Newly appointed Stoneham retailer, Sapphire Spaces recently underwent a refurbishment of its showroom in Topsham, Exeter, Devon to launch Stoneham Kitchens to its customers. Having been open to the public for a few months now we caught up with Managing Director, Mark Newbery to find out more about the new displays and what the reaction has been.

Tell us about Sapphire Spaces?
Since opening our doors in 2012, we have been specialising in luxury kitchens, bathrooms and living spaces working with high-end brands you’d often find in London. We wanted to be able to bring these brands to Devon to make them accessible to the region. Our aim is to truly understand what our customers want to achieve, looking at the flow of their homes and how they live in order to create the perfect space for them.

How long have been a Stoneham retailer for?
Almost a year now.

Why Stoneham?
Since launch we have worked with just one contemporary kitchen brand, but over the last few years we have been exploring the idea of introducing a more traditional offering that complimented the quality of our existing one. Whilst there are undoubtedly some big names that spring to mind when talking about luxury traditional kitchen brands, none of them quite hit the mark for us but that all changed when we visited Stoneham’s HQ. From the outset we knew we had found a well-established family business that shared our high standards and values. The team at Stoneham is always on hand to discuss bespoke options (if we can design it, they can build it) and the pride they take in their craft shines through.

What Stoneham ranges have you got in your showroom?
We have got three ranges on display including; Penshurst (Vert Studio Oak painted), Cudham (smooth painted in Classic White shade) and Strata (smooth painted in Vert Studio shade).

What key features do you have on display?
Our key features include a large kitchen island which showcases a number of storage possibilities including wooden trays that slot into the island and an open slatted lower shelf to one end.

The one feature that everyone seems to be drawn to though is the tall pocket doors that slide out of sight. These are part of a bespoke pantry unit which we have set up as a cocktail station (this has been a big hit!). The unit includes wine bottle drawers, glass shelving and an area for drink preparation. Further storage on display includes cruciform wine racks and a tall larder unit.

What did you want to achieve with the displays?
We wanted the displays to be traditional with a classic style and contemporary touches that equalled the quality of our other displays.

What has the reaction been by customers to Stoneham and the displays? 
The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, we couldn’t have asked for more.

What are you finding is popular in kitchen design at the moment?
Pocket doors seem to be a must in most kitchens – either to hide small appliances such as toasters, kettles, mixers etc or to be used on cocktail cabinets such as we have on display in the showroom. Marble and stone style quartz worktops are still just as popular as they always have been in finishes such as Calacatta which give a very high-end look.

For more information on Sapphire Spaces click here.

Keep an eye on our latest updates by following us on social media. We’re on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Houzz.