Häfele UK announces winners of Studio Partner Awards 2022

We’re delighted to announce the winners of our sixth annual Häfele UK Studio Partner Awards.

The event, which celebrates innovative design, business excellence and customer experience within the manufacturer and distributor’s network of independent kitchen showrooms, took place on 23 June 2022 at the Cutty Sark, London.

Häfele UK Studio Partner Awards 2022: The winners

The categories included Best Customer Service, Best Use of Digital Media, Best Showroom Experience, and the coveted Studio Partner of the Year Award. For the first time ever, Häfele also gave an award for the Best Functional Space Design. Celebrating ingenious space-saving solutions and functionality to a customer’s challenges, this award was judged by a panel that included architect and designer Laura Jane Clark, who stars in BBC’s Your Home Made Perfect and has partnered with Häfele UK on its Functional Spaces: Kitchens for Living campaign.

The winners:

• Häfele Representative of the Year: Kathryn Emsley

o Kathryn was praised for supporting customers with great product knowledge, ability to recommend alternative products to meet the brief, and building meaningful relationships with customers.

• Best Customer Service: Kitchen Living

Kitchen Living won the award for approaching projects through the eyes of the customer and working with total transparency, particularly on timescales, even providing temporary appliances where lead times exceed expectations so customers always have a fully functional kitchen.

• Best Showroom Experience: HBC Kitchens

With a plethora of 5 star google reviews, this family-owned business was praised for being inspiring, mesmerising and welcoming. HBC Kitchens has a beautifully designed showroom that met the criteria perfectly, with an impressive mix of product and style where customers can learn about the products they sell and feel confident in their choices.

• Best Use of Digital Media: Regal Kitchens

Regal Kitchens has a great multi-channel presence across digital platforms and makes the most of each digital channel to showcase and drive engagement around their business. On social media, this Studio Partner has utilised features such as events, FAQs, stories, highlights and videos. To help the customer build their confidence in this Studio Partner their website has a great structure, providing inspirational content, including galleries, videos, blogs and extra resources.

• Kitchen Design of the Year: Parlour Farm

Parlour Farm’s winning design included areas for specific activities, while still giving their customer the ultimate cooking and entertainment spaces, resulting in three cleverly interrelated zones. Full of storage solutions and high-performance appliances, the winning kitchen design also showcased some beautifully crafted design elements.

• Best Functional Space Design: Duncans of Grantown

Duncans of Grantown’s entry was a great example of maximising space and functionality using Häfele products. The business stood out as they really listened to what the customer needed during the brief. Even though this design was in a very tight space, the clever integration of all the elements meant that no requirement was omitted from the client brief, and additional touches were even added to create the wow factor. This was a great example of how weaving design and product expertise and knowledge innovatively together can maximise the daily functionality and enjoyment of a space.

• Studio Partner of the Year: Roma Interiors

Roma Interiors was commended for their commitment in growing and developing its business, with plans to expand into a larger premises as well as expand both its residential and commercial activity. The team is also keen to inspire the next generation, taking on a new recruit from a government kick start scheme. Roma is proactive in keeping on top of new products and trends and how these can benefit their customers. As well as having an attractive showroom, the business offers first rate customer service and delivers consistently strong designs. On top of that, the business is an active member of its local community.

“It was brilliant to have so many of our customers and employees all come together for the Studio Partner Awards in London and we’ve received so much positive feedback on the event,” said Gareth Bevan, Sales Director at Häfele UK. “What particularly stood out in this year’s entries is just how inspirational, resourceful and committed our Studio Partners have been over the last year. Despite challenging trading conditions, our Studio Partners have gone out of their way to deliver an exceptional level of support and service to their customers and the standard of entries was particularly high this year. Congratulations to all the winners and shortlisted candidates.”

Thank you to our Studio Partners for making it a night to remember

Two years since our last awards ceremony, it was brilliant to have over 100 customers, employees and suppliers all come together at the event.

Starting with a river cruise down the Thames we boarded the Cutty Sark for a drinks reception, presentation from Laura Jane Clark, dinner, the awards ceremony, and dancing, before heading back on the Thames for the final celebrations.

We’d like to thank all of our guests who made it such a special occasion, as well as for all the positive comments.

  • “Just wanted to say a big thank you. Last night was much more than expected and pass on my thanks to the whole Häfele team and sponsors. It was well planned well executed and thus a most memorable and enjoyable experience.” Richard Alexander | My Best Group
  • “Can you pass on our gratitude to the whole team who made last night possible? We had a wonderful evening and we enjoyed ourselves immensely.” John Martin | Regal Kitchens Ltd
  • “A big thank you for all your work communicating with us on the run up to the awards, and a huge thank you for making us feel so welcome last night. What a party! Great venue, great music, dancing was wonderfully non stop, and the people were all so friendly!” Ann Hughes | Mike Hughes Kitchens & Bedrooms
  • “Once again, we must thank you for a great Partner Awards ceremony. You all did an amazing job. Please can you send on our thanks to all who was involved in the event.” Lynda Young | English Hardwood Design Ltd
  • “I would like to thank you and all those involved in organising the Häfele award event and the warm hospitality received from all your colleagues. We had a fabulous evening; the venue was exceptional together with the food and wine and I extend a special thanks for the person who organised the weather!” Melanie Brown| Anglia Kitchens and Bedrooms Ltd

Want to find out more about becoming a Studio Partner?

Häfele Studio Partner programme is a network of independent kitchen studios, hand-selected based on their superb customer service, business excellence and growth. Companies in the programme receive extensive marketing and sales support, including lead generation plus discounts and training.