Bespoke workspace for Whittard's

Project

Bespoke workspace for Whittard of Chelsea showcases a rich heritage

Bespoke design

With a history spanning over a century, longstanding British brand Whittard of Chelsea wanted a fresh new environment when they moved offices in 2022.

Established by founder Walter Whittard in 1886, Whittard of Chelsea sell quality tea, coffee, hot chocolate and a host of related products. James Tobias worked in partnership with Furniture Forum and Curve Workplaces to fulfil a brief for new office space, as well as liaising directly with Whittard’s to develop a unique, custom-built history wall.

James Tobias specialise in creating bespoke interiors that perfectly match our client’s brief – and that’s exactly what we did here.

Sustainable materials

James Tobias were tasked with creating a clean, fresh, open-plan environment for the new Whittard’s office space.

Installed across just two days, the end result was stylish, functional, and constructed from sustainable materials.

Much like our work on the Wylde Interior Architect project, an important element of the new office interior was the use of sustainable materials. For the sidewall, we used our innovative and planet-friendly RPC EcoWall – part of our specialist StorageWall range – a fully sustainable product made entirely from recycled plastic material.

This hugely adaptable product is a fantastic alternative to using wood, as all waste plastic is sourced in the UK and no additional chemicals are used in the manufacturing process – a superb sustainability talking point for Whittard’s.

Stylish product showcasing

Part of our brief was to create a purpose-built display module to highlight the Whittard of Chelsea extensive range of quality products.

It took just one day to install this 7-metre-long display module, before it was ready for Whittard’s to start lining the sleek wooden shelves with products.

This eye-catching, highly visual display module was a hugely important part of Whittard’s brief for the new offices, and it’s a feature that could be easily incorporated into their multiple retail outlets.

An interior that tells a story

Whittard of Chelsea wanted their fresh, new office space to represent their historic brand.

James Tobias worked with them to create an environment that tells the Whittard story using words, pictures and product. Similar to our project transforming the office space of SI Games, Whittard of Chelsea had a bold and specific vision for the new office space. Working closely with Furniture Forum, Curve Workplace and Whittard themselves, we created a modern, elegant space that showcases the company’s heritage and achievements.

A particularly eye-catching feature is the history wall. Painted in a bold colour featuring a quote that surmises Whittard’s longstanding commitment to providing quality products. The long shelves were given a stylish finish that blends in perfectly with the surrounding natural wood – another key element of the brief.

Initially, finding a finish that would complement natural wood proved a challenge, but we achieved the desired result using a 36mm thick egger MFC Oak.

“Whittard’s are delighted with their new workspace. The history wall meets their brief and showcases their ancestry in an informal way that is pleasing to the eye.”

Designed to accommodate

Whittard of Chelsea is a thriving, expanding business, and needed new office space to accomodate this growth.

Relocating from Witney in 2022, Whittard’s wanted to make their new offices a friendly, inviting workplace for all – somewhere every one of their valued employees would enjoy spending time.

James Tobias helped them achieve their goals; creating a contemporary, open-plan office space that attests to the quality of the longstanding Whittard of Chelsea brand – and built with sustainability in mind. Employees can relax, work and socialise in this office in comfort and style.