of designs with mood boards will be drawn up. Design work is charged at a set hourly rate and an estimate for the time spent on the project will be given at the outset.

 
    A small space in a cellar was changed into a Japanese style study room. A sliding door was added and then a set of stairs with cupboards was used in place of the original stairs. Furniture and Japanese shoji screens were then used to complete the design.
 
 
 
  This project for the conversion of 5 rooms into a Japanese style was a challenging project with wavey walls and a limited internal space. Black bamboo was used on the walls with a hemp cloth underneath and Tatami mats were used for the flooring. The furniture was made from a mixture of oak and walnut and a unique sofa was made using a tatami mat for the seating area.
 

 

   
 
 
   
 
This table and chairs suite was commissioned as part of a Grand designs project and was featured in one of the programs. Please see the dining table section for more details.