From our clients...

By their own admission, Julie and Ian Williams were going around in circles trying to find inspiration for their new kitchen; that was until they came across the team at Kitchens By Design. Then everything became clear.

Could you tell me a little about you and your family, and also about your home – in particular, describe the existing kitchen before the makeover?

The existing kitchen was the original in a 80s-style house that we’d been living in for two years. We always knew a new kitchen was on the shopping list, and we’d got to the point where it was looking old, and our girls were getting bigger – we weren’t a family with little kids any more. We needed to do something; the kitchen wasn’t working for us, but we didn’t know what we wanted or where to go.

How did you come across Kitchens By Design, and why did you choose them to design your new kitchen?

We found them online, but it was their showroom that clinched it for us. It was very impressive – chalk and cheese compared to the others we visited. We started speaking to Jane [Fergusson], one of the designers there, and she immediately got who we were and what we were trying to achieve. We clicked straight away. Jane made it easy for us to visualise what our new kitchen could look like.

What was your brief to the designer, and how did it evolve?

There wasn’t much of a brief, really (laughs). We told her that we liked open shelving, and that we wanted a bit of wood in the new kitchen, and also somewhere to have a casual meal. Jane then asked us lots of question about how we lived, cooked and used the kitchen. She was the only one that did that of all the people we spoke to.

Jane then came up with three different concepts – one was the original footprint, upgraded, the other was a partial change, the third was a complete change with all the bells and whistles… and that’s the one we went for.

What are the most memorable moments of the process?

Seeing the mood board for the first time, with all the samples of colours and materials, that was exciting. Also, choosing the benchtop material, then selecting each slab individually before they were templated, so we could see where the veining would appear on the final benchtop. That was a special service.

What are your favourite parts of the new kitchen?

We both really love the bamboo breakfast bar – that was Jane’s choice. We never thought of using bamboo, but it gave us the touch of wood we asked for. It’s also a very durable and hardwearing material, which is ideal for the counter top.

The window seat is wonderful (Julie). It’s completely changed how I use the kitchen, because I can now lounge in the kitchen. Our daughters can hang out there, too. It’s great in the morning because it catches all the sun. We also love our new scullery.

How did you find the experience of working with Kitchens By Design?

In a word… easy. Jane was great to communicate with, and she listened and ran with any ideas we had. Everything was so well planned out – she just instinctively knew where everything should go. Also, the whole team at Kitchens By Design fought our corner through the whole process, ensuring everything was done properly and we got exactly what we wanted, which saved us time and energy. They were definitely value for money.

In the end it comes down to trust. We trusted Jane and went with what she recommended, and it worked out really well. The kitchen speaks for itself, just look at it!