Top kitchen designer Holly Rathore is bracing for a busy time as one of her Co Tyrone company’s creations will be featured in an upcoming series of a hugely popular reality television show.
Tiffany Watson, one of the stars of Made in Chelsea, was so impressed with the bespoke designs by Strawhill Kitchens that she asked for one to be made specially for her new home in west London.
And she has shared her passion for the designs by Strawhill with her 535,000 followers on Instagram.
The company, which employs approximately 50 people at its factory and showrooms, has already benefited from the pandemic as many home owners on lockdown poured money into refurbishing their properties.
But Ms Rathore, Strawhill’s managing director, expects to attract even more business after the kitchen is featured on the Channel Four television show — and an upcoming spread in Hello.
The team at the Cookstown-headquartered company did not have a smooth time securing the contract to design and build the kitchen.
While 26-year-old reality star Watson had initially asked Strawhill to build the kitchen in her Fulham apartment, she then changed her mind and went with another company.
Last weekend, however, that company pulled out of the contract — and Strawhill had to step in to save the day.
Ms Rathore said Strawhill had done the original design but another company had made her an offer that “just blew us out of the water”.
“Then at the last minute they let her down, and said they had supply issues, so she asked us would you still like to be involved.”
The company is planning to build the kitchen before the new season of the series starts later this summer.
Watson has expressed her displeasure at being let down to her hundreds of thousands of online followers — and her gratitude to the Cookstown designers.
Watson bought the apartment with her partner Cameron McGeehan, a midfielder with Belgian First Division side Oostende, with the aim of entirely renovating the property. The footballer was formerly on the books of Chelsea.
Earlier this year, Watson took to social media to reveal her new “project”.
“We bought a flat! We have both always wanted to buy a project property to renovate so we decided to do it together,” she wrote.
“This is the first time either of us are doing anything like this so any advice/tips appreciated!”
Strawhill Kitchens, founded 70 years ago, manufactures and installs bespoke hand-crafted kitchens all made in the Cookstown factory. The firms helps clients choose styles, materials, colours and appliances.
It began life in a small garage workshop. Apart from the factory in Cookstown, there is also a showroom in the Co Tyrone town along with one in Moira.
The upsurge in business created by the pandemic and lockdown led the company to recently hire three new designers.
The company said its social media presence, particularly Instagram, has increased massively in the last year, tenfold to 10,000 followers, including a number of popular influencers.
While the company’s main focus is on kitchens, it also will make fitted bedrooms, pantries and other furniture to order.