EJ Ryder and the world of joinery

Edwin J Ryder and his team specialise in bold, creative design and impeccable workmanship in their joinery and interior finishes. They are unusual in that they offer design and production, all carried out under one roof at their East London studio and workshop. We spoke with Edwin to find out how they work with clients on their property renovations.

How did you get started in this industry?

I guess the journey up to setting up the business is as interesting as the bit after. I grew up in a house that my dad was building… for the whole 15 or so years I was living there. So, I generally knew about buildings and studied building surveying at Uni. Once I’d finished, after going on too many snowboarding trips and feeling very broke, I helped my dad build the kitchen extension he wanted – that’s how long he was building for, the kitchen had gone out of date by the time he finished the rest of the house!

I ended up doing absolutely everything; the roof, the underfloor heating and electrics, all the plumbing, the slate floor, bespoke glazing and all the interiors. It all came together really well. After going travelling again for a bit, I came back and started using those skills to earn money.

With all that building experience, what made you specialise in joinery?

I was on a road towards being a high-quality reliable builder, but I realised it was not what I wanted to do at all. After moving to London I did some work for a set designer. She had this idea for a kitchen, which she sketched but there was no actual design, and she wanted it made out of ply and Formica, which I’d never heard of before. I didn’t even know which way round the Formica went, that’s how naïve I was, but we got it done and it looked great. From that I got more work and started the Limited company in the summer of 2014.

At first we were doing full residential refurbishments, but I soon realised that it was the joinery that we could do incredibly well. We were doing the design and production of tables and various other things and that’s when we realised we were doing something different that not everyone can do.

Quite often people want a lot of bespoke joinery in their renovations, but underestimate how expensive it is. How do you deal with that?

Although we specialise in joinery, our aim at EJ Ryder is to change the way the entire construction industry works.

All too often with residential refurbishments, there will be a misalignment of expectations or miscommunication between the homeowner and the architect and/or builder. This can often lead to delays, a rise in costs, and ultimately a real sense of dissatisfaction on the part of the homeowner.

Due to our collaborative process, in which we manage entire projects – from design through to completion – we can far more easily meet the unique needs of our clients. We have an impeccable track record of delivering projects within budget and on time. We form close relationships with everyone we work with, from clients to our specialist subcontractors, and speak the many varied languages required in this industry.

If someone is having their house refurbished and would like a kitchen by you, when should they get you involved?

The moment you have a basic layout design for the property. It’s best if we design the kitchen from the start because any design work done before that by the architect might be lost. Even if it was a good idea, we might go in a slightly different direction or look at different material samples with the client. All we need really is a line drawing and then full interaction with the client.

So the service you offer clients is a complete design service, down to where they keep the cutlery?

Yes, absolutely everything. We work very collaboratively with clients. It’s usually the case that they will look at our work and our materials library and something will wow them and then that sets the tone. We show them examples of kitchens we’ve done that we’re excited about and clients pick out the features they like. In the office we have a range of materials in different colours and textures, and can tell clients if they are cheap or expensive, durable or fragile. They can immediately have feedback on their choices.

What makes a successful, or enjoyable, project for you?

The brilliant thing about having a design studio and workshop fabrication all in the same place is we can make sure the job is done to a high standard, which makes it successful. The most exciting projects are when clients trust us; when we can draw them out of their comfort zone, to move away from white and use a texture or colour.

It’s really amazing when there’s a creative client to bounce ideas off. We can co-create the detailing and this is where we excel. We can guide a client but we also rely on them to keep things in line with their style, so that what they get in the end isn’t just amazing, it’s also personal to them. That kind of co-creation is where we really thrive.

We are increasingly placing sustainability at the heart of everything we do, and encouraging our clients to do the same. This means minimising waste where possible, using reclaimed or environmentally friendly materials, and adhering to energy efficient processes. We intend to push the use of technological innovation further, to improve ways of working and encourage more extensive collaboration.

For more information about EJ Ryder or to see more incredible work check out their website below:

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