There is something so rewarding about redesigning your kitchen. Big or small, open-plan or galley-inspired, remodelling the hub of your home gives you the chance to do something rare: create a space that works for all your wants and needs, a space that mixes all the functionality you’ve been dreaming of with all the bits of your personality you want on show. Of course, redesigning your kitchen is also one of the biggest projects you can get stuck into. That’s because there are so many decisions to make and ideas to bring to life.
You need to consider the materials you want to celebrate, the colour scheme you want to embrace, the layout you want to establish, the type of cabinetry you want to fill your space and all the details that will bring your kitchen to life. And yet, of all the decisions you’ll make, perhaps the most important is the kitchen design company that will provide your new fitted kitchen. That’s where we come in. From handcrafting our cabinets right here in the UK to being notably more affordable than some of the bigger name brands, you’re about to understand exactly where we’re rated 4.9 out of 5 with a portfolio of incredible projects and oh-so-happy clients.
Reason No1: Handcrafted Cabinetry
The history of Shaker-style kitchens are born out of a simple ethos: Beauty rests on utility. And that same ethos is the one we champion, celebrate and guarantee today as we handcraft each of our cabinets to embody the art of simplicity, functionality and fine craftsmanship. From our drawers to cupboards, larders to layouts and everything in between, we design every element with precision and performance in mind. Fuss-free simplicity, seamless functionality and unrivalled timelessness are the cornerstones from which Olive & Barr was founded on.
No frills, just an unwavering focus on the quality of our kitchens. Every nook, cranny, corner and space is designed and made with careful consideration to ensure every aspect of the kitchen is finished to the highest standard possible.
Reason No2: Kitchens Made in the UK
The term ‘British-made’ is an unwritten guarantee that champions timeless quality, and our kitchens are exactly that. Handmade in our West Country workshop right here in the UK, all of our cabinetry is crafted using carefully-sourced materials by local artisans and experienced experts. And the reason for this is simple: throughout our two-and-a-half decade experience, we know firsthand just how superior the workmanship of British manufacturing is.
To put it another way, why settle for standard when we can set the standards. Using the finely-honed talents of master cabinet makers in our Malvern-based workshop, we are able to work organically, consistently and with total dedication to our craft, we have established a reputation for excellence that can be seen in every piece we produce, and that’s the way we’ll always keep it through hard work and a passion for what we do.
Reason No3: Commitment To Sustainability
From the moment we first scribbled the name ‘Olive & Barr’ down on a sheet of paper, we made a promise to always be a fair, responsible and ethical company that championed sustainability through every part of the process. That promise still stands and you can see it in everything we do.
We use local woods as our favoured natural resource and build all of our kitchens in the UK to reduce our carbon footprint and minimise any emissions when delivering our finished kitchens to you. We only use carefully-sourced materials that are accredited by the FSC to ensure they are both traceable and accountable, we take our timber off cuts and use them to heat our workshops, we remove and recycle all of our packaging after we’ve installed your kitchen and have even found ways to make our practices, methods and techniques as environmentally-conscious as possible, a strategy that we are incredibly proud of.
Reason No4: Attention To Detail
It’s all in the details. That’s it. The secret to our shaker kitchens: unrivalled craftsmanship. No shortcuts, no cutting corners, no flamboyant frills; just dedicated craftsmanship combined with intuitive designs and modern technology. That’s what makes our kitchens so durable and the reason we dovetail all our box drawers using solid oak.
From the materials we use to the techniques we celebrate to the technology we have invested in, we only use the best. And because of this commitment to quality, all of our kitchens are built to last, to grow with you, balance traditional craftsmanship with intuitive design, and exude an unparalleled class that has durability and functionality at their core.
Reason No5: So Much More For So Much Less
There’s no point glossing over the obvious: there’s a lot of kitchen design companies to choose from. So in order to compete in an ever-more-crowded marketplace, we did something rare: we found a way to cut the costs without ever compromising on our quality. And to keep our promise of being transparent throughout our process, we did it by thinking outside the box and being brave, starting with the location of our workshop.
By basing ourselves in the UK, our wonderful clients don’t have to supplement the costs associated with offshore designers, cross-border trade or even expensive shipping solutions, allowing us to handcraft the highest-quality, British-made kitchens at the lowest prices in the marketplace. That’s not hyperbole either; that is the result of meticulous research so that we are forever in tune with our passion for kitchens.
Reason No8: Diversity That Makes A Difference
Being known for quality kitchen designs is only half of our mission. The other half is equality. It’s about being a company that champions merit, celebrates diversity, creates equal opportunities, promotes women, champions people of colour and creates an environment whereby everyone can progress in this industry in whatever role they excel at.
Designers and cabinet makers, marketing maestros and customer service teams, Olive & Barr is a brand that welcomes everyone with one aim: to unlock their full potential, set them on a path of success and, hopefully, see more diversity at managerial and boardroom levels, whether our employees are still with us or have decided to take a new path.
Reason No7: More Than A Guarantee
If there’s one thing we’ve learned while pursuing our passion, it’s that peace of mind is priceless. That’s why all of our kitchens come with a 15-year guarantee. And we’re able to do this through sheer confidence in the products we craft.
To put it simply, we have assembled a team of artisan cabinet makers, expert designers and experienced installers that mean all of our kitchens are thought up, made and delivered with the utmost care and an unparalleled attention to detail. But should you find yourself in the unlikely situation where you’re not wholly satisfied, our handmade kitchens carry a reassuring 15 year guarantee should you need to use it. That’s what makes Olive & Barr different. We don’t settle for standard; we set the standards.
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