Style Insiders

Herringbone Kitchens co-founders Will Durrant and Elly Simmons on what makes their small family business tick

Will: I started working in the industry right a !er uni.

Elly really pushed me to start the business and it wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for her encouragement.

W: We are small, so we build very close relationships with our clients.

When we started Herringbone, we wanted to support local cra ! speople and make our kitchens in Kent, using sustainable materials and giving a portion back to a local homelessness charity. We are very proud that is still the ethos of the company.

Elly: There are no typical days, which is why it’s such fun.

We are all over the South East and London visiting projects, the workshop and meeting clients in our studio in Canterbury. Wednesday is my favourite – we have our team meeting in the a ! ernoon so we are all in and the banter is great.

E: I think people are ge" ing braver with their choices.

Be it a light or dark kitchen, clients are making sure their personality comes through. We don’t really see ourselves as trying to be ‘on-trend’, but "nding styles that work for di #erent people. We have never wanted to design show home kitchens – ours are for living in and they need to be practical as well as personal.

E: My favourite design is our Westgate kitchen

– Will designed it to be a modern take on the traditional Shaker style, and I love it.

E: Our career paths might have been very di #erent.

Will always tries to convince me he should be a Formula One racing driver, and I would love to be an author.