New build · Prior experience

Brighton New Build

Before founding Tidal Drift, Julian ran the build of this new house near Preston Park, Brighton, for Woodhart. He was on it from May 2022 to its handover in March 2023.

Open-plan kitchen and living space under a pitched ceiling, with a polished concrete floor, a timber step and full-height sliding glazing

Julian’s role

Julian ran the job for Woodhart. He was the client’s point of contact, and dealt with the architect and all the trades.

He took over from the previous site manager after the timber frame had begun to go up. Many of the details had to be reworked, and he made sure the rest of the build was fit for purpose, right through to handover.

What went into it

A pitched-roof house with polished concrete floors, roof lights and black-framed glazing. Much of its character comes from the timber inside: a staircase lined in timber with shelves built into its side, a timber kitchen and island, built-in wardrobes and desks, and timber floors upstairs. Outside, a brick-paved drive.

Made in a workshop on site

Julian set up a carpentry workshop in the grounds. The team built the kitchen, the staircase and many of the other details there from scratch, in Tilly three-layer timber panels.

It’s the kind of joinery Tidal Drift brings to new builds today.

Finished, March 2023

Timber stairs with deep timber shelves built into the side of the staircase
The staircase, with shelves built into its side
Timber-lined stairs rising beside a full-height window, with a hallway beyond
Timber-lined stairs beside full-height glazing
Looking down timber-lined stairs, past built-in shelving, to a concrete floor under a window
Looking down the stairs towards a window
A kitchen island clad in timber with a dark worktop, under a roof light and a linear pendant
The kitchen island
Timber kitchen units with lit shelves above a dark marbled splashback and built-in ovens
Kitchen units in timber, with a dark splashback
A run of tall built-in wardrobes with timber doors standing open
Built-in wardrobes
A timber desk built along the wall of a sloping-ceilinged room with a roof light and timber floor
A built-in desk under a roof light
A bathroom with a white basin and wall-hung toilet against timber panelling, beside a tiled shower
A bathroom with timber panelling
A room with a polished concrete floor and black-framed glazing looking onto the garden
Polished concrete floors and black-framed glazing

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