Underlining just how design flexible and installation friendly Bushboard’s ready made Encore solid surface components can be, is this impressive quarter-shaped island unit fitted by Bath-based retailer Interior Harmony in the kitchen of a £1.1m home in Bath.

Bushboard’s Encore components in Calico were paired with a contemporary handleless Schmidt kitchen for a feature island unit, worksurfaces, upstands and hob panel in a 25sqm kitchen in an architect designed property built by a developer to an extremely high specification worthy of Grand Designs TV status.

Exploding the myth that ready made solid surfacing has design limitations, the stand-out item in the kitchen is the 2m x 2500mm island unit fabricated entirely from Bushboard’s Encore Calico solid surface components. Incorporating space for casual seating, washing up and preparation areas the distinctive ‘quarter’ shape island includes a front curved radius, downstands and slab ends, as well as an undermount sink with a distinctive flared drainer pattern hand routered into the solid surface. Typically all of these features are associated with bespoke fabrication off site, but with Encore all of the fabrication and installation work can be done on site ensuring a professional finish that also proves cost effective.

 Says Peter Brunsdon of Interior Harmony: “We frequently use Encore for classic L shape installations with worksurfaces and upstands and its perfect for those, whereas this job was a learning curve as we were exploring what can be achieved with ready-made solid surfacing. Now we know and we’ll be doing it again because it really was an impressive and cost-effective result.???
Encore offers eleven colours in a choice of ready made solid surfaced components in a choice of sizes for worsksurfaces, upstands, splashbacks, slab end and curved shapes. A unique jig system also facilitates the installation of a wide range of stainless steel and granite undermount sinks delivering a top end look without the associated price tag of bespoke solid surfacing.