“We don’t just create spaces,we create experiences”
Sammy Forway of Abode Well Design and Build tells Eileen Leahy about his bespoke building business which creates the most stunning, sustainable and aesthetically-driven outdoor spaces, which include alfresco kitchens, gyms, pergolas, swimming pools and spas…
Since Covid, our outdoor spaces have become somewhere so much more than just a garden. For many they are now a place to seek relaxation, to entertain friends and where we can also help reset both our physical and mental wellbeing.
And there’s one local company who has tapped into this mindset and is now creating the most aesthetically pleasing yet functional buildings to enhance not only our gardens but our sense of self too.
I’m talking about Abode Well Design and Build which is the brainchild of Tunbridge Wells resident Sammy Forway. For the past year he and his team have been crafting the most stunning spaces made out of sustainable materials that harmonise with their outdoor surroundings.
This could be an alfresco kitchen, a state-of-the-art sauna or a custom-built bar using elements of your choice such as shipping containers, Scandinavian wood and Deponti glass to name but a few. The team will also source and supply all the relevant elements such as state-of-the-art cooking equipment, heating and lighting.
“At Abode Well, we blend timeless design with modern innovation to create environments where style meets purpose and enriches the way people connect with nature,” Sammy tells me over a coffee on The Pantiles.
Sammy’s background has been in hospitality and the creative arts for many years but he has always strived to do things differently.
“I had a restaurant, gallery and gig venue called The Underdog near London Bridge for 16 years and then went on to run a pop-up restaurant in Essex which was built out of reconditioned shipping containers. Everyone loved the industrial chic look of the place and that really piqued my interest in how I could develop this concept further,” explains Sammy.
“I’ve always been interested in the outdoor lifestyle – I love cooking and BBQing – but I could also see there was an emerging trend for wellness post the pandemic too. More people were either investing in or visiting retreats with ice baths, outdoor showers and saunas so I thought ‘why don’t I see if I can do those myself’.”
But Sammy’s flow of ideas didn’t just stop there: “When we were building the restaurant, the summer was absolutely scorching, and it didn’t rain for over 8 weeks, that’s when we had the idea to cut off thew roof of the container and fill with water, so we could cool down. That’s where the idea was born.”
The bespoke CUBE pools, which only take a day to install, have proved to be enormously popular, and like the other outdoor buildings Sammy and his team specialise in, they are constructed and customised to your personal taste.
Sammy adds, that even if you don’t have acres of land they will still be able to create something for you – whatever the size of your space. And the containers themselves can be adapted to whatever your needs are.
“We design from the ground up and can make garden offices, lodges, gyms or our special Qube and QUBit saunas for example. Our USP is that we artfully blend modern sophistication with natural, rustic elements. We can transform and elevate outdoor areas into year-round extensions of the home, combining state-of-the-art cooking utilities, thoughtfully curated furniture, and wellbeing features.”
The team offers a free consultation to talk about plans and then if they get the green light from a new client they will use their highly sophisticated Augmented Reality technology to show them how their project will develop and eventually look like.
And Sammy says they will also work in any setting. “We’ve done builds in urban areas but also in period farmhouses and each one looks magnificent.”
There are just four in the Abode Well Design team but that number obviously expands when they commission experienced contractors and skilled tradespeople for their builds. Sammy says they are bracing themselves for a busy period heading towards the summer and if people are interested then they should get involved sooner rather than later.
Ultimately Sammy wants a dedicated space where he can showcase all Abode Well’s offerings and to also move into the corporate area building for golf clubs and hotels. Given Sammy’s palpable passion for what he does I have every faith he will achieve this.
Before we wind up our conversation I ask him what he enjoys most about his job. Sammy is quick to respond: “The process of the whole design and of making something that people actually want and are going to use. At Abode Well, we don’t just create spaces; we create experiences.”
Website: abodewelldesignandbuild.com
Tel: 01892 328122
Email: info@abodewelldesignandbuild.com
