AN upmarket kitchen furniture showroom has opened in a Grade II-listed building in Hartley Wintney.

Lewis Alderson & Co, which produces and sells bespoke handmade furniture, has completely refurbished The Lodge, in High Street, for its very first showroom.

The firm run by directors Neil Matthews and Tom Edmonds is set to hold its official opening weekend on Friday, April 17 and Saturday, April 18.

Tom said: “It has taken us a while to find the perfect location, but when we discovered this fabulous former brewery, we knew we had discovered our new home.

“We chose Hartley Wintney partly due to historic business we’ve had in the area.

“Also, I know the area quite well, and of course Hartley Wintney is a beautiful village as well.

“And as its close to the M3, Hartley Wintney is very accessible for our customers to come and see us.”

He said that as people will travel far and wide to see the showroom, he is pleased that the village has plenty to offer visitors, from its picturesque cricket ground, pubs and coffee shops as well as antique shops.

Delighted with the work that has been carried out at The Lodge, which was previously used as one large office by a firm of design consultants, Tom said: “I hope our visitors will almost be able to envisage living here.”

After around eight weeks work, the light and airy premises have been completely transformed, designed to resemble the ground floor of a country house, with a beautiful orangery-breakfast room, through to a large fully equipped kitchen, utility and boot room.

Cabinets on display include a large larder cupboard, freestanding dresser, integrated fridge-freezer units, a large island with sink and wine fridge and an impressive hand-made chimney breast with mantel and the latest remote control AGA oven.

“We like to marry up high technology to very traditional cabinet making techniques,” explained Neil, who holds great store in paying attention to detail not only with regards to the furniture but also the showroom itself.

He is keen to point out that Lewis Alderson furniture is not exclusive to large properties.

“Everything we make is bespoke so we can tailor the size of a piece of furniture to suit a particular room,” said Neil.

Tom said the local community – business and residents alike – have been very supportive.

“So far the overwhelming majority have wished us the best of luck, and said the showroom looks great.

“One lady even said she thinks it ups the profile of the high street, which I thought was very complementary.”