Mark Wilkinson, the Daddy of all bespoke fitted furniture designers has been awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours List.
As the founder of Smallbone of Devizes, Mark Wilkinson has had more influence on the fitted furniture industry than any other person. Although he primarily designed for fitted and even un-fitted kitchens, much of his creativity is reflected in other areas of the home, from fitted bedrooms to home studies. His products are at the top end of the market and he always uses the finest raw materials and does not compromise on quality.
Much of Mark’s output is manufactured from real hardwoods and he was the pioneer of the hand-painted look in custom-built kitchen and bedroom furniture.
Although he has, rightly, been a strong defender of his own interlectual property and quick to challenge plagiarism, the Smallbone ‘look’ is now as fundamental a part of the British furniture oevre as those of Chippendale or Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
You can find his influence here http://www.optionsfit.com/photo-galleries-furniture264.html.
The OBE is the culmination of a number of awards for services to interior design, skills training and charity.
Well deserved and well done Mark.
