Finalists - Customer Service Awards for Kitchens

This spacious showroom, specialising in Rational, had a smart exterior and the interior lived up to expectation. Steven and Claire Bloom have not been tempted to cram in furniture, which allowed them to create bold displays. These included a black and a nutmeg gloss in the windows and a deep red kitchen at the back.
Steven joined me when I entered the showroom and Claire got busy with the griddle, soon presenting me with a plate of delicious Welsh cakes. As I tucked in, Steven explained his philosophy: “I like to work on the design first, what you want from the kitchen and the layout. I’ll put it on the computer and then we can play about with the different door finishes. It is very hard to decide on a finish until you know how the kitchen is going to look.” Space Fitting Furniture was established by Steven’s father back in 1972 and in 1975 it became one of the first showrooms in the UK to sell Rational.
When Steven and his wife Claire moved the business to the unit on Colchester Avenue, they took the decision to install just seven displays. “What people want now are large, open-plan kitchens with island units - four of our displays have islands. We try to show kitchens as they can look in the home.”

On the road into Rochester, PTC had an eye-catching black and red exterior enhanced by a red gloss kitchen in the window - the black and red theme was also carried through to the business cards and website. This attention to detail is also in evidence in the shop, which was clean and well lit, with imaginative Schmidt displays and attractive props. John came through from the back of the shop and explained that PTC is his son Paul’s business. “I’m afraid he is out today, so I’m helping out, but I will try to answer any questions you have.” I admired the semi-circular red island unit and John produced a book of images showing kitchens installed by Paul, including one featuring a curved black gloss island with white Silestone top. “That kitchen will appear in 25 Beautiful Homes next month,” he said with pride. Before opening PTC, Paul Chantler was a carpenter in demand with a number of kitchen retailers in the Surrey and London area. Three years ago, he decided that it was time to do it for himself. So he checked out other showrooms in the area. He said: “I wasn’t impressed by what I saw. People had boxes piled up in the window and door samples everywhere. I like a showroom to be really tidy.”

This attractive showroom in the heart of town isn’t big, but Richard Singleton has made good use of the space with an eyecatching tangerine gloss Nolte kitchen in the window and more sedate Stoneham displays inside. Richard was charming and we had a long conversation about the style of kitchen I might like, during which he pulled out appliance brochures, opened cupboards to reveal hidden storage and produced several photographs of recent installations. He even suggested making an appointment for me to visit the Stoneham factory. I explained that I currently had the builders in and Richard said: “As your kitchen is going into a new extension, I will pop out several times during the build to check dimensions. Builders don’t always stick to the plan, but I can adjust our design to make the perfect fit.” The Interior Motives showroom sits above street level, so you walk up a few steps to the entrance. This, said Richard, is part of its appeal. “It is almost like stepping into another world. The style and position of the building gives the showroom a boutique feel.” Richard’s manner soon puts customers at ease. “I don’t think this business is about selling so much as treating your customers with integrity and honesty.”

Sharon and Stephen Scammell have been creating kitchens for 23 years, yet none of their enthusiasm for what they do seemed to have waned. Sharon was bright and friendly and when I commented on how stylish the showroom looked, she said: “I used to work in north London and I brought some of what I saw there with me to York.” I admired a grey gloss kitchen with black splashback, but voiced concerns over choosing a fashion colour. “If you are concerned, I would advise choosing a light neutral, you can always be adventurous with the accessories,” said Sharon and steered me towards a white kitchen with a glass splashback and stainless steel worktop. Sharon asked my name and introduced me to her husband Stephen, who explained that they could undertake small building work in-house: “If you need anything major, we have a tame builder we can recommend and we have our own fitters.” I noticed a couple of ring binders bursting with letters from satisfied customers. “We are very approachable,” said Sharon. “We are not one of those companies that dictates what you should have, and we can create something special to suit any budget from £15,000 to £57,000.”