Bespoke’s showroom opened on September 23, 2010. All of the cabinetry, flooring, millwork, paneling and other decorative elements are made locally in their workshop in Saint Paul, MN. The story behind Bespoke is one of passion and defying the odds. Bespoke began in 1999 in California. Keith Morgan, the owner, arrived at LAX from England with $1200.00 and a dream to create the most beautiful and well-made cabinetry and furniture that he could envision. After years of hard work, sleepless night and no small amount of luck, Bespoke is creating such a product. We asked Bespoke a few questions about their design vision and plans for their new showroom.
What are your plans for the new showroom ongoing ?
Our showroom is intended to serve multiple functions. First, it is where we display our work. Because our product is so unique, it is incredibly important for people to see it so that they can understand precisely what makes it different from all other cabinetry. Second, our showroom also displays the products of other vendors that we trust and use. We want to make sure that we make their products look as fabulous as we possibly can. Third, the showroom is a social space. It was specifically designed to feel like a home, and not like a showroom. We host numerous events in the space, and we also allow other businesses or individuals to host events in the space as well if they are looking for a truly unique party space. What clients and potential clients will find when coming to this space is an innovative and beautiful product that is equal parts art and cabinetry. They will also find that we have a highly personalized approach to kitchen design. Everything from the height of the base trim to the depth of the cabinets is specifically tailored to the individual who commissioned them.
How does BLANCO integrate with your design point of view?
Blanco melds very well with Bespoke’s design philosophy. The lines of the sinks are clean and classic, and they fit very well with any style of cabinetry, whether contemporary or traditional. As each cabinetry commission that we produce is unique, it’s reassuring to know that we can rely upon the Blanco product no matter how imaginative or unconventional the kitchen design may be. We also pride ourselves on producing the most beautiful and well-made product that we can conceive of, and it is comforting us to know that the Blanco sinks that we spec in our kitchens are of the same high quality.
What would you want to tell BLANCO fans about your designs, your projects, your showroom, upcoming events, etc.?
We installed a kitchen recently in one of the homes in the Royal Crescent in Bath, England. We are both excited and humbled that our product was chosen for such a prestigious and historically important location. The entire city of Bath is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its Georgian Architecture is simply stunning.
If you could pick one essential component of a kitchen – one you couldn’t live without, what would you tell your customers to include?
There are several must-have kitchen items that come to mind. First is a built-in breadbox. Breadboxes are lovely, elegant, luxurious and small throw back to a more refined epoch. They can add much to a kitchen, and can either be very budget conscious or simply extravagant, like a Faberge egg. Another item would be a built-in butcher block with an integrated scale. Butcher blocks are a fantastic addition to any kitchen because they are immensely practical and, when done by Bespoke, also incredibly beautiful.
