A bespoke approach

Rob Wheeler of Eridge Green Kitchens is not only a talented cabinet maker but now also a successful entrepreneur. Here he tells Eileen Leahy how he turned his passion for building dream kitchens, bathrooms, boot rooms and pantries into a fledgling lifestyle business that incorporates a stunning showroom and various exclusive partnerships with a number of high-end brands including Gaggenau, Sub-Zero Wolf and most recently Farrow & Ball. Eileen Leahy pulls up a stylish stool at his Crowborough HQ to discover more…

Entering into Eridge Green Kitchens’ showroom, positioned on the main crossroads of Crowborough High Street and located in a grand former Barclays Bank, I can feel my shoulders drop and my expectations rise.

For this is no ordinary showroom. The light-filled, lofty and labyrinth-like layout boasts a variety of high-quality kitchen set-ups – think cool country shaker chic to slick and streamlined city pad styles. In the main part of the space the surfaces are filled with covetable Le Creuset skillets, casserole dishes and coffee cups, while also on display are the latest hi-tech Gaggenau appliances including wine cabinets and oven tops plus a variety of cool handles and hardware options to choose from. Work your way through the showroom, and past the impressive bar area, which comes into its own when Eridge Green Kitchens’ MD Rob Wheeler and his team host social events, and you will find more stylish set-ups boasting Sub-Zero & Wolf fridges, state-of-the-art lighting and possibly one of the most striking pantries I have ever seen. Painted in a scarlet red with contrasting black and white tile detailing and the cleverest of storage options it is quite literally the larder of dreams for any foodie…

As first impressions go Eridge Green Kitchens’ customer-facing HQ is nothing short of incredible. Venture further out back and you’ll also come across a perfectly appointed boot room and smart utility space – but more on all of the above, as well as the plans for the rest of the former period building, in a little while…

Today I am here to catch up with Rob to discover how his business has been evolving since he launched his showroom in November 2024.

“Although we started the business in 2010 we didn’t actually acquire this showroom space until 2023. Originally I was looking for an out-of-town, destination-style premises but after spotting this building while sitting in traffic on Crowborough High Street I thought to myself ‘well, why not this?’.”

As previously mentioned, the building had housed a branch of Barclays Bank for many years and when Rob took on the lease he had to carry out a relatively substantial amount of renovation work in order to transform it into the magnificent space it is now.

However, the refurbishment project didn’t come without its issues, namely a leak which meant that Rob had to delay the official opening until November 2024.

“In a strange way that hold-up was quite fortuitous as it gave us the time to really think about the type of brands we wanted in here and to make those meaningful connections with them,” explains Rob, who employs a team of eight.

Thankfully since then the showroom and the business itself has gone from strength to strength. I ask Rob what he thinks the company’s exponential success and growth is down to…

“We felt the best way we could show people what we do is by creating this luxury, customer-facing space,” he reveals.

“One of the struggles we had when we were trading with just a workshop as our calling card was a lack of customer confidence. Remember people are spending a lot of money when they are putting in a new kitchen and so to now have a showroom where they can see what we are capable of achieving for them makes all the difference.

“For people to walk in and browse the different styles of kitchen we can build and immediately see the types of brands we are working with is a total game-changer. Now we are literally selling a lifestyle. So many things are solely sold online now that very few of us have the opportunity to touch, smell and enjoy the quality of something but people can certainly do that here.”

Rob adds that he has worked very hard over the past few years sourcing and gaining the trust of some of the world’s most respected and quality-driven brands including Gaggenau, V-Zug, Quooker, Sub-Zero Wolf and Bora ovens and hobs.

“We haven’t picked these brands on a whim, we have done our research and selected the ones which reflect the type of service we want to deliver. They are the best in the business at what they do and have a reputation for excellent customer service.”

But that doesn’t just mean they only specialise in kitchens, adds Rob. Because he and his manufacturing team are all expertly trained and skilled cabinet makers and carpenters they can also make the bathroom or boot room of your dreams. Want a utility space that is as beautiful as it is practical? No problem. And if you’ve always wanted a walk-in wardrobe then you have come to the right place, he says.

Eridge Green Kitchens has two industrial units, also located in Crowborough, where they manufacture all manner of kitchen cabinetry, media units, cupboards for utility rooms, larders, bathrooms and bedrooms.

“Customers can ask us to make something from scratch or we can collaborate together – or they can ask for a variation on a theme we already have here on display. From day one of running this business I have always said ‘if you can draw it, I can make it’,” says Rob.

“When we just had the workshop for potential clients to visit I guess you could compare it to visiting Jaguar Land Rover and seeing just the components of the car being assembled and not the whole picture. Having this showroom, which will be a year old in November, has changed everything for us. All I kept thinking to myself, retrospectively, was why hadn’t we taken on a space like this years ago. It instantly broke all those barriers down,” Rob smiles.

Another huge bonus of having an Eridge Green Kitchens presence on the High Street has meant that the business has been able to mine another stream of revenue – retail.

“What’s different to our showroom compared to others is that you can come in and buy a scented candle, luxury blanket or lantern and walk out with it there and then. Again, it goes back to that notion of selling a lifestyle. No matter how big or small the purchase.”

And although the funky bar, with its stylish illuminated arches, marble detailing and faux fur stools is a great place for clients to sit and sip a coffee or glass of wine while discussing plans, Rob says that the second phase of the building’s redevelopment will include a designated area where people can sit and chat with Rob and his team in total privacy.

“We’re currently working on that and will also create another few spaces so people feel like they are walking into someone’s home and getting all that inspiration they need. Because actually we find that a lot of clients have no idea where to start, so having experts on hand to guide them will really help. On our bigger projects we already factor in a complementary 15 hours of an interior designer’s time so they can suggest certain things because most people, although they are spending a lot of money, don’t really know what they want.”

One of the interior designers Rob and his team are working with is Joss Miller, who is a local and very well-respected industry professional. “She is great to work with as she is on the same page as us,” reveals Rob.

Eridge Green Kitchens is dedicated to the traditional craft of building bespoke kitchens and furniture by hand. The team, which Rob is hoping to expand soon, use traditional methods to manufacture and install bespoke furniture at the highest standard, accentuated by modern components, innovative technology and luxury materials.

“We design our products bespoke to our customers’ needs and desires,” adds Rob.

As well as making good direct contacts with various upmarket, groundbreaking brands, Rob tells me that he has also worked the events scene too.

“We did the Kitchens Bedroom Bathroom (KBB) trade show and our goal going along to that was to prove that the notion of something being ‘bespoke’ is often too loosely mistaken for ‘tailored’.

“We took a whole Sub-Zero & Wolf display to KBB and people agreed that it was totally bespoke. For us the word ‘tailored’ means people just manipulating something that’s already pre-made. While we were there we met a lot of the contacts we’d made with the likes of Gaggenau and Bora and when they saw me and my colleagues they admitted that our presence indicated that we really do mean business and that meant a lot.”

Rob adds that he is trying to go for a very ‘industry-specific’ approach to what he and his team do.

“We’re very selective with our brands and only deal with a handful of companies at the moment as we don’t want to dilute our offering. But what we do offer has seen our footfall rocket as a result. This place really speaks to customers; it says to them ‘you want this’. And I think being on a high street people automatically trust that high street presence.”

Talking of trust and reputable brands, Rob tells me that he has just been appointed as a Farrow & Ball paint ambassador.

“That’s something that is very exciting because no one else stocks that brand of paint in the immediate area and we have also been given permission to mix it. So it really is a win-win for us because not only will we have that exclusivity, we will also use the paints on our cabinetry and in turn will attract further footfall as soon as we place the company’s branding outside our premises. The power of Farrow & Ball is quite something,” laughs Rob.

He says that the machine should be up and running by the end of October and that there will be a launch event to mark its arrival, so advises people to keep an eye on Eridge Green Kitchens’ socials for more details on that.

In terms of how Eridge Green Kitchens place themselves price-wise would they say they are competitive?

“We are very, very good value. And remember, we are not just bespoke in product but also bespoke in service. There is no set transition from start to finish as every project and client is different. All our services are handheld and we’re happy with that. We don’t want to grow any larger at the moment as we are more focused on refining our customer services and making that journey the best it possibly can be. If anything we want to expand sideways rather than upwards.

“I’ve done a lot of research into how I can maintain a business model that is relatively personal, and one that I can keep a grip on but to also generate more revenue. For us that is the majority of people coming to us for their kitchens but then discovering we also sell tiles – and can lay them – or have access to all these amazing brands such as Farrow & Ball and Gaggenau. Again, it’s about selling that lifestyle to people. But also it is about getting the balance right and not expanding too quickly.”

Rob tells me that he’s never happier than being onsite and seeing a job come to fruition. “I’m a trained cabinet maker but I also run my own business so seeing the two fuse together is always an amazing thing. I enjoy being with my customers and colleagues and seeing the end product.”

Rob’s team are a talented and very loyal one, he says, with most of them having been with him for three years plus.

“It does feel like we have really hit the sweet spot. Everyone is happy and earning and we are fortunate enough to be in the position of actually turning down work at the moment. What we can provide here is a really 360 comprehensive service and be with clients from the start to the finish of their build. Most will not want to go here, there and everywhere or put things out to tender and not know what the next step is. But here we can take them through every step of the process.

“And I always say that if we don’t sell everything they need here we’ll know someone who does and I think our clients really like having that confidence and trust in us. We are all about maximising our services and getting the best results possible. It’s so much easier to be collaborative than combative.”

eridgegreenkitchens.co.uk