We fabricated and vitreous enamelled a bespoke bar top for the Bombay Sapphire distillery at Laverstoke on the River Test. The Victorian paper mill was transformed by Heatherwick Studio into a working distillery and visitor destination. Within the Mill Bar, our enamel surfaces set the tone for an experience that blends craft, engineering and brand story.

The bar comprises seventeen uniquely formed sections with eight removable inserts so up to four cocktail stations can run at once. We engineered the steel substrate, fixings and joints so the surface reads as one continuous plane. Tolerances were set tight to keep lines true during installation and daily use.

The finish was created with the Isle of Wight artist Michael Forrest to express the essence of Bombay Sapphire. Using hand mixed pigments and layered firings, we built depth and movement across the surface. Colour shifts flow seamlessly from one section to the next so the bar feels like a single piece.

Vitreous enamel was the right choice for performance and character. The glass fused surface is colour fast and non porous, resists wear and cleans with ease which is ideal in a busy hospitality setting. It also allows a completely unique finish that can be repeated with precision across complex forms.

All fabrication and enamelling took place in our Isle of Wight facility where we control milling, spray and furnace. The process for this bar was documented for National Geographic which captured the craft behind the result. The Mill Bar shows how enamel can carry a brand story while standing up to heavy use day after day.