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In this Lux Group Holdings kitchens review, we take a closer look at the group and its subsidiaries to help you find the right kitchen and supplier for your home.
The Modernist kitchen by Smallbone uses glass and texture to create an inviting kitchen space. (Image credit: Smallbone)
Lux Group Holdings consists of four furniture brands: Smallbone, Mark Wilkinson Furniture, McCarron and Brookmans by Smallbone. These subsidiaries produce bespoke, luxury fitted kitchens for high-paying customers across the UK and around the world.
Smallbone was formed by Charlie Smallbone, Mark Wilkinson and Graham Clark. The brand’s kitchen customers include the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Madonna and Greg Rusedski. You can choose from seven luxurious kitchen ranges: Modernist, Iconic, Icarus, Mulberry, Naples, Macassar and Brasserie. Kitchen cabinets are handcrafted by artisans in Smallbone’s Devizes workshop using traditional joinery techniques, with each finished piece bearing the name of the craftsperson who made it.
McCarron and Company was acquired by Lux Group Holdings in 2019. The company produces bespoke kitchens in three styles: classic shaker, modern shaker and contemporary. You can visit a McCarron showroom in Bromham and Chelsea. While McCarron has been operating independently since 2009, there is a connection between the brand and other Lux Group subsidiaries: Andy McCarron founded the company after working at Mark Wilkinson Furniture for 20 years, which made it a logical fit.
Mark Wilkinson Furniture was acquired by Smallbone in 2005. Mark Wilkinson was a founder of the Smallbone brand but left in 1981 to launch his own business. The company produces high-quality and innovative kitchen, bedroom and bathroom furniture, but is best known for its bespoke timber kitchens. Six ranges are available: English Classic, Milan, New England, Cook’s Kitchen, Portobello and Newlyn.
Brookmans by Smallbone was launched in 2019. Brookmans kitchens are sold exclusively through Heal’s furniture and furnishings chain stores. Like other subsidiaries under the Lux Group Holdings umbrella, Brookmans produces handcrafted, artisanal kitchen furniture priced from £25,000.
Brookmans is very focused on sustainability, so it could be a good fit if this is something that’s important to you. As part of the company’s efforts to reduce its impact on the environment, Brookmans will sell your old kitchen via the Used Kitchen Exchange and pass the profits onto you to put towards your new kitchen. They also donate to 4Ocean to remove plastic from our oceans.
Lux Group Holdings consists of four subsidiaries: Smallbone, McCarron and Co, Mark Wilkinson and Brookmans by Smallbone. (An art gallery called Arx is the fifth subsidiary.) While many of the brands were recent acquisitions, they have a long-standing history of working together. All four produce bespoke, luxury timber furniture handmade and painted in the UK using traditional joinery methods.
The Portobello kitchen by Mark Wilkinson Furniture. (Image credit: Mark Wilkinson Furniture)
Highlights: Quality and design experience are what Lux Group Holdings stands out for. Brands have all the knowledge and expertise to design and manufacture a stunning bespoke kitchen that will elevate your lifestyle and add value to your property.
Warranty: Smallbone offers a warranty but does not state the length. We could not find information about warranty periods on any of the subsidiary websites, although some customers have had warranties on their Lux Group kitchens.
Cost: Brookmans is priced at £25,000 to £40,000, while online reviews say Smallbone averages £60,000, Mark Wilkinson charges £45,000 to £200,000, and McCarron starts at £30,000.
Payment options: We couldn’t find any information about payment options for these brands.
Key benefit: Handmade bespoke furniture produced by expert artisans with decades of experience.
Lux Group Holdings is proud of its expertly made artisan furniture. Many of the subsidiaries have worked together before and have highly experienced craftspeople.
So is the Lux Group the best kitchen supplier for you? Let’s consider the pros and cons.
Here are some advantages of buying a new kitchen from Lux Group Holdings:
Possible disadvantages of buying a kitchen from Lux Group Holdings kitchens include:
Opaque pricing: There is very little information about payment options, pricing and warranties online. This needs to be discussed in person during a design consultation, which can make it hard to plan your budget.
While the companies operate independently from one another, their operations are very similar.
Customers can book a design appointment at Smallbone’s Luxury Pavillion in Knightsbridge or schedule a virtual personal consultation via email or phone. The designer will discuss your needs and preferences, the various options available and your budget. The company has its own installation teams, but can also recommend an approved installer.
If you choose Mark Wilkinson, you’ll need to book consultations and furniture commissions by phone or via the website. The design team will visit your home at your invitation to understand your space and make recommendations. They also coordinate with the trade, including any architects, interior designers or building contractors you may have hired.
You can also book a free kitchen design consultation with McCarron and Company before you commit to your final designs. The designer will compile a mood board, material samples and technical drawings based on your choices. You can book these consultations via the company’s showrooms.
The process of buying a Brookmans by Smallbone kitchen starts with a consultation, either in the showroom, virtually or during a site visit. The designer will create drawings based on your project brief and put together a proposal and estimates that suit your budget and style requirements, including technical drawings. When your kitchen design is finalised, Brookmans assign a project manager to ensure all the dimensions and details are correct. Your project manager will oversee your kitchen installation and help ensure you get the results you want.
The Milan kitchen by Mark Wilkinson Furniture. (Image credit: Mark Wilkinson Furniture)
If the Lux Group’s product offering and high-end luxury service appeal to you, you might also want to consider Harvey Jones. Harvey Jones produces premium handmade kitchen cabinetry using traditional manufacturing processes and even hand-paints your kitchen in your choice of colour. This brand charges around £18,000 for a complete fitted kitchen, but expect to pay up to £50,000 for a large kitchen complete with installation and high-quality appliances.Another good alternative is John Lewis of Hungerford, a brand that produces handmade timber kitchen cabinetry to order in contemporary or traditional styles. They even offer a very quirky 1950s-style retro kitchen range. You can expect to pay £28,000 or more for a bespoke kitchen from John Lewis of Hungerford.
An open plan Modernist kitchen by Smallbone. (Image credit: Smallbone)
Lux Group Holdings companies produce bespoke kitchens to order, so you’ll need to speak to them directly for a price. However, there are a few estimates online that give us some indication of what you could expect to pay (but whether these prices include installation is unclear).
| Company | Cost of kitchen |
|---|---|
| Brookmans by Smallbone | £25,000 to £40,000 |
| Smallbone | £60,000 |
| Mark Wilkinson Furniture | £45,000 to £200,000 |
| McCarron and Company | £30,000 |
Lux Group Holdings brands do not display maintenance instructions on their websites. Care instructions are provided after installation.
However, as they produce wooden kitchen cabinetry, you can follow some general guidelines, including dusting your cabinets regularly, dissolving set food stains with baking soda, and oiling your cabinetry twice a year.
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“For those with a generous budget, a bespoke kitchen by Smallbone makes a great investment in your home. Handmade in Wiltshire, its award-winning designs encompass contemporary and classic styles with an extensive choice of materials and finishes, from scalloped glass to striking wood veneers. And for those who like the personal touch, each finished piece bears the name of the person who made it. The options for real-life viewing are limited to two showrooms, both in the London area. However, virtual consultations are available. While each kitchen comes with a ‘Smallbone guarantee’, the company isn’t specific about the length. There’s also no mention of finance options.”
“For those new to the name, Mark Wilkinson is arguably one of the most influential kitchen designers in the world. His beautiful aged pine designs were the basis on which the renowned Smallbone of Devizes was founded (Devizes being just down the road from Bromham), and since then his eponymous practice has been creating bespoke kitchens for the most discerning of clientele.”
“It was found that to make and install one new kitchen by Brookmans produced on average 5,000 kg of carbon. With that number in mind, for every kitchen sold, Brookmans will plant 100 trees as a way to offset this cost and to help with global reforestation. The tree plantations will be in partnership with One Tree Planted. Another charity that Brookmans will be working with is 4Ocean to remove 5 kg of waste from the ocean for every new kitchen sold, which is the equivalent of 500 plastic bottles. . . . All Brookmans kitchens are said to be made to last a lifetime. Where possible, Brookmans will always use repurposed timber, and where new is required, it will always be Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified. The Brookmans factory in Wiltshire has its electricity generated by solar panels and a million-pound investment in energy-efficient woodworking machinery that has reduced the carbon footprint of its furniture manufacturing by 30%.”
The Brasserie kitchen by Smallbone. (Image credit: Smallbone)
“Amazing team，Marco, Kerry are both very helpful to arrange the visits and Charlie is absolutely fantastic to help solve the problem on the site. Highly recommend brand and customer service.”
“Having placed orders for some kitchen works over eight months [ago], I am now finally finished. I was off to a rocky start as my job wasn’t allocated to anyone but a couple of months ago, Amy picked up my job and has been dealing with me since. Excellent customer service informed me of any delays in advance and bent over backwards to get my project finished. I was extremely lucky that she picked up my job requests and now the job has been finished to a high standard thanks to Amy and Charlie (the fitter).”
“Working with Craig Trainer on our NYC kitchen was an exceptional experience! Craig is an original! We’ve never met someone like him who just ‘gets’ what his clients are saying and then is willing to go through all the details with you to create something beautiful and functional. His professionalism, humour, positivity, and thought leadership make the odyssey of a home kitchen renovation incredibly enjoyable, pleasant, and organised. His service to his customers is A+ and he delivers on his word! A trusted leader among architects, designers, and clients with a passion for the art he creates!”
The brands owned by Lux Group Holdings produce beautiful kitchens in a variety of styles and colours to suit your aesthetic preferences. While none of the subsidiaries come cheap, McCarron and Company and Brookmans offer products and services that may be accessible to buyers with generous, but not unlimited budgets.
We like that every kitchen is bespoke and crafted with the highest-quality materials. For customers looking for a luxurious kitchen with a specific look and feel, Lux Group Holdings kitchens are a logical supplier choice. Handcrafted timber means durability and quality that will last for years and add real value to your home.
If your budget can accommodate it, a kitchen produced by a Lux Group brand could be an excellent choice for you and your home.
We compiled this Lux Group Holdings kitchens review using a combination of online and offline sources, including customer testimonials, brochures, technical documentation and more.
We then compiled a 100-point scoring system to rate the subsidiaries individually, including: