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Moorside, Colchester,
Essex, CO1 2TJ

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Category: News

A Glimpse into our Workshop Team’s Favourite Projects

This month, we had the pleasure of sitting down with some of the incredible members of our workshop team to delve into their favourite projects and pieces.

Our 20,000 sqft manufacturing space and a team of machinists, bench joiners and sprayers provide bespoke joinery services for our valued clients.

Each team member brings their unique touch and dedication to each and every project.

Take a look below at some of the teams favourite projects:

Donutelier By Roladin

Interior of Donutelier By Roladin a Doughnut Bakery
Exterior of Donutelier By Roladin

First up is Roladin, a boutique bakery renowned for its delicious handmade doughnuts and pastries.

We sat down with Matt H, one of our talented joiners. Matt revealed that Roladin was one of his favourite projects to work on over his years of hard work and dedication here at GS Contracts, where precision and attention were paramount.

Donutelier by Roladin

Sugar Quay

Sugar Quay was a fantastic residential refurbishment project we worked on alongside Gaysha Limited in 2021.

One of our talented joiners, Simon, told us that Sugar Quay had to be his favourite project he was proud to have been a part of.

We manufactured and installed all bespoke joinery including all custom panelling, built-in furniture, doors, and frames. All bespoke upholstery and 2nd fix carpentry were also manufactured and installed by GS Contracts.

Sugar Quay

Solus Ceramics

We also spoke to James, who threw it back to the fit-out of Solus Ceramics, the leading tile supplier in London.

James told us this was certainly one of his favourite projects to be a part of, and we couldn’t agree more!

Within our 30 years of projects, Solus Ceramics stands out as a remarkable testament to the craftsmanship and dedication of our workshop team.

Solus Ceramics Showroom Refurbishment
Solus Ceramics Showroom Refit
Solus Ceramics Showroom Displays

Pavilion Road's 'Oak Clad Staircase'

Lastly we sat down with John, who highlighted this beautiful Oak Clad Staircase for a residential fit-out project on Pavilion Road in Chelsea.

Our team also worked hard manufacturing and installing all the bespoke joinery items throughout the main living area and the bedroom.

We loved the finished result!

Pavilion Road Oak Clad Staircase
Pavilion Road Oak Clad Staircase

Conclusion

Our workshop team’s dedication and passion for their craft shine through in every project they undertake.

From intricate designs to collaborative efforts, each project contributes to our ethos of creating exceptional and timeless pieces.

Need help with your next project? Get in touch today!

31 August 2023 by Hannah Steel 0 Comments

Day in the Life of a Site Manager at GS Contracts

This month, we sat down with one of our experienced site managers, Phil Burns, to discover an in-depth glimpse into the typical day that unfolds in the life of a site manager.

Phil is up bright and early on-site, ready for 7:30 am. His day begins by conducting a daily briefing with the team on-site, running through a comprehensive overview of the goals and objectives for each individual within the day.

During this time, Phil also carries out all site inductions for any new members on-site, ensuring they are ready and prepared to conduct their work safely.

After Phil has completed all briefings and inductions, he is then on hand to deal with any problems or issues that have been raised. Our site-managers play a vital role in identifying any potential concerns and resolving these issues in a safe and timely manner.

Once all potential concerns have been addressed and resolved, Phil moves on to catching up with health and safety paperwork and responds to any emails at his attention.

On-site, our site managers expect many deliveries throughout the day. Some include bespoke joinery deliveries from our 20,000 sq ft workshop in Colchester, where all items are manufactured.

Our site managers also expect to receive many other deliveries from various other contractors. It is their duty to ensure all deliveries are on schedule and delivered safely on site.

The remainder of Phil’s day consists of observing the site, ensuring everything is running smoothly according to plan and all health and safety measures are being adhered to whilst keeping on top of all emails.

Phil can also expect to carry out a second induction in the afternoon if any new team members have arrived on site.

Phil’s typical workday ends at 16:30, but this can vary depending on the project, particularly for overnight jobs, which may require him to stay until 18:30.

Conclusion

Here at GS Contracts we recognise the critical role that our site managers play in ensuring the success of our projects.

We provide them with the training, support, and resources they need to carry out their responsibilities effectively and to maintain our high standards of safety and quality.

Need help with your next project? Get in touch today!

5 July 2023 by Hannah Steel 0 Comments

Our top 10 projects of all time

Since GS Contracts was founded in 1992, we have worked on a multitude of fantastic projects. From commercial, hospitality, leisure to residential, we’ve had the opportunity to work with a range of clients and industries.

In honour of our achievements, we’ve decided to spotlight our all-time top 10 favourite projects! It was a tough call, but we’re thrilled to share these standout projects with you all.

In no particular order, check out our 10 favourites:

ROVI Ottolenghi

Located in London, Wells Street, ROVI was a spectacular project our team loved working on.

This 18-week fit-out project combined project management, technical design development, manufacturing and deliverance, providing our clients with a consistent, solution focused process.

ROVI combines its seasonal organic palate with the surroundings of natural materials providing a dining experience which relaxes our fast paced lives, excites our senses and indulges our social conversation.

Rovi Ottolenghi Restaurant Refit
Rovi Ottolenghi Restaurant Interior

Scarpetta

We absolutely loved working on this restaurant fit-out for Scarpetta in Canary Wharf.

Scarpetta is an all day Italian restaurant serving fresh pasta, Italian cocktails and a great selection of Italian wines.

With stylish interiors, a lively ambience, and great music all day, it’s the perfect spot for everyone!

Scarpetta
Scarpetta

Sugar Quay

Next up: Sugar Quay – An exciting venture away from our typical hospitality projects.

In June 2021, we had the opportunity to work on a stunning residential refurbishment project in London, which we successfully delivered to the client’s satisfaction.

Located in the Sugar Quay apartments, the property is situated along the River Thames with beautiful city scape views.

We took complete ownership of the management on-site whilst Gaysha carried out all project and finance management.

Working with the talented team at Casa Alta Design, we were able to bring a glimpse of affluent city life into the apartment.

Bespoke Joinery and Manufacturing for Sugar Quay
Sugar Quay

Colicci's Chiswick House Cafe

We were lucky enough to get the chance to complete this café refurbishment with one of our valued clients Colicci, an artisan family business of cakes, kiosks, and restaurants across the city of London.

With neutral tones, classic features and not forgetting the beautiful scenery- Ourselves and the team at Article Design helped transform the existing architectural designed space into a new-found capacity for their speciality coffee, homemade cakes, and delicious lunch items.

Chiswick House Cafe Interior
Timeless Restaurant Interior Design

Como Garden

Here at GS Contracts, we love a challenge and when we were asked to carry out a complete refit of a restaurant in High Street Kensington, London, in just six weeks we jumped at the chance!

Both the menu and the décor at Como Garden are inspired by the gardens of Lake Como. Think of a cool, sophisticated colour scheme, luscious planting throughout and the odd Renaissance-style statue.

Although strict time scales can be a challenge- this project has got to be up there with one of our favourites!

Como Garden

Solus Ceramics

Leading tile supplier, Solus Ceramics, contacted our team to help create an informal space offering architects and designers somewhere to look for tile inspiration and develop design schemes.

Our friends at BusbyWebb carried out the design for the two-floor showroom and the end result is simply stunning.

Solus Ceramics was so impressed with the final result we have been back to carry out a number of further projects at the showroom.

One of our favourites was a bespoke window display, designed by @‌aleksa_studios_london and fabricated by GS Contracts.

Solus Ceramics Showroom Refurbishment
Solus Ceramics Showroom Lighting

Cafe Murano

Café Murano is described by founder and celebrity chef, Angela Hartnett, as the ‘brassier little sister’ of Murano, her Michelin-starred restaurant.

Café Murano has branches in St James and Covent Garden, and at the end of last year, opened a third venue in Bermondsey, which GS Contracts was proud to bring to fruition.

GS Contracts is immensely proud to have taken this project from concept to the immaculate finished space.

The end result was both the perfect working environment for a fast and effective flow of service and a relaxing and tranquil dining area in the bustling city.

The Golf Groove

Our team thoroughly enjoyed working on this fit-out for The Golf Groove in Wimbledon.

This virtual golfing experience encompasses 12 virtual Golf Bays, an extensive bar & kitchen and a terrace area.

Our team carried out all joinery works for this 20-week fit-out project by utilising our in-house manufacturing facility and joinery expertise.

This fit-out project was a fantastic experience for us to work on something a bit different!

Atoll

Working with the famous designer Morag Myerscough, our team were fortunate to work on this fantastic project.

Our team manufactured this spectacular steel structure kiosk located at 1 Finsbury Avenue Square.

Collaborating with numerous designers, Myerscough created this exquisite intervention to infuse a touch of nature and vitality into an otherwise grey corporate environment.

Atoll

Bombay Bustle

Last on our list is Bombay Bustle, from start to completion this project was truly a pleasure to work on.

Bombay Bustle is an upmarket Indian restaurant located in the heart of Mayfair.

GS Contracts were hired as the project managers and fit-out contractors working from a design concept from the talented team at Fabled.

We absolutely love how the end result turned out.

Bombay Bustle Fit Out
Bombay Bustle Seating

At GS Contracts, we are proud of the work we have accomplished over the years and look forward to taking on even more exciting projects in the future.

Are you looking for a reliable fit-out contractor for your next project? Get in touch today!

How do our CAD team turn your ideas into a reality?

Here at GS Contracts, we offer a complete turnkey solution, meaning we can assist with your journey from an initial idea- right through to completion.

Our CAD (Computer-Aided Design) team are responsible for creating the technical drawings for all metalwork, solid surfaces, and bespoke joinery items.

With their knowledge and years of experience our CAD team use the latest technology to create accurate, detailed and efficient drawings prior to manufacture.

Ian and Colin (Our CAD team), work closely with each client to ensure all models meet their specifications. From concept to completion, our team will work with you to turn your ideas into a reality.

CAD

What did Colin & Ian have to say?

We sat down with Colin and Ian to learn more. Here’s what they had to say.

We asked, “What’s your background and how did you get into CAD?”

Colin told us “I started at GS Contracts as a Bench Joiner and soon became a Workshop Manager. The company later took on a draughtsman meaning I regularly sat with him to go through what we needed in the workshop. I took an interest in the drawing side of things and decided to learn AutoCad off my own back in the evenings. Having just completed the course, our draughtsman decided to leave. I was then offered a new role as a draughtsman- I definitely had to step up my game over the next six weeks to gain as much knowledge as I could before he left. I’ve been drawing ever since!”

Ian said “Originally, I trained to be a Welding Engineer. I was working in a trade within an ever-evolving industry which gave me a valuable set of tools to progress into a design role. My background allows me to tackle projects with a knowledgable set that I believe a purely academic education cannot achieve”.

CAD Design

We then went on to ask “What has been your favourite project to work on so far?”

Colin said “Mine has got to be the Residential Project, Sugar Quay. It was certainly something different to what I’m used to, with some challenging details to design and high spec. joinery elements”

Ian went on to say “My personal favourite has to be ROVI Ottolenghi. This project had lots of detailed metalwork and lighting panels that ended up working really well- I just love the finished result!”

We then wanted to dig a little deeper and asked “What’s your favourite part of being a draughtsman”

Colin replied “Seeing the finished product from the drawings I’ve done is my favourite part, it’s great to see the changes that the initial design has gone through”

Ian told us “There are lots of things I love about being a draughtsman. I enjoy being able to essentially ‘fabricate’ items across multiple projects, overcoming unforeseen design clashes before they become an issue and having a big input into the overall design of the project- it’s great!”

CAD Design
CAD Design

Lastly we asked Colin and Ian “Why is having in-house draughtsman so important at GS Contracts?”

“Being able to easily discuss different details, ideas and problems with other knowledgable team members -it’s much more practical discussing details face-to-face!” Colin said.

Ian continued “It’s important to have good communication between the project directors and other team members when drawing up the designs for a project. Having this team in-house expedites the design approval stage, increases project turnaround times and the total number of projects that are completed within a given timeframe”.

It’s no doubt that the CAD team are a vital asset to the GS Contracts Team. Thanks for your hard work & dedication, Colin & Ian!

Need help with your next project? Get in touch today!

6 February 2023 by Hannah Steel 0 Comments

Building Skills for Life at GS Contracts

This year we are celebrating National Apprenticeship Week 2023, an annual celebration of apprenticeships across the country.

This year’s theme for National Apprenticeship Week is “Skills for Life”, a time for us to reflect upon how apprenticeships positively contribute to a successful, skilful career.

National Apprenticeship Week is the perfect opportunity for us to appreciate and acknowledge our apprentices here at GS Contracts.
Over the last 30 years, we have been providing people with the opportunity to grow and develop through different apprenticeship schemes.

Currently, we have two apprentices, Freddy and Colby, undergoing their Level 2 Bench Joinery Apprenticeship Schemes.

What Freddy and Colby had to say

Freddy National Apprenticeship Week
Freddy- Bench Joiner Apprentice

We sat down with Colby and Freddy to discuss their Bench Joinery apprenticeships. Here is what they had to say.

We asked, “What made you choose an apprenticeship as the next step in your career?”.

“Definitely due to the more practical side of things, learning the skill on the job definitely helped me make my decision,” Freddy said.

Colby told us “As I’m 23 and slightly older than the typical apprentice, earning a wage whilst learning the trade was important for me”.

We then went on to ask, “What skills have you built since starting your apprenticeship?”

Freddy said, “My communication has certainly improved since starting the apprenticeship, and my maths too! Learning from more experienced Bench Joiners in the business has definitely elevated my skills!”

Colby continued, “Communication is a skill that has definitely improved for me too, but also learning from knowledgable and experienced people around me has allowed me to learn and develop new skills quickly, such as interpreting plans and designs”.

We then went on to ask, “What skills have you built since starting your apprenticeship?”

Freddy said, “My communication has certainly improved since starting the apprenticeship, and my maths too! Learning from more experienced Bench Joiners in the business has definitely elevated my skills!”

Colby continued, “Communication is a skill that has definitely improved for me too, but also learning from knowledgable and experienced people around me has allowed me to learn and develop new skills quickly, such as interpreting plans and designs”.

Colby Bench Joiner Apprentice

We agree apprenticeships are a fantastic way to support young people whilst learning on the job, surrounded by those that know the trade and are able to provide them with the skills they need to develop.

Are you considering an apprenticeship with GS Contracts? Get in touch today!

What have we learnt in the last 30 years?

Last year we celebrated our 30th anniversary here at GS Contracts.
Founded in 1992 by Gary Smith, we have grown from humble beginnings to the strong team we are today.
We have taken it upon ourselves to look back over the last 30 years to reflect on what we have learnt and the impact we have made.

The last 30 years have allowed us to learn from our mistakes, overcome many challenges and achieve spectacular things.

Here’s what we’ve learnt over the last 30 years…

The importance of building a good team

One of the most important lessons we’ve taken away over the last 30 years is the importance of building a good team around you.

We are proud to have built a dedicated and professional team around us, creating a high level of efficiency and collaboration in the workplace.

Not only internally but also externally, it’s crucial for us to have a reliable team around us, including material suppliers and subcontractors who all follow a similar ethos to ourselves.

Today in 2023, we have a strong and devoted team driving us to success that we are incredibly grateful for, and that is continuing to grow and evolve.

GSC Team

The right person for the job

Putting the right personnel on the right project is a skill we have learnt to perfect.

We understand that everyone has their own unique skills and abilities, which comes in handy when selecting the right people for a certain project.

Selecting a team of people who can collaboratively work together while bringing different strengths is pivotal to achieving the end goal.

GS Contracts Installation

Successfully planning ahead

This industry has taught us the importance of planning a job properly.

The planning process is principal for any one of our projects- no matter how big or small!

Planning thoroughly helps us eliminate unnecessary mishaps further down the line and ensures each project can run smoothly with a clear and structured method in place.

Once a project has gone live, our trusted project managers are always on hand to ensure everything operates fluidly and correctly.

GS Contracts Project Design

Listening to our clients

We spoke to our founder, Gary Smith, to discuss what he believes the most important lessons we’ve learnt over the last 30 years are.

Gary stressed the importance of listening to our clients, helping us to understand their requirements and exactly what they expect from us.

Spending time listening and communicating with each and every client helps to provide a successful result in line with their expectations.

Not only do we directly deal with clients, but we also spend lots of time integrating with architects and designers in order to provide the fabrication and solution to their ideas; therefore, it is important for us to build up good relationships with every designer to ensure the operational procedure will run smoothly and successfully.

Frescobaldi Interior
Pre Salons Retail Fit-Out Interior

Treat every project as our own

The final lesson we’ve learnt over the last 30 years, and arguably the most important, is putting ourselves in the shoes of our clients.

By our team treating every project as their own, we are able to ensure that each job is managed professionally and handed over to the highest quality.

It’s our job to understand your goals and turn your visions into a reality, which is why our team are trained to deliver each unique project to an exceptional standard.

Workshop
Manufacturing a counter

So, what have we learnt?

The last 30 years have taught us many valuable things, all of which have led us to the success of where GS Contracts is today.

We are committed to providing the best quality spaces for our clients and dedicated to continuing to develop and hone our skills this year.

Thank you to everyone for supporting our journey over the last 30 years, and we look forward to what the next 30 have in store for us!

Get in touch with us today to kickstart your fit-out project this 2023. 

Our GS Contracts Success Stories in 2022

Once again, another year has flown past.

2022 has been a very successful year for GS Contracts; we have been fortunate to secure some fantastic new clients providing us with a wealth of opportunities.

With 2022 coming to a close, we thought- what better time to share and celebrate some of our favourite projects and events throughout the year?

Completed Projects

We kicked off 2022 with the completion of both One Crown Place and Ottolenghi in Chelsea.

GS Contracts fitted-out this residential and commercial marketing suite for the new One Crown Place housing development in London back in early January 2022.

This 7-week project soon came to life, creating something visually spectacular to set the tone for the rest of the complex.

One Crown Place
One Crown Place
Ottolenghi Chelsea Interior
Ottolenghi Chelsea
Ottolenghi Chelsea solid surfaces
One Crown Place
Ottolenghi Chelsea Interior

Ottolenghi opened their new Chelsea branch in January of this year, one of their largest delis to date.

Ottolenghi’s Chelsea deli has a unique design that doesn’t follow the ‘typical’ Ottolenghi look, but still incorporates their distinctive Corian counters and displays throughout the restaurant.

The GS team carried out works from an empty shell unit, to deliver this bright and stylish deli.

The Thin White Duke

Later, at the start of 2022 we also welcomed The Thin White Duke, a unique bar and recording studio in Soho.

Inspired by David Bowie’s persona, The Thin White Duke, we worked with Caffeina Consulting to transform an existing recording studio unit into something truly spectacular.

The recording studios and bar are full of life and character, from glass-stained artwork to hand-painted murals- The Thin White Duke isn’t a spot to miss!

The Thin White Duke recording studio

Martello Café Felixstowe

Later in May of 2022, we delivered Martello Cafe in Felixstowe. Working with Plaice Design, we delivered this brand new 1.5 million-pound cafe on the seafront of Felixstowe.

The opening of this café has been hugely successful for Felixstowe, attracting both local people and new visitors.

Unsurprisingly, this spectacular space has been awarded a RIBA Suffolk design award, with thanks to Plaice Architecture, Barnes Construction, East Suffolk Council and GS Contracts!

The Kitchen @ Felixstowe Exterior
The Kitchen @ Felixstowe Interior
The Kitchen @ Felixstowe Interior
The Kitchen @ Felixstowe Joinery

Other Project News

This year, we’ve ventured back to our roots, working on fast rollouts for some chain businesses. We are excited to reveal these projects in due course.

More recently we’ve completed the fit-out for ‘Pacific Wine Bar’ in Islington. Pacific Wines is both a store and an events space for wine tasting. Stay tuned for our case study and completion photos on this project!

New Starters

This 2022, we have welcomed many new faces to the GS Contracts team. Due to our continued expansion, we needed to take on some new team members to help support the successful growth of the business.

We have many new Site managers, Contracts Managers, Estimators and Workshop Staff to introduce you to in the New Year. Make sure you’re following us on social media to keep in the loop with company updates and new news!

Celebrating our 30-year Anniversary!

This year we are celebrating our 30-year anniversary!

Founded in 1992 by Gary Smith, we have grown from humble beginnings to the strong team we are today.

We’d like to thank you all for your continued support over the last 30 years and we look forward to what the future holds.

As you can see, 2022 has been an extremely productive year, and we can only see a progression from here onwards. With the positive growth and development of the business, we can’t wait for what 2023 has to offer!

Start your 2023 off right by getting in touch with us today.

21 October 2022 by Hannah Steel 0 Comments

We became ISO Certified for Quality, Environmental & Safety!

GS Contracts is delighted to announce that we have become ISO Certified for Quality, Environmental & Safety.

With a collective effort from the GS team, we underwent an audit by Alcumus ISOQAR for GS Contracts Ltd to become ISO certified.

ISO is the formal recognition of an independent body, that the company operates to international standards set-out to standardise practices in Quality, Environmental and Safety. It streamlines systems and shows that we meet the specific requirements within our management systems.

We achieved ISO standard 9001 for Quality Management, certifying our strong management system, operating procedures and risk management strategies.

We also received a positive certification for ISO 14001, relating to our competence, skills and abilities to carry out procedures whilst avoiding potential environmental impacts.

GS Contracts also received the international standard ISO 45001 for the management of Health and Safety; and have been certified in the reduction of occupational injuries and diseases.

Thanks to the hard work put in by the GS team, we were thrilled to receive the news and announce that we have received a positive recommendation for certification.

If you are searching for a reliable contractor to carry out your future project, why not get in touch today?

Processed with VSCO with a5 preset

The best bits from GS Contracts 2021

2021 has been a busy year full of new opportunities, and with it swiftly coming to an end we wanted to share and celebrate some of our favourite projects and events along the way.

Throughout the year we have worked on some incredible fit-out projects encompassing  some impressive bespoke joinery work, manufactured by our in-house team. Take a look at some of the work we have provided within each quarter.

Quarter 1

We kicked off the first quarter of 2021 to a fantastic start, working with many new clients in various different sectors.

In early February, our team successfully helped bring a first-time shop owner’s vision to reality with men’s retail store, Seven Layer.

Seven Layer Retail Interior
Seven Layer
Acacia Green Room Interior
Acacia Training Offices
Maido Sushi Interior
Maido Sushi
Frescobaldi Interior
Frescobaldi

We later worked in partnership with Gaysha to provide another valued member of the MBH Corporation, Acacia Training, with a brand-new multi-zoned collaborative office space.

Undoubtedly, we have continued strongly in the hospitality sector, carrying out two impressive restaurant fit outs within the first quarter for Maido Sushi and Frescobaldi.

Q1 Joinery

Maido Sushi Interior
Seven Layer Retail Interior
Frescobaldi Interior

Quarter 2

Quarter 2 turned out to be a successful few months with many new concepts and ideas from new and existing clients.

In June we fitted our first ever HIIT Pilates studio for Tempo 301, a unique project we loved watching piece together for our client.

The second quarter also brought us another hospitality fit-out for Colicci located in Chiswick Park, a beautiful project delivered with help from the Article Design team.

Tempo 301 Interior
Tempo 301
Chiswick House Cafe Interior
Colicci Chiswick House Cafe

Located at 325 Upper Street, we successfully provided first-time beauty salon owner Mimi Gaston Kennedy with her very own Pre-Salons.

In June GS Contracts and the Gaysha team completed a luxury, high-end residential fit-out for a client in Sugar Quay, full of bespoke joinery items and overlooking beautiful cityscape views.

To wrap up the end of quarter two- we were lucky enough to fit out Ottolenghi’s latest venture deli in Marylebone.

Pre-Salons
Pre-Salons
Sugar Quay
Sugar Quay
Ottolenghi Marylebone Exterior
Ottolenghi Marylebone

Q2 Joinery

Chiswick House Cafe Interior
Ottolenghi Marylebone

Quarter 3

In Quarter 3, we had two new members join the GS Contracts team.

Steve joined us as an experienced Contracts Manager, managing the general running of live projects. Freddy also joined us as an apprentice in L2 Bench joinery in our workshop.

Gaysha delivered another commercial refurbishment project in Bloomsbury, directly next to the building refurbished back in 2020. Once again, we were able to supply and install the joinery and metalwork for this spectacular project.

New Team Member: Steve Curley
Joined the NAS

Towards the end of quarter 3, we fitted out our clients’ second premises, a Scandinavian wellness store & Café located in the Seven dials food market court.

We were also delighted to have joined the National Association of Shopfitters in September, the UK’s dedicated professional association for shopfitters, fit-out and interior contractors- and are so proud to have featured in their shopfitting excellence week 2021! We are looking forward to working with the association and its fellow members.

Gaysha Bloomsbury Residential Refurb
White Pine Interior
White Pine

Q3 Joinery

White Pine Bespoke Joinery

Quarter 4

Towards the end of the year, we were joined by Peter, another fantastic new team member who can be found in our estimating office.

Within the last quarter of the year, the team successfully delivered one of our continued clients with their third restaurant, El Norte. This Spanish restaurant and bar is certainly a spectacular project to wrap up 2021.

New Team Member: Peter Kelleher
El Norte

With the year drawing to a close, our team and subcontractors are currently on-site delivering a new wine bar in an affluent Kent town, a quirky David Bowie themed bar and recording studio. Ottolenghi’s newest branch in Chelsea, and a marketing suite in the heart of the City of London.

We look forward to sharing the success of these fantastic projects in the New Year

Q4 Joinery

El Norte Interior
El Norte Interior

Looking Forward into 2022

Despite an unsettling start to 2021 due to the uncertainties of the COVID-19 virus, we progressed through the year very positively, getting multiple fantastic jobs over the line.

We want to thank all our clients, subcontractors, designers, and our incredible team for their continued support and hard work this past year.

We are looking forward to 2022 and what it holds, with many exciting new projects on the horizon.

Can our team help you? Give us a call or drop us a line and make our team your team.

An eye for detail brings luxurious results

Occasionally a project comes along which allows us to showcase exactly what GS Contracts can achieve – and Latin American restaurant Zuaya in South Kensington really is one of those. 

 

Although this impressive fit-out was carried out a while ago, we couldn’t resist taking the chance to revisit what turned out to be a really stunning end result. 

Zuaya Interior

With sumptuous décor and a range of luxurious finishes, customers are transported to what feels like a terraced garden in sunnier climes the second they step through the door. 

 

Designed by Harp Interiors, the independent family-owned restaurant is pretty unique. Lush planting features throughout while a sumptuous marble bar is hugged by striking black and white chevron tiling. Ambient lighting and exposed brickwork finish the look. 

 

Venture downstairs to the basement, past a sign in gold neon lettering saying, ‘Welcome to the jungle’ and you will find further seating plus an elegant private dining area.  

Zuaya Interior
Zuaya Interior

Air conditioning, kitchen fitting, bar installation, flooring, and electrics – GS Contracts did the lot, showing just how versatile our team really is.  

 

Luxurious finishes such as the brass trim used between the wallpaper joins bring a high-end feel to the space, while detail such as moss-covered brickwork really make this restaurant stand out from the crowd. 

 

As often happens with the refurbishment of an old building, some hidden issues were discovered while onsite, such as complications with wiring. However, the team quickly and effectively rose to the challenge to get the project back on track. Access was also a quandary that the team had to overcome particularly when getting bespoke joinery work down to the basement area. Fittings had to made and transported in flat pack form or as components to be built on site to tackle this issue. 

Zuaya Interior
Zuaya Interior

Although the fit-out was carried out a while ago the restaurant still looks just as good today as you can see from this recent short film, showing you around.

Alberto and Arian Zandi, the brothers behind Zuaya, came up with the concept as their first step into the restaurant trade. The project was very personal to them and they were keen to ensure every detail was spot on. They were in fact so pleased with the results they invited us back to work on their next venture, Como Garden, which has recently opened next-door! You can read more about Como Garden here

Can our team help you? Give us a call or drop us a line and make our team your team.