Repair Design Furniture

English telephone booths. London style in the interior. Red telephone booth in the interior Mockup of an English telephone booth

Red telephone booths in Great Britain are street public telephone booths that have become a symbol of the country. They can be found not only in Great Britain - especially in London or somewhere in the outback - but also in the "sponsored" territories of the kingdom, in the former colonies - in Malta, Bermuda, and Gibraltar. Since 1926, telephone booths have been adorned with the Tudor crown, symbolizing British rule. It was first performed in the Kiosk version No.2, or simply K2, invented by the architect Giles Gilbert Scott.

Giles Gilbert Scott belonged to the Scottish architectural dynasty and was the grandson of the great Victorian architect Sir George Gilbert Scott (Albert Memorial, St Pancras Station, Foreign Office building). Giles Scott became famous for not as well-known buildings as his grandfather, but he still implemented several iconic projects: the Battersea power plant in London, the Cambridge University library, Claire College, Liverpool Anglican Cathedral. Worldwide fame was brought to him, perhaps, by two small buildings, replicated throughout the 20th century - the telephone booths K2 (first place in a competition organized in 1924; the results were summed up in 1926) and K6 (project of 1935).

The telephone booths are painted a bright red, "red currant" color so that they can be easily spotted on the street. Kiosk dome - distinctive feature Scott's projects - is a direct reminiscence of the family crypt of Sir John Soane, the most prominent Palladian architect of the Georgian era and the regency period (built a large-scale Bank of England in London). Scott was a fan of Soane and a trustee of his museum in London.

The traditional style kiosks were modern and functional for their time. A sophisticated ventilation system was installed in the dome (perforated holes). The glasses were divided into small parts (18 glasses on three sides) for quick replacement in case of breakage. Initially, Scott proposed to design the K2 kiosk as light construction made of duck egg blue mild steel, but the customer, the British Post Office, insisted on cast iron and red. It is noteworthy that the inhabitants of the countryside asked to repaint the red stalls, like a scarecrow in the field, in green color- and somewhere this requirement was fulfilled (now it is a great success to find such options).

Kiosk K6 is a modernized version made by Scott in 1935 to celebrate King George V's 25th birthday on the throne. For this reason, the K6 is sometimes called the "anniversary" booth. This kiosk is smaller and lighter than its “big brother” K2 (height 2.51 m versus 2.82 m; width 0.9 m versus 1.07 m; weight 0.69 tonnes versus 1.27 tonnes) and cheaper to manufacture. Doors with cup handles are made of teak wood, the base is made of concrete, the main structures are made of cast iron. In addition, here already the Tudor crown on the dome is not metal plate with ventilation holes, as in the K2 project, but in the form of a bas-relief without holes. The ventilation is hidden under a matte illuminated sign. The distribution of windows has been changed: instead of 6 glass rows in K2 there are already 8, the central windows are enlarged for better lighting... In general, the project corresponds to the spirit of the time when Art Deco was popular in England (modernism in the 1930s was difficult to take root on the Islands): the appearance of the kiosk is laconic, simple and with a minimal set of classic details.

K6 is the most replicated version of telephone booths in Great Britain: in 1935-1968 about 60 000 copies were installed (for comparison, K2 - about 1700 units). These red kiosks were widely used outside London and became the symbols of the country. In London, a working original, for example, can be found near the Royal Academy of Arts, but most of the booths are no longer used for their intended purpose.

Red Kiosk at the Royal Academy of Arts

is based on typical associative series associated with the main city of England. What causes the indispensable association with London? Red telephone box, British flag, London policeman, Big Ben, London double decker (double-decker bus), Tower Bridge. Proper use of these symbols of London will definitely help you create a memorable and bright interior in London style. I must say right away that the traditional English style in the interior, a much more conservative direction, which practically does not intersect with what is commonly called the London style.

Interior design depends on many little things, and only a few manage to make it the way they envisioned it without the help of professionals. Most should still turn to those for whom the creation of unique residential interiors is not just a hobby. If you are a fan of England, then the legendary red telephone booth in the interior will certainly tell your guests about it. There are various home decorations that look like a phone booth: book holders, clocks, and mugs, but there are many other ways, including examples using stylized doors, sofas, wall decals.

London Style Vinyl Wall Decal Examples

We can say that the legendary double-decker bus is a win-win option for interior decoration in London style. A wall sticker with his image will revive and diversify the design of a living or office room. Huge selection colors of the sticker will allow you to choose it for any interior. Price: 620 rubles for a sticker size 492 X 600 mm. You can buy.

Big Ben is another well-known symbol of London. A vinyl wall decal with his image will be appropriate when decorating a living space in a London style. Price: 1689 rubles. You can order.

This red door from a telephone booth needs little introduction. Price: 771 rubles. The most different colors for order. You can buy.

In addition to walls, you can also decorate a door with a sticker. It is possible to choose one of 24 different colors. Price: 2237 rubles. To order .

In addition to living rooms, the kitchen can be decorated in a London style. Stunning fridge stickers featuring the British flag, the iconic telephone booth or the silhouette of London will transform your interior beyond recognition! A large selection of magnetic and vinyl refrigerator stickers, including images of London, can be found at stickerdecor.ru.

Examples of London Style Magnetic and Vinyl Refrigerator Stickers

Stylish magnetic panel sticker for the British flag refrigerator. Can be placed on the front door of the refrigerator or on the side walls. Price: 1500 rubles. For sale.

Telephone booth and London streets. Excellent solution for decoration modern kitchen... Refrigerator magnetic panels are quite durable, because their thickness is 0.5 mm. Price: 1500 rubles. You can buy.

Magnetic sticker on the refrigerator with a picture of London and a red double-decker bus. Especially suitable for high-tech kitchens. Price: 1500 rubles. You can order.

One more interesting option refrigerator design. Price: 1500 rubles. You can order.

But this London telephone booth is no longer a magnetic panel, but vinyl sticker... Its advantage is big choice available colors for ordering. Depending on the design of your kitchen, you can choose not just a red booth, but for example, green, purple, yellow or any other. Due to the fact that the picture of the booth itself is made very accurately and the picture itself is easily recognizable, any color of this sticker will be appropriate. Price: 1960 rubles. You can buy.

Stylish interior items in London style can be found here, and.


British Flag newspaper rack. Size 34 x 17 x 32 cm. For sale.

Wardrobe system "Red Telephone Booth". Height 156 cm.

Pouf box made of artificial leather for storage. Maximum load up to 200 kg. Dimensions: 38 x 38 x 38.

Piggy bank in the form of a red telephone box. ... Material: rubber.

Stylish, practical and inexpensive quartz movement Wall Clock"England". Body material: wood. Price:.

A sleek magazine rack with a British flag and light wood legs. Elegant and functional.

Or the same, but with a London-style print.

Bar-cabinet in the form of a legendary red telephone booth from the Maitland Smith brand. Production: France. Price: 573.300 rubles.

Royal mahogany CHAIR-CHAIR. Brand - Deco-Home. Price: 29.472 rubles.

Interesting life-size mirror in the form of a London booth door. Brand: Kare. Production: Germany. Product height: 210.5 cm. Price: 25.740 rubles.

A completely charming chest of drawers made of wood painted in the shape of the British flag. Although not a booth, such a chest of drawers very accurately helps to create the desired British atmosphere. Brand: Charleroi, France.


Red telephone booths (public telephone kiosks) were designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and can be seen in many places throughout the UK, and in current or former British colonies around the world. But traditionally, this is the symbol of London. The color red was not chosen by chance, it is it that is easy to notice in the dark, and in the almost constant London fog. London style in the interior is unthinkable without this booth.

Replicas of K6 red telephone kiosks are made in the form of TVs, bookcases, teapots, teapots, doors, sofas and many other items, and are popular around the world as an installation in places such as bars, restaurants and offices. Many people order vinyl with the British flag, and other symbols of England and London.

There are several quintessentially British looks that seem to be instantly recognizable around the world. Queen, The Beatles, London Double Decker Bus, London Taxi, London Card and Red Telephone Box, all part of British heritage and universally loved by Britons and visitors alike.


We can hardly be mistaken if we suppose that the mention of London makes your imagination draw a gloomy landscape, covered with gray haze, through which the spire of the Elizabeth Tower peeps through. The overall bleak picture is enlivened only by the bright red double-decker omnibuses scurrying through the streets. Apparently, precisely because of the increased "nebula" of Albion, the British, acting contrary to their love for restrained tones, always tried to give the key objects of their capital expressive colors: just so that they were elementary visible. Along with the bus, another element of London's urban environment was destined to “dress” in scarlet: it became an English telephone booth, which later turned from an ordinary utilitarian thing into a recognizable symbol of England.

So, the red booth, intended for private telephone conversations, now ousted from the streets of London by mobile communications, migrated into the interiors, falling under the scrutiny of folk craftsmen. And no wonder - such an exclusive thing is difficult to manufacture, you cannot launch it into a series: furniture manufacturers rarely include this interior attribute in their "price list". The popularity of the London rarity is consistently high, especially among restaurateurs and adherents of design with kitsch elements. What can we recommend for those who set out to make an English telephone booth with their own hands?

"Reincarnation" of an English telephone booth in interior design

The red telephone booth, created in the distant 1920s for clearly defined purposes, in most cases continues to be used in the same way: it is installed in offices, restaurants, bars and other public places, equipping a chamber meeting area. The only difference is that the London payphone used to be an exterior detail, but now it demonstrates its worth as an interior accessory. However, the introduction of such an accent spot as a scarlet booth into the interior space requires a certain delicacy - only a few styles will match it. In its “native” shade, the London kiosk harmoniously interacts with designs in Retro, Vintage, Pop Art and Steampunk styles, in brownish woody - with Neoclassicism and Modernity.

Despite the once set operating model, creative thought has found many more uses for the English telephone booth. Showers and columns for built-in refrigerators, bookcases and wardrobes, cupboards, bars and showcases - the lattice structure of the booth looks impressive in any interpretation. By turning the red telephone box over to one of the side faces, you can build an extravagant chest of drawers, a curbstone and even a frame for upholstered furniture... The most affordable way to organically incorporate a London replica into the interior is to install interior door red with a crate, typical for an English payphone.

Another well-known technique, widely used in interior design to achieve expression, is changing the usual scale of objects for decorative purposes. Agree, a lamp in the form of a telephone booth will look quite unusual - a miniature analogue of a carmine payphone can take the form of a night light, a sconce or a ceiling suspension. The significant mass of glazing laid in the London kiosk serves as a good base for the chandelier shade to work perfectly in the light, scattering the rays emanating from the light bulb.

English telephone booth with your own hands: what to make of

Although the first London kiosks were cast in cast iron, an English payphone is often found in the interior. wooden structure, less often - metal. For home production booths with optimal types of wood - inexpensive and easy to process - can be called pine, alder, cedar, birch. A phone booth made of oak or ash will cost more, and it will be difficult to manufacture, but it will have a solid appearance. It is especially important to choose a breed that is beautiful in texture in the event that it is planned topcoat varnish, wax or oil, and not painting the box in scarlet color. but paints and varnishes that emphasize the natural structure of wood, require filigree grinding of the details, otherwise all surface imperfections will appear doubly. Decorative coating booths in red is an easier version, but it is not so simple either: small roughness and burrs under a layer of paint will turn into an unsightly fringe.

English telephone booth with your own hands: difficult moments of detailing and assembly

As with the manufacture of any other joinery, you need to start work on a London payphone with a drawing. All constructions of its parts are best performed on a scale of 1:10: the format is optimal for designing small structural units. Of course, it is advisable to have at least the slightest drawing skill, otherwise, on paper, the difficult configuration of the booth risks turning into a puzzle for you, creating additional complex moments. Concerning design features English telephone box, then its supporting elements are the walls, consisting of a strapping, a lower panel and glazing, assembled from upright and transverse wooden bars.

To form a connection in the inner ends of the vertical parts of the strapping, grooves are selected, and the jumpers are provided with elongated spikes (ridges). Flat combs, which are traditionally used for assembling cabinet furniture, can be replaced with plug-in cylindrical dowels. The most difficult thing in the procedure for making a “groove-comb” interface is to achieve an exact match of the mating parts, that is, so that the comb fits tightly into the groove, without backlash. Perfect lapping of the connecting elements at the time of assembly of the product is possible only if used at the stage of their groove professional tool- double-sided cutter.

Another difficulty in the process of assembling the sides of a telephone booth is making recesses for installing a panel in the strapping jumpers. The crest of the infill should not rest against the bottom of the groove, for which the ends and edges of the infill itself undergo long-term processing with a special cutter. It is also not easy to carefully tuck the glass into the box trim: the glazing element is inserted into the quarter, which is performed hand milling cutter on the inner edge of the strips after assembly and gluing of all structural parts.

As a rule, curly layouts - glazing beads - are used to fix the glasses in the quarters, which are nailed to the side frame with small nails; This is not an easy matter, since you can split the bar itself and spoil the harness. It is also important to adjust the layout to the quarter exactly, without gaps. If, however, the lattice structure of the slats is glued directly onto the glass - to create the appearance of an internal binding - then with back side the sidewalls will need exactly the same detail, otherwise the glue spots peering through the glass will not look very aesthetically pleasing.

Do-it-yourself English telephone booth: a budget option for making door leaves

Looking at the red telephone booth without bias, you will notice that its walls exactly resemble paneled doors - this is the clue that will allow you to make an imitation of a London relic with the least effort. In the absence of professional tools, without which the manufacture of a conference booth is actually doomed to failure, you can use ready-made door leaves with a lathing pattern reminiscent of a classic London payphone of the 1920s. With such a cunning version of assembling an English telephone booth with your own hands, you will only have to make a base in the form of a base, then install and rigidly connect three doors with confirmations, cover the structure with a lid, and fill in the opening door frame, and put the fourth canvas on the hinges - a budget option ready. If you wish, in order to make the result of your architecture more similar to the original, the roof of the structure can be decorated with semicircular pediments, the booth can be painted crimson, the image of the English crown and the white inscription "TELEPHONE" can be stencilled.

We hope our tips will help you in making an English telephone booth with your own hands. If you don’t find time, tools, premises or just a desire for this, you can always order this stylish item interior by our specialists.

We can hardly be mistaken if we suppose that the mention of London makes your imagination draw a gloomy landscape, covered with gray haze, through which the spire of the Elizabeth Tower peeps through. The overall bleak picture is enlivened only by the bright red double-decker omnibuses scurrying through the streets. Apparently, precisely because of the increased "nebula" of Albion, the British, acting contrary to their love for restrained tones, always tried to give the key objects of their capital expressive colors: just so that they were elementary visible. Along with the bus, another element of London's urban environment was destined to “dress” in scarlet: it became an English telephone booth, which later turned from an ordinary utilitarian thing into a recognizable symbol of England.


So, the red booth, intended for private telephone conversations, now ousted from the streets of London by mobile communications, migrated into the interiors, falling under the scrutiny of folk craftsmen. And no wonder - such an exclusive thing is difficult to manufacture, you cannot launch it into a series: furniture manufacturers rarely include this interior attribute in their "price list". The popularity of the London rarity is consistently high, especially among restaurateurs and adherents of design with kitsch elements. What can we recommend for those who set out to make an English telephone booth with their own hands?

"Reincarnation" of an English telephone booth in interior design

The red telephone booth, created in the distant 1920s for clearly defined purposes, in most cases continues to be used in the same way: it is installed in offices, restaurants, bars and other public places, equipping a chamber meeting area. The only difference is that the London payphone used to be an exterior detail, but now it demonstrates its worth as an interior accessory. However, the introduction of such an accent spot as a scarlet booth into the interior space requires a certain delicacy - only a few styles will match it. In its "native" shade, the London kiosk harmoniously interacts with designs in Retro, Vintage, Pop Art and Steampunk styles, in a brownish woody - with Neoclassicism and Modernity.

Despite the once set operating model, creative thought has found many more uses for the English telephone booth. Showers and columns for built-in refrigerators, bookcases and wardrobes, cupboards, bars and showcases - the lattice structure of the booth looks impressive in any interpretation. By turning the red telephone box over to one of the side faces, you can build an extravagant chest of drawers, a curbstone and even a frame for upholstered furniture. The most affordable way to organically incorporate a London replica into the interior is to install a red interior door with a crate characteristic of an English payphone.

Another well-known technique, widely used in interior design to achieve expression, is changing the usual scale of objects for decorative purposes. Agree, a lamp in the form of a telephone booth will look quite unusual - a miniature analogue of a carmine payphone can take the form of a night light, a sconce or a ceiling suspension. The significant mass of glazing laid in the London kiosk serves as a good base for the chandelier shade to work perfectly in the light, scattering the rays emanating from the light bulb.

English telephone booth with your own hands: what to make of

Although the first London kiosks were cast from cast iron, in the interior you can often find an English payphone of a wooden structure, less often of a metal one. For home production of booths, the optimal types of wood - inexpensive and easy to process - can be called pine, alder, cedar, birch. A phone booth made of oak or ash will cost more, and it will be difficult to manufacture, but it will have a solid appearance. It is especially important to choose a breed that is beautiful in texture in the case when you plan to finish coating with varnish, wax or oil, and not paint the box in a scarlet color. However, paints and varnishes that emphasize the natural structure of wood require filigree grinding of the details, otherwise all surface imperfections will appear doubly. The decorative coating of the booth in red is an easier option, but it is not so simple either: small roughness and burrs under a layer of paint will turn into an unsightly fringe.

English telephone booth with your own hands: difficult moments of detailing and assembly

As with any other joinery, you need to start working on a London payphone with a blueprint. All constructions of its parts are best performed on a scale of 1:10: the format is optimal for designing small structural units. Of course, it is advisable to have at least the slightest drawing skill, otherwise, on paper, the difficult configuration of the booth risks turning into a puzzle for you, creating additional complex moments. As for the structural features of the English telephone box, its load-bearing elements are the walls, consisting of a strapping, a lower panel and glazing, assembled from upright and transverse wooden bars.

To form a connection in the inner ends of the vertical parts of the strapping, grooves are selected, and the jumpers are provided with elongated spikes (ridges). Flat combs, which are traditionally used for assembling cabinet furniture, can be replaced with inserted cylindrical dowels. The most difficult thing in the procedure for making a “groove-comb” interface is to achieve an exact match of the mating parts, that is, so that the comb fits tightly into the groove, without backlash. Ideal lapping of the connecting elements at the time of assembly of the product is possible only if a professional tool is used at the stage of their groove - a double-sided cutter.

Another difficulty in the process of assembling the sides of a telephone booth is making recesses for installing a panel in the strapping jumpers. The crest of the infill should not rest against the bottom of the groove, for which the ends and edges of the infill itself undergo long-term processing with a special cutter. It is also not easy to carefully tuck the glass into the box trim: the glazing element is inserted into a quarter, which is performed with a hand mill on the inner edge of the slats after assembly and gluing of all structural parts.

As a rule, curly layouts - glazing beads - are used to fix the glasses in the quarters, which are nailed to the side frame with small nails; This is not an easy matter, since you can split the bar itself and spoil the harness. It is also important to adjust the layout to the quarter exactly, without gaps. If you stick the lattice structure of slats directly onto the glass - to create the appearance of an internal binding - then exactly the same detail will be needed on the back of the sidewall, otherwise the glue spots looking through the glass will not look very aesthetically pleasing.

Do-it-yourself English telephone booth: a budget option for making door leaves

Looking at the red telephone booth without bias, you will notice that its walls exactly resemble paneled doors - this is the clue that will allow you to make an imitation of a London relic with the least effort. In the absence of professional tools, without which the manufacture of a conference booth is actually doomed to failure, you can use ready-made door leaves with a crate, according to the pattern, reminiscent of a classic London payphone of the 20s. With such a clever version of assembling an English telephone booth with your own hands, you will only have to make a base in the form of a base, then install and rigidly connect three doors with confirmations, cover the structure with a lid, tuck the door frame into the opening, and put the fourth canvas on the hinges - the budget option is ready. If you wish, in order to make the result of your architecture more similar to the original, the roof of the structure can be decorated with semicircular pediments, the booth can be painted crimson, the image of the English crown and the white inscription "TELEPHONE" can be stencilled.