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I was admiring an ornate painted kitchen complete with thick carved granite worktops when Gary joined me. “We make all our own kitchens,” he said. Gary showed me a selection of beautifully made wood doors to illustrate the quality of the craftsmanship “Best there is,” he said proudly. Gary went on to explain that he employs his own fitters “We don’t subcontract. Our guys know what they are doing. I’ll introduce them to you before they start and they will stay with you until the job is finished.” Then we went upstairs to look at the equally well-made and fitted bedroom furniture. “With the computer design you will be able to see what your kitchen will look like and then the result will be even better. The biggest thrill I get is looking at my customers’ faces when they see the kitchen for the first time.” Gary Cosgrove has been in kitchens all his working life, initially as a salesman, until his wife, pregnant with their daughter who is now 15, asked him to spend more time at home. Gary bought an empty shop – “It was where I used to buy my sweets as a lad” – and converted it into a kitchen showroom, eventually expanding into the house next door. “I love this job and want every kitchen to be perfect. I’ll add little extras, which may eat into my profit, but bring a smile to the customer’s face. When their friends see the finished kitchen they think it cost twice as much as it actually did.”

The smart exterior of this compact showroom is designed to catch the eye of both pedestrians and passing cars on the busy London Road. Beneath the blue and white shop sign the bright showroom windows were framed by pretty hanging baskets and a pair of bay trees in pots. Inside I found a glossy aubergine display. Rachael explained that this was manufactured from solid acrylic and handed me a Parapan sample to inspect. “Scratches can be buffed out,” she explained. “And the manufacturer supplies an antistatic spray to help keep it free of dust.” Rachael then pointed out a display of coloured glass as a suitable splashback before I moved on to inspect a box of Silestone samples. Rachael pulled out a couple of colour blocks and suggested I stick to a matt finish as “too much gloss can be overpowering”. We discussed appliances, Kitchens Bespoke favours Bosch, Miele and Neff, although Rachael said she could source any other brands if I preferred. Then she showed me a bound copy of a design she was working on for a customer neatly presented with CAD images and costing. Rachael Workman set up her showroom in 2008. “It’s hard work but I could never go back,” she says. Rachael’s background is in kitchen design and she sees this as her strength: “I’m not a salesperson, the design is everything to me, but not just in terms of aesthetics the practicalities are almost more important. I’m a working mum so I know what works.”

I challenge anyone to walk past this showroom without making a doubletake. Not only was there an attractive pistachio kitchen in one window, there were even brighter egg-yolk yellow units in the other. And both these kitchens had been propped with lifelike mannequins. Jill joined me as I admired a purple gloss door. “I’ve put that in at home,” she said. “It looks lovely.” I expressed concern about finger marks but she said: “Once the handles are on you hardly touch the door, but if you do get marks they are very easy to clean.” Jill explained that she sells Nolte kitchens because they offer plenty of choice and are reliable. She then showed me examples of the doors. She mentioned that Designer Kitchens has been in business for 23 years and talked through appliance and worktop options. Established in 1987, this is a family business which Jill Shires took over from her father when he retired five years ago. Originally a kitchen showroom, fitted bedroom furniture was added to the mix 10 years ago and then in 2007 Jill also started selling bathrooms. She says: “Customers who loved what we had done for their kitchen were asking if we could also do bathrooms.” Jill says she gets all her customers through recommendation. She believes this is thanks to the personal service she provides. “It is me who visits the customers and me who designs their kitchen. I want to get the job right for them, it is not just about closing the sale.”

I visited Mark Fordham’s kitchen showroom in a village several miles north of Peterborough firstly because I liked his website, and secondly the route took me through Rutland and I had never been to this smallest of counties. I’m glad I made the trip as the showroom was impressive and Mark was friendly and extremely professional. As I was concerned about the limited space in my kitchen, he pulled out drawers and opened cupboards to reveal a multitude of clever storage. The Le Mans corner solution, pan drawers and under sink unit were all neatly stacked with groceries or utensils to prove their strength and capacity. We also looked at door samples, worktops and discussed lighting. During our conversation Mark mentioned various projects he was working on and showed me a selection of CAD images, all very reassuring. Mark suggested I put together a wish list before our next meeting. “I don’t want to blow my own trumpet but we’ve got a damn good team. We can handle everything for you,” he said. Mark opened his showroom nine years ago. He chose British Pullman furniture complemented by the German Schuller brand and pulled together a strong team of sub contractors. “Most of my customers are over 50 and they just want to hand the project over and write one cheque. I can provide the plumber, electrician, plasterer, they are all good guys. It is my name above the door, customers know who they are dealing with and I’m honest with them. I’m very down to earth.”