Founder of leading independent kitchen specialist built from the ground up after starting as apprentice at 16
The founder of a leading independent kitchen specialist in Northamptonshire has shared his impressive journey of building a successful venture from the ground up.
Parker Kitchens design, make and install kitchens from its Towcester workshop and showroom, and is proud to provide a fully project-managed service from start to finish.
The cabinetry is made to measure in the workshop and projects are delivered with clear communication, tidy working and a structured handover.
Darren Parker founded the business in 2012 but his journey started long before that when he was a 16-year-old apprentice in carpentry and joinery. During that time, he assisted his parents in building their conservatory.
When the time came for them to get a new kitchen, Bell of Northampton came out to take a look and the managing director commended their conservatory. Having then been approached by their team, Darren began subcontracting for Bells fitting kitchens and bathrooms.
Glen Stout, whose digital marketing agency Dibble Digital has worked alongside Parker Kitchens since the beginning, spoke to the Chronicle & Echo to share a deeper insight into Darren’s journey.
“During the process, what he realised is that what most kitchen and bathroom fitter seems to do is buy pre-built cabinetry and get it delivered,” said Glen.
“He quickly realised that more often than not, it doesn’t quite fit the home and needed to be reconfigured. You can be waiting four weeks to get a replacement delivered and that causes delays for customers.”
Darren saw the opportunity to manufacture cabinetry in-house to ensure it is designed to perfectly match the room and premises it will feature in, which is what Parker Kitchens proudly offers to this day.
Not only does Darren and his team offer the bespoke design and installation of kitchens, but bathrooms, fitted wardrobes and the fitting of home appliances too.
The workshop and showroom is located in Towcester’s former Old Cattle Market on Watling Street East, which was essentially purchased as a derelict building that Darren gradually adapted to suit the needs of his business.
“The key selling point is the fact that all cabinetry is specific to each home,” said Glen. “It is fully mapped to the exact shape of the room.
“With kitchen cabinets, there is a standardised gap at the back for pipework. Parker Kitchens assess if there is any pipework and removes the gap if there isn’t, so there is more storage than a standard kitchen.
“Everything is bespoke, handmade and customisable, and Parker Kitchens has done disability adaptations for people. If you can dream it, they can build it.”
When asked what customers like most about the offering, Glen said the fact that the team project manages everything from start to finish creates a “stress-free process with a top quality finish” to the best of standards.
Fitting home appliances is a new addition to the business off the back of the pandemic, and Darren recently introduced electric vehicle charging point installations too.
With a positive reputation that Parker Kitchens has built over the past decade, Darren and his team are pleased to have supported a number of Saints players including former local star Courtney Lawes.