A Statement in Santos Rosewood

The moment you step into this private residence, you are welcomed not by a hallway but by a generous open-plan lounge and kitchen — and at its centre, a striking shelving unit in Santos rosewood that immediately sets the tone for the space. Conceived as a statement piece, it anchors the room with warmth and sophistication, offering both presence and purpose.

The craftsmanship is quietly extraordinary. The rosewood lippings were meticulously jointed in 30mm squares, each one aligned to create a perfectly consistent grain. Along the edges, slender brass inlays trace the geometry of the design, each mitre patiently refined until the fit was exact.

Because of its scale, the shelving had to be built in two sections. This presented its greatest challenge: ensuring that when joined, the veneer and brass inlays carried seamlessly across the divide. The result is flawless — the join invisible, the brass continuous, the rosewood uninterrupted. Once installed, an electrician fitted concealed LED lighting, giving the brass and timber a gentle glow that shifts with the rhythm of the day.

Though bold in material and detail, the piece does not dominate. Instead, it blends effortlessly into the open-plan arrangement, as if the architecture had always been waiting for it. Both sculpture and storage, it becomes the first impression of the home — a work that belongs entirely to its place.