Poggenpohl

As the world’s oldest kitchen brand, Poggenpohl has put its stamp on generations of bespoke kitchens. Since being founded in 1892 by renowned German cabinetmaker Friedemir Poggenpohl, it has not only garnered a reputation for precisionengineered contemporary kitchens but also world firsts. Consistently at the forefront of innovation, the company produced the first solid wood kitchen – which single-handedly shaped the aesthetic of the modern fitted kitchen – as well as the first white lacquer furniture and the first island kitchen. Today it is represented in more than 70 countries.

The company’s legendary kitchens combine the modernist principles derived from its origins in the Bauhaus movement and the Ulm School of Design with a generosity of texture, colour and proportion. Recent ranges include the unstructured +Modo, which features glass-fronted drawers and open shelves that can be used to showcase china, glassware and saucepans; the minimalist +Segmento with handle-less cupboards and worktops so thin they appear to float above the units beneath, which recently saw the addition of a reinterpreted version +SegmentoY featuring anti-fingerprint technology and new methods for lighting; and the flexible +Venovo, which is ideal for open-plan living with its combination of wood, ceramic and metal materials.

No two kitchens are ever the same and all ranges are made to measure so that everything from worktops to handles and cabinet finishes to interior fixings can be personally selected to complement the architecture of the owner’s home. There are showrooms throughout the UK, including new studio concepts in Tunbridge Wells and Marlow and the re-imagined flagship studio on Wigmore Street in London. Here, the latest kitchens are on display and experienced designers are on hand to help customers (or their architects and interior designers) create a fully-tailored space that works best for each individual’s needs and lifestyle.

The high level of service continues through to installation (each customer is allocated a designated installation manager, who will organise associated tradesmen) and aftercare. Once the kitchen is completed, customers are visited at home by a member of the Poggenpohl team, who will arrange a professional kitchen cleaning service and demonstrate the basic functions of all appliances that have been purchased through the company.

Famed for being made from the highest-quality materials, Poggenpohl kitchens are are known for their durability and longevity. Combining beautiful design with an emphasis on high performance and function, the company also prides itself on creating workable spaces where users can cook and entertain with confidence – something that is particularly important in the current trend for open-plan living. Island units that double as a low-level divide between the living and kitchen areas have become increasingly popular, and the company’s kitchen designers can advise on how to make the most of every conceivable function, suggesting features such as a breakfast bar, ingenious storage and cooking devices.

Looking to the future, Poggenpohl continues to push the boundaries of design, introducing ever-new finishes and flexible kitchen solutions, just as they have done for the last 127 years.