There is perhaps no more important room than your kitchen. It’s not just where you prepare your meals. You’ll spend more time there than in any other part of your house. You eat there, do the kids homework there and relax with pals over a cup of tea. And, of course, we all know that it’s where everyone gravitates to at a party.
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It’s also something that can add real value to your home. If you’re selling your house, a new kitchen makes a property more attractive to buyers. On the other hand if it has a 20-year-old kitchen in it, or something unattractive, a buyer will likely offer less, knowing they’re going to have shell out on a new one once they’re in.
So when you’re looking at getting a new fitted kitchen, you’ve got to get it right.
The great news is there’s a huge amount of choice out there from contemporary to traditional, subtle to bold and natural to modern. Meanwhile, installers offer an ever more tailored service, to ensure you get exactly what you want. There’s no such thing as a one-size fits all kitchen these days.
We spoke to Alan Macaulay, director of Kitchens by James Alan, to find out how to get the kitchen of your dreams.
Perfect planning for your new fitted kitchen
When getting a new kitchen it’s vital to get the plans right. Obviously you want to make sure everything is correctly measured and you don’t want any nasty surprises with colours or cabinets that don’t look like you imagined.
Fortunately these days you can get a bespoke service with technology like 3D modelling that lets you see exactly what you’re getting in advance.
Alan says: “After the customer contacts us we arrange a home visit to measure up the kitchen and discuss their wants and needs. We then do a design, or sometimes a number of designs, to show them the possibilities. These are shown on our 3D software which provides picture quality renders to really let the customer see what they can get.
“When the customer comes in to see the designs, we iron out details like colours, style and type of worktops. Then, once the customer is happy and a deposit is paid, we have a final home visit with the designer and myself to make sure everything has been thought about down to the position of sockets and lighting.”
Make sure the quality is right
There are plenty of kitchen suppliers out there but not all offer the best quality. Kitchens by James Alan works exclusively with German manufacturer Schuller. The independent, family-run business produces around 170,000 kitchens a year and delivers to 35 countries around the world.
Alan adds: “Schuller products are first class. They are extremely robust and use higher quality hardware on things like their hinges and drawer mechanisms. Their attention to detail and efficiency is second to none.
“Their products also allow us to do a lot more with design than your standard kitchen manufacturer. For example, we can do thicker worktops for breakfast bars and various options on open shelving.”
Always go with someone you can trust
For something as important as a new fitted kitchen you need to have complete trust in who you are dealing with. Kitchens by James Alan has 20 years’ experience in installing premium kitchens.
Alan says: “Being a local company we are completely committed to ensuring the customer gets a quality fit with quality products. When it comes to organising fitting and signing off the completed job, customers are deal directly with me. So they know they’re getting the personal service they deserve.”
The firm’s close relationship with Schuller also brings benefits as they are constantly updated on progress, ensuring deliveries are always on time.
Check out Kitchens by James Alan and turn your dreams into reality.
