Beautifully Handmade Kitchens: Do You Really Have to Spend £70,000?

You’ve seen the kitchens. Maybe you’ve visited a showroom, scrolled through the portfolios of the big names, dog-eared a magazine or two. And you love what you see – the craftsmanship, the calm, the way every detail looks considered. Then you see the price. £70,000. £80,000. Sometimes more.

If that’s where you are right now, this blog is for you. Because the answer to the question above might surprise you.

First, let’s be honest about the big names

The premium kitchen brands have done something remarkable for the industry. They’ve shown that a kitchen doesn’t have to be a cold, functional room. They’ve elevated craftsmanship, changed how people think about their homes, and created spaces of genuine beauty. That deserves respect – and Nicki has enormous admiration for what they’ve achieved.

But here’s something worth understanding about that £70,000 price tag. A considerable proportion of it isn’t going into your kitchen. It’s going into:

• The Chelsea showroom
• The large marketing team and branded vans
• The sales infrastructure and layers of management
• The overheads that come with being a national business at that scale.

As Nicki Ziglam, the founder and make behind Soulwood Kitchens, puts it:

“If you’re spending £70,000 on a kitchen from one of the big names, a large proportion of that money is not going into the cabinetry. It will be taken up by overheads, marketing and showrooms when you get to a certain size.”

That’s not a criticism. It’s simply how large businesses work. But it does raise a question: what if you could get the same quality of craftsmanship, without paying for all of that?

What “truly handmade” actually means

The word “handmade” gets used a lot in the kitchen industry. It’s worth knowing what it actually means in practice, because there’s a significant difference between a kitchen that’s “handmade” in name and one that genuinely is.

At Soulwood, every kitchen starts as rough sawn timber boards. That’s the first thing that tends to surprise people. Not a catalogue. Not a standardised system. Raw wood, carefully selected for quality and grain, which Nicki then machines, hand-planes, sands and finishes in his Nottingham workshop.

Nothing is pulled off a shelf

Every component is made to measure for that specific kitchen, in that specific home. The process, from board to finished cabinet, looks like this:

• Timber is carefully selected for quality, grain and character
• Each component is individually machined and assembled by hand
• Hand-planning, sanding and finishing – spray or hand-painted on site
• Every detail checked, adjusted and finished to the same exacting standard.

But Nicki is clear that handmade isn’t just about the physical process.

“It’s not all about just physically doing it by hand. Handmade is taking that care and attention on the detail. It’s caring about how the back of a cabinet looks, even though nobody’s ever going to see it. I’m meticulous about putting in my screws – I could put them in any direction and nobody would ever see them. But I don’t do that. I measure them all out. Because it’s about building the foundations right at the start, and that follows through to the final product.”

If you walked into Nicki’s workshop while he was mid-project, you’d likely find him agonising over a millimetre or two, pulling his hair out about something nobody else will ever notice. That’s not perfectionism for its own sake. It’s a craftsman who genuinely cares. As he puts it: “Hopefully you’d see someone who cares about what they do, really enjoys what they do, and really puts their heart and soul into the work.”

The design process reflects the same philosophy. Nicki starts every project not with layouts or finishes, but with a conversation about how the family actually lives. Who cooks? Who just steals biscuits? How do mornings work? What’s missing from the kitchen you have now? The design follows from that – not from trends, not from what photographs well on Instagram.

Why Soulwood costs less – and why that’s not a compromise

This is the question Nicki gets asked, directly or indirectly, all the time. If the craftsmanship is the same, why is the price so different?

The honest answer: the saving comes from how Soulwood is structured, not from any compromise in the kitchen itself.

• No showroom overheads
• No sales team or layers of management
• No subcontracted installation losing quality control at the final stage
• You deal directly with the designer and maker, from first conversation to finished kitchen.

“My customers deal with me directly. From the first design conversations to the final install. That’s where I can save customers money. Their money goes directly into the kitchen.”

There’s something else worth noting. One of the most common sources of disappointment with larger kitchen companies isn’t the product – it’s the installation. Many national brands subcontract the fitting, which means quality control can slip at exactly the moment it matters most: when it’s in your home.

With Soulwood, the person who designed and made your kitchen is also the person overseeing the installation. The same care and craftsmanship that goes into the workshop follows through to the fit. If something needs adjusting, Nicki is there.

What you can expect to invest in a Soulwood kitchen

Most Soulwood kitchens fall in the range of £25,000 to £40,000. That’s for a complete kitchen in a typical four-bedroom family home – design, handmade cabinetry, worktops, appliances, and installation included. Structural building work, flooring and decorating if required, would be additional.

The main factors that affect the final cost are:

• Worktops: quartz, stone and marble vary significantly in price
• Appliances: Nicki typically steers clients towards the mid-range for the best value
• Timber: different hardwoods and veneer finishes affect cost
• Finishing method: spray finish or hand-painted on site (hand-painted is slightly more)
• Preparation works: the condition of the room affects the complexity of the prep, which can add cost.

“Nicki is also refreshingly honest about minimum budgets. ‘Anything below £25,000, you’ve got to be honest with people,’ he says. ‘A bespoke handcrafted kitchen takes time and skill. Anything less and you just won’t be doing it justice.’

That transparency matters. It means the people who come to Soulwood are the right fit, and the time and care that goes into every kitchen is properly reflected in the result.

What working with Soulwood actually looks like

The process is straightforward, personal and designed to be as stress-free as possible.

• Step 1 – Initial conversation: a relaxed chat about your home, how your family lives, what you need and what you’re missing. Budget comes in early, because it shapes every decision that follows.
• Step 2 – Design: layouts, materials, appliances and finishes, all worked out together. Nicki brings his expertise; you bring your ideas and priorities.
• Step 3 – Production: your kitchen is handmade in Nicki’s Nottingham workshop, from raw timber to finished cabinets.
• Step 4 – Installation: Nicki oversees everything, managing all trades and subcontractors. Daily communication throughout. The aim is always a calm, clean, tidy process with minimal disruption.

The full process, from design sign-off to a finished kitchen, typically takes around eight weeks.

“Installing a new kitchen is a massive upheaval in a person’s life. That’s where I think an independent workshop like mine can really offer something different – that personal experience, that follow-through on craftsmanship, right to the very end.”

If you’ve been dreaming about a handmade kitchen

The kitchens you’ve been admiring in magazines and showrooms – the quality, the craft, the attention to detail, that’s not out of reach. It just doesn’t have to come with a Chelsea price tag.

Soulwood Kitchens are beautifully handmade, designed around how you actually live, and surprisingly affordable. Nicki would love to have a conversation about what’s possible for your home.

Book your free kitchen design consultation – a relaxed phone or video call with Nicki. He’ll talk through your ideas, your space and your options. No pressure, no obligation.

Call 0115 676 2500 or email hello@soulwood.co.uk

Book your free kitchen design consultation →

Frequently Asked Questions: Bespoke Handmade Kitchens in Nottingham

How much does a bespoke handmade kitchen cost?

Most Soulwood kitchens are priced between £25,000 and £40,000 for a typical four-bedroom family home. This includes design, all handmade cabinetry, worktops, appliances and installation. Structural building works, if needed, are additional. Nicki is always transparent about costs from the very first conversation.

What affects the price of a bespoke kitchen?

The main factors are:

• Choice of worktop – quartz, stone and marble vary significantly
• Appliance specification – mid-range appliances give the best value for most kitchens
• Timber and door finish – solid hardwoods and hand-painted finishes add cost
• Finishing method – spray finish or hand-painted on site
• Preparation works – the condition of the room affects complexity and cost.

Does Soulwood handle the full installation, including plumbing and electrics?

Yes. Nicki manages the entire installation process, coordinating all trades and subcontractors, including plumbers and electricians. You deal with one person throughout, which means clear communication, proper quality control and no gaps between trades.

How long does a Soulwood kitchen take from start to finish?

From design sign-off to completed installation, a typical Soulwood kitchen takes around eight weeks. This assumes the client is ready to proceed and the space is prepared. Nicki will always give you a clear programme of works before the installation begins.

What is the difference between a truly bespoke handmade kitchen and one that just claims to be?

At Soulwood, every kitchen starts as rough sawn timber boards, not from a catalogue or standardised system. Every component is individually made to measure, selected for grain and quality, machined and hand-finished by Nicki himself. Nothing is off-the-shelf. The attention to detail extends to elements nobody will ever see, because that’s what genuine craftsmanship means.

Why is a Soulwood kitchen more affordable than the big national brands?

Soulwood has no showroom, no sales team and no large marketing overheads. Nicki works directly with every client from first conversation to finished kitchen. That direct relationship eliminates a significant layer of cost that national brands pass on to their customers – and means your budget goes into the kitchen, not into someone else’s infrastructure.

Does Soulwood make both Shaker and contemporary kitchens?

Yes. Soulwood makes classic Shaker kitchens, including traditional painted Shaker designs, and sleek contemporary kitchens with clean lines and handleless options. Every kitchen – whatever the style – is made to measure and designed around how you actually live.

Where is Soulwood based, and what areas does Nicki cover?

Soulwood Kitchens is based in Nottingham. Nicki designs and installs bespoke kitchens across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, including areas such as West Bridgford, Burton Joyce, Mapperley, Bingham and the wider East Midlands.

How do I get started with a Soulwood kitchen?

The first step is a free, no-obligation phone or video consultation with Nicki. He’ll talk through your ideas, your space and your options. There’s no pressure and no commitment – just an honest conversation about what’s possible.

Book your free kitchen design consultation →