PROJECT: Grayshott Retreat | LOCATION: Grayshott, Surrey | YEAR: 2021

Our clients bought this beautiful Victorian villa with a strong vision of what they wanted it to become; a warm and inviting family home with a connection to the garden. The brief from the client was very clear for the kitchen: they wanted a room that they would spend a large amount of time in but, as keen cooks, also be a fabulous space in which to cook. Equally important was the bar, which is hidden behind double doors and includes a wine fridge and rack as well as an antiqued mirrored splashback with glass shelves for displaying their gin and glass collection!

They were also keen to have a good-sized pantry with a combination of open shelves for easy storage and access and cupboards below for storing larger appliances.

The adjacent utility room has light coloured cabinets with a Belfast sink looking over the garden and a curved unit to soften the entrance by the back door. There is a separate laundry room with the washing machine and tumble dryer built into tall cupboards to be at a more ergonomic height and with alcoves for laundry baskets underneath. A pull-out shelf makes loading and unloading the laundry even easier.

We comprehensively renovated our entire period home from October 2020 to May 2021, so our kitchen was one decision out of many decisions we were making in a seven-to-eight-month timeframe.

As part of the renovation process, we created space for a family kitchen, pantry, utility, and laundry. It was a significant purchase to consider and daunting because budgets can so easily spiral when faced with endless choices.

We sought products and prices from a few kitchen suppliers but there was something different about the local independent business, Chisholm Design, and well, the rest is history.

From start to finish, working with Jo, Rob, Katie, Lorry (the lovely and thorough installer) and Paul (painter of perfection) has been an extremely positive, enjoyable, and communicative experience.

Both Jo and Rob have a quiet, calm demeanour and at no point did we feel sold to, pressured etc. Jo, where possible, presented options and ideas that didn't always benefit their invoice (if you know, you know) and if anything, Jo was pragmatic, realistic and really understood what we needed and that is quite refreshing and welcomed.

The process from start to finish was so smooth, even in the uncertainty of Brexit and Covid-19, and that is a credit to Jo, Rob, and their team. They worked so incredibly well with our main contractor. The feeling onsite was remarkably harmonious considering the number of trades that were present most days.

Even though some elements of our wishes/design were tricky, we never felt the pressure of that. Jo and Rob presented the solutions and not the problems. That truly is a skill to be thankful for.

We thoroughly enjoyed working with Jo and Rob to bring to life our ideas and dreams for the space we had. Even now, we still can't believe that the beautiful, timeless and classic kitchen we created with Jo and Rob, is the kitchen we now enjoy and LOVE every single day.

Without a doubt we will always recommend Chisholm Design to anyone.

Without a doubt, if we ever need to or want to create a kitchen etc., we will work with Jo and Rob...because they really do listen, create and manage, to the end, a beautiful, functional space to live in.

Rachel, Grayshott, 2021