According to owner Jamie Harding, the new Et Lorem showroom in Beaconsfield is a true representation of both his, and studio manager Jade Jones’, design styles.

When visitors walk into the space, their first impression is of the huge Doimo kitchen display in a dark finish that takes up much of the store’s front half.

“We’ve included a beautiful veneer on the island in the front, and people have been absolutely blown away by it,” Harding says, adding, “We’ve also gone for a liquid metal door in the front display, so it’s an iron-steel colour in dark anthracite, which is a real show stopper.”

Moving away from the front of the showroom, the back half of the space – designed by Jones – has been designed using an entirely different style. 

Harding explains: “The back display has a very feminine feel to it. There’s lots of blond wood and it’s very light. The space shows two completely different styles, but they work in harmony and balance really well. There’s a lovely flow to it.”

Speaking of balance, Harding says that by putting the showroom’s office in the middle of the room between the front and back displays, Et Lorem’s team have struck a compromise where visitors feel the staff’s presence, while also not feeling constantly observed.

 “In a lot of high street studios, the office is tucked away at the back, which makes the place look empty and intimidating for customers,” Harding believes. “We brought the office into the middle, which makes it much more inviting.”

The office is also separated from the back display by a fluted glass screen. Harding explains: “We also use the back display to do our presentations, so this creates a bit of privacy and turns it into a space that’s a bit more intimate and exclusive.”

According to head of sales and marketing, Natasha Loder, creating a space with a calm and enjoyable atmosphere is part of the business’ community-focused strategy.

“We want the showroom to have a real community feel, and be a place that people want to come to,” she explains. “For instance, outside the front of the showroom, we have flower displays from a local florist, and she comes by to change that regularly.”

Harding believes that this tight focus on running a community-oriented showroom will help the business flourish and make it unique from other retailers in the area. 

“By having that point of difference to other local businesses, it helps us stand out from the crowd.

“We know that investing in a premium kitchen can be a bit intimidating, so we’re trying to strip back that fear by trying to resonate with people and the community, so clients know about us before even walking in.”