Dezeen promotion: retailer Life Kitchens has opened a flagship store in London's Waterloo, which comes complete with a virtual-reality theatre that allows customers to see and modify their suites before purchasing.

The concept for the retail space was developed by brand director Oli Stephenson, who wanted to "reinvigorate" the way in which people choose kitchens for their homes.

He decided that the shop should include a virtual-reality headset so that customers could experiment with the material and colour palette of their suites in real time.

The results are projected onto a large screen so that they can be shared and reviewed with the in-store team of designers. The space will also have several display kitchens to provide customers with further inspiration.

"For us, great design can't happen until we fully understand what makes our customers tick, so we delve deeper when trying to understand whats important to them in the kitchen," he explained.

"[Customers] won't have to imagine [their] future kitchen by just looking at drawings and plans, we'll bring it to life right in front of [their] eyes."

Life offers numerous style options that can be adapted by customers or designers to suit their particular tastes and lifestyles.

The kitchens are available in a choice of 32 paint colours, which range from cooler tones like Truffle Brown and Slate Grey to bright shades like Saffron Yellow and Spearmint Green. A variety of timbers and natural stones are also available for surface tops.

"[Our] promise is to design solely for the customer, meaning that the designers aren't bound by a particular aesthetic and won't churn out standard footprints or concepts," said the brand in a statement.

The Life Kitchens store is located in railway arch 213, Newham Terrace, Hercules Road, Lambeth, London, SE1 7DR.

To find out more about the brand, visit the website.