My husband, Luke, trained as an apprentice bench joiner in 2006 and spent his early career handcrafting windows, doors and fitted furniture for listed buildings across Lincolnshire. After many years of bench joinery, he had a lightbulb moment in 2021, just after the birth of our third little boy, when he realised his true passion lay in cabinetmaking, and that’s when Holland Kitchens & Cabinetmakers was born.

The business began in our garage at home, where Luke made alcove units, wardrobes and smaller cabinetry projects until a client asked him to build a full kitchen. That commission marked the start of a new chapter and the end of our garage days. Since then, Luke has fallen in love with designing and building handmade kitchens, and most of our projects now include kitchens, kitchen islands, pantries, sculleries, and bespoke cabinetry for every room.

Today we have a workshop in the market town of Grantham, Lincolnshire. Luke leads as head cabinetmaker, while I, his wife Chloe, look after marketing and social media. Our small but mighty team includes Frazer, who joined as a cabinetmaker in 2023, and Loz, our brilliant in-house spray finisher. We might be tiny, but we’re ambitious and so proud of our little Holland Kitchens & Cabinet makers family.

Every piece of cabinetry that leaves our workshop is built with love. We pour so much heart and soul into the design process, and so much time and effort into the build and installation of very single piece - from the cabinets and feature mantles to the chopping boards and cutlery trays. Each and every piece truly is an absolute labour of love and we hope it shows. We want our projects to spark joy in people, like they do for us.

As a very small team, we can only work on one, perhaps two, projects at a time, which means that any cabinetry project going through our workshop has the whole team's undivided attention, from concept and design stage, through to build and installation.

Our USP is probably the fact that we're a very small, family-run team - you're speaking to Luke from the minute you get in touch with us, throughout the workshop build, and he's also the one heading up the installation of every project so can tinker with each piece of cabinetry as it's fitted. We never want to lose that small, family-run cabinetmaking firm feel or the relationship he builds with each and every customer, and it's something we're very proud of.

Most of our customers find us through email, Instagram or word of mouth. Our first conversations are usually about the space itself, the design ideas, the overall look and any non-negotiables, whether that’s a feature mantle, a larder cupboard or plenty of space for integrated appliances. We love when customers share inspiration at this stage, whether it’s images from magazines, Pinterest or a favourite colour palette, as it helps us understand the atmosphere and style they’re drawn to.

Once we have accurate measurements, we take time to create a design that ticks every box. If something is tricky to achieve in the space, we’ll always suggest creative ways to make it work. That’s the beauty of a handmade kitchen: you’re not restricted by set cabinetry sizes or styles. Every piece is crafted to fit perfectly, right down to the last millimetre. Whether the room has an awkward layout or unique requirements, we’ll always find a way to make it work and look beautiful too.

Our own kitchen is certainly the heart of our home. It's a hard-working space which sees us come together to prepare and enjoy meals and holds all of the chaos that comes with busy family life. Every day, at least one of our small children will be colouring or doing homework at the island while I cook. It's where our family and friends converge when they visit, and during the week it sees me sat with a laptop at the island while I work from home. There's a joke in our house that if you can't find me, I'll be in the kitchen (and it's not because I'm hovering over the oven!) - it's because it's just the most enjoyable place to be, full of love and happiness.

We're very much inspired by English country homes and period properties, the kitchens and cabinetry in these houses are not only incredibly functional, but they're also beautiful and have stood the test of time. If we can emulate that look and feel in our own projects, that's a wonderful thing. Classic British design will never go out of fashion, so we always urge our customers to look back at the hard-working downstairs kitchens of period properties if they're looking for inspiration.

We're so proud of each and every project, and we build lovely relationships with our customers - so many are very meaningful because of that. But a couple that really stand out are our Cheshire kitchen (a stained oak freestanding island, earthy green cabinetry and the most warm and welcoming space - it's simply beautiful) but also our own kitchen, which Luke finished building last year, which features curved counter-top cabinetry and a dark-stained oak prep table with beautiful bullnose-edged quartz. A handmade kitchen is incredibly easy to live with, as its design and build is unique to your home, and we've found that to be so true with our own.

In autumn/winter, we're naturally drawn towards using natural, warm, earthy tones, which make us feel cosy and cocooned as the nights draw in, and these are the perfect tones to consider with opting for handmade cabinetry. Handmade cabinetry will last, so we'd always recommend you choose timeless colours and materials, and a palette inspired by nature is about as timeless as it gets.

We're always very drawn to earthy greens, buttery yellows, and warming rusts or browns, alongside stained oak islands and details. On the other end of the spectrum, we also adore a neutral, so something like a beautiful, warming light taupe alongside a dark-stained oak island is a classic look that we come back to time and time again.

If space allows, add open shelving to display favourite pieces, colourful stoneware and wooden boards, as they bring personality and warmth to a kitchen. Opt for hand-painted finishes in warm tones; the subtle brushstrokes give cabinetry a lived-in, characterful feel. Use natural materials too, such as a stained oak island or shelving, to add depth and texture.

Layer your lighting with bright task lighting for prep areas balanced with soft, decorative lamps to create a gentle evening glow. Think about where people will naturally gather and plan generous, welcoming seating, perhaps at an island or in a cosy window nook. Finally, soften the kitchen’s angular lines with gentle curves, such as rounded cabinetry or organic shapes.

A Christmas lunch with close family in our own handmade kitchen! You won't see your kitchen working harder on any other day, and a well-designed kitchen makes the whole experience feel much more seamless and enjoyable.