Our Story

deVOL was founded in 1989 by two design graduates from Loughborough University, Philip deVries and Paul O’Leary - the name deVOL is actually an amalgamation of their initials! Paul and Phil renovated antique furniture and made bespoke pieces for clients from their small, rented workshop. After 10 years, Phil decided to set up a property business and Paul bought a Georgian shop on the high street in Quorn, a village in the Leicestershire countryside, to showcase deVOL’s range of freestanding kitchen furniture. It wasn’t too long before deVOL began appearing in national interior magazines and we started making kitchens for clients across the UK.

In 2012 we purchased Cotes Mill, a historic 16th-century water mill on the banks of the River Soar, just outside Loughborough. Set in twelve acres of natural meadows and tended gardens, this rambling five-storey building not only displays our five kitchen ranges but also our exclusive home accessories and an eclectic mix of vintage furniture and gifts, sourced from all over the world.

We made our first foray into London in 2014, opening a showroom in Clerkenwell in the heart of London’s design district. Two years later, we purchased a three-storey townhouse just down the road on St John's Square and set about renovating the whole place so our customers could explore all our kitchens and accessories in one go.

We have always had such great support from the people of New York and across the United States, so in April 2019 deVOL opened its very first showroom outside of the British Isles on the lovely Bond Street in NoHo, New York.

This exciting venture led to a totally unexpected introduction to Chip and Joanna Gaines, a much loved US TV design duo, who offered deVOL the opportunity to make our very own TV show for their channel, Magnolia Network. ‘For The Love of Kitchens’ first aired in August 2021, it became an instant hit and even picked up an Emmy nomination! Following the show’s success, we signed up to film a second series, which is due to be released in 2023.

deVOL now has over 340 members of the team, many of whom are local craftspeople and design graduates from Loughborough University. In 2011, Helen Parker became Creative Director and Robin McLellan was appointed as Managing Director, having joined as a placement student 5 years earlier. Most recently, George Smart was promoted to Manufacturing Director, 12 years after joining deVOL on a university placement.

As our team has grown, so has our selection of kitchens and accessories. In 2015, we added the Sebastian Cox Kitchen to our already established Shaker and Classic English collections. This was followed by the mid-century inspired Haberdasher’s Kitchen, which Paul designed a few years later. The latest addition, the Heirloom Collection, is less of a furniture range and more an assortment of special designs reminiscent of those found in the below-stairs kitchens of grand English country homes.

We also have ceramics and metal studios which were opened over the years. They are flourishing and we now produce a fascinating array of lights, tiles, handles and more, alongside a unique collection of other home accessories we feel are simple, beautifully designed and hard to find anywhere else.

Throughout the years we have picked up some really special accolades for our kitchen designs, accessories, social media and have even been awarded two Design Guild Marks. In 2024, we were granted the King's Award for Enterprise. Now in its 58th year, it is the most prestigious business award in the country.