Kitchen Studio North Shore have had a winning year in 2017. They recently had huge success at the annual Kitchen Studio Awards night, taking out several awards over multiple categories in the nation-wide competition.

The North Shore branch won Franchise of the Year, an impressive win considering Kitchen Studio North Shore was competing with every Kitchen Studio branch across New Zealand. Kitchen Studio North Shore also took out several design awards including Kitchen of the Year, People’s Choice award, Creative Excellence and highly commended in the under $20,000 category, and Kitchen of the Year. The last three out of five years, Kitchen Studio North Shore has won the supreme ‘Kitchen of the Year’ award.

Owners Karen and Paul Collins are delighted with the success of the business and their in-house designers. They have owned the North Shore franchise for 10 years and ‘getting it right’ is the aim when a new client approaches them. Karen says: “Our goal is to design and build a kitchen that our clients will love, and that if their friends wanted a new kitchen they would recommend us for the job.”

“Quality and good design have become more important to people looking to build or renovate their home, and they realise it’s vital to get advice from a professional,” continues Karen. “We employ highly qualified designers, who understand what our clients want.  We work hard at training and keeping up to date with new products; we meet at the showroom on a regular basis so our staff can discuss what they have learned and share their ideas with one another.”

Karen and Paul have also visited EuroCucina in Milan, which is the largest kitchen expo in the world. EuroCucina showcases the leading trends, products and finishes in kitchen design and offers cutting-edge ideas and solutions for the modern kitchen. Visits to Kitchen Studio’s suppliers were included in the trip with a tour to the Blum factory in Austria, Hafele in Germany and benchtop supplier Cosentino, in Spain. “It’s important to stay up to date with new looks coming out of Europe, but we also have to consider the New Zealand lifestyle, and work with the available space to achieve the best result for our clients,” says Karen.

An important part of the five-step process at Kitchen Studio is the initial site visit to the client’s home, where the designer looks at the space and light available, along with any other important considerations. After the consultation with the client to discuss their ideas, budget and expectations, the designer gets started on the plan for the kitchen. Factors for consideration include colour trends, products, finishes, lighting and splashback materials. There are so many things to think about when planning a new kitchen, and the designers at Kitchen Studio use their expertise to help simplify what can otherwise be a stressful process for the home owner.

The next step is for the client to meet with the designer in the showroom, to demonstrate how the design for the kitchen is looking. Changes can be made if required, and once the client is happy with the design and costing, the designer and operations team will visit the site again to check measurements and inspect the installation area. The back-office staff will make sure the design is interpreted and ordered correctly. Once installation time arrives, all trade services such as electricians and plumbers can be coordinated to minimise disruption within the home.

Kitchen Studio offer a unique double guarantee - a 10-year guarantee to their clients, which is transferrable to new owners if the house is sold within that time. There is also a deposit guarantee which is backed by the Kitchen Studio franchisor, which means that any deposits paid are secure until work is completed.

Kitchen Studio North Shore also make time to be involved with the community, and their contribution towards projects such as the ‘House of Dreams’ in Beach Haven was a memorable one. The company designed and installed a kitchen for the house, which was then auctioned. The initiative raised $145,000 to assist with new Plunket rooms in Beach Haven.

Next month we start meeting the Kitchen Studio designers, who talk about special projects and their passion for designing great kitchens.

Kitchen Studio North Shore, 40D William Drive, Albany, 09 443 3264 www.kitchenstudio.co.nz