'The new kitchen has to be right. But really!

Visiting Corné Candy

Why the first conversation should not take place in the kitchen showroom

It's super interesting to exchange thoughts with owners in a kitchen specialty store about the question "What should a good showroom meet?" and then see if great recommendations emerge from that for the rest of kitchen-selling Holland. But ... how interesting is it to learn from a professional who sells kitchens (read: who advises and guides consumers) but does not have a showroom himself. So we can't step inside anywhere at all! Time for a conversation with Corné Snoep Keukenarchitectuur from Brielle. Can consumers make the right choice with him after all?

The answer to that question is yes.

Logical, because it is the proven core business of Corné, who - after years of owning a kitchen specialty store in Oostvoorne - now helps consumers on their way towards their dream kitchen in a more innovative way.

For over a year and a half, he has been "on the road. "I focus on the middle and high segment, although you can also wonder how sharp those definitions actually are. The bottomline is that the very first intake interview does not take place in a showroom but in people's homes. After all, I want to get to know my client. How do they live? What is the family situation like? What is the purpose of the choices they have in mind? What are the walking routes in the home? Do my clients know what's on the market today? Why is the kitchen so important to this client? These are unprecedented questions that I have and that I use to get the individual thinking. In fact, sometimes I even temper their instant enthusiasm. People put a lot of emphasis on the look and feel of the kitchen, while in essence it should first be about how, when and why you want to use the kitchen. Ultimately, as far as I'm concerned, the goal is to let the kitchen be who the customer is. In other words, the kitchen has to be right. But then really."

From phase to phase

Corné says that when he is in conversation, he naturally shows off cool ideas on his laptop right away. "And I immediately measure in at such a first meeting. The basis has to be right. At home, in the office, I then start designing after which follow-up meetings follow. We then go from phase to phase. At a certain point we have a final kitchen design, and I 'prove' that the kitchen envisaged really suits the client's way of life. Only then do we go to the selected suppliers and look for the right materials. This way of working is much more in line with the individual wishes of the consumer. I think this will be much more necessary in the future. After all, everyone wants to have as much control as possible over the design of their home, and thus also their kitchen."

We certainly don't work with every supplier in the Netherlands, Corné continues, "We are talking, on average, about a budget from 30 - 35K per kitchen. The type of customer is someone who would also hire an interior designer. But because a kitchen has its own specialty, I've actually managed to create a separate field of expertise from this."

Working on the basics

In the coming years, Corné expects that there will be an increasing interest from the market in working with such a kitchen architecture professional. "Of course with all due respect to all kitchen specialty stores in the Netherlands, I still observe that 80% of the stores do not sense which customer is actually being served, i.e. what story the individual really has. Too often I miss in the showroom the experience, the understanding and the interest. It is often company policy: there is not enough time and attention. One wants to sell quickly. However, this does not match what the customer wants to experience. Therefore, work on the basics first: the kitchen must be right. But then really."