In conjunction with the celebration of the best in design and craftsmanship for London Design Week we have launched our 2019 Reproduction Chimneypiece collection with much excitement.

Our reproduction designs take months of perfecting until I am totally satisfied that it reflects a product I am proud of and embodies the continued integrity of Jamb’s craftsmanship and design. The concept for a design can start with just one detail and then multiple stages of drawing and re-drawing are taken to execute a meticulous interpretation that creates a chimneypiece that feels historically accurate and is proportionally perfect. It is amazing how the smallest amendment can make a pivotal difference to the overall aesthetic.

The Argyll reproduction mantel in Italian Grey Breche marbles. An early Georgian Palladian style fireplace after a Jonesian Kentian design. Photography: Simon Upton.

The concept for the design of the Argyll was taken from reworking an Edwardian chimneypiece that made no apology for its design. I loved the mantle but was desperate to rework it more through the eyes of either Lutyens or the original 18th Century mantel that would have inspired its Edwardian counterpart. We increased the mouldings and replaced the flat shelf with a carefully chosen cornice shelf and changed the method of manufacture to be more akin with it’s 18th century predecessor.

An Early Georgian Palladian style architectural fireplace with simple eared surround perfectly framed with rounded and flat mouldings, creating a subtle play of light and shade.

Whilst creating these designs we have been focusing on the luxury of material. The contrast of the crisp outline of the Ashwell mantel above juxtaposed with the unique and rare markings and pattern within the Derbyshire fossil marble is a perfect union.

For this collection we focused on design of an architectural nature. The Balfour in a Neoclassical style above is an example of this with a tiered breakfront shelf, plain stepped frieze and pilaster jambs. The Balfour was loosely derived from a 17th Century Italian mantel that we had owned that had significantly over-scaled egg and dart interior. We used this scheme but took it to an anglicised form to create something English and 18th Century in taste but with a twist.

The Kelmscott mantle is an example of how we played with the semi-precious marbles in our collection. The early 18th Century, Queen Anne style fireplace with tiered moulded shelf is carved from Italian Breche marble .

London Design Centre is the epicentre of Design week and Jamb took part in two collaborations. The wonderful Ben Pentreath was asked to create a room in the showroom entrance of GPJ Baker’s and designed a setting with his usual brilliant and beautiful cacophony of colour and texture. We supplied the Lutyen’s Bolection in Black marble that created a strong juxtaposition with the dazzling Magnolia wallpaper and a pair of Letchworth hanging lanterns provided elegant illumination.

A few stores down at Turnell & Gigon, Katherine Pooley created a dazzling homage to the Great Gatsby. We provided a 19th Century architectural chimneypiece in Portoro Nero marble of exceptional quality, with Doric pilaster legs on moulded footblocks.

As the week drew to a close we were invited by Anthony Barzilay Freund of 1st Dibs and Martin Brudnizki to the infamously glamorous and beautiful Harry’s Bar which Martin recently redesigned. We enjoyed a wonderful and sumptuous dinner in a setting that is visual perfection, celebrating the launch of the Spring Summer issue of 1st Dib’s Introspective magazine. I couldn’t think of a more perfect way to complete London Design week.