Cat’s Provoke Design Story

Reimagining the Room

I didn’t have a clear vision for redecorating our lounge, just a sense that the room wasn’t living up to what it could be.

*“I could see the potential - I just couldn’t visualise what it could be”*

We’d really just plonked down all of our furniture from our previous house and the whole room just lacked any kind of personality. I could see the potential - I just couldn’t visualise what it could be.

I knew I loved natural materials - chunky wood that would feel at home in our countryside setting - but beyond that, I didn’t know where to start.

When Jonny came round, my brief was simple:

“Some shelves. Maybe some storage underneath the TV. And beautiful wood.”

Jonny didn’t begin by measuring walls or getting into materials. He began by greeting our overexcited cocker spaniel, saying hi to my husband and the kids and looking around the space.

After a moment, he said,“Your furniture is all too small for this room - it’s a great space but half of it is being wasted.”

And I realised this wasn’t going to be about adding shelves to a wall, he was going to help me reimagine the entire space.

Designing Around How We Live

*“Jonny specialises in beautiful things, designed for real-life.”*

We talked about how we actually use the space - where we sit in the evenings, where we naturally gather when friends come over, what people put onto surfaces. Jonny wasn’t just designing a piece of furniture. He was designing for our way of living.

He showed me a piece of spalted beech he liked for the project; the grain was beautiful - the dark lines running through it - it had a personality all of its own. He talked about letting the wood lead the design, rather than forcing it into something overly refined or artificial, which I loved the idea of.

I was a bit worried that with the beautiful wood, this would be a “look but don’t touch” piece. We have 3 young kids and we have people over a lot - but Jonny assured me right from the start that he would finish and seal the surfaces so it could be lived with properly - a place for keys, books, even coffee cups and wine glasses to land without hesitation.

Where Craft Meets Structure

What truly brought the design to life was the structure that framed it.

Jonny introduced slender, hexagonal brass uprights running from floor to ceiling. The clean, geometric lines were a deliberate contrast to the organic movement of the beech - light, architectural, and quietly confident.

Then came the lighting.

Hidden behind the shelves, a line of warm LED light was designed to glow softly. The brass catches the light first, then the grain of the wood slowly emerges, creating a sense of depth and warmth that shifts throughout the day.

I like the warm yellow as it feels like we have a fire on even when we don’t; my kids love the fact that it can change colour and has a disco mode.

More Than a Bespoke Piece

Once the shelves were in place, everything else seemed to follow.

The wall colour and curtains felt obvious, the new sofas found their position. The smaller details began to make sense in relation to the whole. What started as a need for better storage became the defining feature of the space.

Now, when people walk into our home, it’s the first thing they comment on. Not just because it’s large or beautifully made, but because it feels intentional - considered, and completely part of the house.

How would I sum up this project? Well, Jonny didn’t design a “bookshelf slash TV unit”. He designed a focal point - something that set the tone for the entire room and shapes how the space is used, from walking in to sitting down at the end of the day.

What he creates isn’t just furniture. It’s well-considered design, careful craftsmanship, and a clear point of view, built into something you get to live with and use every day.

The project gave the whole room its sense of purpose - and it’s my favourite place to be!