Meet the team

Meet the team

Emily

Favourite kitchen trend

I’m a big fan of butcher block worktops. They’re timeless, versatile, and bring such a warm, natural element to any kitchen. Whether paired with modern or traditional styles, they always add character and charm.

Unpopular opinion

Every kitchen needs a butter dish and an egg basket! These little touches make a kitchen feel homely and add a bit of personality to your space. It’s the small details that can make all the difference.

Something you do in your spare time?

I like to stay active, so you’ll often find me at the gym. I also love baking, and spending quality time with my family.

What does your day-to-day look like at Smile?

My days are a mix of emails, calls, and tackling invoices and accounts. I also handle installation queries, ensuring that every detail is sorted so our customers have a smooth and stress-free experience. It’s a fast-paced role, but it’s incredibly rewarding.

Meet the team

Mark

Unpopular opinion

I’m not a fan of freestanding units in kitchens. I think integrated units allow for a more polished and functional design overall.

How did you get into the kitchen industry?

I started in the kitchen industry straight out of school and have been in it ever since, taking on a variety of roles over the years.

What does your day-to-day look like at Smile?

It’s always busy, but that’s part of what makes it so rewarding. Everyday is different - helping customers with installation questions, checking designs and placing orders with suppliers, raising invoices.

Favourite thing about your role?

I really enjoy working closely with customers, helping them through their journey and making sure they’re happy with the end result.

Meet the team

Steven

How long have you been designing kitchens for? How did you get into it?

I started straight from school as an office junior for a kitchen and bathroom distributor. I was then trained up in the sales team taking orders from our customers before moving into the customer service role.

Something you do in your spare time?

I play cricket in the summer, my club is a great family club and its nice to spend time on a sunny day playing cricket and spending time with my family and friends after a game with a few pints of Guinness.

What does your day-to-day look like at Smile?

Working as the aftercare manager no two days are the same as you are dealing with lots of different customers and suppliers. Our aftercare team place all of the kitchen orders with our suppliers so we are always chasing suppliers and updating customers with delivery information along with checking in on kitchen installations that are happening.

Favourite thing about your role?

Seeing the growth of the company, I started with Smile on day 1 and I can see the impact of the growth and our future plans which are really exciting.

Meet the team

Charlotte

How long have you been designing kitchens for? How did you get into it?

I have been in the kitchen industry for over 20 years, straight out of university I started working in product development, the role was both technical and creative. I spent some time in this role designing showroom displays which naturally led into designing kitchens for the end user.

Unpopular opinion

Don't play it safe! There are ways to be bold without the risk, I believe every kitchen should be individual and tell a story about the people who live there and use the space.

If you could design a kitchen for anyone, who would it be?

I would say the characters of friends the TV show, it would be in Monica’s apartment. They spend most of their time there, hanging out, enjoying life, plus Monica was a chef so would be amazing to create a space that was functional yet had lots of personality!

Favourite kitchen range to design in?

I would say Vard, I feel this is one of the most versatile ranges due to its contemporary slim frame and classic shaker style, it gives plenty of scope to push the boundaries of design by combining elements of both modern and traditional, which is definitely where I sit in terms of my own style.

Meet the team

Janine

Favourite kitchen trend

I love vivid, colourful kitchens that bring personality to a space, complemented by open decorative shelving to display beautiful pieces. Integrated appliances are a must for creating a sleek, cohesive look, and a butler’s pantry is the ultimate luxury for both style and practicality.

Something you do in your spare time?

I love spending quality time with my husband, children, and pets - we enjoy fun days out, long walks, and socialising with family and friends. On top of that, I run a small business in the event industry, so there’s always something exciting happening.

What does your day-to-day look like at Smile?

My day is always busy and varied. I handle customer calls, answer queries, and respond to emails, ensuring appointments are confirmed and all documents are in order ahead of meetings. I also keep the office running smoothly by checking and ordering supplies.

Favourite thing about your role?

It’s amazing to work in such a supportive and positive team where everyone encourages one another. I also love seeing the finished kitchen installation photos.

Meet the team

Dawn

How long have you been designing kitchens for? How did you get into it?

On and off for 15 years – following on from my interior design degree, basically walked into a kitchen studio and asked for a job.

Who inspires you?

Ilse Crawford is my absolute favourite designer, she focuses on design that makes our lives better by looking at how they make us feel, move, think – she’s a big inspiration to me.

Favourite kitchen trend

My current favourite trend is colour! I am obsessed with raspberry, terracotta and corals mixed with nudes. Also heavily veined worktops are appealing to me right now.

Top tip for designing?

Focus on the feeling, how do you want to feel in the space and work backwards from there.

Unpopular opinion

Don’t design for today. It is easy to think about life as it is now but things change so make sure you futureproof, it might feel counter-intuitive but you will thank yourself in the future.

Meet the team

Triona

Favourite kitchen trend

I’m a big fan of hidden, clever storage solutions. As a self-confessed neat freak, I love the idea of everything having its own place, tucked away neatly to keep surfaces clean and clutter-free.

Something you do in your spare time?

Exercising, cooking, and spending time with my husband, daughter and Frenchie 😊

What does your day-to-day look like at Smile?

Every day is busy and exciting. I spend my time in meetings discussing how Smile can evolve and continue to challenge the status quo in the kitchen industry. I also handle emails and connect with customers which is my absolute favourite part.

Favourite thing about your role?

I love being part of a business that’s pushing boundaries and challenging the traditional way of doing things. It’s so exciting to help shape the future of Smile and be part of a team that’s passionate, innovative, and driven.

Meet the team

Chris

Unpopular opinion

I don’t like wall units, but know they are a necessary element of efficient space design.

Something you do in your spare time?

Walking my dog on the fells in the Lake District.

How did you get into the kitchen industry?

I founded a kitchen and bathroom logistics business with my brother when we were in our 20s. We supplied both small shops and large DIY stores, so learnt all about the industry - from the sourcing and distribution, to the marketing and design.

What does your day-to-day look like at Smile?

A lot of thinking about what we are going to be doing in the future and how we get there.

Favourite thing about your role?

Discussing the business with the team.

Meet the team

Caitlin

Favourite kitchen trend

I love country kitchens with darker colours. Statement veined worktops that blend with the splashback and kitchens with giant checkerboard flooring always catch my eye too.

Something you do in your spare time?

I love hiking with my boyfriend Callum, running, trying new food places & reading.

What does your day-to-day look like at Smile?

Day to day management of our social media channels involves a lot of planning and piecing together content, scheduling, and reviewing performance. I’ll make sure to be keeping on top of social media, interiors / renovation, and kitchen design trends to deliver relevant and valuable content to our audience. I’ll often touch base with our influencers and plan for future campaigns / collaborations and photoshoots.