Painted Shaker Kitchen
Cleethorpes

The clients were having an extension built and their builder had recommended Howdens. They visited, got a plan and a price, and were not convinced the quote represented good value. On the off chance, they came to Samuel Neal: they were not expecting to be able to afford it, but they wanted a second opinion before committing. 

Sam looked at the Howdens plan and the price. The plan wasn’t wrong, but it hadn’t been shaped around a proper conversation about how the space would be used. A few layout changes later, the Samuel Neal proposal was one the clients preferred, from both a practical and a design standpoint. We were pleased to be able to offer a better price than Howdens and so the project went ahead.  

The layout centres on the island, which provides seating for four, a generous prep area and venting hob. Positioning the hob on the island keeps the main cooking zone open and sociable, so whoever is cooking is not separated from the rest of the room. The integrated fridge freezer sits alongside the two full-size ovens on the back run, keeping the tall appliance zone contained and the rest of the cabinetry free for storage and the breakfast pantry. 

The floating shelves on the wall above the sink run were chosen to keep that elevation feeling light and open rather than filling it with wall units. In a painted shaker kitchen, a full run of wall units can start to feel enclosed; the floating shelves give the room more breathing space and let the antique bronze mirror splashback behind the sink become a proper feature. 

The cabinetry is Häcker Hampton, a painted timber shaker door and the most popular shaker range Samuel Neal supplies. It has strong, classic proportions and a solid timber construction that gives it a noticeably different quality in person compared with a foil-wrapped equivalent. The paint colour was chosen to suit the overall tone of the extension; with the clients opting for an off white for the main cabinet colour and cashmere finish on the island. The worktops are Dekton, combining excellent durability with a clean surface that works naturally alongside the painted cabinetry. 

The Quooker tap in patinated brass is one of the more distinctive choices in the kitchen. Patinated brass is a warmer, slightly aged-looking finish compared with polished or brushed brass, and it sits well alongside painted shaker cabinetry without feeling either too traditional or too contemporary. The antique bronze mirror splashback behind the hob and antique brass knurled handles were chosen specifically to tie in with the tap finish, giving the kitchen a coherent material story. Appliances are Neff throughout, including a venting hob on the island, two full-size ovens, and an integrated fridge freezer. The breakfast pantry to the right of the main run provides enclosed storage for smaller appliances and everyday items, keeping the worktops clear.

This project is worth mentioning directly for one reason: a common assumption about Samuel Neal Kitchens is that it is an expensive option, suited only to high-end projects. This kitchen is a straightforward counter to that. A properly planned Samuel Neal kitchen, specified with the right product range for the brief, can come in at a competitive price even against volume suppliers. It does not happen on every project, and it is not a promise Samuel Neal makes generally, but it happens more often than people expect. 

What the clients got here was a better layout, a kitchen built around how they actually use the space, a stronger specification and a lower price than the alternative quote they had in hand. They left a five-star Google review shortly after completion. That outcome is not unusual at Samuel Neal Kitchens; it’s just not as well-known as it should be. 

The kitchen was coordinated alongside the client's wider extension project. It was a supply only sale but with Sam, as always, attending key stages to make sure the cabinetry, Dekton worktops and appliances were all delivered to the standard agreed at the design stage.

The finished kitchen is warm, well organised and completely suited to the extension it sits in. The Hampton door, the patinated brass tap, the antique bronze splashback and the floating shelves give it a considered feel without being overdone, and the layout works properly for a family that uses the space every day. It is a kitchen that started as a tentative enquiry from clients who were not sure they could afford it, and ended as exactly the kind of result that builds long-term reputation.