Built for London Life: Behind the Scenes

A kitchen unit. Seven London landmarks. One day. What could possibly go wrong?...

If you’ve already read Kitchen Sink Dramas with Ladbroke Wolferton-Green, you’ll know how our latest London adventure looked from the kitchen’s point of view.

This, however, is what actually happened.

After the success of our “speakeasy” stunt, we decided to raise the stakes. This time, we wouldn’t just be wheeling a cocktail cabinet across Mayfair. We’d be taking a full Naked Kitchens sink unit — complete with Belfast sink, Quooker tap and solid Wolferton Green cabinetry — on a whistle-stop tour of central London’s most iconic landmarks.

Yes, we were slightly concerned about the weight. And permissions. And the reaction of armed police. But we set the alarm for 4:30am and did it anyway. Here’s how it went…

The plan

The team met at 5:00am and started with the Houses of Parliament. From there, it was a full-day route through:

• Westminster
• Buckingham Palace
• Trafalgar Square
• Covent Garden (didn't go well. We'll get to that.)
• Tower Bridge
• Millennium Bridge
• Abbey Road
• Primrose Hill... and home to Norfolk

The unit travelled in a van with Lyam and Eddie. The rest of the team — Alex, Olly, India and photographer David — followed by Lime bike and on foot, dodging security guards, tourists, and the occasional suspicious pigeon.

About the unit

This wasn’t a prop. The kitchen unit was a real, fully constructed sink cabinet — built exactly as it would be for a client. No shortcuts.

• Door style: Ladbroke
• Finish: Wolferton Green
• Tap: Quooker Fusion in rose copper
• Sink: Shaws single Belfast (very heavy)

We’d screwed the doors shut to stop them swinging open mid-shot. The face frame could be removed and reattached easily between locations. The whole thing came through the day in remarkably good shape — aside from a few scuffs, which we’re choosing to see as “London patina.”

The shoot - location by location

Houses of Parliament – 5:00am

We started early, while the streets were quiet and the light was soft.

The troop of armed police passing by were curious. “Is this legal?” one asked. “Yes!” replied Alex, confidently. That seemed to do the trick. We took the shot and moved on before anyone with a gun changed their mind.

Buckingham Palace – 5:56am

The team rolled up the unit directly outside the palace gates. This time, security were a little more involved.

“What’s in the cabinet?” they asked. “Not explosives,” we replied. They let us carry on — with strict instructions to be quick. We tried.

Trafalgar Square – 7:05am

The plan was to grab a quick shot before the crowds built up. Unfortunately, we parked (innocently) outside the Canadian embassy… in a zone marked for diplomatic vehicles only.

A member of Canadian Special Forces emerged, admired the cabinetry, and very politely asked us to move along. We obliged, as soon as the by now slightly less-than-Zen Eddie managed to free himself from the back of the van, where he’d become unfortunately wedged.

Covent Garden (aborted) – 7:30am

This one never quite happened. It turns out the central square is private land — and we were stopped before we had time to explain that the unit had excellent joinery and a charming rose copper tap.

We backed out gracefully.

Tower Bridge – 8:15am

Tower Bridge was always going to be one of the standout locations — high profile, instantly recognisable, and logistically a little more complex.

We took our time setting up, navigating early foot traffic and choosing the right position. The unit looked right at home once in place — classic lines against a classic backdrop.

Just as we finished shooting, the bridge began to lift. Complete coincidence — but also incredible luck. None of us had ever actually seen it raised before. The kitchen took full credit, of course.

Millennium Bridge – 10:10am

This one required a long, long, long, painful push through pedestrian traffic. The unit was positioned halfway across the bridge, with the dome of St Paul’s perfectly aligned in the background.

David jumped into the path of commuters six times to get the shot. Sorry everyone.

At this point it was starting to feel like a long day, although it was still only mid-morning…

Abbey Road – 11:20am

Timing was everything for this one. We wheeled the unit into position several times between bursts of traffic, dodging a steady stream of Beatles fans recreating the famous crossing, and politely waving at a number of very patient drivers, who gave plenty of friendly beeps to applaud our efforts.

Just to be clear – in the final shot the team is ducked out of sight behind the unit – we didn’t actually leave a kitchen in the middle of the road.

Primrose Hill – 1:45pm

Our final stop — and a fitting one.

After a full morning of navigating traffic, security, and shifting weather, Primrose Hill offered some welcome calm. The push to the top wasn’t easy (the Belfast sink was still very much in place), but the view made it worthwhile.

Once the last photo was taken, the team sat on the grass, had a quiet beer, and chatted to a few curious passers-by — one of whom already followed us on Instagram.

A rare moment of stillness. The unit didn’t say much, but we’re fairly sure it was enjoying itself.

What we learned

The unit held up. The team held up. And we got the shots we wanted, without breaking anything (or anyone).

As for the idea itself — yes, it was ambitious. But it proved what we already knew: Naked Kitchens units are made to last, and not just in styled showrooms. They’re strong, solid, and built for the real world — even if that world involves cobbles, crowds, and a 5am security check.

The question now is: where next?

The workshop team have a few ideas. Some of them are even vaguely sensible...

Follow Naked Kitchens on Instagram @nakedkitchens for more kitchen sink drama and adventure!