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Business Details
34 Years
experience
Handcrafted Kitchens Since 1992
Established in 1992, Plain English has redefined kitchen design by blending traditional Georgian joinery with contemporary elegance. Our commitment to authenticity and meticulous craftsmanship has earned us a global reputation for creating spaces that harmonise heritage with modern living. Founded in Suffolk by Tony Niblock and Katie Fontana, we began as a response to a gap in the market for painted kitchens that reflect timeless architectural values. Over three decades, we've expanded from our original tannery workshop to a renowned design studio, serving clients from country estates to city apartments worldwide. Our process combines hands-on expertise with a deep understanding of spatial functionality, ensuring each project balances aesthetic refinement with practicality. Every cupboard and kitchen is handcrafted in Suffolk using premium materials, finished with our signature silken paint technique.

Our team of designers and craftspeople work collaboratively to transform concepts into bespoke solutions, whether for kitchens, pantries, or entire homes. With showrooms in London, Suffolk, New York, and Los Angeles, we maintain a personal approach to client relationships while embracing international projects. Our dedication to quality extends to exclusive elements like hand-cast ironmongery and Delft tile collections, curated over years to complement our cabinetry. As creative director, Katie Fontana's vision continues to shape our work, inspired by the English countryside and Georgian architectural principles. Today, we remain committed to the same passion for detail that defined our early days, ensuring every project reflects our core values of craftsmanship, proportion, and enduring beauty.
Services
Kitchens Pantries Mudrooms Butlers Pantries Sculleries Bedrooms Bathrooms Dressing Rooms Laundry Rooms Libraries
Details
  • Year established: 1992
Highlights and features
  • We offer over 30 years of expertise in traditional joinery techniques
  • Our designers create bespoke solutions tailored to individual architectural contexts
  • All cabinetry is handcrafted in Suffolk using premium natural materials
  • We maintain direct client relationships from initial consultation to installation
  • Exclusive colour collections and hand-cast ironmongery enhance design uniqueness
What people say
Timeless elegance Meticulous attention to detail Superior craftsmanship Bespoke solutions Premium materials
Website
Services
Handcrafted Kitchens
Our kitchens combine traditional Georgian joinery with contemporary design, tailored to individual spaces. Each piece is handcrafted in Suffolk using premium materials and finished with our signature silken paint technique. Designed for both historic and modern homes, our kitchens balance aesthetic refinement with practical functionality.
Bespoke Pantries
From butler's pantries to larders, our storage solutions merge timeless design with practical utility. Crafted with the same attention to detail as our kitchens, these spaces feature custom joinery and exclusive finishing touches like hand-cast ironmongery and Delft tiles.
Bathroom Joinery
We create custom bathroom cabinetry that extends our signature style beyond kitchens. Each piece combines traditional craftsmanship with moisture-resistant materials, featuring bespoke details like cedar-lined drawers and precision dovetail joints.
Library Bookcases
Our library solutions incorporate classic joinery techniques with modern spatial planning. Featuring glazed partitions and custom shelving, these installations create elegant storage solutions that complement both traditional and contemporary interiors.
Dressing Room Wardrobes
Tailored dressing room solutions combine functional storage with refined aesthetics. Each design incorporates premium materials and bespoke features like silk-lined drawers and cedar panels, maintaining our commitment to timeless craftsmanship.
People
Katie Fontana
Creative Director
Co-founder and creative visionary, Katie Fontana leads design direction with a focus on Georgian architectural principles and timeless proportion. Her passion for traditional craftsmanship shapes Plain English's distinctive aesthetic.
Tony Niblock
Managing Director
Co-founder Tony Niblock oversees operations and business strategy. With a background in project management, he ensures the seamless execution of global projects while maintaining the company's artisanal values.
Questions
What makes Plain English kitchens unique?
Our kitchens combine traditional Georgian joinery techniques with contemporary design, all handcrafted in Suffolk using premium materials and finished with our signature silken paint technique.
Do you work on international projects?
Yes, we work globally with showrooms in London, New York, and Los Angeles, delivering bespoke cabinetry solutions to clients worldwide from country estates to city apartments.
What is your design process?
We begin with a complimentary consultation, followed by preliminary sketches and cost indications. After client review, we develop detailed architectural drawings before production and on-site installation by our specialist team.
Are your products available outside the UK?
Yes, our US website serves North American clients with local showrooms in New York and Los Angeles, while maintaining the same British craftsmanship and design principles.
What materials do you use?
We use premium natural materials including sustainably sourced timber, hand-cast ironmongery, and our exclusive Delft tile collection curated over decades for bespoke finishing touches.
Can you design for small spaces?
Yes, our expertise extends to challenging bijou spaces as well as grand settings, creating intelligent storage solutions that maintain our signature style regardless of scale.
Reviews (5)
Anna Ferguson
Nov 06, 2021 Report
We love our kitchen! Would highly recommend Plain English because of the beautiful design and quality of the kitchen, but also because of the excellent customer service. Anneke and then Adrian have been amazing at guiding us through the process and always going above and beyond to help us with our numerous requests! Very happy with the end result.
Nicholas Lazarus
Mar 13, 2021 Report
A stunning operation. We continue both to marvel at their work and indeed, to enjoy enormously our kitchen which has absolutely become the heart of our home. I couldn't recommend them (and especially Adrian) more highly,
Octavia Dickinson
Feb 25, 2021 Report
I worded alongside Adrian and the Plain English team to design a kitchen for a client. Adrian was wonderful, had great ideas, very responsive and helpful, kept to their schedule, and the fitters did a great job. I would highly recommend.
Beccy Reece
Dec 01, 2018 Report
I agree with the review below. Wish we had gone with Deval. The experience was not a pleasant one with Plain English. Nice woodwork but poorest installation and lack of customer care :
Katherine Marland
Nov 20, 2018 Report
The service we have received from Plain English has been faultless from beginning to end. Adrian designed the most beautiful kitchen and scullery for us. He led us expertly through each stage and carefully refined the plans with us to ensure that the design would suit the space and work in the way we needed it to. The fitters were brilliantly efficient, friendly and professional - and the painters did an immaculate job especially considering that the cupboards were painted in gloss so required a painstakingly flawless finish. The end result is that we have a unique and highly functional kitchen in the inimitable and unmistakable Plain English style that we have always loved. Huge thanks to everyone involved!