WHILE some dream of owning the perfect kitchen, others dream of making it.

That's definitely the case with Lesley Maddison.

After years spent as a kitchen design specialist with MFI, she has finally taken the plunge to go it alone.

Tomorrow the doors open on her very own kitchen design studio below her father's security business at 324-326 North Road, Darlington.

Aptly named LJM Bespoke Kitchens, Mrs Maddison prides herself on being able to turn an idea into reality and an old tired kitchen into a modern working and eating space.

Using only high quality materials, all cabinets are hand-made and fitted by professional joiners.

"I did not want to compete with flat-pack kitchen manufacturers," she told the D&S Times. "I wanted to offer rigid, high-quality, bespoke kitchens fitted by joiners and not kitchen fitters.

"But I don't agree with the hard sell. People can feel at ease coming in here with an idea and a budget and asking what I can do to turn their dreams into reality. I'm in business to gain a reputation for quality and honesty."

Originally from Newcastle, she moved to Great Burdon, near Darlington with her family when she was 15, and attended Hurworth Comprehensive School.

She then trained as a secretary at Upperthorpe Secretarial College before taking off to work in Spain. On her return, she began work at MFI in Wakefield in kitchen sales and design.

There, her design skills were quickly recognised and she was placed in charge of developing the new Hygena fitting and design service, returning to Darlington to oversee the sales team when the store was chosen to pioneer the service.

Three years later she left to start a family and moved to Saudia Arabia where her husband was working.

"When my marriage broke up eight years ago, I came back home and joined my dad in his security business." Mrs Maddison added. "We owned the top floor of the building and, when the bottom became vacant we bought that too.

"I always wanted to get back into kitchen design so I began trading from an office upstairs. Last year, I started putting together a business plan and now here I am opening my first showroom.

"I'm already getting a lot of referred business from satisfied customers so - fingers crossed."