With an old kitchen and a friend in Test Valley Kitchen & Bathroom Ltd consultant Lynne Misiewicz, it was only a matter of time before Tony and Rebecca would turn this vital room into a minimalist dream. They take up the tale.

“The kitchen we had was done 20 plus years ago and we were thinking about a refurbishment until a conversation we had with Lynne,” explained Tony. 

“We were just going to just spray paint the cupboards and get a new worktop,” revealed Rebecca, then talking with Lynne, who is a friend, “She said ‘You're just better off getting a new kitchen and I could design it for you!”

“We had preliminary chat and she asked us if we had any ideas, before making suggestions. Tony and I knew we wanted something very functional and minimalist, that was user friendly and not going to date too much or too quickly. Moving on to the actual design, Lynne suggested a breakfast bar, which has been just sensational it's made the kitchen.”

Tony said: “Lynne fed off what we said and obviously came up with lots of ideas that we could say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to.” 

“Then Ray Goodridge came over with a carload of samples to help us choose the colours, and they threw ideas at us,” explained Rebecca. “I think where they add value is in response to our suggestions. We might say we want this particular sink, and then Lynne or Ray will suggest a different approach and explain their experience.” 

Tony added: “They had lots of ideas and encouraged us to visit Wickes to look at their displays and we also visited PWS design centre in Slough. It felt very collaborative and there was no hard push, we never felt under pressure.

“I didn’t realise I was going to be picking out units like the oven and hob. I’m sure the last kitchen I had everything was just suggested and that’s what I got. This was a lot more considered and shows in the result.”

Rebecca again: “We have had the kitchen almost a year and are very happy. We’ve kept it minimalist. We've kept it very clean. It's not cluttered. And everyone who comes to see us says: ‘Oh, wow, we just love it’. It is a very small kitchen and from a style and a design point of view, it works really well. There's only so much you could do with this small kitchen.

“I did feel like we were being looked after rather than just on a conveyor belt. And I think that's where you get the personal touch from a smaller company. I felt that we had more of a personal touch, and I think that's important. And the fact is Ray spent a lot of time with us.”

Tony agrees: “They were very flexible on the amount of time they gave us and that contributed to the end result, driven to our agenda, not theirs.”

Rebecca concludes: “We didn't feel rushed. You know, we could take our time to make our decisions. And if there were issues, if something's not quite right, they sorted it straightaway. Aftercare is just as important, and the kitchen is guaranteed for two years.

“I would highly recommend them. You know, Lynne was great from a design perspective. Ray was great helping us understand everything about the kitchen and how to put it together. And then others behind the scenes, like CAD work and terrific fitters. Definitely highly recommended.”