Full of character and charm, handmade kitchens are a celebration of fine British craftsmanship. We look into this highly skilled, highly desirable technique…

“Handmade kitchens tell a story; an amalgamation of the wood itself, the carpenter who created it and the family who are using it. The entirely bespoke element of a handmade kitchen will never not be special – to know each piece was created with your kitchen, family and lifestyle in mind,” says Sebastian Aronowitz, founder of The London Kitchen Company, rather whimsically. You can feel the passion for his craft reflected in his words.

And he’s not alone – every designer and every retailer that specialises in handmade kitchens whom I spoke to were equally as ardent about what they do. “There’s a finesse and personal pride that artisan cabinet makers bring to furniture making, that simply cannot be replicated by machines,” summarises Louisa Eggleston, creative director for Humphrey Munson.

So what does it mean, exactly, to have a handmade kitchen?

Put simply, it allows you to have fully bespoke cabinetry built to suit your home. “Crafting a handmade kitchen is a meticulous blend of tradition and innovation. We embrace a combination of modern machinery and handcrafted tools, allowing us to uphold the time-honoured techniques that have defined exquisite Shaker kitchen craftsmanship for generations,” explains Tom Howley, creative design director at the eponymous kitchen company.

Stacey Cobley, senior designer at Harvey Jones agrees, and says, “Although there isn’t a formalised handmade standard, the core characteristics of a handmade kitchen include bespoke joinery and design, hand-finished details and a mix of traditional and modern woodworking techniques by a team of experts, to create a truly individualised product that is guaranteed to stand the test of time.”

The beauty of bespoke designs

Perfect for older properties with odd walls and ceilings, unique nooks and crannies and angled alcoves, handmade cabinetry can be created to suit these specific areas, optimising the kitchen space and creating a seamless look.

Molly Chandler, designer at Willis & Stone, adds, “Having cabinetry made bespoke to your space eliminates the need of lots of filler panels within your kitchen, which ultimately wastes space and can take away from the visual aspect.”

Mass-produced or modular cabinetry is made to standard sizes, so these will also often need ‘filler’ cabinet accessories like chopping boards, or wine racks to fill the inevitable and tell-tale gaps created by pre-sized cabinets.

“Ultimately, a handmade kitchen is going to be entirely bespoke to your taste and needs. It also gives you something wonderfully unique that you can share with friends and family – people get excited by the small details and touches that are so distinctively ‘them’,” says Sebastian.

A high level of craftsmanship

Of course, all of this requires a level of craftsmanship that ensures every piece is not only functional, but also a work of art. “Our handmade kitchens are never manufactured on a production line, and because the crafting process is very intricate and detailed, they are always made by highly trained cabinet makers. We always allocate two skilled craftspeople to translate each design into furniture.

“While most cabinetmaking businesses nowadays use state-of-the-art machinery to cut timber pieces for the kitchen carcasses, it is the cabinet makers who will assemble them and then cut them by hand to an exact size, sanding and polishing each piece manually,” explains Simon Taylor of the eponymous kitchen company.

“At our workshop, our cabinet makers use a range of different machines and hand tools, such as marking gauges, tri-squares, mallets, chisels, marking knives and hand planes to finely craft, and make ready, each frame, door and drawer front, accurately knife-marking and cutting the dovetailed drawer boxes and assembling them by hand.”

Lead times

However, as you can imagine, there’s a lot to consider when choosing this type of kitchen; lead times being one of the main factors. “Each individual part is designed, a cutting list created, patterns made and then prototypes crafted to ensure the final design will be just as imagined. Effectively, it involves making new designs each time, so there are expectations of re-designing and troubleshooting as we go; this needs to be accounted for, when it comes to time,” says Sebastian.

The process usually starts with a design consultation with a qualified specialist who will go through every detail of your brief, providing solutions and ideas that will enhance the use of the space.

“This could typically take up to two months from walking into the showroom to getting the design absolutely right,” says Richard Davonport, managing director at Davonport. “This gives time to have consultations and design progress meetings. Once the design is signed off, a build slot will be given for the kitchen to be made, and then finally an installation date. Typically, this is a three-to-four-month process.”

Other examples of lead times include the ‘500 skilled maker hours’ that go into every Inglis Hall kitchen, while Shere Kitchens say they usually work with homeowners for around a year, starting with initial ideas for the space before renovations or extensions go ahead, right through to the finished product.

Cost considerations

Cost is the next obvious consideration. After talking to several retailers, I’ve found you’d be hard-pressed to have a handmade kitchen that was below £40,000, rising to around £75,000 – and in the rarer circumstances, prices can even reach £100,000+.

“It’s good to be aware that handmade kitchens will be more expensive than mass-produced cabinetry which you’ll often find from high street stores,” adds Molly. “Handmade kitchens are built to last, so although it may be an initial large cost, they really are an investment over time, as you shouldn’t need to change your kitchen as often as the average 10-15 years.”

While less-expensive mass-produced kitchens do have tempting price tags, just remember that they tend to only last a decade or so before needing to be replaced, potentially costing you more in the long run.

Clearly, you get what you pay for with a handmade kitchen. While, yes, it can be an exceptional investment – in both time and money – the result can be extraordinary. But when it comes to defining what is and isn’t handmade, I recommend doing plenty of research. Ask questions, ask to see inside a workshop and look at real-life examples; brands can use certain terminology without backing up claims.

The final design

Also, be sure to check through the final design with your consultant, and if there is something niggling at you or an element of the design you’re not sure about, speak up.

“Remember not to only think of what you need from your kitchen at the moment – look a little further ahead. Perhaps you are thinking of growing your family or hosting more in the future; consider this now, as making changes to your kitchen further down the line can be tricky and costly,” advises Al Bruce, founder of Olive & Barr.

“If you opt for a design which deeply resonates with your tastes and needs, you can’t go far wrong, and are guaranteed to love your handmade kitchen for years to come.”

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