What’s happening in kitchens in 2017?

I asked myself this question recently and was delighted to find an article in House Beautiful (http://www.housebeautiful.co.uk/decorate/kitchen/news/a1170/kitchen-trends-2017/) that answered the question perfectly and even better, we can help you achieve this year’s trends for kitchens!

The first thing we’ll be seeing in the trend setting kitchens this year is Quartz. We love quartz worktops at DWS. Who doesn’t love a bit of sparkle?! If that really isn’t your thing we do a gorgeous concrete range in our quartz worktops which fulfils the second top trend in kitchens…industrial design. I have to say that Scandi styling is still my first love but I am definitely drooling over Pinterest pictures of the industrial look lately. Believe it or not my local Tesco cafe has pulled this look off quite well with exposed brick, exposed pipes, rustic metals and minimalist furniture, the trend is inspired by factory spaces and is actually very popular in Scandinavian countries, which may explain my liking towards it too!

Quartz gives any kitchen a luxury feel while being total hygienic thanks to the non porous nature of the material. It’s previously thought to have a luxury price tag too but at DWS you will find up to 50% reductions on the High Street prices.

Trends three and four are leaning towards minimalism, with handleless units and clutter free worktops.  The first thing that comes to mind for me in kitchens with these features is Corian. There’s nothing more sleek, minimalist and fuss-free than a beautiful Corian work surface. This material suits traditional kitchens too but it is the perfect choice for contemporary designs.  Because of the seamless joins there’s no better surface to compliment handleless doors and clear surfaces. 

The last trend for 2017, that we could help you achieve in your kitchen is monochrome tones. Black, white & greys have always been best sellers for DWS as they go with any decor and so we have a wide range of stunning worktops in these hues, in various materials.  Email info@dws-uk.com to find out more about any of the worktops mentioned and to get a competitive quote from our experienced sales team.

New Year, New Worktops

Happy New Year to all of our customers. We trust you enjoyed the festivities and are now looking forward to the coming year.

We've got off to a very busy start to the new year here at DWS. I can't believe we're already into February…time is flying by!! As we approach the promise of lighter nights you may be thinking of Spring projects to revamp your home  If you’re looking for fresh new kitchen worktops, bespoke or ‘off the shelf’ then call or email with your kitchen dimensions and we’ll help you to get your home resolutions underway. 

We plan this year to continue to bring you great quality products at very competitive prices and we're hoping to add new products to the website as well as a 'cart' feature to make the buying process quicker and easier for ready made worktops.

Corian White

Advent

Christmas Eve Box

I can't believe advent is upon us already for another countdown to Christmas. Last christmas doesn't feel all that long ago. However saying that it has been a very busy, eventful and fruitful year for us here at DWS. As our thoughts turn to all things festive I am taken with the idea of something I've seen around quite a lot recently, on Pinterest, in the press etc. This is the idea of Christmas Eve boxes.  In our culture of excess it's only to be expected that one day of gifts, food and excitement would't be enough...enter the Christmas Eve box kicking of the fun twelve hours early. As a child, my sister and I were always allowed to open one present on Christmas Eve, to whet our appetite for the treats to come and in some countries, gifts are traditionally exchanged and opened on Christmas Eve rather than Christmas Day as in the UK.  The Christmas Eve box gives us the best of both worlds. Typically for children, these boxes are filled with goodies to make Christmas Eve an event in itself. They may include items such as 

• a Christmas themed book - I particularly like the idea of 'The Night before Christmas' as I loved this poem as a child.
• slippers/slipper socks
• pyjamas
• a chocolate Santa lolly or chocolate coins
• Christmas movie to watch as a family
• Christmas mug, hot chocolate and mini marshmallows
• Christmas craft or supplies to do some Christmas baking
• Cookie cutter (for activity above)
• Bath bomb/bubble bath
• Christmas crockery to use on Christmas Day
• Cuddly toy
• Christmas themed activity pack
• popcorn
• candycane
• a dated ornament for the tree
• reindeer food
• a door key for Santa (for houses without chimneys)
• a glass milk bottle for Santa's drink
• fruit
• Christmas socks
• gingerbread men

This is just an example of the many items that could be put in to the box, creating a lovely family tradition that children would love.  The items could be put into a cardboard box wrapped in Christmas paper or for a more lasting container, the internet is now awash with personalised wooden Christmas Eve boxes which your child can use year after year.

Don't forget to check out our Pinterest Christmas board which can be found athttps://uk.pinterest.com/discountw/

 

Important dates for your diary

21 November: Last order date for pre Christmas installation 3rd January: New year reopen

*2017 2 week lead time* The 2 Week lead time will be for orders placed from the 22nd December until the 13th February for Production/Fit in January & February.

Hygge Hype

As the weather turns, thoughts of open fires, snug interiors and nights in with friends and family are at the forefront of our minds. The Autumnal chill welcomes warming soups, hot drinks and cosy knits.   All of these pursuits have been encapsulated perfectly by the Danes in a concept called "Hygge". Hygge hype is this Autumn's focus and it couldn't be more appealing!  Pinterest is awash with ideas of how we can rival Denmark in getting our homes and social lives Winter ready and DWS have put together a board that you can access straight from our Home Page on our Pinterest site. 

The definition of Hygge (pronounced hoo-gah)  is summed up nicely by the 'Visit Denmark' website http://www.visitdenmark.co.uk/en-gb/denmark/culture/art-danish-hygge..."In essence, hygge means creating a nice, warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people around you. The warm glow of candlelight is hygge. Friends and family – that’s hygge too. And let’s not forget the eating and drinking – preferably sitting around the table for hours on end discussing the big and small things in life.

Although Hygge happens all year round in Denmark, it's particularly suited to Winter, with the country having long, dark winters...not unlike Scotland, which makes the art of hygge something we here could fully embrace and make the most of in the run up and throughout the Winter months to come. The word hygge originated in the Norwegian language meaning 'well-being' and who doesn't want that to be part of their life?

As well as Pinterest there are various books on the subject if you're interested in really buying in to the art of hygge in your home and life.

Corian Installation

The photos below give a small insight into the installation of Corian worktops. This complex procedure, carried out by only Dupont accredited fitters, achieves the seamless look of the Corian worktops. A truly stunning result!  The worktops shown are in Designer White and currently our most popular choice for a contemporary look.

The arrival of the worktops in three pieces

Installation in progress

Finished product - not a joint in sight!

Corian Worktops Laser Templating Procedure - SNAPSHOT!

Back in the Summer I mentioned that one of our staff members was installing Corian worktops in their new home and today I have the video to give an insight into the tempting procedure involved to get the precise measurements. Corian is a bespoke product, made to measure and fit your kitchen exactly, with all your desired features added. The templating procedure ensures that when it comes to installation, you have a perfect fit.

The above video shows the laser method used by this templater. The other method is to cut an mdf template to the required size and shape.

Autumn Update

So, we're only just into Autumn but DWS are already working on the Christmas rush to get those worktops installed in time for your Christmas dinner! Our lead times are now into November for installation so it won't be long before we'll be looking at December install dates. Please get your order in quickly if you're hoping for a sparkly new worktop for the christmas holidays. You can contact our quote team on 0845 600 5512 or by emailing  .

Dupont Corian Feature

It's been a busy time at DWS with an office move and lots of orders to fulfil so apologies for the lack of blogging! We are back today with a feature on Corian, which remains our bestseller. We love Corian so much that some DWS staff are installing some Designer White Corian worktops in their own house this month so watch this space for that on the blog soon. We'll be focussing on the template and installation process, giving our customers an idea of what to expect throughout their order.

This week a customer from the Glasgow area sent us photos of the results of their kitchen refurbishment. I'm sure you'll agree the results are outstanding. The customer chose a Warm Grey Corian to create a truly contemporary yet homely look.

The first image shows their kitchen before and the rest thereafter.

BEFORE

Dupont Corian Warm Grey 

The spec includes an undermounted stainless steel sink with drainer grooves cut in to the Corian.

The customer was as pleased as us with the results and sent this great feedback..."Top job from start to finish. The worktops look absolutely stunning". It's really satisfying for us to provide a quality product and service to our customers and to see the finished result is an added bonus.

If you'd like to freshen up your kitchen with Corian worktops this summer give us a call on 0845 600 5512 or see our full range at http://www.kitchen-worktops-store.co.uk and get a quote.

Have you said Hello to Fresh? **Offer**

Here at DWS we are delighting in a new way of cooking and eating week by week. Through social media we were made aware of a company called Hello Fresh who deliver weekly boxes of fresh ingredients to their customers. The boxes contain three or five meals for two or four people and you can choose from Classic, Vegetarian or Family Favourites box.

Asian Chicken Skewers

Using the following code CXFNJT you will receive £20 off your first box. 

Each box has recipes and the exact quantities of each ingredient you need to create very tasty meals,. We are already onto our third box here and we love the fact that we can be more adventurous than usual with our cooking, without buying tonnes of obscure ingredients.  I can safely say that we've thoroughly enjoyed 90% of the meals from Hello Fresh's boxes The only thing you need to add to the ingredients from your own larder is olive oil, salt & pepper and occasionally butter.

The ingredients are very high quality, fresh fruit and veg straight from the farm and using best British suppliers. Ingredients are delivered free, direct to your door and are packaged so well in stay cool boxes that the contents are safe for 24 hours, if you cannot accept delivery straight away for any reason.

If like us you would struggle to come up with nutritious, interesting meals week on week, these meals from scratch mean you can avoid processed foods and expensive meals out.  Whether you are a seasoned cook or just starting out you are sure to enjoy creating these delicious meals which I can't imagine getting bored of.  They are definitely not dull but not difficult to make either.

At an average of £4 per meal, convenient and healthy I can't fault this service and will be continuing my Hello Fresh subscription for some time to come. 

Using the following code CXFNJT you will receive £20 off your first box. 

That's not all...once a week you'll be treated to the option of a Jamie Oliver recipe too!

The link below gives full pricing details and menus. 

https://www.hellofresh.co.uk

Why not follow Hello Fresh at their blog to keep up with what's new.

http://blog.hellofresh.co.uk

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all of our customers and Best Wishes for 2016.

It's that time again when DWS are offering even bigger discounts than usual in our New Year Sale.

Don't miss out on up to 60% off premium brand worktops such as Dupont Corian, Silestone, Apollo Granite, Hardwood and more.

Visit us at http://www.kitchen-worktops-store.co.uk and get a quote today. New kitchen for a new year!

Christmas Wishes

We would like to wish all of our customers; past, present and future a Happy Christmas & Best Wishes for the coming year.

DWS will be closed for business from 5pm Wednesday 23rd December 2015 until 9am Tuesday 5th January 2016.

Spotlight on White

White has always been a best seller for us within the Dupont Corian range but we've seen a rise in the popularity of Venaro White of late. This, like Lyskam Grey in a previous post has a vein through it, giving it a marble effect. You still get the benefit of bright, fresh, white worktops but with more personality.

Venaro White 

This week we were delighted to receive the photo below from a customer in London who was equally (if not more so) delighted with their new Dupont Corian Venaro White worktops, fitted that day by the DWS team. I'm sure you'll agree it is an envy inducing kitchen which looks stunning with the addition of the super stylish Corian.

Dupont Corian Venaro White worktops

http://www.dupont.co.uk/products-and-services/construction-materials/surface-design-materials/brands/corian-solid-surfaces/products/corian-all-colours/sub-products/venaro-white.html

You can get a quote for Venaro White online at http://www.kitchen-worktops-store.co.uk or alternatively call our sales team on 0845 600 5512

Corian worktop installations are now taking place in early January 2016. Keep your eye on the website for our Christmas/New year Sale for even further discounts!

Christmas Deadlines

For all customers wishing to have Quartz worktops fitted before the Christmas break, please place your order by noon tomorrow, 13th November.  Any order placed after tomorrow will be installed in the new year.

Solid Surface orders to be installed before Christmas will continue to be taken until further notice. 

Dupont Corian Seagrass

This month's featured worktop is Dupont Corian's "Seagrass". Seagrass has always been a popular choice for bathrooms with it's soft, watery quality but we've recently seen an explosion in Seagrass sales for kitchens. We can only assume that this colour has been featured in local press, home magazines or on home shows lately. We do love it when that happens as it certainly shakes thing up a little bit for us here, we get so used to selling the same colours in the same applications.

We do know that the colour was used in the The Gavin Jones “Garden of Corian®” at the Chelsea Flower Show 2008 installation. You can read about this exciting project at the following link http://www.dupont.co.uk/products-and-services/construction-materials/surface-design-materials/brands/corian-solid-surfaces/case-studies/chelsea-flower-show.html

This doesn't explain the sudden popularity in kitchens but does go to show the versatility and natural beauty of this colour, for those looking for an interior inspired by nature.

Dupont Corian "Seagrass" worktops & end panels 

I've always thought Seagrass suited a bathroom environment perfectly so it took a bit of getting used to, seeing it in the kitchen. However I love it and think it makes for a truly contemporary and original look. You could be assured that your kitchen would be different to any your friends and family have seen before! It's a light, neutral colour but adds more interest than whites.

Corian Seagrass thermoformed island worktop

Corian Seagrass worktops,square upstands & wall cladding/splashback

Corian Seagrass worktops, integrated sink & chopping board

You can see our Dupont Corian range and get a quote at http://www.kitchen-worktops-store.co.uk/shop/corian-worktops/corian-kitchen-worktops-colour-bands/  The installation slots before Christmas are filling up quickly so don't delay if you want your beautiful new worktops to be ready for preparing the Christmas dinner.

Featured Worktops- Lyskam Quartz

Every now and again I will be featuring a particular worktop we sell, pictured in a customer's kitchen. This month we had the pleasure of fitting a gorgeous grey Quartz worktop onto very fashionable grey cabinets. Grey is still a very popular choice for interiors and I have to say I hope it continues as I love it. The quartz featured is called Lysksam and is made to look more akin to marble, with veining through it. The finish, with the grey cabinets is contemporary yet classical, a design that will stand the test of time.  The photos below were kindly sent in by our customer and we were delighted to see the end results.

Lyskam Quartz

Lyskam Quartz is part of our very popular Apollo Quartz range, with Lyskam, Lyskam Beige & Lyskam Grey only recently being added. If you are interested in getting a quote or a sample of Lyskam Quartz, visit our website http://www.kitchen-worktops-store.co.uk/shop/apollo-quartz-worktops/apollo-quartz-kitchen-worktops-colour-bands/ for excellent discounts. But hurry because the Christmas rush has already started! 

Scottish Home Show 2015

We don't have the pleasure of taking part in this year's Scottish Home Show, for the happy reason that we are just too busy selling worktops online! However the annual show takes place this weekend (25th-27th September inc) at the AECC in Aberdeen and is definitely worth a look if you are in the area and planning your dream home or planning renovations in your existing home. 

The link below gives all the details of the show and there's a great video https://vimeo.com/115958422 of last year's show to give you a flavour of what you can expect. Sadly DWS wasn't featured in the video :( As well as show details there's general advice on home improvements, building and renovations.

http://www.scottishhomeshow.com

#GrowingUpScottish

Very funny repost of article by Indigo Social Media. I think we can all relate to this if we grew up North of the Border!

http://www.indigosocialmedia.co.uk/hashtag-highlights-growingupscottish/

Hashtag Highlights – #GrowingUpScottish

by Indigo Social Media

 Posted on July 16, 2015 at 14:18 PM

Cut on your knee? Doc leaf. Over 10 degrees outside? Troon beach. On holiday and they don’t sell Irn Bru? Flight home.

At Indigo we are proud of our diverse team from all over the world, but a day doesn’t go by in the office without some confusion over our different cultures. It is because of this that we were happy to see #GrowingUpScottish trending on Twitter today.

Through a feed of tweets, our international colleagues were educated about what it was to be born and raised in Scotland. They now know of the situations that made the Scots the people they are – for better or worse…

Here are some of the hashtags highlights: