In the past people used to use the Yellow Pages – but as you know they only include local firms, and only those that choose to advertise. However you may need to travel across a few counties to find a luxury bespoke kitchen of your dreams.

Google Search is a fantastic tool – from there you can try and find kitchen planners, designers and kitchen manufacturers to satisfy your specific needs.

Of course Google Search shows pages and pages of kitchen companies, so if you are looking for specially made exclusive or bespoke kitchens – custom designed exactly to suit the period of your home and your desires – you need to make your search more specific.

Search using “bespoke kitchens” – rather than “kitchen company”, use “luxury traditional kitchens” rather than “kitchen shop”. Use “hand painted Edwardian kitchen” rather than “period kitchens”, etc.

Back to “How far would you travel for your perfect kitchen?” My personal opinion is that if you want a greater choice of say “exclusive kitchens” or “Victorian handmade kitchens” or “bespoke kitchens”, then you need to be prepared to travel a few hours. After all, real handmade bespoke kitchens are built to last a lifetime and should create fantastic memories over many years – so well worth putting in some traveling time.

Saving money without compromising quality is another reason you may wish to travel a bit to find a bespoke kitchen that suits you and your home. This is indeed true if you live in relatively more expensive London or the South East. You will be surprised how much you can save if you commission a Midlands kitchen firm with lower overheads (like us, for example) – thousands rather than just hundreds of pounds. See “Why Broadway Kitchens” page to see why our prices are sensible.

Buying kitchens direct from a manufacturer can also save you money. In the past our family business only ever supplied kitchens to retail outlets; we made the decision to supply direct to the pubic some 30 years ago and so glad we did. It has been a win-win situation – we’re paid sooner and get the immense satisfaction of working very closely with customers to ensure they get exactly the bespoke kitchens they want, and our customers get the same great quality craftsmanship along with great savings.

I know I am clearly biased towards Broadway Kitchens, but the truth is with any big ticket purchase its worth traveling a bit to not only find a specific kind of kitchen firm but also to get value for money. If you are traveling some distance to visit our showroom, please call us in advance and we’ll arrange a light lunch, without any obligation.

Feel free to give us a call anytime – for advice about bespoke kitchens, the various kitchen designs, styles, materials and finishes, to get a competitive quote or arrange a design consultation.

Satt Sembhy,

Broadway Kitchens MD and Senior Kitchen Designer

(The above photo-realistic image was produced by 20-20 Fusion – the cutting edge 3D kitchen design software we use with all Broadway customers)

Naturally none of us want to feel that we are paying over the top with any purchase, especially with high priced ticket items such as luxury fitted kitchens. From showroom to showroom we see a vast array of kitchen displays and then we hone in to particular kitchen styles and finishes which attract us. We then short list a few companies many of which offer to design the kitchen of our dreams, normally “free of charge”. Our busy schedules mean that we put our trust in the kitchen planners.

This can be a good first step but beware.

Normally the kitchen designs/drawings look spectacular on paper or in 3D design software. You feel great that you have chosen the style of your kitchen along with the worktops, sink, taps, oven, hob, extractor hood, fridge, freezer, dishwasher and your particular choice of handles. Now that you have done that, you look forward to the hassle free installation.”Wow”, you say to yourself and put your trust in the chosen retailer to deliver 100% of their promises!

In order for the above scenario to become your reality one must ensure that crucial steps are taken.

One of these important steps is to allow no less than 5 hours of time and effort towards choosing the right kitchen and the right kitchen company.

In many cases it is not the chosen kitchen manufacturer that you buy from but rather the kitchen planner who’s representing them. Don’t go into a kitchen showroom with dimensions and walk out having left a deposit with the confidence that all your choices are correct or suitable (in terms of choice of cupboards, worktops, sink, taps, oven, fridge, freezer, etc). Salespeople can be very persuasive, especially if their commission depends on a sale. Although not always the case, these can be salespeople disguised as kitchen planners. Its possible you could end up getting the same or similar type of layout as you already have and if this is the case, it may have been cheaper to replace the cupboard doors and worktops without the expense of an entire new kitchen and the hassle of a complete refit.

It is important to ask for a few different kitchen designs before you decide. Other important steps are to ask for the credentials of your kitchen designers.  Get to know the company that you are dealing with, find out how long they have been in business, check out their testimonials and even ask to see an actual kitchen installation.

These important steps should help to build your confidence in realising your exclusive kitchen design.

So invest your time in choosing a good kitchen company and just as importantly choosing a good kitchen planner with many years of kitchen design experience – and not just a salesperson who only has a few months training.

Satt Sembhy
Broadway Kitchens MD and Senior Kitchen Designer

“Where do I start?” you might ask yourself. Well, firstly you have to consider whether you want to purchase a ‘bespoke’ kitchen, a ‘made to measure’ kitchen or a standard range of kitchen units ‘off the peg’, and you need to understand the differences between them.

The word bespoke essentially means to have something made especially for you. In other words, it is crafted to suit you and your individual needs. Some fashion designers, especially in womens’ clothing use the phrase ‘haute couture’ – maybe manufacturers of handmade kitchens should adopt this term to describe the exclusive and individually crafted furniture they produce, which I understand to be the true meaning of the word bespoke. Thus, bespoke kitchens can be summed up to mean kitchen furniture especially crafted for ones needs from scratch, i.e., from raw materials and made individually and not as a factory-run.

So how do ‘bespoke kitchens’ vary from say, ‘made to measure’ kitchens and kitchens which are available ‘ex-stock’? These questions were actually debated not in the kitchen industry but rather in the world of fashionable clothing.

The term ‘bespoke’ and ‘made to measure’ were actually debated by the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) and the Savile Row Bespoke Association. In 1982 the ASA ruled that generally, there was little or no noticeable difference between bespoke and made to measure. Many distinguished individuals disagreed. One such individual was Richard Anderson, one of Savile Row’s most distinguished tailors who said, “The ASA has got the ruling wrong.” The term “bespoke” is understood to have originated in Savile Row when cloth for a suit was said to “be spoken for” by individual customers.

The difference between a ‘bespoke’ kitchen and a ‘made to measure’ kitchen can be compared to that of a bespoke Savile Row tailor and a tailor in the high street. A tailor from Savile Row may need to see a customer three to four times to produce an perfectly fitting suit. He would also have served time acquiring traditional time honoured skills and artistry and claim to use the finest materials. A tailor from the high street would only need to take a standard template and make some minor adjustments and a suit can be ready in a matter of days rather than weeks. So, with regard to kitchens, ‘bespoke’ kitchens are those where craftsmen are engaged to produce from the original designer’s drawings. Special sizes aren’t a problem – height, width, depth, curves and angled cabinets are all possible. To produce a truly bespoke kitchen can sometimes take up to 10 weeks or longer to produce. Also, bespoke kitchens are made up of cabinets, whilst ‘made to measure’ kitchens are made up of kitchen ‘units’ rather than kitchen ‘cabinets.’

Naturally ‘ex-stock’ kitchens are those which are generally mass produced and stock piled for immediate supply.

To a large extent getting the type of kitchen you desire will depend on the budget you set; the higher the budget, the greater the chance of getting exactly what you desire, with all the bells and whistles.

Satt Sembhy
Broadway Kitchens MD and Senior Kitchen Designer

However, there are a few kitchen companies who let customers down big time. We have all heard stories from family or friends where fitted kitchens have not turned out to be in line with customer’s expectations. Generally speaking the kitchen design industry is by and large unregulated. Therefore, it is important that you take steps to ensure that you too can become a delighted customer of the kitchen company of your choice.

So how do you avoid your dream kitchen from becoming a nightmare? Well, the answer is not at all simple. In fact, there are no hard and fast guarantees, and no magic potions to minimise the risks. From my 38 years of experience in the fitted kitchen industry, I find that one of the most important factors people want (although they may not verbalise it) is PEACE OF MIND. After all, it’s not just simply a case of writing a cheque that pays for your dream kitchen. It is in fact hard earned money – money which may have taken years to save that really pays for your new kitchen. Therefore, I recommend customers adopt a strategy to minimise their risks of their kitchen design from becoming a nightmare reality.

It is important to know how long a company has been in business. Although not many people now use Yellow Pages directories, it is worth noting that if one was to pick up a copy of a yellow pages directory from five years ago and phoned some kitchen companies – plenty are no longer in business. In fact, for all new start ups, 90% of all businesses fail within the first 5 years. Also, how can a kitchen company claim to offer a 10 year guarantee when they themselves have not been established for more than a few years? So for your pace of mind, find out how long the company has been established.

Testimonials are very important. These should be easily available at most reputable kitchen showrooms either in the form of letters, emails or ‘Thank you’ cards. If they are not, you could ask to inspect at least one actual installation to verify the company’s abilities and workmanship.

I would never advocate anybody buying a new kitchen on the very same day you meet a salesperson. If they offer a one time only discount – do not fall for it – these offers invariably improve over the coming days.

Does the kitchen company employ their own fitters – for the cabinets and appliances? A lot of companies claim to have their own fitters but ask you to pay fitters separately and when problems arise, the kitchen fitters blame the kitchen company and vice versa. So I would strongly recommend that you engage a complete service firm – design and full install all in one package.

It is crucial to also look at the quality behind the cupboard doors. The carcasses, hinges, worktops and appliances all come in different qualities and prices. One should never assume high quality when the price is also high, (particularly of the kitchen cabinets) just on the word of a salesman. Ask for an inspection of the carcasses without the edging tape so you can see the quality and density of the boards used. Over many decades, I have seen kitchen companies use solid oak doors but the side panels have an artificial coating of melamine – in other words: the side panels look like oak. Although these will match initially, over time real oak will change colour but the side panels and plinths will stay the same colour, therefore, resulting in considerable variations in colour and tone, that is something you definitely want to avoid. A similar situation exists with modern hi-gloss cupboard cabinets whereby the side panels are not fully colour coordinated in a matching high gloss finish.

More useful tips on helping you avoid your dream kitchen becoming a nightmare: See 11 tips for buying your new kitchen…

Satt Sembhy
Broadway Kitchens MD and Senior Kitchen Designer

People buy nice new kitchens so that they can show off their cooking skills and eat in an environment that is relaxed and comfortable, they listen to the music that they like with no pressure to finish meals on time, no waiters hovering around in the background and certainly less chance of being disappointed by under or over cooking. You cook it exactly the way you like.

Because people want this dreamlike scenario to be a reality, they are increasingly spending their hard earned money on purchasing luxurious new kitchens, and there is an unlimited choice. Painted kitchens are very popular as are designer kitchens, contemporary kitchens, Shaker kitchens, but also traditional, handmade hand-carved kitchens.

What’s just as important as the kitchen itself is of course the type and the quality of your appliances for cooking, refrigeration and washing, the choice of worktops, sinks, taps, flooring and wall coverings, music and media systems, and of course not forgetting the all important mood lighting. Broadway’s full service kitchen design and installation service includes all of these within the kitchen layout design.

Broadway Kitchens provide expert advice on all aspects of kitchen design to create the ultimate kitchen style to suit your taste and needs – in other words, we design not only your bespoke kitchen but influence the lifestyle you can have within the kitchen environment to suit you and your family’s needs.

Why not give Broadway a call today to arrange a free no-obligation kitchen design service.

So what exactly is the mysterious Shaker style and how can you achieve it in your own home?

Well, the strict definition of Shaker is a unique type of furniture created by members of a religious sect formed as a branch of the Quaker Church in the 18th Century. The Shakers lived a simple, unpretentious lifestyle, shunning ornamentation, and their homes reflected these values.

But how does this translate to your modern Shaker kitchen? Satt Sembhy, MD of Broadway Kitchens, believes that simplicity, practicality and craftsmanship are the three key ingredients.

“The Shaker style is simplicity defined; its high quality craftsmanship looks fantastic without any fancy additions,” he said. “In terms of kitchen furniture this means plain, simple paneled doors in natural hues or light wood, often with wooden door handles.”

“Glass is not traditionally associated with a Shaker kitchen but in today’s society people want to be individual and may choose to use glass doors or modern door handles. This doesn’t undermine the concept but puts the rubber stamp of individuality on your kitchen and that’s what we at Broadway specialise in helping you do.”

To achieve the Shaker look in your kitchen think elegant lines and strong proportions; there are no classical columns or fancy moldings here. Traditionally the worktops in a Shaker kitchen are wooden but you could also choose a more modern material such as granite or quartz.

Broadway has hand-painted Shaker kitchen furniture in period colours spanning creams, greys, blues and greens and combining natural wooden doors with a painted finish is a popular look. See examples.

Today any kitchen that is simple, elegant and practical can be defined as Shaker and the style can be applied to suit both modern and traditional tastes. If you’re interested in shaking up the heart of your home contact our family business and see how we can help.