Just launched today at the Ideal Home Show, this is the ‘British Standard’ range of kitchen cupboards by Plain English. Described as ‘sensible cupboards at sensible prices, for people with good taste but modest means’, the range includes some 40 items and a few accessories. The quality is what you would expect from Plain English (properly dovetailed drawers, strong carcasses), but prices have been kept down by limiting options. There are three types of worktop (European oak, sycamore and iroko), and the items come in ‘broken white’ only.  (NB. There is no design service, delivery or installation).

Prices for a small single floor cupboard start at £400. The entire kitchen on this stand would cost about £7,000.

And this was the invitation to the launch. It features old English units of measurement. 3 Barleycorns = 1 inch; a Nail was a cloth measure, and about 5.72cm, the size of a small nail; Lines have been used since the 17th century and are how botanists measure the size of plants (12 lines = 1 inch).

British Standard by Plain English will launch its new website on 5 April : www.britishstandardcupboards.co.uk

See the kitchens at 41 Hoxton Square, London N1 4PB