In 2021, we will be celebrating our 30^th anniversary.

Having always been based in Hampshire, Searle & Taylor is now the longest-established kitchen independent company in Winchester. With 30-years of trading we have the experience to design and deliver the very best fitted kitchen furniture in Hampshire. We completely understand our clients and their aspirations, and we have a fantastic design team that delivers every time. Our showroom is situated over two floors and there are many different displays to inspire you, all with fully working appliances that we can demonstrate the many advantages of having the very best in cooking.

We have an annual January SALE that begins on 4^th January and this is always when we provide the biggest discounts on our complete kitchen offer for the year. To celebrate our 30^th anniversary, we are also adding some extra goodies, so now is the perfect time to have your new kitchen designed and installed by us. Please do take a look at our website once the SALE starts on Monday 4^th January.

Over the past 30 years, we have designed and made countless kitchens for clients in Hampshire and beyond. We are very service-focused and we love what we do. Please take a look at our recently updated Testimonials page to see what our clients say about us.

My visit to the Chelsea Harbour Design Centre was an opportunity to seek out some lighting and accessories for my Winchester showroom and get some design inspiration too.

On a rainy and, dare I say, quite cold morning in June, I made my first ever visit to the Chelsea Harbour Design Centre. I had heard lots about it over the years, and as I am in the process of finalising the new floor of my showroom I thought it would be an opportunity to seek out some lighting and accessories all under one roof, or should that be glass dome?

It’s an impressive place, currently going through an expansion programme itself and if you are an interior designer, or just seeking inspiration for your own home, this is the place to come. Under three glass domes, there is an array of interiors showrooms that range from wallpaper to furniture, tiles, sinks, taps, handles and lighting, and much, much more.

I did a lot of browsing and saw some impressive pieces, also some things that I would never have in my showroom, or home for that matter, but that is all down to personal taste. What I noticed from the various places that I visited was that I was particularly drawn to the British design businesses that were there, and it was only when I was going through my notes afterwards that I realised this common theme.

I trained as a cabinetmaker, so I have a tendency to look at furniture from an aesthetic viewpoint, but also how it is made, and I could not fail to be blown away by British furniture designer, Davidson www.davidsonlondon.com, who make the most beautiful tables and freestanding furniture for the home. The finish of their pieces was absolutely outstanding and the coloured lacquers they use are exceptional.

There was a definite trend for architectural drawings on the many fabrics and wallcoverings that I could see while walking round the centre. There was also a trend for powerful prints featuring flora and fauna, and some of the best of these were in the GP&J Baker www.gpjbaker.com showroom. This company is a Royal Warrant holder and it has an amazing history dating back to 1844. I loved some of the Chinoiserie and contemporary Art Deco prints they feature, and it was a lovely place to visit.

I went to a lot of different lighting showrooms and they all had stunning designs on offer, but nothing was quite right for my own showroom. Then I came upon the Original BTC www.originalbtc.com and here I found a number of different pendants that would work perfectly over my new displays and at prices that I felt were very competitive. Again, another fantastic British brand with a long history, which manufactures stylish and beautiful china and glass light fittings amongst other things. Well worth a visit.

Chelsea Harbour: http://www.dcch.co.uk/

What to expect at our expanded Winchester showroom from nine stunning room sets

During May, our Searle & Taylor Winchester showroom will be expanding and will be situated over two floors showcasing the very best in traditional and contemporary kitchen design. All the kitchens on display are based on my personal values of the very best quality and value for money. It is located within a beautiful Georgian building directly opposite the famous Hotel Du Vin on Southgate Street in Winchester City centre.

You enter our showroom through the main glass-fronted entrance at street level. Here you are greeted with an imposing Signature Bespoke display with a centrepiece circular island that features a semi-precious granite top from Madagascar. Its stunning blue, white and gold-flecked stones capture the light and reflect with a pearlized iridescence. This centrepiece also includes a pop-up spice rack concealed within the worktop that rises at the touch of the remote control. On the other side of the pop-up is a flat screen TV and both disappear from view when not in use. On each side of the circular island are tall cabinets, one with a wall of floor to ceiling pocket doors that open out and into recesses to reveal an entire workspace within.

On this level we also have a stunning Intuo kitchen sourced from Austria with glass fronts. The island is finished in glossy glass Fango coloured fronts with a substantial 8cm thick indestructible Dekton worktop called Trillium; a unique industrial finish. Tall units housing the very best on-trend cooling appliances by Gaggenau features a 76cm wide larder fridge, 45cm freezer and wine cabinet, all of which are finished using matt glass fronts in anthracite. A worktop area for sink and tap includes a contrasting but much thinner Dekton top and a bronze mirrored glass splashback. Opposite is solid oak wall panelling with different height metal counter levered shelving together with an on-trend black glass decorative display unit which is adjacent to a bank of two 60cm ovens, a combination steam oven and plumbed-in coffee machine by Gaggenau that are recessed into the wall. The coffee machine is always at the ready to serve the perfect flat white - my favourite.

On the ground floor mezzanine level is another grand-scale Signature Bespoke kitchen which is designed for more traditional homes. It combines handmade and handpainted furniture with walnut interiors and unique handles by artisan blacksmith, Ged Kennett. A large double farmhouse ceramic sink is installed within beautiful 30mm thick Blanco Eclipcia granite worktops. A total control Aga finished in pewter takes centre stage beneath an Adam-style curved front canopy that bridges the cooker with tall wall units to make use of the very high ceilings we have. To accommodate the extra height, we have designed special pull-down shelving for overhead cupboards and there is even a special fold-down stool that sits beneath the plinth. Here you will also find a uniquely designed 360° revolving wine rack that alternates between bottles and glasses.

Staying on the mezzanine level, there is a room dedicated to contemporary EWE 50th Anniversary matt lacquered kitchen, which is available in various finishes. The display includes a striking quartz worktop by Cambria, together with cooking and extraction appliances by Siemens and Novy. This kitchen also includes a small dining and seating space, which is where we serve a good selection of teas. This is also where we can demonstrate the Quooker Flex 3-in-1 Boiling Water Taps to you, which is our current complimentary gift with every complete kitchen order over £25,000.

A set of stairs leads down to the lower ground floor where we have three further displays in two separate rooms.

The room facing the stairs is dedicated to a complete room set where we feature another classic Handmade Bespoke hand painted Shaker kitchen called the Stockbridge range which is one of our bestselling styles. With a central island and a stunning granite worksurface called Lennon. A full complement of Neff appliances includes a fully operational downdraft induction hob that we can demonstrate to you. Also featured is a bespoke-designed freestanding dresser with copper handles. Whilst exuding quality both in the design and cabinetry, this kitchen is priced to suit most budgets.

The fully working EWE handless display features a neutral two-tone colour aesthetic mixed with Concreto-fronted lift up wall units with integrated LED lighting. We have matched this with sparkling Quartz worktops that have a shark’s nose edge detail. This allows generous access when opening the cupboard and drawer fronts via the recessed stainless steel handle rail. The quartz tops blend seamlessly into the matching sink with a modern recessed drainer. Contemporary display by EWE.

We have made use of a further small space for a lovely Dalesmade in-frame kitchen display with unique handles, which is handpainted in Fallen Dove by Finnish paint brand, Valtti. We have combined this with a modern patterned splashback and a leathered granite worktop in Indian Grey, and this is complemented by an undermount ceramic white sink. This head-turning yet understated kitchen also features veneered oak carcasses and solid oak dovetailed drawers and is built to last a lifetime.

Searle & Taylor recently obtained the lease for the first floor of the building, which will be our main office and a large new showroom space incorporating a presentation area with a pop-up screen to show off our design proposals. Accessed by an imposing staircase, the door opens to two huge displays by a new British kitchen brand called ELK for which we are the exclusive appointed retailer for Hampshire. Designed and created by architects, ELK stands for Extreme Logic Kitchens. The logic is immediately plain to see as the use of geometry has been applied to create visually stunning kitchens that make use of available internal space in new and unique ways; so much so, that the designs have already been patented.

This ethical brand has developed an intelligent way to use 60% fewer materials than a standard conventional kitchen yet providing 60% more storage capacity than an average carcase design. Everything is made from solid wood - no chipboard and no MDF is ever used in these kitchens. All the timbers used are from sustainable sources and most are from the English Woodlands Trust, which utilises an abundance of stock timbers, some of which were left from the big storm of 1987. Every kitchen is made to order locally in a workshop near Fareham, and you are even invited to visit during the manufacturing process to see your kitchen being finished. Every unique kitchen is built and thoroughly checked on-site before leaving the workshop thus ensuring a very slick installation.

We have two ELK displays: the highly original O’45 and the stunning GRID. As you would expect, the appliances and worktops that we have chosen to complement these works of art are the very best you can get: Ovens are by Gaggenau, cooling is by Liebherr, surface cooking and extraction by Novy. We have also included worksurfaces by Corian and Silestone. I can honestly say that having worked in the kitchen industry and run my business for the past 28 years, I have never come across such a well thought-out British-designed product range quite like ELK.

The first floor will also be our presentation area, so you will be surrounded by innovation whilst enjoying an always energetic and passionate presentation, should you ask us to design and quote for your new kitchen.

That brings me back to Searle & Taylor and our own unique offer. We have been successfully established for 28 years and I believe we have the best showroom in Hampshire, with a wealth of different designs for you to choose from. I also have a highly-trained team that will listen to you to understand your brief. We also understand how to relate your kitchen to the surrounding architecture and will create a suitable design aesthetic that complements your home. We will also listen to you to understand your lifestyle and how you live and cook. We will help you choose the latest sophisticated appliances and worktops and we only partner with premium brands.

We design and create beautiful custom-designed or bespoke kitchens, and we therefore do not compete on price with high street brands. However, we will work to realistic budgets and provide fully itemised quotations under no obligation. Everything we do is transparent. We are not salespeople; we are designers and we allow our products and service to do the selling – it’s as easy as 1,2,3...

We look forward to welcoming you to our showroom and helping you with your proposed project.

Darren Taylor

MD and founder of Searle and Taylor Kitchens.

On Thursday 19^th July, Searle & Taylor will be one of six businesses to open their doors between 6pm and 9pm for the Southgate Street Soiree; the first event of its kind, and you are invited…

Southgate Street in Winchester has always been home to a range of diverse independent boutique businesses and has a heritage dating back centuries. Our Searle & Taylor showroom is situated in a listed Georgian building and is located at 19 Southgate Street, directly opposite the world-famous Hotel du Vin.

We will be on hand to show you round our capacious showroom which features a range of Signature and Handmade Bespoke displays together with luxury contemporary kitchen styles by Austrian brands, Intuo and EWE. Our highly trained team will be available to discuss the latest trends in kitchen design and to answer your own design queries.

We will be serving Prosecco chilled in the Kaelo, the latest must-have integrated wine cooler for the kitchen. If you would prefer to have a cup of freshly brewed coffee, then we will make it using our luxury built-in Gaggenau coffee machine, while freshly cooked canapes will be made in our range of stunning Miele ovens. There will also be two representatives from the brand who will also be able to answer any questions you have about cooking using Miele appliances.

The other businesses taking part in the Southgate Street Soiree are:

• Claridge Fine Art
• BluBambu
• Sass and Edge
• Toni and Guy
• Hotel du Vin

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU

In May, I was contacted by the BBC as they wanted to interview an independent kitchen expert about the subject of guarantees for kitchens. The focus was on the 25 year guarantee that IKEA offers, as the programme had received certain complaints about the retailer.

I have worked in kitchen design as both a manufacturer and retailer for nearly 27 years, and I had never heard of a 25 year guarantee before. We guarantee our bespoke workmanship for 10 years and our contemporary kitchens by Intuo and EWE for five years, and any appliances, worktops, sinks, taps and accessories we sell are covered by their own manufacturers’ warranties. These can range from anywhere between one and five years depending on the manufacturer.

It was amazing to see the BBC Watchdog team at work, as they are all very professional and committed. I was interviewed by presenter, Nikki Fox who  was delightful and she immediately put me at ease. My interview lasted around 40 minutes and we covered a great range of topics about kitchens, multiple retailers vs. independents and how you can tell the difference between ‘wear and tear’ and a fault, and I gave some good examples. We also talked about quality control and the promises that major retailers make to guarantee a sale. Sadly, when it made the final edit, my segment was cut down to a minute or so, but it was my first foray as an industry expert on TV, and hopefully not my last….

Darren Taylor, MD, Searle & Taylor with BBC Watchdog presenter, Nikki Fox

Sunday 20th May 2018
Stand 29 – Station Road

Our Searle & Taylor flagship kitchen showroom is based in Ropley, near Alresford and our second luxury boutique showroom is in Winchester city centre. As a long-standing business in the area, we like to get involved with a number of local events and attractions during the year and to lend our support to the community.

On Sunday 20th May 2018, Searle & Taylor will have a stand at the Alresford Watercress Festival where we will be serving drinks and showcasing the latest must-have appliance for the kitchen: the Kaelo iceless ice bucket; great for keeping Champagne, Prosecco and wine chilled at the perfect ambient temperature. This will be installed in a specially designed island unit designed by Searle & Taylor, which will be on sale on the day. With a stylish industrial aesthetic and hand-painted cabinetry, it features a stainless steel worktop with a seamless integrated flush gas hob.

Please come and say hello, and if you want to have a chat about ideas for your kitchen then we will be on hand to give friendly advice and to let you know more about our complimentary design service.

The nationally acclaimed annual Alresford Watercress Festival attracts thousands of visitors to New Alresford who come to celebrate watercress - the superb locally grown, delicious and versatile crop. On the third Sunday of May each year, this beautiful market town becomes the site of a huge street festival. Over 80 stalls showcase the very best local food and drink producers. Others sell arts, crafts, jewellery and clothing, items for house, garden and much else besides.

At 10.30am a large cavalcade of musicians, dancers and children accompany the Watercress King and Queen up Broad Street as they distribute freshly cut bunches of watercress to festival goers. Throughout the day, musicians and street performers entertain on the main stage, in St. John’s Church and on the streets. For the young, there are circus skills workshops, face painting, Punch & Judy shows, petting farm and much more.

Well-known chefs will demonstrate delicious watercress-inspired dishes. And more adventurous visitors can take up the challenge of the World Watercress Eating Championships - now in the Guinness Book of World Records.

For more information about the Alresford Watercress Festival please visit:
www.watercressfestival.org