Meet Charlie from BCabinetry, The Mastermind Behind Khoollect HQ’s Interior Solutions

**This post is sponsored**

If there’s one thing that defines Khoollect HQ, it’s making the most of a tiny space and the mastermind enabling us to achieve that is Charlie from B.Cabinetry.

After tracking him down on Instagram, Editor-in-Chief Rachel Khoo gave him the challenge of creating multiple bespoke storage situations, a gorgeous fold-down bed and – our crowning glory – a moveable bookcase with fold-down desk-space, and he delivered in every way imaginable. So we spoke to him to find out how he comes up with his designs, what inspires him and a little more about his business.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your business?
“B.cabinetry is all about working closely with my clients to create beautiful, bespoke storage solutions for their home or workspaces. We make kitchens from concept through to fabrication and installation, wardrobes and cupboards of any shape, style and size, and anything in between. I love working with clients to come up with something different like the rolling wall of cabinets we’ve created for Khoollect. I enjoy a challenge and to push myself to come up with something functional and beautiful to meet my clients brief.”

How did you get to where you are now?
“I had been managing bars in Bristol and London for years and wanted a career change. I’d always been interested in interior design so I enrolled in a course with an independent South London interior design academy. After a brief role working for a designer I realised I needed to be getting my hands dirtier! So I decided to take the plunge eight years ago and found an inspiring intensive one-on-one woodworking course in Herefordshire. I rented a tiny cottage on my own and immersed myself fully in the world of wood, joinery and cabinet making. Even though it was the coldest I’ve ever felt for a couple of months -and I came back with a bout of tinnitus – I loved every minute of it, and it all started from there really. I had a paid apprenticeship with a cabinet maker in London for two years after to really learn the trade and then went for it and set up b.cabinetry.”

What made you want to set up your own business?
“I’ve always wanted to have my own business and love being my own boss. Don’t get me wrong, running a small business can be tough and this type of work can be physically challenging, but I’m really passionate about what I do and make and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

What do you love about your job?
“Being creative, working with my hands, realising projects from scratch and testing myself and my skills daily. I think most importantly, I really enjoy developing that client relationship; I feel I’m good at building trust and rapport and understanding what my clients want to achieve. On really challenging projects I like seeing where I can take it – then seeing it come to fruition with the final piece turning out better than mine and my client’s expectation is a really good feeling and has huge job satisfaction.”

What’s one stand out job or client you’ve worked on/for and why?
“I created a complete kitchen including a huge wall of hidden walnut cabinets for some lovely clients in Dulwich. It was the first big kitchen I had done from scratch and was very high spec and ultra-modern – they took a bit of a gamble working with me – but the final kitchen is a real portfolio piece for me and is packed with tech and high-end hardware. I’m actually still working with them now on other storage in their house, if you look up Contemporary Kitchen, Dulwich on my gallery page you can see it. Also the rolling wall I have done for Rachel is definitely up there (I’m not just saying that I promise!) I really enjoyed the challenge of coming up with a piece that is both super functional and visually pleasing, I’m very glad we pulled that one off!”

Where do you source your wood and why?
“The majority comes from Premier Goldberg for timber and all sheet materials, the main reason being my contact there, Bernie, is so lovely to chat to and helpful when putting an order in!”

What’s the most popular feature you get asked for?
“I’m getting asked a lot about fold down beds. I’ve done a few now and think it could become one of my signature projects!”

Who or what inspires your work?
“I take inspiration from many sources, at the moment I am loving the work of March Studio, they are an Australian architectural firm responsible for the design of HotelHotel in Canberra, which looks like an amazing space. I’d love to work on a project like this one day!”

What’s your creative process?
“Meeting my client is the first step, listening to their needs and working out what they are looking for. Once we’ve agreed the brief, I’ll take detailed measurements and I’ll work out practically and spatially how the project needs to work. I’ll share samples with my client to select materials and finishes and invite them to be part of the process (as much or as little as they want). I’m happy to work with detailed architectural drawings or can work from measurements and the space itself and a simple mood board of visuals for style.”

Where in the world are you based?
“Herne Hill London, In a 90m2 railway arch unit consisting of a spraying room, drying room and under the main soffit live the workbenches, tools and panel saw.”

What do you collect?
“Splinters.”

What advice would you give to others setting up their own business?
“The freedom, sense of achievement and job satisfaction are a wonderful reward… but don’t think it’s going be an easy ride.”

What do you think of our bespoke pieces? Let us know in the comments below.