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Student Accommodation – Whole Room Solutions for Unite

Alt Admin • February 2, 2016

“The client is delighted with the final scheme, and the project has gone extremely well, delivered on time and to budget. “

John Horgan

Mansell, Senior Project Manager

Affordable and stylish accommodation in central London is rare, if not impossible to find. For students and those making their break in the big city whether studying as post-graduates, undertaking internships or just starting out in their career, finding centrally located apartments is a privilege only a few can afford.

Unite Group has set out to change this as can be seen in their developments at Canto Court (close to Old Street), Kirby Street and Woburn Place; London addresses with residences that would normally command a price far beyond the budgets of most graduates. However, Unite has made these central, exclusive and desirable postcodes into developments of stylish apartments and studios which offer the perfect home to students and graduates.

Unite are the largest providers of student accommodation in the UK; established for over 15 years they home over 36,700 students in 126 properties across 23 towns and cities in the UK. Their pedigree in student housing means they are the experts in understanding the needs of students and young professionals, and have created developments which combine high standards of accommodation, service and security.

John Strand were selected jointly by Unite Group and appointed contractors Mansell to provide their expertise in compact living and were responsible for supplying 150 kitchens and wall-beds at Canto Court, 125 kitchens and wall-beds with bedside storage units at Kirby Street and 300 kitchens at Woburn Place.

The brief demanded furniture that would optimise single room living for the target occupant with all of the necessary facilities and to work within the design criteria, budget and time-scale of the developments.

Sales Director Calvin Reeves, worked closely with the team to ensure that the perfect products were selected. After consideration and consultation the Italian Hideaway and Dile Smart-beds were chosen to work in combination. The hideaway is produced in Italy exclusively for John Strand. The kitchens are modular meaning vital time and money can be saved on installation but John Strand were able to provide bespoke elements to ensure the kitchens met all of the design specification. This meant including a washer/dryer within the design and also finding the perfect match for the red doors; working closely with manufacturers John Strand were able to provide flexibility for such options and changes to the style of the kitchen.

The Dile Smartbed was the perfect solution for the limited space. The bed neatly folds away into its wall cavity with a comfortable and contemporary sofa available when the bed is not in use. The mechanism is easy to use and its durable design suitable for everyday use. Unlike other wall-beds or sofa-beds the sofa is a separate element so there are no bulky cushions to store when using the bed and conversely when the bed is folded up there is handy storage for the bedding within the cavity of the sofa. The development at Kirby Street required some additional bedside storage which is where John Strand was able to use their expertise and excellent links with manufacturers to design storage furniture which would complement the design and optimise the space.

Kitchens Hidden From View

By John Strand • January 20, 2025
We have been making and selling kitchens for small spaces for a long, long time, so long in fact that we feel comfortable to call ourselves ‘expert’ in the field. An early design development was from the ‘mini kitchen’, which is solely a base unit, to the hideaway kitchen. ‘ Hideaway kitchen’ is the name they have always been given but then it dawned on us, do our customers (and potential customers) understand what a hideaway kitchen is? Simply put, a hideaway kitchen has a top unit with doors which can be shut to conceal the workings of the kitchen so thus hiding it away ! Other names for these kitchens include ‘kitchen in a cupboard’ and ‘concealed kitchen’ or the ‘hidden kitchen.’ We refer them to as hidden kitchens these days to avoid confusion. All pretty straight forward stuff. Simple but great, especially if you need a kitchen in a studio apartment or meeting room. Focusing on the design, the questions we most commonly get asked relate to safety. Can the hob be this close to the sink and is it safe to have doors? Safety is, as it should be, at the top of the list. Sinks must always be positioned with 300mm space between the hob and or any sockets, and the doors can be fitt ed with power supply cut-out and / or the hob is fitted with a safety timer so will cut out after a set time. Hidden kitchens are increasing in popularity every year and when you consider the combination of style, function and suitability for small or multi-use areas it just makes sense.  For more information please visit our website…johnstrand-mk.co.uk

Unlock the full potential of your living space

By John Strand MK • January 8, 2024
John Strand Sofa Wall beds 1. Maximizing Living Areas: The most apparent advantage of a sofa wall bed is its ability to maximize living areas. During the day, the sofa serves as a relaxing seating arrangement, allowing you to make the most of your space. When night falls, seamlessly transform it into a comfortable bed, eliminating the need for separate pieces of furniture and optimizing your floor space. 2. Dual-Functionality in Compact Spaces: For those renting or living in smaller apartments or studio flats, the sofa wall bed is a revelation. It effortlessly combines two essential pieces of furniture into one, providing a seating area for daytime activities and a sleeping space at nighttime. This dual-functionality is a game-changer in compact living situations. 3. Effortless Transition: The mechanism behind sofa wall beds is designed for ease of use. Transitioning from a sofa to a bed, and vice versa, is a smooth and hassle-free process. This user-friendly feature ensures that you can transform your living space with minimal effort, making it an ideal solution for all age groups. 4. A Stylish Addition to Any Room: Sofa wall beds are not just about functionality; they also add a touch of style to your living space. Available in various designs, colors, and materials, these pieces can complement any decor style. The seamless integration of a sofa wall bed enhances the overall aesthetics of your room.

Concealed Kitchens: The Sleek Solution for Modern Living

By John Strand • September 18, 2023
The benefits of a concealed and hidden kitchen.

Small Kitchen Design Layouts

By Donna Connolly • February 27, 2020
    Small Kitchen Design Layouts How to make kitchens work in a small space? Kitchen design, like many forms of design, relies on what have become traditional formulas and concepts.  These ‘design rules’ have been tried, tested and work a treat; such as the classic triangle of fridge, sink and hob within a 7 … Continued The post Small Kitchen Design Layouts appeared first on John Strand MK.

Making space in Studio apartments – A guide to open-plan, multi-functional apartment living

By Donna Connolly • December 19, 2019
    The diminishing size of homes, is a topic you often hear discussed but what truth is there in it?  Is it just a cliché and common misconception batted around, along with the lines of; “It wasn’t like that in my day”.  So are humans getting bigger (we are but that’s another story) or … Continued The post Making space in Studio apartments – A guide to open-plan, multi-functional apartment living appeared first on John Strand MK.

Wall beds for studio apartments

By Alt Admin • December 5, 2019
The objective was to create light filled, desirable apartments aimed at young professionals in a town centre location but the challenge was in the size. John Strand worked with property developers for a project of contemporary flats in Watford Hertfordshire.  The objective was to create light filled, desirable apartments aimed at young professionals in a … Continued The post Wall beds for studio apartments appeared first on John Strand MK.

Luxury Cabins by the Sea

By Alt Admin • November 14, 2019
Oh we do like to be beside the seaside!The aim of Cabü by the Sea is to provide beautiful buildings for everyone.  An ambition successfully achieved with the Scandinavian inspired cabins offering a relaxing space within the wild and windswept surroundings of St. Mary’s Bay. CABU approached John Strand Kitchens for a development of architecturally … Continued The post Luxury Cabins by the Sea appeared first on John Strand MK.

Office to residential converstion in Harrow

By Alt Admin • November 5, 2019
Change of use from office space to stylish contemporary studio apartments with John Strand Contract kitchens.Harrow sits on the North West of London’s Metropolitan line. A short tube-ride into central London and a stone’s throw from the rolling countryside of the surrounding home counties. It’s a popular destination with first time buyers and therefore an … Continued The post Office to residential converstion in Harrow appeared first on John Strand MK.

Kitchens in a Grand Location

By Alt Admin • October 24, 2019
Bespoke kitchens for a beautiful and grand refurbishmentThe majority of John Strand clients call looking for expert help, they need a kitchen but don’t have space for one!  On the opposite end of that scale is Barrington Hall, lack of space was definitely not a concern for this project. A magnificent Grade II listed Georgian … Continued The post Kitchens in a Grand Location appeared first on John Strand MK.

A Brief History of the John Strand Mini Kitchen

By Donna Connolly • October 8, 2019
    It’s small and mighty.  John Strand has been supplying compact kitchens for over 30 years and here is the history of how it all began, and why, three decades on, the one-metre-wide kitchen units are still sold across the country. Constructed of steel with a powder coated white finish; it houses a sink, … Continued The post A Brief History of the John Strand Mini Kitchen appeared first on John Strand MK.
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