The New Year is a time for positive change for many and if you’ve decided that that includes a new kitchen, then you’re not alone. While researching all the options is exciting, it can be a confusing process and with costs often being uppermost in most people’s minds, often sales are the first draw. Of course, that means now is a great time to buy as the traditional January sales help to make the dream just a little more affordable. While saving a few pounds is important, though, it shouldn’t be the be-all and end-all of your kitchen journey.
Setting a budget is key but much like getting quotes from a builder, the cheapest option isn’t always the best, particularly if you want it to stand the test of time. While a made-to-measure kitchen can be more expensive than an off-the-peg design, it isn’t always the case and there are often ways bespoke, hand-crafted cabinetry can help to save you money in the long run. For a start, it’s likely to last longer, meaning you’re not going to be replacing it in just a few years. And with a painted kitchen – currently one of the most popular designs – you also have the option of having it repainted if your tastes change or you get a little tired of your chosen colour.
As kitchen specialists for more than 35 years, we know what goes into creating an individual design and while it’s true that ‘bespoke’ and ‘hand-built’ can sound elusive and exclusive, in reality a handcrafted kitchen that’s designed to specifically fit your space, while an investment initially, will withstand the rigors of everyday family life for years to come making it more than worth the money.
So what are the benefits of choosing a bespoke kitchen?
1. It’s tailor-made for you
Much like buying a Savile Row suit, a kitchen built to your exact specifications will ensure it’s a more comfortable fit for your way of life. While off-the-peg cabinetry and worktops are built to standard heights and depths, a made-to-measure design can be created around your needs, so if you’re taller or smaller than average, worktop and unit heights can be adjusted accordingly. It can sometimes mean using reduced depth cabinets, taller units or non-standard shapes, particularly to make smaller rooms workable. Compact rooms, unusual architecture, uneven walls and awkward spaces can all benefit from what a bespoke kitchen design has to offer and could help you to save money in the long run by creating a design that’s fit for purpose and built to last.
2. It optimises space
Making the most of your room doesn’t always mean filling it to the gills with cabinetry. Your ideal design might actually include fewer cabinets built with interiors that are configured specifically to meet your family needs. Handmade spice racks, dovetailed oak removable cutlery trays, slot-in chopping boards, crafted utensil drawers and individually configured larders will not just help you to store everything neatly and efficiently, they will make the kitchen more pleasant to use, too.
3. Designer expertise
Finding a designer who really understands the way you and your family live is often underrated but experience really does make a huge difference. Our designers take time to discover the way you live and will talk to you at length, asking you lots of questions and listening carefully to what you want from your kitchen, building a picture of both what you need in a practical sense and what you’re hoping to include in an ideal world. They will then advise on what is and isn’t achievable and talk you through cabinetry, appliance and surface choices, as well as suggesting options you might not ever have considered without their help and experience. A CAD design is then created for you to see just how everything will look and once you’re completely satisfied and have signed off the design it will be sent to our workshop to be built to your exact specifications. Your designer will be on hand throughout the process to advise you when decisions need to be made.
4. Build quality
Each Harvey Jones kitchen is hand-built to order using traditional joinery techniques in our Cambridgeshire workshop. This means that no two Harvey Jones are the same. Constructed using premium materials and using traditional framed construction, the doors are set into solid hardwood and secured with sturdy butt hinges for durability, ensuring they won’t drop, however much they’re used. Tongue-and-grooved tops and backs help to create solid, rigid cabinets that we’re so confident will last, they have a 10-year guarantee. We’re also members of The Furniture Ombusdman, so you can be safe in the knowledge that we are dedicated to producing kitchens that more than stand up to their rigorous standards.
If you’re ready to start designing your new kitchen space then call 0800 389 6938 to speak with a designer at your local Harvey Jones showroom.
