Since 1995, Alex Lee Kitchens have worked on hundreds of kitchens, transforming homes with their specialist kitchen design and installation service. Based in the historic town of Rugby, Alex Lee Kitchens has an enviable reputation for outstanding quality, durability and affordability. In this Studio Partner Spotlight, the team tell us the secrets to their success.

1. What is the most satisfying aspect of working at Alex Lee Kitchens and what is the culture like here?

Friendly and flexible

It’s all about the customers and improving their living space. Nothing is more satisfying than hearing from a customer whose kitchen has been improved by our hard work and innovative design. We love to get to know people and we are small enough to keep the service friendly and flexible.

2. What do you pride yourselves on delivering to customers?

Attention and service comes naturally

The attention they deserve. We never give the hard sell and we deliver a bespoke and flexible service. It’s not so much that we pride ourselves on this, it simply comes naturally to us, as that’s the culture we’ve always encouraged. 3. Where and what do you take your inspiration from?

Design that’s as visually appealing as it is practical

We love great designs that are as visually appealing as they are practical, and get a real kick out of solving tricky design issues. For the most part though, it’s our customers that keep us inspired. Once we show them what we can do, they tell us their hopes and dreams for their new kitchen and how it will improve their lifestyle – that’s our biggest inspiration. 4. What do you think makes Alex Lee Kitchens stand out from the crowd?

Customer dedication

We REALLY listen to our customers and customer dedication is the big one for us. We have a dedicated project manager service and our vetted, specialist tradesmen, that sets us apart from the crowd.         5. What was the biggest kitchen trend that you saw in 2017, and what do you anticipate to be the biggest trends for 2018?

Open-plan, two-tone and top tech

The ever-increasing trend is for open-plan living and making the most of your current property, and we expect that to continue. Aesthetically, contrast in colour with two-tone pallets combining a neutral and bold tone is “in” at the moment. We’ll be very interested to see how the market reacts to the incredible tech innovations that are becoming available, as it can take a while for these things to catch on. Thanks to our strong partnerships with appliance manufacturers, we’ll be ready when it does. 6. What do you think are the biggest challenges that face kitchen designers currently? How do you think these can be addressed?

Affordable wow factor

Overcoming the customer’s fear that going with an independent kitchen studio will be overly expensive – it is really not the case. We’ve addressed this by producing case studies highlighting kitchens in three different pricing brackets, making it easy to see how we can create ‘affordable wow factor’ on any budget. We’re able to offer a greater range of quality products, flexibility, and design skills that can’t be found in the chain stores. 8. What is your top tip for a homeowner who is considering buying a brand-new kitchen?

Local, independent retailers who care about quality

Go to a local, independent retailer and be open about your budget. They’ll be able to guide you through the process and focus their service to meet your needs. Always look to buy quality, as the quick saving now rarely works out in the long run. Independent retailers like us have a vested interest in you enjoying the experience and being thrilled with the end result.

Feel inspired? You can find out more about Alex Lee Kitchens on their Studio Partner profile or view their case studies here.