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Everything you need to know about bespoke kitchens

Off-the-shelf fitted kitchens are available in a wide range of designs, styles, and colours allowing homeowners to personalise various aspects of their kitchen. However, many homeowners want to create a truly one-of-a-kind kitchen that has been specifically designed around their home and lifestyle. In this scenario, going bespoke is the only option. 

Is made-to-measure the same as bespoke?

Made-to-measure kitchen models do allow some level of freedom and personalisation when it comes to aesthetic details such as colour scheme, ironmongery, and worktop materials. However, standardised cupboard dimensions and fixtures mean there will always be compromises to be made. For example, a made-to-measure kitchen may give homeowners a set of cabinetry to choose from, varying in shape, size and height, but it does not allow for complete freedom as there will always be limitations within the product range itself. 

A bespoke kitchen, on the other hand, is built around the homeowner’s individual preferences and will dovetail perfectly with any room – no matter how quirky or unique. A truly bespoke kitchen allows the homeowner to make an endless number of choices and the end result will be a space that is both beautiful and functional and not beholden to a set of options predetermined by a kitchen company or designer.

The benefits of choosing a bespoke kitchen

A bespoke kitchen offers a wide range of benefits that are not available when choosing an off-the-shelf or made-to-measure alternative. 

Firstly, the homeowner has far greater control over all aspects of the design process. There are no limitations on colour choice, handles, door styles, features, accents, the list goes on and on. The kitchen is designed specifically around the homeowner’s taste and style and to complement the rest of their home. 

In addition to having a choice over all of the style aspects of their new kitchen, homeowners also have greater control over all the technical aspects of the kitchen, for example, the size of each cupboard or height of each shelf. In made-to-measure kitchens, the cabinetry will often have predetermined shelves with ready-drilled holes for fitting, whereas in bespoke kitchens the shelves can be installed at any height to neatly house a specific set of vintage glassware or maximise general storage.

Having this level of control means the homeowner’s kitchen will work around them and not the other way around. Is a breakfast pantry on the hit-list to house an unsightly toaster and kettle? Is an extra deep worksurface required for wannabee bakers? Or does the kitchen require a dedicated food preparation zone for household members with food intolerances? A bespoke kitchen can be designed around even the most specific of demands.

Sometimes it’s not the homeowner but the room itself that requires a bespoke approach. For example, older or period properties do not always have routinely even floors, or walls that are truly perpendicular. A bespoke kitchen designer will take into account even the smallest of fluctuations and conceal flaws in the property within the kitchen design. In a similar vein, standard width 60cm, 70cm or 90cm cupboards that are the mainstay of off-the-shelf collections may not be suitable for a quirky alcove or chimney recess but with bespoke, a cabinet can be created that fits like a glove. 

Standard height wall cabinetry may be dwarfed by high ceilings in an Edwardian property, or a cosy cottage with low ceilings may need slightly smaller wall units to ‘look right’. These matters of proportion can all be easily dealt with when a homeowner opts for a bespoke kitchen.

At Davonport, we find that many homeowners like to divide their kitchen into different areas, each with their own distinct purpose. As well as having all the usual requests such as zoning for entertaining, food preparation, and family time, the more abstract requests are perfectly within our comfort zone too. Some customers want a specific area for a dog bed built into their design, a much-loved piece of art might need to take centre stage, or homeowners with limiting disabilities might need adaptions made.

Bespoke kitchen manufacturers also know that this is an investment on behalf of the homeowner and therefore, as expected the materials and finishes used are also better able to withstand the wear of tear of busy family life. This level of choice and quality does equate to a higher price tag than other off-the-shelf or made-to-measure options but it is only by going bespoke that the homeowner has every possibility available to them.

What makes Davonport kitchens bespoke?

Creating truly bespoke kitchens for each customer is something that we pride ourselves on at Davonport. Every element of a Davonport kitchen, from the first cut of timber to the final lick of paint, is made to meet the needs and specifications of each homeowner. 

Over the years we have worked with homeowners who have taken inspiration from a number of different sources including magazines and online tools such as Pinterest. However, we’ve also had occasions when individuals want to include themes from somewhere they have visited on holiday or stunning interiors they’ve experienced whilst travelling the world. We’ve also had clients who have nautical backgrounds and want to include various coastal aspects throughout their home. Sometimes our clients are much less specific and want to evoke a special memory that is close to their heart. 

The bespoke, curved island in this Davonport kitchen was inspired by a bar that the client saw on a holiday in the Florida Keys. Made in rich, American walnut, it takes centre stage in this opulent kitchen diner.

Bespoke kitchens are about much more than just combining an almost limitless choice of cabinetry, colours and textures. When everything is a possibility, it’s about curating a unique room that functions as beautifully as it is formed, and that truly reflects the personality and lifestyle of the homeowners themselves.

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