Meet the Designer: Tilly Hall | Gardiner of England Retail Designer

At Gardiner of England, we’re proud to introduce you to one of our talented Retail Designers, Tilly Hall. With nearly a decade of experience in the kitchen design industry, Tilly’s creativity and attention to detail make her a key part of our team.

We sat down with her to learn more about her background, design style, and approach to creating stunning, functional kitchens.

Tilly's story and career journey

How did you first get into interior (and kitchen-specific) design?

"It seems silly to say I fell into it but, when I graduated from Interior Architecture, I was initially looking into graphic design jobs as I had done some of this before. I had put my CV online and a recruiter got in contact with me telling me about a trainee kitchen design job local to me. I jumped at the opportunity, feeling grateful I was able to get a job so quickly after university"

What inspired you to pursue this career?

"I’ve always been interested in art and creative pursuits, especially architecture. Interior architecture allowed me to have a well rounded knowledge of spatial design and I could pursue other mediums like photography, sketching and painting alongside my studies."

Can you tell us a little about your professional background before joining Gardiner of England?

"I have worked in kitchens for 10 years now, starting at Alno Contracts, working with developers designing kitchens for new build properties. Then, I went into retail working for Ruach Kitchens, an independent company that supplied both traditional and modern styles. My last job was at Nolte Kitchens, a German company specialising in handleless kitchens"

What attracted you to Gardiner of England?

"I liked the collaborative feel to the company, being able to make a real difference to someone's life with the design of their kitchen and the service they receive. Also, I really liked being able to work with people I worked with at Alno!"

What does your current role look like on a day-to-day basis?

"Usually a lot of admin! Answering emails, making phone calls to prospective customers as well as existing customers, making sure the showroom is looking clean and tidy, following up on projects and making any amendments, ordering kitchens and signing off orders and a lot of background stuff that customers don’t get to see! If I’m starting a new design, I will sketch some ideas by hand before drawing up on our CAD system. I will then put together a presentation for customers, getting samples ready to look at."

Tilly's design style and approach

How would you describe your design style?

"My personal design style is bold, modern, and a little unconventional. I love handleless kitchens and sleek lines, and I’m particularly drawn to using bold colours. I think a kitchen should make a statement while still being functional for everyday use."

What are you most passionate about when working on a new kitchen project?

I love sketching layouts by hand, lots of designers might rush to get a design straight into CAD but there’s something about sketching with pencil that gets more ideas flowing and opens up possibilities with the space. I like to tick all the boxes on the

brief with a slight twist, there’s something memorable about surprising a customer with a design idea they weren’t expecting!

I also love an unusual island shape, something that still provides the function the customer needs but making the island really stand out and become the feature of the room.

How do you approach combining function and style in a space?

I like to start with the essential things the customer has asked for as the foundation and then you can build on it by adding design features and playing with the flow of the kitchen.

Are there any materials, layouts, or finishes you’re particularly drawn to right now?

I am loving green schemes at the moment, paired with a wood feature texture and you immediately mirror the outdoors and I personally feel like that colour combination doesn’t go out of style as it’s everywhere around us. I love a marble effect quartz that has a gold streak through it, a timeless look. Add a bronze or antique brass handle with the green and wood and you have a rich and opulent kitchen in either modern or traditional!

Favourite past projects

What has been your favourite project while working at Gardiner of England?

A particular project I’m loving at the moment is a 3 room project in Tunbridge Wells (kitchen, utility and snug) completely different looks in all rooms, the kitchen is a modern take on a Scandi theme with lovely modern features like walnut dovetailed drawers and fluted glass wall units. The snug will be colour blocked, with the units matching the wall colour, a gin cabinet and plenty of space for a record player and records!

What makes your projects memorable?

The relationship with the client always makes the process memorable and when they are able to trust you to put together ideas that will look amazing, it makes it extra special. I love seeing the final project come to life as it always looks better in person!

Tilly's Tips - Advice for homeowners

What advice would you give someone starting to plan their kitchen?

Having an idea of the size of your space can be helpful but, for me, I think the most important is having a checklist of definitely/if possible/definitely not with a rough idea of style direction - such as this one. Looking at Pinterest can help but can also be overwhelming and sometimes not all the things shown are possible! Looking at real world case studies might give more realistic kitchen ideas, such as the ones we have on our Projects page.

Are there any common mistakes that homeowners make when designing a kitchen?

Sometimes its worth not getting too bogged down in the details, before coming for a consultation. We want the process to be collaborative and we can help guide you through the design each element at a time.

Also, the kitchen triangle! A design methodology invented in the 40s in America, that is slightly outdated now. We use intuitive design to make modern kitchens work around modern life with the view to future proof and make the space timeless.

What is one thing you wish every homeowner knew before they came to a Design Appointment?

How much time and effort goes into a design! To give a well thought through design and amazing visuals, we cannot do it on the same day. We can give guidance on what sort of layouts could be achieved.

What makes a kitchen feel truly personal and 'finished'?

The finishing touches! Anything like a quirky handle, a feature splashback, pendant lights or even just some artwork you put up, they are the final touches that add your own character to the kitchen.

A little more about Tilly

What is your favourite room in your own home and why?

Surely it has to be the kitchen! We renovated a few years ago, designed a bold complementary colour scheme with plenty of gadgets and technology to help make cooking a breeze and ensure it’s a space where we love to spend time and entertain friend and family

Where do you go for design inspiration?

My go to is Instagram, you can easily search for keywords to find accounts to follow and continuously get new ideas. I tend to follow kitchen companies like poggenpohl other high end brands. My second choice would be magazines as you get some great general interior inspiration to help build around the kitchen, especially if it’s open plan.

What is your favourite colour palette or texture combo at the moment?

Rich greens, warm tones and mottled effects

Tea or coffee?

I like both, coffee usually needs a flavour/syrup in it! But decaf for both.

There also has to be some sort of sandwich biscuit in the mix, like a custard cream or bourbon are the best!

Tilly is based in our Headcorn, Kent showroom which is open Monday - Friday, 8am - 4pm for walk-ins. She also provides personalised Design Appointments for homeowners seeking more clarity over personal style, budget and appliance.

To book a 15 Minute Initial Call or a 2 Hour Design Appointment, click HERE.