Situated on the High Street in the historic quarter of Rochester is Stoneham’s newest retailer, Kitchen Design House. Also known as KDH, they aim to become the kitchen showroom destination for the area offering a blend of luxury and functional design. We interviewed Stephen Field, Kitchen Design Manager to find out more about what they offer and why Stoneham is the perfect partner.

Tell us about Kitchen Design House?
Our approach has always been focused on offering exceptional design and service – the two come hand in hand. We take great pleasure in guiding our clients through the different design stage, from initial design, to choosing materials and appliances, through to the finished product. We like to challenge and surpass our clients’ expectations with what can be achieved in their new kitchen.

Why Stoneham?
We really like the fact that Stoneham is a luxury brand providing bespoke classic and contemporary furniture. It is the perfect pairing for KDH and what we offer our customers.  Stoneham is also known for their long-standing British heritage, which reflects the history of our shop and our location on Rochester High Street opposite Eastgate House, an Elizabethan townhouse which Dickens featured in The Pickwick Papers. 

Which Stoneham ranges and features do you have in your showroom?
We have two Stoneham displays, one at the front of the shop and one at the back. For our front display in the Georgian part of our showroom, we have used Stoneham’s Penshurst in-frame range in Hague Blue and Cornforth White.  The display includes a hidden door that reveals pantry style shelving illuminated with vertical LED lighting, as well as two vertical bi-fold dressers located at either end of a run of cabinets.  There is also an island with a bespoke three-part panel area that is recessed into the island to allow for a dedicated seating spot.

Our second display is located at the back of the showroom in a Victorian extension, with a vaulted ceiling. In contrast to the classic design of the first display and to ensure the display didn’t get lost in the back, we went bold with our design. We chose Stoneham’s Pitch range in a statement Heritage Red tone, and Fusion range in Lead grey, both offering a minimalist, contemporary finish. Here we created a number of bespoke features including a large cabinet unit to frame a Gaggenau fridge, wine cooler and ovens, as well as an impressive spice pantry cupboard. The wall cabinets in Lead grey have a fluted finish to showcase the different use of materials. This display has gone down particularly well with customers when walking through the showroom.

Both displays have been finished with the finest handles including fluted bonze and nickel handles which sit beautifully on the cabinets.

What did you want to achieve with the displays?
We wanted the Stoneham displays to represent our approach to design and service and to show customers what can be achieved, whether clients desire a more classic design or a contemporary kitchen. We also wanted customers to feel excited when they visit us, which we are pleased to say they are.

What has been the reaction from customers so far?
Literally wow. We have had such great comments from customers, exactly the reaction we were hoping for.

What are you finding popular in kitchen design at the moment?
In-frame kitchens are very popular with our clients due to the classic, yet timeless appeal of the doors. Our Pitch display in Heritage Red is also attracting a very positive response with customers considering bolder colour choices in their designs.

Do you have any exciting plans for this year we should know about?
We have been extremely busy over the last two years getting the showroom up and running.  The whole team are now excited at the prospect of raising awareness of Kitchen Design House with the local community and being the kitchen showroom destination of choice for our existing and new customers.

For more information on Kitchen Design House, click here.
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