Tiling, bathrooms and kitchens in Kettering

Like much of the county, Kettering made its name in boots and shoes, and the streets of red-brick Victorian and Edwardian terraces around the centre date from those boom years. Narrow plots mean compact bathrooms and galley kitchens — rooms where the right tile size and a careful layout make a real difference to how big the space feels.

Away from the centre, inter-war and post-war semis line the roads out towards Barton Seagrave and Wicksteed Park, and the town has grown considerably to the east with the large Hanwood Park development. Newer homes usually arrive with plain, builder-standard tiling, and a herringbone splashback, a large-format floor or a walk-in shower is often the upgrade that makes a house feel like home.

Kettering is also the hub for a ring of villages — Broughton, Pytchley, Cransley, Geddington with its Eleanor Cross, and others — where older stone cottages sit alongside newer infill. Older solid floors can be uneven, so a proper look at what's underneath comes before any tile is chosen.