The kbbreview Podcast

‘Building an Award-Winning Entry’The kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2026 are officially open for entries — but what does it really take to catch the judges’ eye? In this special episode, host Matt Baker is joined by Andy Davies to break down everything you need to know about entering.We cover:The full line-up of categories (designers, retailers, showrooms, newcomers, installers, suppliers and the brand-new Unsung Hero Award).Our Top 10 Tips for writing a standout entry.Why it’s totally free to enter — and how shortlists come with free tickets to the big night.Whether you’re a seasoned contender or a first-time entrant, this episode is packed with insider advice to give your submission the best possible chance of success.👉 Entries close Thursday, November 13, 2025 — no extensions! 👉 Head to kbbreview.com/awards for EVERYTHING you need to know about entering, categories, tickets, and more.A huge thank you to our Awards Podcast Partner for 2026 — Sonas Bathrooms. With nearly 50 years in the sector, Sonas offers a complete collection of bathroom solutions. Find out more at sonasbathrooms.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the third and final part of our look at how the industry has changed in the five years since Covid and we're doing it by looking at the relationships between retailers and the three vital groups of people without whom they wouldn't have a business. In the first two parts we talked about the consumer and the supplier and now, to round it all off we're looking at installers. How has that interaction changed? How much harder is it to find good ones? Can you afford good ones? and what role should and do retailers have in solving the skills crisis in installation. The full gang of Justine, Nick, Trevor and Liz are all here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The kbbreview Rising Star is back and we've teamed up with our good friends at Blum to shine a spotlight on the industry leaders of tomorrow.We're sitting down with apprentice cabinetmaker Lorenzo Dell’Aquila from Simon Taylor Furniture, whose skills are more than learned – they’re inherited. With a father who once crafted high-end office furniture (and was even asked to furnish the BBC), Lorenzo’s journey into cabinetry blends family tradition with his own passion for maths, art, and design.He shares how a bold phone call landed him a spot at the company, the lessons he’s learned along the way, and how – just a few years in – he’s already helping shape a special limited-edition collection for the company’s 40th anniversary. We also talk mentorship, mastering craft at a young age, and what it means to build a career where precision meets creativity.You can find out more about Blum here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How have kitchen and bathroom suppliers changed in the last five years?The kbbreview Podcast is back with Andy Davies and our panel of regular retailers – Justine Bullock, Liz Pantling-Jones, Trevor Scott and Nick Warrington. Last week we explored how the consumer has changed since Covid, and this time we’re flipping the focus: how have suppliers changed?From pricing and terms to service, support, marketing and partnerships, we dig into the shifts shaping today’s market – and yes, expect a little healthy friction along the way. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

✨ The Rising Star 2026 mini-series kicks off! ✨In this special episode of The kbbreview Podcast, news and features writer George Dean takes the mic to introduce the very first finalist in our 2026 Rising Star Awards – Rachelle Hawes from Et Lorem in Beaconsfield. We’ve teamed up with Blum to shine a spotlight on the brightest young talent in independent KBB retail, and over the coming months you’ll meet all eight inspiring finalists. Want to know how Rachel found her way into the industry in one of the most unusual ways we’ve ever heard? Hit play and find out.If you want to nominate a Rising Star from your business or, indeed, nominate yourself, simply go to kbbreview.com/awards and head for the categories page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New season, new format!The kbbreview Podcast is back for Season 16 and we’re shaking things up. For the first time, host Andy Davies is joined by a regular panel of top retailers - Justine Bullock, Liz Pantling-Jones, Trevor Scott and Nick Warrington - bringing you weekly, frontline insights from the world of independent KBB retail.We’re kicking off with a three-part series on how the industry has transformed since Covid. First up: the consumer. What do today’s customers really want? How have their expectations shifted? Do they understand the true cost of a kitchen or bathroom - and how should you communicate with them?Plus, don’t miss your chance to shine, the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2026 are now open for entries. It’s free, it’s huge, and it could be you lifting one of those famous trophies. All the info you need is at kbbreview.com/awards Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We catch up with Katie to talk Showerwall, product development and life at its new home Bathroom Brands...Welcome to a very special bonus episode of The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and he met up with Katie Cope, Showerwall's current head, at the recent InstallerSHOW.This is a really interesting conversation for a couple of reasons - wall panelling is a proper growth area in the bathroom so where does she think it is and where it's going?And how is Showerwall doing since it was acquired by Bathroom Brands from IDS after that company went into administration?It was a big move for Bathroom Brands but wall panels are a growing market so you can see why it wanted to bring in a name like Showerwall to add to its already impressive portfolio.You can find out more about Showerwall at showerwall.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We meet the dynamic founders of one the fastest growing networks of kitchen retail franchises - and this one is 100% British. Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and he's out and about again, this time in Kirby-in-Ashfield just outside Nottingham.Andy is meeting brothers Scott and Ben Slater and their company Kesseler. A really interesting British kitchen manufacturer AND retailer. Started about 15 years ago as a straight supplier, they moved into their own retail franchising brand just a few years ago and now have nearly 20 showrooms across the country.As we have discussed on this very podcast before franchising is really building a significant momentum - Kutchenhaus, Nolte, Schmidt, and Magnet are just a few but Kesseler is slightly different as it is distinctly British.But that's not all, as we will here, they also run Online-Bedrooms.co.uk - an increasingly successful brand that sells fitted bedroom furniture, well, online.So how have they done it? What's their strategy? How do you build a retail brand from scratch? And how many Kesseler showrooms do they actually want?Such an interesting story from two real forward-thinkers! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We meet the legendary interior designer to talk about his new kitchen range and his (very candid) thoughts on design and retail.Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and today we're in a dreary old loft in South London and our challenge is to turn this empty bit of audio space into a fully-fledged podcast episode in just 45 minutes BUT we only have a budget of 20p, some MDF, a bag of screws and a router.And yes, today we're talking to Changing Rooms legend Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen - but of course we're doing him a massive disservice by limiting his extensive career to just that one show, no matter how impactful it was.He was - and is - an extremely accomplished interior designer of course, but he has also been educating the public about design on TV for, brace yourself, nearly 30 years - Changing Rooms started in 1996.After a bit of back-and-forth with manufacturers, he has just designed and launched his own kitchen range - called Quintessential - specifically for independent kitchen showrooms and, as you'll hear in this interview, he LOVES independent kitchen showrooms.This is, genuinely, a fantastic interview - mainly probably because it's actually Andy's kbbreview colleague George Dean doing it - and Laurence is as fabulous as you would expect but he is also incredibly candid and open about his thoughts on kitchen retail AND his previous endorsement deals with multiples - listen out for the bit where he gets slow hand-clapped on a plane thanks to his association with Moben.It's all brilliant stuff and it's clear that he really does love design and what it can achieve if done properly and with conviction so we really can't recommend this one highly enough!So over to George Dean and Lawrence Llewelyn-Bowen… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies.Neptune has grown from a humble start in the 1990s to become one of the UK’s most distinctive premium home and kitchen brands. With around 30 of its own showrooms and 80 more retail partners it has become one of the largest independent kitchen retail networks in the UK with little fanfare.And 'brand' is the most important word. Neptune, as far as co-founder John Sims-Hilditch is concerned, means something more than just a logo or a name, it is a philosophy that permeates every aspect of the business.Andy went to meet him at the company's impressive HQ and showroom just outside Swindon... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this episode comes LIVE from the InstallerSHOW 2025. This is the third and final LIVE episode we recorded at the show and we’re finishing with a question every single KBB showroom has on their mind– what should I be doing with social media? And in particular we’re looking at small to medium sized showrooms that don’t have social media teams and instead are trying to fit it into the rest of their very busy days. So if you’re time-poor and have limited resource – this is the episode for you. What works and what doesn’t?Where should you be spending that limited time and resource most effectivelyHow do you even know it’s working? We have some top experts from the frontline to talk it all through, Kira Blume from Krantz Designs, Adam Jones from Cwtch Haus and Hayley Simmons from agency KBB Marketing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and we are LIVE at the InstallerShow 2025! This is our second of three shows we did at the show, and this is such an important one as its about an area that gets to the heart of what good kitchen and bathroom design is all about – the combination of style, aesthetics and practical solutions tailored to the needs of the individual, whatever they may be. And for those with needs that involve limitations in physicality or, as we will hear, cognitive ability, their designers and installers need to have the knowledge to be able to meet them. So, this is an area that is often called ‘accessible or multi-generational design’ and we’re scratching the surface a little bit with three top experts. Jo Jeyes from Joanne Jeyes Interiors - an interior designer specialising in dementiaAdam Thomas from the Adam Thomas Consultancy – specialist in all areas of accessible design, especially for wheelchair usersTony Passmore from The Passmore Group - specialist in accessible bathroom design and adaptation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this episode was recorded LIVE today (June 24, 2025) at the InstallerSHOW 2025. Today we’re talking about the most important topic of all at the moment – and that’s the health of the kbb independent retailer market after a difficult couple of years. We did a snapshot survey of retailers a couple of months ago and the results were very mixed. Nearly a quarter said they're more confident than ever about the health of their business, while one in five said they are worried or extremely worried about the future of their business…Nearly half said they expected the market to get better before the end of the year, but 15% still say they think the market will get worse in 2025.So what’s going on?Joining Andy today were top retailers, and friends of the show Trevor Scott from RFK in Rugby; Tina Riley from Modern Homes in Leamington Spa; Luke Wedgbury from Coalville Kitchens in Coalville and Liz Pantling-Jones from Lima Kitchens in Milton Keynes.We're talking....How their business is right nowHow increases in supplier prices are affecting their businessWhether supplier service levels have dropped as they manage their own costsHow consumers are behaving and whether they're decision making process continues to dragHow difficult it is to find good staff - including installersHow they're tackling the market head on to drive footfall and leads Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this is Episode Three of Season 15. We've got a great interview for you today - Phil Cole, the co-owner of Clive Christian. Founded in 1978 by Clive, it has become one of the few well-known kitchen brands in the ultra luxury arena - certainly in the traditional style. It's had it's ups and downs though as we will hear, going into administration in April 2022. That's where the then global sales director Phil Cole bought the company with Jim Denos - the owner of the US operations.So we'll hear all about that, how the luxury market is performing, what people expect for the kind of costs they deal in, how discretion is a valuable skill, finding skilled artisans, how to keep growing and lots and lots more.Andy met up with Phil at their flagship London showroom - which is actually a beautiful townhouse in Kensington and sat at a desk in a proper wood-panelled office...But first….We're only a WEEK away from the InstallerShow at the NEC where everyday at 1:30 on the Kitchen Of The Future stand we'll be recording a LIVE episode of this very podcast. On Tuesday the 24th we'll have a panel of top retailers discussing the health of the marketOn Wednesday 25th we've got some greatest accessible design experts giving us some proper top tipsOn Thursday 26th we're looking at how small to medium, sized KBB showrooms can use social media to grow their business.So that's 1:30 on the Kitchen Of The Future stand come along listen in, join in or just say hello.Go to installershow.com to register for your FREE ticket. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to another very special bonus episode of The kbbreview Podcast, you host is Andy Davies and today we've got a really interesting conversation with Rob Ginsberg from hib.Until very recently it was better known as H.I.B and was founded by Rob's father Warren Ginsberg 35 years ago. But it has undergone a major rebrand - and subtle name change - to underline its status as one of the leading accessories suppliers in the bathroom industry.So new name, new brand, new ranges, new products and new philosophy and strategy all underpinned by decades of heritage, industry knowledge and experience.And Rob is going to talk us through it all.You can find out more about them at hib.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andrew Davies and this is Episode Two of Season 15.This week we're building up to the InstallerSHOW - the huge exhibition of all things plumbing, heating, electrical, renewables AND, of course, kitchens and bathrooms.It's at the NEC on June 24th, 25th and 26th and it is packed with loads of product, obviously, but also networking, demos, seminars and training as well as, most importantly, LIVE recordings of this very podcast.You can come along and see us at 13:30 every day at the Kitchen Of The Future stage.The InstallerSHOW may be in its 10th year but it's still growing all the time. While the dedicated kitchen and bathroom section is relatively new it is also growing and this year it is packed with loads of top brands and content 100% relevant for KBB retailers.So we really do recommend coming along but if that isn't enough - and it almost certainly isn't - then we really recommend listening to this episode with the organiser MIke Costain. You can let him tell you all about the show, what's there, what to see, what's in it for you and what's next.You can register for your free ticket now, as well as find out everything you need to know, at installershow.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies, and this is a very special bonus episode where we catch up with one of the biggest brands in the sector - InSinkErator.They've got a bold new strategy, an eye-catching rebrand and a cutting-edge product launch with their new Next Generation range. They're reinventing the food waste disposal market yet again and Andy caught up with managing director Ashley Munden on changing markets, colourful campaigns and the science behind food waste solutions. You can find out more at insinkerator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to a new season of The kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies and we're kicking it off with a very special and exclusive interview with Dr Reinhard Zinkann - one of the two co-owners of Miele. Andy met him at the global appliance giant's new Experience Centre showroom bang in the middle of Wigmore Street in London.Dr Zinkann's view of the market is about as top level as it gets so...What is his take on the current state of the market?What is the strategy behind the rollout of the Experience Centres and what it means for their independent dealers?Can dealers make a decent margin on appliances?Market was in disarray during lockdown boom - what lessons has he taken forward?The InstallerSHOW 2025 is coming up at the end of June and we'll be there every day doing a LIVE episode recording of this very podcast. The show runs on June 24, 25 and 26 at the NEC and every day at 13:30 you can come and see us at the Kitchen Of The Future stand. For more info and to get your FREE ticket to the show go to installershow.com and I'll put that link in the episode description. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast and the first of TWO very special episodes coming live from Blackpool and the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2025.Since we launched these awards back in September we've been putting out special monthly awards episodes talking to judges, organisers and finalists and it's all thanks to our 2025 Awards Podcast Partner Sonas Bathrooms. You can find out more about them at sonasbathrooms.comYour awards podcast host Matt Baker managed to find a quiet-ish spot at the back of the legendary Tower Ballroom where he also found our very kbbreview managing editor Andrew Davies.We grabbed all our winners as they came off stage so we're hearing from them all split it over a couple of episodes. In Part One we heard from our design winners as well as the Special Achievement Award and now, in Part Two, we're catching up with all of our business category finalists, including the Kitchen Retailer Of The Year and Bathroom Retailer Of The Year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast and the first of TWO very special episodes coming live from Blackpool and the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2025.Since we launched these awards back in September we've been putting out special monthly awards episodes talking to judges, organisers and finalists and it's all thanks to our 2025 Awards Podcast Partner Sonas Bathrooms. You can find out more about them at sonasbathrooms.comYour awards podcast host Matt Baker managed to find a quiet-ish spot at the back of the legendary Tower Ballroom where he also found our very kbbreview managing editor Andrew Davies.We grabbed all our winners as they came off stage so we're going to hear from them all split it over a couple of episodes. So, in this first one, we'll hear from our design winners as well as Andrew giving out the Special Achievement Award.In the next episode you'll hear all of our business category finalists, including the Kitchen Retailer Of The Year and Bathroom Retailer Of The Year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.