April
2025

The most recent and ambitious RK-Tec collaboration to date, The Willow Family Kitchen is a fully working, story-led concept space that brings together the combined strengths of all RK-Tec partners.

​

Installed at the Blum Experience Centre, the kitchen is built around a fictional but deeply relatable multigenerational household—the Willow family. It features tailored zones to meet the diverse needs of each character: from accessible design for elderly family members, to child-friendly solutions, flexible storage, pet zones, and smart multi-functional spaces for busy modern life.

In 2024, RK-Tec co-founder and industry veteran James Herriot published Insights to Kitchen Design – 40+ Years in the World of a Design-Led Kitchen Specialist.

​

This beautifully written book offers a rare, first-hand perspective into the evolution of kitchen design over four decades, sharing lessons, anecdotes, and real-world observations from a career spent at the heart of the industry.

 

The final section of the book is dedicated to RK-Tec—its story, partnerships, and the belief that collaboration between like-minded brands can elevate both the product and the experience.

​

“The book is not just about kitchens—it’s about people, process, and purpose,” says James. “It’s for anyone who believes that good design changes lives.”

 

A valuable resource for retailers, designers, and students alike, Insights to Kitchen Design reflects the ethos at the heart of RK-Tec: that great design is always intentional, collaborative, and rooted in real-life needs.

An important part of RK-Tec’s mission has always been to celebrate design-led excellence—and Kitchen Inspiration Magazine is a key part of that vision.

​

Now preparing for its 11th edition in 2025, the magazine showcases exceptional kitchen projects from across the UK, each one a testament to the creativity and craftsmanship of independent specialists. It also highlights how RK-Tec partner products come together in real homes to deliver beautiful, functional, and inspiring results.

 

Produced in collaboration with retailers and designers, Kitchen Inspiration offers readers:

• In-depth case studies featuring Callerton furniture and RK-Tec partner brands

• Insight into materials, finishes, and layouts that reflect modern lifestyles

• Expert commentary and practical advice on planning and design

Following the success of the Homebuilding & Renovating Shows, RK-Tec established a long-term partnership with Potton, one of the UK’s most respected names in the self-build sector.

​

Since 2014, RK-Tec has proudly maintained a permanent presence at Potton’s Show Village and Self-Build Academy in St Neots—an inspirational setting that has welcomed thousands of aspiring self-builders. The collaboration enabled RK-Tec to showcase fully realised kitchens within Potton’s show homes, combining real-life functionality with refined, design-led solutions.

​

This much-valued chapter is now drawing to a close, with Potton’s Self-Build Centre set to close later this year. While this marks the end of a successful partnership, it also signals a new beginning.

In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, RK-Tec took proactive steps to support retailers—partnering with the Homebuilding & Renovating Shows to take kitchen design directly to consumers.

​

With three displays showcasing full kitchens, RK-Tec brands like Callerton, Neff, Blum, Franke, and Cosentino demonstrated the power of collaboration as these events reconnected retailers with serious, self-build-minded customers at a time when footfall had vanished from traditional studios.