What was the Brief?
‘I’ve always believed that no matter what size your house is, you always end up living in the kitchen,’ says Andrea Wylie. Andrea moved from Hexham into a detached 1920s property in Jesmond with her husband Graham and their three year-old twin daughters. ‘We’ve always used the kitchen as a place to congregate, socialise, work and relax, and that’s why I wanted to transform the kitchen into a place that catered for all of these needs.’
Why did you choose Court Homemakers?
An avid magazine reader always on the lookout for new inspiration and ideas. Andrea carried out lots of research before she approached a kitchen supplier. ‘We knew we definitely wanted an island in the middle of the kitchen, and I was really drawn to the idea of a semicircular island, which I’d become aware of after noticing Court Homemakers’ adverts. I then decided to visit their showrooms and was hugely impressed with all the products, and their designers. Everyone was very helpful, especially Paul Cook who later became our point of contact.’
With showrooms in Stockton and Northallerton, Court Homemakers have designed, manufactured and installed kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms for 25 years and owners Paul Davies, Paul Henderson and Chris Walker have over 50 years experience with the company between them.
‘I’m really pleased with everything, and wouldn’t change a thing. Paul and the team were approachable, friendly and really easy to get on with’
The next step for the Wylies was having their design finalised. After handing over their initial thoughts and ideas to Court Homemakers, they then received a design plan, which was what Andrea describes as ‘95% perfect’.  The design was almost exactly what she had visualised, after a few tweaks it was perfect.
Why was there need for change?
Andrea’s previous kitchen had been very contemporary and minimalist, with lots of stainless steel. ‘It was lovely but I wanted something completely different. I’ve always had traditional kitchens but this house seemed to lend itself to doing something dramatic, allowing me to mix the traditional with the contemporary. I’m notorious for ripping out pages from magazines and making moodboards. I do in fact have a mood-book in which I keep ideas I like. I can then go back to it for a second, third or fourth time and if I’m not bored or sick of it, I know it’s something I want in my house. It’s a good way of making a decision. Court Homemakers were a really great company to work with and never rushed me into anything.
Paul would constantly make sure my ideas would work not just on paper, but in reality too. We talked through everything thoroughly, from where to put electric sockets and how to light the cupboards, to what to use for the work surfaces.’
What are your stand-out/favourite features?
The kitchen design Andrea chose is called Metris, and consists of three main colours: Gloss Black, Dark Zebrano, and White Gloss. For the worktops she chose a mixture of Zeus, a man-made material, and Nero Assoluto granite. The majority of appliances are Siemens, and have all proved to be popular with Andrea and Graham. ‘We’ve never had an induction hob before, but I couldn’t imagine not having one now; it’s a dream. I also have a Teppanyaki grill, which is great for cooking steaks on. It cooks everything so quickly and it’s easy to clean. My favourite part of the kitchen is the LED lighting in every cabinet, which switches on when the door opens.’
Would you recommend Court Homemakers to a friend?
Andrea adds, ‘I’m really pleased with everything, and wouldn’t change a thing. Paul and the team were approachable, friendly and really easy to get on with. They worked alongside the electricians and builders seamlessly as one big team and I’d certainly recommend them. Graham and I know what works for us, Court Homemakers were able to translate that into our dream kitchen’.
