Congrats! You’re back!
Hanisha: Thank you – we reopened on Friday 12 May but only just! It was a real push in the last few days for everyone involved to get us open; a lot of late nights but it was so worth it to see the showroom buzzing with our loyal suppliers, existing clients plus new customers looking to start their dream kitchen renovations with us.

Why did you close?
Asam: Unfortunately, we suffered a sewage leak and due to the severity of the flooding our insurance advised that the unit would need to be stripped to the bare bones, decontaminated, dried, and then refitted from the floor tiles to the individual kitchen displays. The decontamination and drying took the longest but we began the refit in early 2023…

How did you both end up working in kitchen design?
Hanisha: Our families both owned businesses, working for themselves so both of us can remember working in corner shops owned by our parents as kids. Naturally, we both had the aspiration to start our own business; it was just finding the right fit for us. Schmidt – with its brand and family values, alongside an amazing product (plus Asam’s experience in the kitchen industry and my marketing background) meant Schmidt was the perfect fit for us.

What makes a Schmidt kitchen stand out? 
Asam: The sheer quality and thought that goes into the products and innovations. Whether is kitchens, interior solutions or bathrooms – our units are designed to withstand the challenges of everyday life. It’s the little details that matter and Schmidt have thought of them all. Plus, Schmidt also offer options for personalisation.

“Our homes are an extension of who we are. Each and everyone of us is unique, so why shouldn’t our homes be just as unique.”

Hanisha

Our designs allow our customers to truly personalise their projects with over 475 colours from pastel to bright, wood finishes and printed graphics – including two patterned doors designed by Christian Lacroix – making homes truly unique. 

What are the most popular design requests? 
Hanisha: We’ve designed small U-shape kitchens jammed with storage to mid to large open plan kitchens with islands for entertaining with WOW factor worktops. What helps our customers visualise their project is the way we work. We aren’t like high street brands; we work with them to design projects that not only look great but function in everyday life, plus we’re able to showcase the design using our virtual reality software, allowing the customer to see the life size version of the design giving a real sense of layout, size and space.

Best advice for anyone thinking about getting a new kitchen? 
Asam: When starting a renovation project, the most important thing is knowing your budget (and sticking to it)! It should have clear amounts for everything from building works to the actual kitchen furniture, this will help you manage your expectations in the long term.

Storage is key and the options are vast. Get creative with open shelving, bespoke larder units and functional worktop units. Our go-to storage for every kitchen project is our bespoke larder unit, which holds two-weeks-worth of dry goods for a family of four. 

Don’t leave it too late, lead times for kitchen’s vary and it’s important that you don’t wait till the last minute to get quotes. You should start looking at getting a design and quote at least 4-5 months before your building works are due to start. This will give you enough time to get the perfect design and a clear understanding of what you want and need.

Finally, what’s it like working together? 
Hanisha: Asam and I have always been a couple that makes decisions and stick to them. Working together was one decision we always knew was inevitable. We both have areas of the business that we manage and trust each other to make the right choices, we also work together on all our customer projects. The one thing that Asam always says when introducing me to suppliers, customers or anyone new is, “This is my wife (and with a big goofy smile) the main boss!”

Schmidt Epsom
Unit 1 Station Approach, Epsom, KT19 8EU
TEL: 01372 303 500
EMAIL: info@schmidt-epsom.com