Beyond the Kitchen: How Callerton Brings Interior Design to Every Room

When most people think of Callerton Kitchens, they think of kitchens. That makes sense. It is what we are known for, and it is where over 44 years of expertise is most visibly on display. But the truth is that the design principles behind a great kitchen, considered use of space, quality materials, bespoke cabinetry, and a finish that genuinely lasts, apply to every room in a home.

Interior design in Newcastle has evolved significantly. Homeowners are no longer thinking room by room. They are thinking about how spaces connect, how finishes flow from one area to the next, and how every part of their home can feel as considered as the room they invest in most. That shift is something we have responded to directly, and it is reflected in the range of spaces we now design and deliver across the North East.

A Cohesive Home Starts With a Connected Approach

The most beautifully designed homes share one characteristic: they feel intentional throughout. The cabinetry in the kitchen relates to the fitted wardrobes in the bedroom. The utility room does not feel like an afterthought. The boot room earns its place as a functional and stylish part of the home rather than a dumping ground by the back door.

Achieving that level of cohesion requires a team that thinks beyond the individual room. At Callerton Kitchens, we design spaces that work together. Because we handle bespoke cabinetry, materials, and finishes across multiple areas of a home, we are well placed to ensure that what we create in one room sits comfortably alongside what we create in another.

This is not about matching everything identically. It is about making considered choices that feel connected, whether that means carrying a timber detail from the kitchen into a media cabinet in the living space, or ensuring the painted finish in a boot room complements the cabinetry in an adjoining utility room.

Bedrooms That Work as Hard as They Look

A fitted bedroom is one of the most practical investments a homeowner can make. Done well, it transforms a room that is often underutilised into a genuinely functional space where everything has a home and the room itself feels calm and ordered as a result.

Our fitted wardrobes are available across Newcastle and Berwick, and are designed with the same level of care and craft that goes into every kitchen we produce. Dark finishes like walnut paired with matte black fittings bring a rich, elegant feel to a bedroom. Softer approaches using linen-effect cabinets with painted doors add warmth without sacrificing the clean lines that make a fitted bedroom feel luxurious.

The interior fittings matter as much as the exterior finish. Soft-close drawers, pull-out trouser racks, integrated lighting, and accessory trays for jewellery and everyday items are the details that make a fitted wardrobe genuinely useful rather than just visually pleasing. These are the touches our team specifies as standard, because we know from experience how much they improve daily life.

Boot Rooms That Earn Their Place

A well-designed boot room is one of the most underrated spaces in a home. For families, dog owners, keen walkers, or anyone navigating the demands of North East weather, a dedicated space to manage coats, shoes, bags, and outdoor kit makes a tangible difference to how a home functions day to day.

Our boot room designs are crafted in our North East workshops or German factories and installed with the same precision and expertise as our kitchens. Mixed storage, durable flooring, and custom bench seating are all specified around the individual home and lifestyle. For homeowners who want a seamless look throughout, a boot room can be designed to sit as a natural extension of an adjoining Callerton kitchen, carrying the same cabinetry style and colour palette into a connected space.

Pantry, Bar and Media Spaces

The way people use their homes has changed. Dedicated pantry spaces, home bars, and media cabinets have moved from aspirational to mainstream, and the demand for bespoke versions of each has grown considerably.

Our pantry and bar designs serve homeowners across Newcastle, Northumberland, and the surrounding wider region. A bespoke pantry, whether a compact pull-out design or a full walk-in with custom wooden shelving, brings genuine order to a kitchen and removes the visual clutter that standard storage rarely resolves. A home bar, fitted with built-in wine racks, glass display cabinets, and subtle integrated lighting, becomes a natural focal point for entertaining.

Media cabinets and bespoke furniture are an area where our design team’s creativity extends well beyond the kitchen. We are regularly asked to incorporate cabinetry into living spaces and dining areas, designing media units and room sets that carry the quality and craftsmanship of our kitchen work into the wider home.

Utility Rooms That Do More

A utility room should be one of the hardest-working spaces in a home. Too often it is also one of the least considered. At Callerton Kitchens, we approach utility room design with the same attention to detail we bring to every other space we work in.

Our utility rooms are designed across Newcastle, Berwick, Northumberland, and beyond, and are tailored to how each household actually uses the space. Smart storage solutions including larder units and open shelving keep everyday essentials organised. Built-in appliances and high-quality fittings create a seamless, streamlined finish. For homes with pets, dedicated spaces for food bowls and bedding make the room genuinely versatile without compromising on style.

A utility room that works well also takes pressure off the kitchen. It creates a clear boundary between the hardworking, practical side of domestic life and the social, design-led spaces where the rest of living happens.

Why Callerton Kitchens for Interior Design in Newcastle?

The answer comes back to what we have always done well: listening carefully to what a homeowner wants, applying genuine expertise across design, processing, and installation, and delivering a result that holds up over time.

Our team spans designers, a processing and manufacturing team who scrutinise every detail before a single component is ordered, an installations team who coordinate everything from site to office, and client support staff who ensure the process feels manageable from first conversation to final fix. That breadth of expertise, applied across multiple spaces in a home, is what makes a Callerton Kitchens project feel different to commissioning each room separately from different suppliers.

For homeowners in Newcastle and across the North East who are thinking about more than just their kitchen, we are well worth a conversation.

Find out more about how we work and the process behind every project, browse our completed kitchen and interior projects for a sense of what we deliver, or read our guide on planning a kitchen renovation in the North East if a kitchen is still where you want to start.

Ready to Think About the Bigger Picture?

Whether you are starting with a kitchen and want to think about how the rest of your home connects, or you have a specific room in mind, we would love to talk it through.

Book a design consultation with Callerton Kitchens and let’s explore what is possible across the entirety of your home.

Newcastle Kitchen Company vs National Retailer: What Are You Actually Choosing Between?

If you are planning a new kitchen, at some point you will face the same decision most homeowners face: do you go to a large national retailer, or do you work with an independent, local kitchen company?

It is a reasonable question, and the honest answer is that both options have genuine merits. Large retailers offer convenience, recognisable brands, and the reassurance of a name you already know. Independent companies offer something different. Understanding what that difference actually means in practice is what this post is about.

We are Callerton Kitchens, a Newcastle kitchen company with over 44 years of experience designing and installing kitchens across the North East. We are not going to pretend we are a neutral party in this comparison. But we will give you an honest account of what sets the two options apart, so you can make the decision that is right for your home.

What a Large Retailer Does Well

It is worth starting here, because large retailers do some things very well.

They are accessible. You can visit a showroom without an appointment, browse room sets at your own pace, and pick up a brochure to take home. The online configurators many of them offer allow you to experiment with layouts and finishes from your sofa. For homeowners who are still in the early stages of thinking, that low-pressure entry point has real value.

There is a degree of reassurance that comes with choosing a company you have seen advertised nationally, and that should not be dismissed. For straightforward projects in standard-sized rooms, a large retailer can absolutely deliver a functional, attractive kitchen. The limitations tend to emerge when a project becomes more complex, more personal, or more demanding of genuine expertise. There is also something to be said for seeing quality in person before committing to any decision, regardless of which route you take.

Where the Differences Start to Show

Design that fits your home, not a template. Large retailers work from standard unit sizes. For the majority of kitchens, that is workable. For homes with non-standard dimensions, awkward features, or layouts that require a genuinely creative solution, standard sizing creates compromises. An independent kitchen company designs around your specific space from the outset, which removes those compromises entirely.

The team behind the project. At a large retailer, the person who designs your kitchen in the showroom is rarely the same person who processes your order, manages your delivery, or oversees your installation. Each stage is handled by a different team, often in a different location. At Callerton Kitchens, the same team is connected throughout your project. Our designers, processing team, installations team, and client support staff all work together, which means nothing gets lost between stages and you always have a point of contact who knows your project.

Material and product quality. Large retailers operate at scale, which means the products they stock are chosen to suit the broadest possible market. Independent companies have more flexibility in what they specify. At Callerton Kitchens, our cabinetry is crafted in our North East workshops or German factories, drawing on a manufacturing heritage that goes back to the roots of the business. The quality of the product, and the expertise of the team specifying it, is meaningfully different.

Supply-only flexibility. This is something large retailers rarely offer in a meaningful way. At Callerton Kitchens, if you have your own trusted installer and simply need a supply-only contract, we can accommodate that. The project works around you, not the other way around.

The Question of Cost

This is often the point at which homeowners assume the conversation ends in favour of the large retailer. It is worth looking at this more carefully.

A large retailer’s headline price can look attractive. However, the final cost of a kitchen project depends on far more than the price of the units. Installation quality, trade coordination, the handling of unexpected issues, and the cost of rectifying problems after completion all factor into the true investment a kitchen represents.

A well-specified, correctly installed kitchen from an independent company avoids many of the costs that arise from poor planning or mismanaged fitting. It also lasts longer, performs better, and adds more value to a property. When the full picture is considered, the gap between the two options is often narrower than the initial price comparison suggests.

It is also worth noting that independent does not automatically mean expensive. At Callerton Kitchens, we work with a range of budgets and can advise honestly on what is achievable within yours. The conversation starts with understanding what you need, not with a price list.

It is also worth being aware of something that is common practice among larger retailers: prices that are artificially inflated before being discounted to create the impression of a sale. The reality is that those promotions are rarely as good as they appear. As an independent, family-run business, we do not operate that way. Our pricing is fair and reasonable all year round, with no inflated figures and no manufactured urgency. Tell us what you want to invest and we will make honest recommendations on the products, finishes, and layouts that will achieve your wish list within your budget. No games, just good advice.

What 44 Years Teaches You

There is a version of this comparison that focuses entirely on products and prices. But the most significant difference between a long-established independent kitchen company and a large national retailer is something harder to quantify: accumulated knowledge.

Over 44 years of designing and installing kitchens across the North East, our team has encountered almost every kind of home, every kind of brief, and every kind of challenge. That experience shapes how we approach every new project. We know which layouts work and which ones cause problems. We know which materials age well in the specific conditions of North East homes. We know how to listen to what a homeowner actually wants and translate that into a design that genuinely delivers.

That kind of knowledge is not available in a showroom where the sales team changes regularly and the focus is on moving volume. It is built over decades by people who care deeply about the work they do and the homes they work in.

Our team includes designers who listen and translate your vision into something real, a processing and manufacturing team who check every detail before a single component is ordered, an installations team managing everything from site to office, and client support from Jan, Elaine, Rob, Stacey, and Lucy, as well as the designers who keep everything running smoothly throughout. This is not a one-person operation. It is a whole team working together on your behalf.

Is an Independent Kitchen Company Right for You?

If you want a straightforward kitchen in a standard space and you are happy to manage the process yourself, a large retailer may serve you well. There is no shame in that, and we would rather you made the right decision for your circumstances than the wrong one for the wrong reasons.

But if you want a kitchen designed specifically for your home, delivered by a team that is accountable throughout, made from materials chosen for quality rather than margin, and backed by the kind of aftercare that only comes from a company whose reputation depends on it, an independent Newcastle kitchen company is worth a serious conversation.

We are members of the Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialists Association (KBSA), which means our standards of design, installation, and customer care are independently upheld. That membership matters to us, and it should matter to you too.

Find out how we work and what our process looks like from first visit to finished kitchen, see the range of projects we have delivered across the North East and beyond, or read our post on what to ask before committing to any kitchen company to help you make the most informed decision possible.

Ready to Have the Conversation?

We are not here to pressure you into anything. We are here to help you make the right decision for your home. If that decision leads you to Callerton Kitchens, we will give you everything we have. If it leads you elsewhere, we hope this post helped you think it through.

Book a design consultation with Callerton Kitchens today and let’s find out whether we are the right fit for your project.

Before You Commit to a Kitchen Company: 8 Questions Worth Asking

Choosing the right kitchen company is one of the most consequential decisions in any home improvement project. And a company is exactly what it is, not just a designer, but a whole team of people working together to deliver something that has to be right first time. Get it right and you’ll have a space you love for decades. Get it wrong and you’ll be managing disappointment, delays, and unexpected costs long after the fitters have left.

Behind every great kitchen is a team that spans design, project management, installation, and client support. The designer is a vital part of that, but they are one piece of a much larger picture. When you are choosing who to trust with your home, understanding the full team behind the process is just as important as understanding the people who draw up the plans.

Before you commit to anyone, ask these eight questions. The answers will tell you everything you need to know.

1. How Long Have You Been Designing and Installing Kitchens?

Experience is not everything, but in kitchen design it counts for a great deal. A team that has worked across hundreds of projects has encountered the challenges, the surprises, and the edge cases that a less experienced company simply has not. They bring that knowledge to your project before a problem arises, not after.

When you ask this question, listen for specificity. Years in business matters, but so does the nature of that experience. A team that has designed kitchens across a wide range of home types, sizes, and briefs will approach your project with a more calibrated instinct than one with a narrower portfolio.

At Callerton Kitchens, we have been designing and installing kitchens across the North East for over 44 years. That depth of experience shapes every project we take on, from the initial consultation to the final installation.

2. Is This a Fully Bespoke Service, or Are You Working From a Standard Range?

This distinction matters more than most homeowners realise. A standard range kitchen, even a high-quality one, is designed to fit a typical space. A bespoke kitchen is designed to fit yours.

If your home has non-standard proportions, awkward alcoves, low ceilings, or any other characteristic that makes it individual, a bespoke approach is almost always the better investment. It removes the compromises that come with trying to make a standard product work in a space it was not designed for.

Ask to see examples of projects where the team has solved a genuinely challenging brief. The answer will quickly reveal whether they are truly working from scratch or simply dressing a standard product in custom finishes.

Kitchen

3. Who Will Actually Be Working On My Kitchen?

In larger kitchen retail environments, the person who greets you in the showroom and the person who designs your kitchen are often different people. So is the person who manages your installation. Understanding who is responsible for what, and when you will meet them, is an important early question.

A designer cannot deliver a project alone. Behind every well-executed kitchen is a processing and manufacturing team who scrutinise every element before a single cabinet is ordered, checking cutting lists, verifying product specifications, and making sure what has been designed can be delivered exactly as intended. It is this kind of rigour, working quietly behind the scenes, that separates a company that truly delivers from one that simply sells.

With an independent kitchen company, you are far more likely to have continuity throughout. At Callerton Kitchens, you work with the same team from the first consultation through to completion. Our designers, processing team, installations team, and client support staff are all connected throughout your project. You are not handed between departments or passed to a project coordinator you have never met.

4. Can I See Examples of Completed Projects Similar to Mine?

Any confident, experienced kitchen company should be able to show you a portfolio of completed work that is relevant to your brief. If you have a compact space, ask to see compact kitchens. If you are drawn to a particular style or material palette, ask whether they have delivered something similar before.

It is also worth asking how much of the project they can manage for you. A company that handles everything end to end, from design and processing through to installation and final fix, offers a very different experience to one that hands you off at various stages. At Callerton Kitchens, we can manage the full project on your behalf, or if you have your own installer and simply need a supply-only contract, we can accommodate that too. The point is that the choice is yours, and a good company should be flexible enough to work around your needs.

Take a look at our completed projects to see the range of homes and briefs we have worked with across the North East.

5. What Does Your Process Look Like From Start to Finish?

A well-run kitchen project follows a clear sequence: consultation, design development, specification, installation, and aftercare. Ask the company to walk you through each stage and be specific about what is included at each point.

Pay attention to how they handle the trades. Plumbing, electrics, plastering, and tiling all need to be coordinated in the right order. A company with a dedicated installations team removes this burden entirely. One who expects you to coordinate trades independently is a very different proposition.

At Callerton Kitchens, every project is fully managed from start to finish by an experienced installations team that operates both on site and in the office, making sure the right people and the right products are in the right place at every stage. Our process begins with a detailed consultation and mood board planning, moves through layout development and an itemised quotation, and is delivered with a single point of contact throughout. You are never left wondering who to call or what happens next.

callerton Kitchen

6. How Do You Handle Problems During Installation?

Every kitchen project of any complexity encounters something unexpected. Pipework in an inconvenient location, a structural element that was not visible at the design stage, a lead time that shifts. How a company responds to those moments is far more revealing than how they behave when everything is going smoothly.

Ask directly: what happens if something goes wrong during installation? Who is responsible, and how quickly will it be resolved? A confident, experienced team will answer this without hesitation. Evasiveness or vague reassurances are worth noting.

7. What Aftercare Do You Provide Once the Kitchen Is Complete?

The relationship with a good kitchen company should not end the moment the final fix is complete. Doors may need adjusting as a new kitchen settles. A question may arise about an appliance or finish. Understanding what aftercare looks like, and how accessible the team is after completion, is a reasonable and important question.

As members of the Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialists Association (KBSA), we are committed to the standards of customer care and aftercare that membership requires, giving our clients confidence that they are in safe hands long after the project is complete.

Independent, family-run businesses tend to have a stronger aftercare culture than large retail environments, precisely because their reputation depends on it. At Callerton Kitchens, the same team that designs and installs your kitchen remains available to you after the project is complete.

8. Why Should I Choose an Independent Company Over a Large Retailer?

This is a question worth asking openly, and a good company should be able to answer it honestly rather than defensively.

The case for an independent kitchen company comes down to three things: expertise, continuity, and accountability. With an independent team, you are working with people who have chosen to specialise in this field, who are present throughout your project, and who have a direct personal stake in the outcome.

Large retailers offer convenience and brand recognition. What they often cannot offer is the level of individual attention, design depth, and personal accountability that comes from working with a team that genuinely knows your name, your home, and your brief.

Callerton Kitchens has been built on exactly that principle for over four decades. It is the reason our clients return, and the reason they recommend us to the people they know.

Find out more about how we work and what sets an independent kitchen company apart, or explore our kitchen inspiration to start shaping your own brief.

Kitchen

Ready to Ask Us These Questions in Person?

The best way to assess any kitchen company is to meet them. Come into our studios across the North East, see the quality of our work firsthand, and have the conversation that every good kitchen project starts with.

Book a design consultation with Callerton Kitchens and let’s find out whether we are the right fit for your project.

See It in Person: Why the Best Kitchens Start With a Showroom Visit

There has never been more information available to homeowners planning a new kitchen. Mood boards, online configurators, social media inspiration, brochures. The research tools are endless. Our own kitchen inspiration gallery is a good place to start. And yet, the homeowners who tend to be happiest with the kitchens they end up with are almost always the ones who came in and had a proper conversation before making any decisions.

There is a reason for that. A kitchen is not a product you can meaningfully choose from a screen. It is a space you live in, cook in, and gather in every single day. The decisions that shape it – materials, finishes, layout, scale – all require a level of sensory and spatial judgement that no amount of online research can replicate.

This is why, at Callerton Kitchens, we always encourage homeowners to visit us in person before committing to anything. Here is what that experience looks like, and why it makes such a significant difference to the outcome.

Why Your Mood Board Is Only Half the Story

Photography has become exceptionally good. Kitchen imagery on websites and social media can be genuinely beautiful, and it serves a useful purpose in helping homeowners identify styles and directions they’re drawn to. But it has real limitations when it comes to the decisions that matter most.

Finish quality is almost impossible to judge from a photograph. The difference between a painted door finish that holds up beautifully over years of use and one that chips and marks within months is not visible in an image. Neither is the weight and action of quality hardware, the texture of a honed stone worktop, or the way a particular cabinetry colour shifts between natural and artificial light.

Scale is another area where photography misleads. A kitchen that photographs as spacious and well-proportioned may feel very different in reality, and vice versa. Understanding how a layout actually feels to move around in, how the island sits in the room, how the ceiling height interacts with full-height cabinetry – these are spatial judgements that require physical presence.

The same is true of cabinetry quality. The bones of a kitchen, the construction of the carcass, the thickness of the doors, the way a drawer closes, are things you can only properly assess when you’re standing in front of them. Two kitchens can look identical in a photograph and be worlds apart in terms of how they’re built and how long they’ll last. Seeing cabinetry in person, and talking through how it is manufactured and what that means for durability, is one of the most valuable conversations you can have before committing to any purchase.

Visiting a showroom recalibrates your expectations in the most useful way possible. It gives you an honest, grounded reference point that no amount of screen time can provide.

The Callerton Studio Experience

Our studios across the North East are not showrooms in the traditional sense. They are working spaces filled with real kitchens, real materials, and real people who have spent their careers designing and fitting them.

When you visit, you are not walking into a sales environment. You are walking into a space designed to help you think clearly about your own home. You can open doors, feel worktop surfaces, see how finishes sit under different lighting conditions, and ask the kinds of questions that only come up when you’re standing in front of the real thing.

Every visit begins with a conversation. We want to understand your home, your lifestyle, and what you’re hoping to achieve before we show you anything. That context shapes everything that follows, from the materials we direct you toward to the layout possibilities we explore together.

With over 44 years of experience designing kitchens across the North East, our team has seen an enormous range of homes, spaces, and briefs. That depth of experience means the conversations we have with clients are genuinely useful, not scripted. Whether you’re at the very beginning of your thinking or arriving with a clear brief, you’ll leave with a clearer sense of direction than when you came in.

Who You Will Meet

One of the things that distinguishes an independent, family-run business from a large retail environment is the quality and continuity of the people you deal with. At Callerton, you will meet the same team throughout your project, from first visit to finished kitchen.

Lucy, who has joined the family business after a career leading national teams in commercial property, brings a sharp focus on process, client experience, and making sure every project runs exactly as it should.

Graham, with over 35 years in the KBB industry, is a fountain of knowledge on everything from installation to the finer details of specification. Between them, and the wider Callerton team, you are in exceptionally experienced hands from the moment you walk through the door.

You will also meet our designers. These are people who have spent years listening to homeowners describe what they want from a kitchen, and then turning those conversations into spaces that exceed what the client imagined. They understand that a brief is rarely just about cabinetry and worktops. It’s about how a family moves through a space, how a couple wants to cook together, how a home should feel. That ability to listen carefully, ask the right questions, and translate a vision into a design that genuinely works is something that only comes with experience. When you visit us, you will feel the difference that makes.

Behind every project, there is also a support team keeping everything running smoothly. Jan, Elaine, and Rob work tirelessly behind the scenes and on site to make sure every detail is taken care of, every timeline is on track, and every client feels looked after throughout. They are the people who make the process feel effortless, even when there is a great deal happening behind the curtain.

That continuity matters. It means the person who understands your brief at the design stage is connected to the team delivering it on site. Nothing gets lost in translation.

What Happens After Your Visit

A showroom visit with Callerton is the beginning of a fully managed process, not a standalone event. And that process is worth taking seriously. A kitchen is one of the most significant investments you will make in your home, and getting it right takes time. It rarely happens in a single meeting, nor should it. The best outcomes come from a process of conversation, refinement, and considered decision-making. We would always rather take the time to get it right than rush a client toward a conclusion they are not fully confident in.

For homeowners who are ready to move forward, the next step is a full design consultation, which includes mood board planning, layout development, and a detailed, itemised quotation.

From there, the project is fully managed by our team. Plumbing, electrics, plastering, fitting, tiling. Every trade is coordinated by us, in sequence, with quality overseen at every stage. You have a single point of contact throughout, and a team that is accountable for the finished result.

For homeowners who are still in the early stages of thinking, that’s equally fine. There is no pressure to move quickly, and no expectation that a visit leads immediately to a decision. Our experience is that homeowners who take the time to explore properly, ask questions, and sit with their options tend to make better decisions and end up with kitchens they love for longer.

Find out more about how we work and what our process looks like from first visit to final installation, or take a look at our completed projects to see the range of kitchens we have designed across the North East.

The Best Kitchens Start With a Conversation

Every kitchen we have designed in over four decades started the same way: with someone coming in, sitting down, and talking to us about their home. That conversation is where the best outcomes begin.

If you are considering a new kitchen and you have not yet visited a showroom, make that your next step. Not to buy anything, not to commit to anything, but simply to see what is possible and to talk to people who can help you think it through properly.

Book your design consultation with Callerton Kitchens and come and see what a difference an in-person conversation makes.

The Complete Guide to Planning a Kitchen Renovation in the North East

Planning a kitchen renovation is one of the most significant home improvement decisions you’ll make. Done well, it transforms the most used room in your home into something that genuinely improves daily life. Done poorly, it becomes one of the most stressful and costly mistakes a homeowner can make.

This guide walks you through the key stages of planning a kitchen renovation in the North East, what to consider at each step, and where things most commonly go wrong. Whether you’re at the very beginning of your thinking or already comparing quotes, there’s something here to help you make better decisions.

Start With How You Actually Live

Before a single cabinet is specified or a worktop sample is ordered, the most important step is understanding how you use your kitchen right now and how you want to use it in the future.

Ask yourself honest questions. Do you cook seriously, or is the kitchen primarily a social space? Do you need seating built in, or is a separate dining area more practical? How much storage do you actually need versus how much you think you need? Are there habits or frustrations with your current kitchen that a new design should solve?

This is the stage most homeowners rush, and it’s the one that causes the most regret later. A kitchen that looks beautiful in a brochure but doesn’t suit the way a family actually lives will always disappoint. Taking time here saves considerable expense and frustration further down the line.

Why Layout Is the Decision You Can’t Undo

Layout is the foundation of a successful kitchen renovation, and it is the area where professional design expertise adds the most value. The most visually impressive kitchen will underperform if the layout hasn’t been properly considered.

The classic work triangle, the relationship between the sink, hob, and refrigerator, remains a useful starting point, but modern kitchen design has evolved well beyond it. Open-plan living, kitchen islands, and integrated appliances all require a more nuanced approach to circulation, sightlines, and workflow.

This is particularly relevant for kitchen design in the North East, where older properties often present layout challenges that standard solutions don’t account for. Chimney breasts, low ceilings, awkward alcoves, and non-standard room proportions all require a designer who can think beyond the template.

At Callerton Kitchens, every layout is designed from scratch for the specific room. Our initial consultation involves a full assessment of the space before any design work begins, ensuring the layout serves the homeowner rather than the other way around.

The Material Decisions That Outlast the Trend Cycle

Material selection is where many homeowners feel most overwhelmed, and where the influence of trends can lead to decisions that don’t age well. The key question to ask about any material is not whether it looks good today, but whether it will still work for you in ten years.

For worktops, ceramic products such as Dekton continue to lead for durability and low maintenance. Natural stone remains a timeless choice, particularly in honed or leathered finishes that handle everyday wear gracefully. Avoid making worktop decisions based solely on photography – always view samples in your own home, in your own light conditions.

For cabinetry, consider how the finish will handle the daily realities of a working kitchen. Painted finishes offer enormous flexibility in colour but vary significantly in quality between manufacturers. Solid timber and high-quality veneers age beautifully when specified correctly. The difference between a cabinet door that looks the same after five years and one that doesn’t almost always comes down to the quality of the product, not the style of it.

Understand What Full Project Management Actually Means

A kitchen renovation involves multiple trades working in sequence: demolition, plumbing, electrics, plastering, fitting, tiling, and final fixes. Coordinating these yourself is possible, but it requires significant time, availability, and experience of managing contractors. Delays in one trade have a knock-on effect on everything that follows.

A fully project managed service removes this burden entirely. At Callerton, our process covers the full scope from initial design consultation and mood board planning through to installation and final touches. Our team manages the sequencing, the trades, and the quality control throughout.

For homeowners who have not been through a kitchen renovation before, this level of oversight is genuinely valuable. It also provides a single point of accountability if anything needs addressing, which is far simpler than managing relationships with multiple independent contractors.

What a Brochure Cannot Tell You

There is a significant gap between choosing a kitchen online or from a brochure and experiencing materials, finishes, and spatial layouts in person. Photography, however good, cannot replicate the way a door finish catches light, the weight and feel of quality hardware, or the sense of proportion a layout creates in three dimensions.

Visiting a kitchen showroom in the North East before committing to any decisions is time well spent. It calibrates your expectations, helps you understand what is achievable within your budget, and often surfaces ideas or solutions you hadn’t considered.

Our studios across the North East are designed specifically to give you that experience. You’ll find real kitchens, real materials, and a design team ready to talk through your project without pressure.

Why Independent Expertise Makes the Difference

A kitchen renovation is not a transaction. It’s a process that benefits enormously from continuity, trust, and genuine expertise applied to your specific home. That is the case for working with an independent, experienced kitchen designer rather than a large retail environment where you are one of hundreds of customers moving through a system.

Callerton Kitchens has been designing and fitting kitchens across the North East for over 44 years. Founded by Gordon, the business has grown on the strength of its reputation, the quality of its work, and the relationships it builds with clients. That heritage matters, not as a marketing claim, but as evidence of a business that has consistently delivered results worth recommending.

If you are planning a kitchen renovation in the North East, the best first step is a conversation. Find out what our process looks like from first consultation to finished kitchen, or browse our completed projects for a sense of the range of homes and spaces we work with.

Ready to Start Planning?

A well-planned kitchen renovation starts long before any fitting takes place. It starts with the right conversations, the right design expertise, and a team that understands your home as well as you do.

Book a design consultation with Callerton Kitchens and let’s start planning a kitchen that works beautifully for the way you live.

Small Kitchen, Big Impact: How to Create Luxury in Compact Spaces

A smaller kitchen does not mean settling for less. In fact, some of the most beautifully considered bespoke kitchens Newcastle homeowners commission are compact ones. When every centimetre is working hard, and every decision is intentional, the result is often a space that feels far more considered than a larger kitchen where space does the heavy lifting.

Whether you’re a first-time buyer, downsizing to something more manageable, or living in a city apartment where space is simply a reality, this post is for you. Here’s how to approach a compact kitchen with confidence, and why working with the right designer makes all the difference.

Why Compact Kitchens Deserve a Bespoke Approach

The instinct with a small kitchen is often to reach for flat-pack solutions or off-the-shelf units and hope for the best. It’s understandable. But standard sizing is designed for standard spaces, and compact kitchens rarely are.

A bespoke approach means your kitchen is designed around your exact dimensions, your specific habits, and the way you actually use the room. A few centimetres of difference in a base unit depth, a cleverly positioned pull-out larder, or a wall cabinet that runs all the way to the ceiling – these are the kinds of decisions that only become possible when a designer is working specifically for your space.

At Callerton Kitchens, this is something we have been doing for over 44 years. Every project, large or small, starts with a proper consultation and a design built from scratch around the client. That approach doesn’t change based on the size of the room.

Every Centimetre Counted

Storage is where compact kitchens are won or lost. The goal is not just more storage, but smarter storage – solutions that keep the kitchen feeling open and uncluttered while quietly accommodating everything you need.

Some of the most effective solutions our design team specifies for smaller spaces include:

Full-height cabinetry. Running cabinets from floor to ceiling eliminates the wasted space above standard wall units and draws the eye upward, making the room feel taller. It also dramatically increases storage without increasing the kitchen’s footprint.

Pull-out larder and corner units. Traditional corner cabinets are notoriously inefficient. Modern pull-out mechanisms make every inch of a corner accessible, turning one of the most awkward areas in a kitchen into genuinely useful storage.

Integrated appliances. Building your oven, fridge, dishwasher, and microwave behind cabinetry creates a seamless, visually calm finish that makes a small kitchen feel much larger. It also removes the visual noise of mismatched appliances.

Handleless cabinetry. A true handless solution removes the visual interruption of handles and gives compact kitchens a cleaner, more expansive feel.

The best storage solutions are the ones you barely notice. When a kitchen functions instinctively and everything has a logical home, the space feels effortless, regardless of its size.

How Good Design Defies Square Footage

Beyond storage, there are specific design decisions that have a significant impact on how spacious a compact kitchen feels. None of them require extra square footage.

Light cabinetry and reflective surfaces. Selecting the right tones for your furniture and worktop finish can help with reflections around the room. Combined with good task lighting under wall cabinets, they can transform a dark, enclosed kitchen into something that feels genuinely open.

Large-format worktops with minimal joins. A single slab worktop in sintered stone or quartz, running the full length of a wall without interruption, removes visual clutter and anchors the space. Fewer joins mean a cleaner, more considered finish.

Considered colour. A compact kitchen done in a single, cohesive colour palette, including units, walls, and even ceiling, can feel surprisingly generous. It is a technique borrowed from interior design that works exceptionally well in kitchen spaces.

Streamlined splashbacks. Continuing the worktop material up the wall as a splashback, rather than introducing a separate tile, reduces the number of visual layers in the room and creates a sense of continuity.

These are not tricks. They are the considered decisions that separate a kitchen designed by someone who understands space from one that simply fills it.

The Value of an Independent Kitchen Designer

There is a meaningful difference between buying a kitchen and having one designed for you. For compact spaces especially, that difference is significant.

What an independent, family-run business like Callerton offers is continuity. You are not passed between departments or handed to a different team at each stage. You work with people who are invested in the outcome, from the first conversation through to the final installation. Gordon founded this business over four decades ago on exactly that principle, and it remains the way we work today.

For cost-conscious buyers, this is also worth considering practically. A well-designed compact kitchen, specified correctly from the outset, avoids the expensive mistakes that come from poor planning. Getting the layout, storage, and appliance positioning right the first time is always more efficient than rectifying it later.

Small Kitchen, Long-Term Investment

A bespoke compact kitchen is not a compromise. Approached correctly, it is one of the smartest investments a homeowner can make. A thoughtfully designed kitchen adds genuine value to a property, and in smaller homes or apartments, the kitchen is often the room that shapes a buyer’s first impression most decisively.

More than that, a kitchen that works beautifully for the way you live, even in a modest footprint, improves daily life in a way that is easy to underestimate until you experience it.

If you are working with a compact space and wondering whether a bespoke kitchen is within reach, the honest answer is that it very likely is. The conversation starts with understanding your space, your priorities, and your budget, and that is exactly what our design consultations are for.

Browse our project portfolio to see the range of spaces we have worked with, or take a look at our kitchen inspiration for ideas to bring to your consultation.

Ready to Make the Most of Your Space?

Compact does not mean ordinary. With the right design team behind you, even the smallest kitchen can deliver genuine luxury, real functionality, and a finish that lasts.

Book a design consultation with Callerton Kitchens today and let us show you what your space is really capable of.

Kitchens That Stand the Test of Time

Sustainability is on everyone’s mind these days. More of us are thinking about the choices we make at home and the impact they have on the world. But that doesn’t mean we have to compromise on style. We still want kitchens that inspire us, spaces where life happens — from family breakfasts to dinner parties and quiet evenings with a glass of wine.

So how do you create a kitchen that feels fresh today and still works beautifully in ten or twenty years? How do you choose materials and finishes that will grow more beautiful with time?

We focus on materials that endure. Textures that feel warm under your hand. Stone surfaces that add depth and character. Finishes that age gracefully rather than fade or date. The goal is simple: a kitchen that isn’t just seen, but lived in — a space that becomes part of the home’s story.

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Craftsmanship That Matters

A kitchen should feel effortless and natural. That’s why we look beyond the surface and focus on how it’s made. Many of our kitchens are produced at our sister company based over the river in Sunderland, a local operation on its own sustainability journey with bio-mass energy creation and solar ambitions. With production being based here in the region, transport distances are dramatically reduced, lowering our carbon footprint, whilst keeping money in our regional economy, supporting local craftsmanship and ensuring the high standards of quality we’re known for.

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We also team up with suppliers who care about the same things we do. Take Häcker, for example, ahead of the curve with eco-friendly manufacturing on the continent. By working alongside partners like Häcker, we bring together careful craftsmanship and a shared focus on quality, creating kitchens that are made to last and designed for everyday living.s as ethically sound as it is lasting.

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Spaces Built for Living

A kitchen should just work, quietly and reliably. Rather than chasing the latest look, we focus on a layout that guides you instinctively from prep to plate. We can use soft, organic colours alongside the grain of timber and the weight of textured stone to create a room that feels settled and calm. Nothing is there just for show; every material is chosen because it has the character to last and a specific role to play.

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Your Kitchen, Thoughtfully Designed

Your kitchen should be a thoughtful reflection of how you live. To achieve this, we balance our own local Sunderland production with the eco-conscious innovations of suppliers like Häcker. The result is a bespoke environment where elegance and ethics intersect. It is more than a renovation; it is a long-term investment in a space that is practical, beautiful, and deeply considered.

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Designing for Real Life: Callerton Kitchens’ 2025 Highlights

As we wind down towards the end of the year, it feels only natural to reflect on the milestones that have shaped our journey. For Callerton Kitchens, 2025 has been a year defined by creative evolution and a deep commitment to what we call “the art of flow”. It has been a joy to see our designs come to life in your homes, and we feel incredibly grateful as we look back on the months behind us.

In addition to the projects themselves, this year saw some modest industry recognition. Our team was honoured to be selected as a finalist for Best Showroom at the Neff MasterPartner Awards and shortlisted for KBSA Kitchen Designer of the Year (Over £50k). Additionally, we were honoured to win the Designerati Awards’ Commendation for Best Luxury Kitchen Design. These occasions honour the commitment of our designers and, above all, the faith you have in us to revitalise the heart of your home, even though we never create for awards.

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Designing for the Way You Live

One of the most important lessons we learned from 2025 is that a kitchen should be planned for everyday use rather than just for pictures. We put a lot of emphasis on “the art of flow,” which is the notion that a house should move with you naturally throughout the day.

The transition from the kitchen to the utility room took a lot of time to perfect. We discovered that by designing clever walk-throughs, we could conceal the busy, practical side of home life while maintaining the main kitchen’s exquisite composition and guest-ready state. It’s all about ensuring that the “social space” and the “prep zone” coexist harmoniously.

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Finding the Balance of Colour and Texture

This year, we saw a confident move towards minimalism with warmth and character. Clients are moving away from extremely stark schemes in favour of timeless, natural, and grounded colour schemes.

Pitch Black continued to be a popular choice, proving that dark cabinetry can feel both dramatic and inviting when softened with the right elements. Sophisticated black kitchens feel warmer and more comfortable when they’re designed with warm lighting, tactile finishes and refined brass details.

We also saw a growing interest in greens layered with natural timber, a combination that evokes a connection to nature and brings a sense of. Whether used subtly or more expressively, these palettes introduced softness and depth, creating kitchens that feel lived-in, balanced and effortlessly elegant.

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The Beauty of Hidden Spaces

If there was one “must-have” feature this year, it was the secret storage solution. We loved designing bespoke Butler’s Pantries that act as the ultimate organised secret. These spaces allow you to keep everything you need close at hand while keeping your primary worktops calm and clutter-free.

In addition, the “home bar” trend has made a big comeback, for both entertaining and everyday life. We’ve built morning coffee stations and evening cocktail cabinets, all creating areas that transform daily living into something a little more special. Whether it is a dedicated wine wall or a hidden spirit cabinet, these features prove that the best kitchens are those that can adapt from a quiet breakfast to a lively dinner party with ease.

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Looking Ahead and Into the Festive Season

As we close the chapter on 2025, we want to thank you for being part of our story. The homes we’ve designed this year continue to inspire us, and we’re already looking ahead to the design possibilities 2026 will bring.

As Christmas approaches, there’s also no better time to appreciate how a well-designed kitchen brings everything together. From festive cooking and baking to hosting family and friends, this is when your home enters peak production mode. A kitchen designed with flow at its core supports all these moments, keeping things running smoothly behind the scenes while remaining warm, welcoming and ready to gather around.

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The Hidden Engineering Behind Beautiful Kitchens: Our Day with Blum

At Callerton Kitchens, we’re always looking for ways to make your kitchen not only beautiful, but a joy to use every day. Design, functionality and innovation go hand in hand, and that’s why we were thrilled to attend the recent Design Lab, hosted by Callerton and Blum at the Blum Experience Centre in Milton Keynes.

The event brought together designers from across Callerton’s retailer network to deep dive into the latest product, share cutting-edge designs and explore the latest in kitchen technology, functionality, and ergonomic design.

We were joined by designers and retailers from across the Callerton network, including representatives from Red Kite Kitchens in Beaconsfield, Nicholas Hythe Kitchens in Cambridgeshire, and Four Seasons Kitchens in Leeds. It was a collaborative, and creative environment that showcased our shared commitment to quality and innovation.

We left feeling inspired and full of ideas for how these insights can make a real difference in your home.

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Discovering Design Innovation in Action

Blum’s approach to furniture hardwear is driven by research into how people truly live and move in their spaces. Every detail, from how you open a drawer to how easily you can reach what you need, plays a role in creating a kitchen that feels effortless.

One of the most fascinating parts of the day was seeing the Age Explorer suit in action. This specially designed suit simulates the physical effects of ageing and certain disabilities. When you wear it, you get a sense of what it’s like to move, bend, and see through the eyes of someone with mobility or accessibility challenges, whether due to age or disability.

It’s an eye-opening experience that reminds us why thoughtful design matters so much. Small adjustments in height, lighting, or layout can make your kitchen more comfortable and inclusive for everyone.

Our very own Francis Russell from Callerton Newcastle tried on the suit at the Callerton Design Lab, held at the Blum Experience Centre. Experiencing it firsthand really highlighted how good design can improve everyday comfort and independence in your kitchen.

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Engineering Excellence Behind Every Hinge

We also had the chance to take a closer look at one of Blum’s signature hinges. Quite literally, it was taken apart to reveal all 54 individual components hidden inside. Each tiny piece plays its part in delivering the smooth, silent motion that Blum products are known for.

It’s this attention to detail that makes Blum a world leader in hinge and drawer systems, and why we’re proud to partner with them. Every Callerton kitchen benefits from that same precision and craftsmanship, ensuring your cabinets not only look stunning but perform beautifully for years to come – with a lifetime guarantee in fact!

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What We Took Away

Progress is never accidental; when innovation meets the power of data, every measured improvement, informed by real human behaviour, helps create a kitchen that works smarter, feels better, and supports you every day.
Design with accessibility in mind; understanding how people of all abilities use their kitchens leads to spaces that are both practical and welcoming.
Partnership makes progress possible; by working closely with trusted suppliers like Blum, we continue to bring exceptional quality and lasting value into your home.

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Bringing the Inspiration Home

Events like the Design Lab remind us that great design always starts with curiosity and collaboration. By staying connected with forward-thinking partners like Blum and other retailers in the network, we can bring the latest innovations straight into your kitchen, combining style, comfort, and functionality in equal measure.

If you’d like to see how these ideas could enhance your own kitchen, we’d love to share more of what we’ve learned.

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From Vision to Reality: The Callerton Kitchen Journey

At Callerton, we believe that a kitchen is never just a kitchen. It’s the heart of the home, the stage for family life, and a canvas for creativity. That’s why every project begins not with products, but with people. Our role is to understand your lifestyle, your aspirations, and how you want your kitchen to feel, then guide you through a design and installation journey built on collaboration, clear communication, and problem-solving expertise. Challenges may arise along the way, but with Callerton by your side, you can trust that we’ll always find the right solution.

The Design-Flow Process

1. Listening First

It all begins with a conversation. We take the time to uncover not only your practical needs but also your design aspirations, whether that’s the sophistication of contemporary minimalism or the elegance of timeless Shaker detailing.

2. Inspiration and Concept

From mood boards to material samples, our designers bring ideas to life. We explore finishes, colours, and layouts that complement your home’s architecture while reflecting your personal taste.

3. Refined Design

This is where the details come together. Detailed plans and 3D visuals reveal how your kitchen will look and function in everyday life. Every element, including flow, proportions, storage, and lighting, is considered with precision to ensure a harmonious result

4. Final Design and Production

Once the design fully captures your vision, we prepare a detailed overview outlining every element, from cabinetry and surfaces to appliances. This is also the stage where sign-off takes place and your deposit is made, commissioning your kitchen for production. Each component is crafted to the highest standards, ready to become part of your home.

Kitchen Installation: Expertly Managed from Start to Finish

Design is only half the story. Bringing your dream kitchen to life requires skilled installation and a calm, capable team who can navigate every stage with care.

At Callerton, our installation team is specialists — experienced, adaptable, and unflappable. Committed to getting the job done right, they’ll work with you to solve the unforeseen, finding practical solutions and keeping things moving efficiently on site.

Ripping out an old kitchen can sometimes reveal hidden surprises, like rotten floorboards, faulty electrics, or awkward pipework. While these issues can be daunting for homeowners, our team treats them as part of the craft. With decades of combined experience, they know exactly how to resolve any problem with professionalism and precision.

Installation Options to Suit Your Needs

Every project is unique, which is why we offer two levels of fitting service:

Full Fit – A complete service including removal of your old kitchen, preparation work, installation, plumbing, and electrics.
Dry Fit – Ideal if it’s a straightforward removal and replacement within the same space, or if you already have other trades lined up on site. Our team installs the cabinetry while your contractors complete plumbing and electrical connections.

From Start to Finish, You’re in Safe Hands

A Callerton kitchen is more than cabinetry and appliances. It’s a carefully guided journey from the first sketch to the final polish, shaped by creativity, expertise, and trust. With our designers shaping the vision and our skilled installation team bringing it to life, every detail is handled with care. At Callerton, we don’t just design kitchens; we help you realise your vision through thoughtful design, expert craftsmanship, and attentive service every step of the way.

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Paul Tappenden

30/07/2024

Brilliant company, look after their customers even several years later! All work top notch, and very professional! Five Star company 👍

Bridie Bates

16/02/2024

Some years ago I purchased a white high-gloss kitchen, which was superb in quality and style. In the last year or so, I began to notice yellowing/staining on most of the edges of the drawers and cupboards, and the kitchen began to look very unattractive. I contacted the company. They were extremely concerned and conducted a thorough investigation including back-tracking every stage of the manufacturing process, and discovered there was a fault in the gluing process at one of the suppliers. I was informed that all of the doors and cupboards would be replaced at no cost to me. I had anticipated, quite wrongly, that I would have difficulty getting replacements as the kitchen was out of guarantee. Callerton was determined to find out what had gone wrong in the manufacturing process of my kitchen, particularly with regard to it never happening again to any current or future customers. I was kept fully informed at every stage. I am delighted to say that my kitchen refit has taken place and is resplendent once again. This is customer service at the highest level and I cannot express my thanks to everyone involved for the effort they made to rectify the situation.

Ian Marley

23/01/2024

We had a Kitchen designed and fitted by Callerton Kitchens few years ago and we are very happy with the quality of the units and the installation. We recently discovered a problem with the tap when rust started appearing under the chrome. Things can and do go wrong. When this happens you want to have good customer service to get the issue resolved quickly. After a few years some companies might not have put in much effort to help. When I contacted Callerton Kitchens they were just as helpful and enthusiastic to help as they were when the kitchen was being fitted. They contacted the tap supplier who sent out a complementary replacement and Callerton Kitchens arranged for this to be fitted. Thanks to Lucy at Callerton Kitchens the tap is like new again. Many thanks for the outstanding customer service, something of a rarity today.

Christine Craig

30/11/2023

We were thrilled with the excellent service particular Francis who came up with fantastic designs, and is so talented. The quality of the kitchen are excellent. Fabulous service

Kurt Obermaier

14/11/2023

Imaginative design of a planned new kitchen lay-out for us by Callerton designer Francis Russell. Francis took great care in understanding our requirements and he produced several very good design options for us. Due to unforeseen circumstances however, sadly we were not able to proceed to implementation. We have no hesitation in recommending a visit to Callerton and their extensive showroom.

Phillipa Newton

09/05/2023

Great evening - really useful to see Bora products being used and taste some of the food cooked. Very much appreciated the opportunity to speak to others that attended about their experience as Callerton customers and also the chef regarding the appliances. As I was driving I didn't get to taste the wine but the event was well worth the journey.

yvonne bell

14/04/2023

Great friendly cookery demonstration evening hosted by Callerton and NEFF. Good way to help decide on appliances might be mostly useful. Food from the demo delicious too. Thanks

Debbie Matthews

18/02/2023

Outstanding service from the Berwick team from initial consultation to the finished kitchen. Mandy listened to what we wanted and suggested some great ideas that we hadn't thought of which we are delighted with. Excellent communication from Stacey throughout who kept us updated regarding delivery and instalation. Both Mandy and Stacey helped with our decision making which we are thrilled with. Roger provided expert craftsmanship as usual. We would definitely recommend Callerton at Berwick-upon- Tweed for a professional and dedicated service.

David Kelly

23/01/2023

A fantastic company! The team were a real pleasure to deal with and couldn’t do enough for us from the design process to the install. We’re thrilled with our new Callerton Kitchen and would highly recommend using them.