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DECORATING | PROFILE

and wall panels in materials that include plaster, resin,
fibreglass and metal. ‘It is hard to appreciate the potential of
what we do. Basically, we can mould anything in any material.’
The company’s impressive portfolio shows at least some
of what can be achieved. This ranges from a faceted resin
soundproof listening booth, which was commissioned by the
architecture firm Gensler for the Harman audio shop in New
York, to an intricate plaster wall frieze created for a house in
London, featuring twisting branches and leaves, leaping
horses and even the owner’s corgi.
One of Jake’s favourite commissions was from the interior
designer Russell Sage, who wanted a non-repeating metal wall
featuring the shapes of medical curiosities for The Hospital
Club, a members club in Covent Garden. ‘We gathered
bottles, stethoscopes, anatomical models, saws, apothecary
drawers and so on, and used them to create rubber moulds.
We then created more rubber moulds to sit inside the base
moulds, as Russell wanted some pieces in relief and others
to stand out, so there was a back and forth of textures,’
explains Jake. ‘We worked closely with Russell and his team CLOCKWISE FROM
throughout. All our projects are collaborations.’ ABOVE Jake in the
Surprisingly, Jake’s background is in sport rather than upstairs studio at the
art. He studied philosophy at the University of London, where workshop working on a
he also played and coached basketball. This developed into wax sample. A detail of
a career as a coach and talent scout, which took him to the US. a resin ‘Snow Wall’; the
‘One day I thought: “What am I doing? I am wasting my life.” ’ finished product is in the
So he moved to his parents’ house in France and started making Aspen by Kempinski cafe
furniture. It was a radical change of lifestyle, but for Jake, who in Dubai. A Solomon & Wu
had always sculpted in his free time, it felt like a logical one. craftsman prepares the
During this period he visited the Louvre, where he became surface patina for a bronze
fascinated by the cornices and architraves. ‘They are so elab- front desk, to be used
orate and beautiful. They bring an amazing sense of grandeur in New York’s W Hotel.
to the rooms. I wondered why modern buildings were not A rubber mould for the
given these architectural details.’ Six months later, he had base of a McQueen panel
taught himself to make plaster castings, and designed his
range of modern, architectural mouldings. They were
launched during London Design Festival in 2010 at a gallery
in King’s Cross and at Decorex, where they were spotted by
Simon Rawlings, creative director of David Collins Studio.
Some months and a number of residential commissions
later, Jake received a call from Simon asking if he could help
with something urgent. ‘I didn’t know this then, but he had
tried everyone else already,’ says Jake. The project was a
sample panel for the flagship Alexander McQueen menswear
shop on Savile Row.
It was the start of an extremely fruitful relationship. For
that shop alone, Solomon & Wu created a further 15 products,
including door handles, coat hooks and cornices, and went on
to fit out a further 80 stores worldwide. The company also
worked with David Collins Studio to design the shoe depart-
ment of Harrods, the largest refit in the department store’s
history. ‘In many ways, the collaboration with David Collins
Studio has driven the business,’ says Jake. ‘It enabled us to set
up our current workshop in Welwyn Garden City, which
employs 15 craftspeople.
‘I must say that at the start at every new project I have
no idea how we are going to do it. But it just shows nothing is
that difficult if you try hard enough’
Solomon & Wu: 01707-707423; solomonandwu.com

86 NOVEMBER 2015 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK