Ledbury Studio, the luxury design studio founded by Charlie Smallbone, is excited to unveil its latest stunning kitchen, created for a family home in the heart of the Kent countryside. The Sevenoaks kitchen is the final chapter in a complete house renovation that has taken its owners 10 years to fulfil.
The result is a kitchen entirely worth the wait, in which rich materials and artisanal touches combine to deliver something that is truly one of a kind. It delights both on first sight and on closer inspection into the thoughtful design touches Charlie and the team have included. Here, he explains how it was all achieved.
Our clients had owned the house for 10 years, slowly renovating and making it their own. After contemplating the plan for kitchen all that time, they had a really clear idea of what they wanted – which is where we came in. The brief was for a contemporary kitchen that had exciting, individual touches. In short, they wanted something that didn’t look like anything they’d seen before. That’s exactly the kind of challenge we like at Ledbury Studio!
The kitchen is part of a large open-plan space that flows into a beautiful glass orangery, which serves as both dining and living room. With views over the surrounding countryside, the rooms are flooded with natural light. As such, I created a deliberate contrast by choosing dark stained oak as the primary material for the cabinetry. This is then complemented by aged brass accents and our signature Verdigris copper panels.
The tall floor-to-ceiling cabinetry along the back wall incorporates the fridge-freezer, plus both pantry and breakfast cupboards. With the addition of six panels of aged Verdigris copper, it becomes a striking feature wall and a focal point in its own right. Other details include liquid metal trims on the copper-fronted cabinets, as well as on the glazed cabinets, which are fluted for another point of interest.
There are a number of Ledbury Studio signature finishes crafted in our workshops by hand, ensuring they are unique to each project. As well as the aged metallic panels and accents, we include painted fluted wall cabinetry for a tactile touch. In addition, the crockery and drinks cupboards have our Choppy Water finish, hand-carved oak that adds even more texture. The latter piece also has a bi-fold door, so looks just as beautiful whether open or closed.
This is a family home, so the kitchen was always destined to be its focal point. As such, the large island was an essential feature. It is a working space but also a natural gathering point, whether for drinks with friends or cosy family dinners at the breakfast bar. I chose Monte Cristo Oro Quartzite for the worktops, which gives the luxurious veining of a natural stone in a hard-wearing surface that will retain its good looks. The waterfall sides on the island deliver real wow factor, creating a magnificent centrepiece in this sleek, stylish and one-of-a-kind kitchen.
Prices for a Ledbury Studio kitchen start from £70,000.
About Ledbury Studio Ltd
Ledbury Studio is a new and exciting design studio, showcasing Charlie Smallbone’s latest kitchen designs. Small and personal, Ledbury Studio has been established to explore and develop the interface between kitchens to cook and work in, and kitchens to live in. The company offers something very different in the world of kitchen design, something not found elsewhere. Combining exquisite materials and artisan craftsmanship, the new kitchen collections are striking and innovative and the culmination of Charlie Smallbone’s history at the forefront of cutting edge kitchen design.
If you’d like to feature your news or stories on SBID.org, get in touch to find out more.
If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.
Within the kitchen, the island increasingly defines the character of the space. Once considered primarily functional, it has evolved into a focal point where materials, craftsmanship and proportion converge. For interior designers, the island now presents an opportunity to introduce contrast, sculptural presence and refined detailing within the broader kitchen scheme.
Roundhouse has noticed a growing appetite for layered materiality, with designers moving beyond singular surfaces in favour of carefully considered combinations. From timber-led palettes to expressive natural stone, the kitchen island is becoming a platform for both visual interest and practical innovation.
Rather than relying on a single material, many contemporary kitchens are embracing contrast. Pairing surfaces allows the island to feel purposeful and architectural while supporting different functional zones. One approach is to combine natural stone with warmer, tactile finishes. A marble worktop, for example, may sit alongside patinated metal or timber elements, creating a dialogue between cool and warm textures.
Roundhouse’s Raine project demonstrates how thoughtful combinations can bring movement and depth to the kitchen. African Fusion Leathered quartzite finishes introduce subtle texture, allowing the surface to feel softer and more organic while retaining the durability required for everyday use. The result is a layered aesthetic that feels both contemporary and enduring.
For designers working with dark kitchen palettes, the island can act as a balancing feature. A darker base paired with a lighter surface, or vice versa, introduces contrast without overwhelming the overall scheme. It is a refined approach that brings both visual clarity and material richness to the space.
Another emerging direction sees kitchen islands conceived as sculptural forms rather than simple cabinetry blocks. In these kitchens, the island becomes a central design statement, often expressed through bold veining, dramatic stone slabs or distinctive edge profiles.
Statement marble surfaces are particularly effective when the island is treated as a monolithic piece. When fabricated from a single material and wrapped in continuous stone, the island becomes an architectural anchor within the room.
In Roundhouse’s Kensington project, for instance, the island was created from heavily veined marble, allowing the natural movement of the stone to take centre stage. The uninterrupted surfaces emphasise the scale of the slab while celebrating the unique character of the material itself. It is an approach that works especially well in open-plan environments which require clever zoning, where the island naturally draws the eye.
While statement stone continues to be popular, many designers are exploring the balance between contrasting materials to soften the overall aesthetic.
A combination frequently seen within Roundhouse projects pairs natural stone with timber cabinetry. In Roundhouse’s Oliver project, a limestone island is complemented by walnut cabinetry, creating a harmonious relationship between cool stone and warm wood tones. The effect is both tactile and visually layered, allowing each material to enhance the other.
This approach also offers practical advantages. Timber introduces warmth and texture, while stone provides the durability required for preparation areas. Together, they form a kitchen that feels both grounded and sophisticated.
Surface choices are only one part of the island’s evolution. Increasingly, designers are looking beyond materials to integrate bespoke functionality within the structure itself.
Custom storage solutions, concealed preparation areas and integrated seating allow the island to adapt to modern lifestyles. These details ensure that the island remains practical while maintaining a clean, architectural appearance.
One example is the use of dramatic stone slabs on waterfall edges, where the surface flows seamlessly down the sides of the island. In Roundhouse’s Avenue project, Patagonia Natural Quartzite was used in this way, allowing the expressive pattern of the stone to become the defining visual element. The waterfall edge emphasises the material’s natural movement, creating a striking focal point within the kitchen.
Such bespoke elements also encourage designers to think creatively about how the island interacts with the surrounding space, from informal dining areas to concealed appliances.
As materials become more expressive, attention is also turning to the finer details that complete the design. Edge profiles, once a subtle finishing touch, are increasingly being used to introduce character and craftsmanship.
Designers are revisiting traditional profiles and adapting them for contemporary kitchen islands. Soft bullnose edges, stepped detailing and fluted stone surfaces can all transform the appearance of a worktop, introducing texture and shadow. Edge profiles provide an opportunity to personalise a kitchen without altering the overall layout. Subtle variations in profile can dramatically influence how light interacts with the surface, enhancing the island’s sculptural quality.
Roundhouse’s Barnes project offers a striking example, where Black Vermont Granite was fabricated with an extra-thick edge profile. The result adds visual weight to the island while celebrating the solidity of the material. This level of detailing brings depth to the design, demonstrating how craftsmanship can elevate even the most minimal forms.
For Roundhouse, the island remains a defining feature of the kitchen - a place where materials, craftsmanship and lifestyle come together. Through the power of bespoke design, designers are able to combine materials in ways that reflect how their clients cook, gather and entertain.
As kitchen design continues to evolve, the island will remain a powerful canvas for creativity - one where thoughtful material choices and refined detailing can transform the everyday into something truly distinctive.
Experience Roundhouse design in person by visiting one of their showrooms; Wigmore Street, Clapham, Richmond, Fulham, Cambridge, Guildford, or Cheltenham.
About Roundhouse Design Ltd
Founded by architects, Roundhouse is a multi-award-winning British company, creating beautiful bespoke kitchens and furniture. Their stunning kitchen designs feature a signature understated aesthetic, influenced by contemporary and traditional design, using innovative materials, texture and colour. Each project is made to measure from a wide range of stunning finishes. Expertly crafted by skilled designers and makers in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Malvern, Worcestershire. Visit any of seven Roundhouse Design kitchen showrooms; Wigmore St, Clapham, Fulham, Richmond, Cambridge, Guildford & Cheltenham.
A very tired and drab kitchen was given a huge makeover, by NB Interiors, which totally transformed how this family used the space.
A once very tired and dull space is now a very warm and welcoming kitchen that has both aesthetic and functionality at it's heart.
By adding a small extension to create a compact utility room meant the layout of the kitchen could be adapted to make space for a dining area, complete with banquette seating with some all important storage.
The addition of the seating area meant this room went from feeling cramped to spacious and a social hub of the home.
The pink colour on the walls actually made the space feel much bigger and brighter, plus opening up the chimney allowed the cooker to be relocated to this space and made the seating area possible. This has been a huge transformation and once that has totally transformed the family home.
About NB Interiors UK
I have a passion for colour and texture, I enjoy helping clients be brave and take the leap into injecting personality into their homes. Whilst keeping spaces cosy, welcoming and feeling like their home. I aim to create spaces that can be truly lived in, comfortable and that will stand the test of time.
For three decades, Roundhouse has been designing and creating spaces that enhance the way people live. Founded in 1996 on a clear and simple belief that thoughtful design can enrich daily life, the company has grown into a multi-award-winning British manufacturer that places people, purpose and longevity at the centre of everything they do.
Established by architects Craig Matson and Victoria Marriott, Roundhouse’s approach has always been shaped by architectural thinking. A deep understanding of proportion, flow and spatial balance continues to inform each project, ensuring every kitchen feels resolved, relevant and enduring, grounded in principles that stand the test of time.
This architectural foundation is brought to life through British craftsmanship. All Roundhouse furniture is designed and made under one roof at its purpose-built workshop in the Malvern Hills, where traditional skills sit alongside evolving manufacturing techniques.
Roundhouse’s craft has been refined over the years, enhanced by modern machinery and technology, yet always rooted in precision, material integrity and meticulous attention to detail. The result is furniture made not only to look beautiful, but to last for years to come.
Over the past 30 years, Roundhouse has evolved from a small Camden showroom into a multi-award-winning British manufacturer. From its purpose-built factory in Malvern Hills, Worcestershire, Roundhouse designs and produces luxury bespoke kitchens and furniture.
With over 100 employees and seven UK showrooms, they are recognised for creating spaces that are individual and designed around how people live.
Longevity has always been central to the Roundhouse ethos. Many kitchens created more than 25 years ago remain in daily use today - a reflection of timeless design, enduring materials and exceptional craftsmanship.
Reflecting on the milestone, founder Craig Matson notes: “Many of our clients still love kitchens we made over 25 years ago. It reflects what Roundhouse stands for, purposeful design, British craftsmanship and longevity.”
Behind every project is genuine collaboration. Roundhouse designers work closely with homeowners, architects, interior designers, developers and contractors to understand priorities and shape solutions that respond to both the architecture of the space and the needs of those who use it.
This collaborative way of working sits at the heart of how they work and ensures each kitchen feels personal, practical and carefully considered.
Thirty years of experience continues to shape how Roundhouse works today. The knowledge gained over decades informs how the team designs, makes and delivers, responding thoughtfully to evolving lifestyles, advancing technologies and changing client expectations.
As homes continue to evolve, so does Roundhouse - guided by the enduring belief that considered design has the power to enrich everyday life.
To explore Roundhouse’s kitchens and other furniture in more detail, you can download a brochure, browse their kitchen gallery, or experience Roundhouse design in person by visiting one of their showrooms; Wigmore Street, Clapham, Richmond, Fulham, Cambridge, Guildford, or Cheltenham.
The small dark kitchen wasn't working for the client, it felt cramped, not organised and it was cut off from the dining and living room.
The connecting wall was removed and this instantly opened up this whole area. The new kitchen design by NB Interiors felt more spacious, more purposeful for how the client used and lived in the space.
Being north facing the brighter yellow colour worked at keeping this part of the room feeling brighter and warm. As well as being brave and feeling more energised, this whole space went from neutral and dark to brighter and warmer.
The mix of wood and yellow softened the space and added some texture. Balanced against the blue that leads into the dining and living area makes this a fun, cheerful and invigorating living area.
This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a modern and industrial kitchen design by 2025 SBID Awards Finalist, Sticks+Stones Design.
Sticks+Stones Design was commissioned to create a space for these clients linking the home with a bold and strong kitchen creating connection of living spaces for the family. This design a Canvas for their colourful art collection and everyday life.
Category: Kitchen Design
Design Practice: Sticks+Stones Design
Project Title: The Canvas
Project Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Design Practice Location: Auckland, New Zealand
This kitchen is part of a renovation of a 1940s-era home in central Auckland, for a family of four with teenage children. It's often said that the kitchen is the heart of the home; in this case, it truly is, as it serves as the only link between the living and outdoor areas, dining, and the other areas of the home.
The brief was to make this a family hub where they could all comfortably enjoy each other’s company, as well as enhance the flow through to the other parts of the house. They requested a modern, industrial vibe and a palette that would showcase their art collection and other colourful touches throughout their home.
Much of the inspiration came from my client's art collection; the amount of colour and vibrancy required a robust and grounded design. Existing structural elements in the home (and the renovation), such as beams and partition walls, had to be worked around, as well as the skylights, which were already in place. The design and layout of this kitchen was created as a connection point; a space that had good flow but connected everyone and all the areas of the house.
With renovations of older homes, there are always hurdles: walls that can’t be moved, uneven floors, structural beams, and differing ceiling heights. All these factors came into play with this project, which made things a little more challenging. But we enhanced the space and gave character.
It was very rewarding seeing the island coming together; being completely clad in porcelain, including hidden storage along the front, and the customised metal frame. However, the biggest highlight for us was seeing the custom light being installed over the island; the way that it suspended over the skylight, creating a sculptural component, was very fitting with the client's brief and the overall look and aesthetic of this kitchen.
Coming from New Zealand, which has a very small population, I wanted to push my designs into the global arena to test the waters and see how they would fare on a larger stage. Seeing what is being designed internationally and being part of that is very exciting and ultimately very motivating, making sure that our little nation’s design is keeping up with the rest of the world.
Personally, it has been one of the highlights of my career. It really puts into perspective what we are capable of, even though feeling very far away. It's reassuring to know that we are judged and can stand alongside such amazing peers in the global design industry. It now feels like there are no limits and anything is possible, no matter where you’re from, how far away, or how big or small.
Questions answered by Katie Scott, Director of Sticks+Stones Design.
We hope you feel inspired by this week's design!
If you missed the last instalment of Project of the Week, featuring an elegant show flat design, click here to read it.
Timber has always had a place in bespoke design, but how it’s used continues to evolve. For 2026, wood is moving beyond cautious accents towards more immersive schemes, where grain, tone and texture shape the space as a whole. One of the clearest signs of this shift, and something you’ll spot across many current wood kitchen ideas, is the rise of “wood drenching”: wrapping cabinetry, islands and architectural elements in timber so kitchens feel cohesive, grounded and calm.
Once most closely associated with traditional classic kitchens, timber is now playing a more confident role in modern design. At Roundhouse, this renewed focus feels like a natural progression, aligning with an approach rooted in bespoke craftsmanship, architectural precision and responsibly sourced materials. Below are four contemporary ways timber is being used right now.
Fluted or ribbed timber detailing offers a refined way to introduce rhythm and depth. Typically arranged vertically, fluting draws the eye upward, subtly emphasising ceiling height while adding architectural interest without increasing the footprint of the room.
In Roundhouse’s Bulpitt project, fluted-grain feature doors are integrated into a timber-led scheme to create movement and elegance. This layered approach allows light to shift across surfaces throughout the day, adding richness while avoiding overly heavy or uniform finishes.
Texture is becoming increasingly important in timber kitchens, with designers stepping away from perfectly uniform finishes in favour of surfaces that feel more tactile and expressive. Rough-sawn cuts and open-grain timbers introduce depth and variation, allowing light and shadow to bring cabinetry to life.
When paired with clean lines, controlled palettes and considered proportions, textured timber feels refined rather than rustic. The use of rough-sawn oak in Roundhouse’s Ashbury project shows how embracing natural variation can add character while still sitting comfortably within a contemporary kitchen. For those exploring oak kitchen ideas, texture offers a way to introduce authenticity without compromising clarity.
Grain direction is a subtle detail, but one that can quietly shape the overall feel of a kitchen. When timber is run horizontally, it helps extend the space visually, encouraging cabinetry to feel cohesive rather than segmented.
This approach works particularly well with richer timbers. Walnut, specified with a horizontal grain on modern slab doors, enhances flow across open-plan layouts, as seen in Roundhouse’s Moony project. It’s a simple move that supports modern design principles: calm lines, visual continuity and a sense of ease throughout the space.
Timber kitchens don’t need to sit solely within light, neutral palettes. As confidence grows around creating more atmospheric dark kitchens, darker stains are being used to introduce depth, intimacy and presence.
Grounded in richly stained oak or walnut, darker kitchens retain the warmth timber naturally brings while creating a more enveloping mood. The key lies in layering -balancing lighting, metallic accents and tonal variation so the scheme feels intentional rather than overpowering. Roundhouse’s Munro project demonstrates how dark-stained oak can create a space that feels bold, sophisticated and timeless.
The success of every one of these projects lies in thoughtful application, ensuring the timber enhances the architecture rather than taking over. If you’re considering how timber might influence your next design, visit a Roundhouse showroom to speak to their team of expert designers.
This week’s instalment of the Project of the Week series features a sleek kitchen design by 2025 SBID Awards Finalist, German Kitchens.
Faced with a stunning backdrop and a challenging interior German Kitchens Limited were handed a renovation project that would test their skill level and broaden their search for the best products, all while creating the perfect environment for their clients wishes. This beautifully located residence in Queenstown, New Zealand required specialist assistance to turn a very tired and dated existing kitchen into the ideal entertaining space. Challengers were met and overcome and a worldwide search was undertaken to find the perfect benchtop and splashback material to replicate the Remarkable mountain range that hovered above the property and the lake beyond.
Design Practice: German Kitchens
Project Title: Kelvin Heights
Project Location: Queenstown, New Zealand
Design Practice Location: Wellington, New Zealand
My clients were renovating their exquisitely located, elevated home in Queenstown New Zealand and are frequent entertainers and passionate cooks so their wish was for a large functional kitchen with lots of separate working and entertaining spaces. They also desired an area to hide away the small appliances and mess when they entertain. Some informal seating where the stunning lake views and warm afternoon sun can be appreciated and a separate coffee area and wine fridge added to their wish list.
As the kitchen was very much a part of their main living area, my clients desired a kitchen that would act as both the daily cooking and socialising family space and when entertaining was able to accommodate large groups, extended family and social gatherings. In response we centred a very long large island in the middle of the room with social cooking and easy cleaning located on the island for maximum functionality and flow. This allowed us to then create locations for the tall appliances, coffee station, wine area and a pocket door cabinet to hide away the small appliances. The design then allowed us to create a lowered servery under the window to allow the perfect entertainers kitchen.
Our biggest challenge was that there were two windows along the North Wall and these were different heights due to one being in the raised kitchen and the other on the normal floor level. This presented us with an issue that to keep both windows would mean that they would be different heights with one far too high to be functional. As the New Zealand sun travels East to West across the Northern sky, a North facing window is desirable due to the light and the warmth it brings. To remove a North facing window is normally not advised without good cause. We looked at lowering the higher window, but this would involve major rework to the exterior cladding of the home and this was something the client was reluctant to do due to the costs and uncertainty. Therefore, we had to make a very good case with the proposed design to prove that the window should be covered over for the best interests, functionality and aesthetic of the desired kitchen. Thankfully the design won through as the client could see how the kitchen space was vastly improved without the higher window and that we had worked out a solution to still retain the desired sunlight into the space.
My client’s home is surrounded by the world famous 'The Remarkable's' (aptly named) mountain range that hovers over my clients home and looks ominous raising sharply from Lake Wakatipu with its dark Greywacke Rock and snow filled crevices. While these stunning mountains surround the home, they are not seen from the kitchen area as the architecture has been designed to face the Lake. Therefore, I wanted to bring The Remarkable's into the home through the use of natural stone. We searched far and wide and found a stunning stone in Spain called Sensa Black Beauty by Cosentino which creates a synergy with the mountain range with its black base with snow filled highlights. The Black Beauty benchtop material was carefully hand-picked in a leathered finish to allow a very natural and tactile response in a rugged environment. The design of the kitchen, and especially the island was adjusted to suit the overall lengths of the Black Beauty slabs.
It's the one award that I am determined to win. I have been a finalist in the SBID Awards 9 times (including this year) and have still not won it yet. I have attended the fabulous Awards evenings in London 5 times and that’s a lot considering we live in the furthest country from England. I have watched three of my design peers from NZ win the award and I would dearly love to add this award to my list of achievements.
Winning awards is key to our business as it is another way of proving our design capabilities and professionalism when you are judged by your peers. Our clients respect the SBID awards and show that our design work is at an international level and has a desirable aesthetic.
Questions answered by Damian Hannah, Lead Designer at German Kitchens.
If you missed the last instalment of Project of the Week, featuring a characterful cottage design, click here to read it.
This in person event is an informal opportunity to meet with Mark and the team at our home kitchen showroom in Cookham Dean. Come along and find out more about our portfolio including our Bespoke and MeThD kitchen ranges and how we collaborate with interior designers, architects and project managers.
Friday 8th May 2026, 9:30am-11am GMT:
SBID Members earn 2 x CPD points (per session) for attending!
Although the year has only just begun, kitchen trends for 2026 are already emerging, shaped by broader influences from fashion, furniture and global colour reporting. Together, these shifts outline how bespoke kitchen design is expected to evolve over the year ahead.
From Pantone’s Colour of the Year to a growing preference for softer materials and tactile finishes, Roundhouse anticipates that kitchens in 2026 will feel warmer, calmer and more grounded. Muted palettes, expressive surfaces and a renewed focus on craftsmanship point towards an approach rooted in longevity rather than short-lived trends.
White kitchens remain firmly in focus for 2026, though their expression is shifting. Rather than crisp, high-contrast whites, designers are leaning towards softer, warmer tones with greater subtlety.
Inspired by Pantone’s Cloud Dancer, these creamy, chalky whites introduce depth without dominating a scheme. The key change lies in how white is used: less as a statement and more as a backdrop. Applied across cabinetry, walls and feature shelving, it acts as a calm canvas that enhances contrasting elements, such as the black island featured in Roundhouse’s Alden project. In 2026, white is defined by contrast and context, moving away from uniform white-on-white compositions.
Green continues to play a defining role in bespoke kitchen trends for 2026. This year, Roundhouse anticipates a shift away from the deep, dramatic green kitchens that have dominated recent years, towards lighter, more herbal shades.
Valspar’s 2026 Colour of the Year, Warm Eucalyptus, sets the tone. With its vintage-leaning character, the colour brings a sense of calm and familiarity, making it well suited to modern kitchens. Industry colour reports reinforce this direction, highlighting clean olives, fresh sages and smoky fern tones as key shades to watch. When paired with pale stone, brushed metals and warm timbers, as seen in Roundhouse’s Oliver project, these greens create a natural, atmospheric palette. In 2026, green becomes less about drama and more about mood, gently anchoring kitchens in a restorative calm.
Texture continues to gain importance in kitchen design, with fluted cabinetry emerging as a considered way to introduce depth and movement. Rather than surface ornamentation, Roundhouse anticipates a move towards more generously curved fluted profiles that emphasise craftsmanship, as seen on the drawer fronts in the Alden project.
This approach allows light and shadow to interact softly across vertical surfaces, celebrating artisanal skill. Whether applied to bespoke kitchen islands, tall cabinetry or drawer runs, fluted detailing breaks up large expanses while adding rhythm and tactility. It reflects a broader shift away from flat minimalism towards bespoke kitchens that feel layered, crafted and rich in detail.
Stone remains a cornerstone of kitchen design in 2026, with quartzite expected to take precedence over marble as the preferred all-natural surface. Characterised by subtle veining and organic movement, quartzite offers a refined alternative to high-contrast marbles while providing improved strength.
Harder and more durable than marble, quartzite still requires a degree of care, making it particularly well suited to breakfast bars and splashbacks. In high-use cooking zones and around sinks, Roundhouse designers often recommend combining natural quartzite with manmade surfaces. In the Ashbury project, Taj Mahal quartzite splashbacks are paired with Caesarstone’s Cloudburst Concrete worktops, balancing natural beauty with practical resilience. The result is a surface that feels luxurious and well suited to everyday living.
Timber continues to evolve as a material language in bespoke kitchen design. While all-wood schemes have been absent for decades, Roundhouse suggests that 2026 will see a return to full timber immersion - not as a revival, but as a contemporary form of ‘wood-washing’.
Natural wood will extend across cabinetry, tall units and architectural detailing, with pale oak and walnut used floor-to-ceiling across storage, media furniture and adjoining living areas. This generous application introduces warmth, texture and continuity, particularly in open-plan homes such as Roundhouse’s Bulpitt project, where the kitchen needed to integrate seamlessly with surrounding spaces. Layered with fluted detailing, this approach to timber feels enveloping yet controlled, remaining crisp, architectural and distinctly modern.
Hardware in 2026 is going to become increasingly subtle, delivering the same visual calm as handleless kitchens while introducing additional material interest. Integrated pulls and slim handles in coordinated finishes offer a refined, understated aesthetic alongside improved grip.
This restrained approach supports longevity and ease of use, reinforcing the wider shift towards bespoke kitchens defined by proportion, materiality and thoughtful detailing.
The beginning of a new year offers a natural moment to reset and reassess. In 2026, the most compelling kitchen designs will be shaped by balance, material integrity and craftsmanship that stands the test of time - principles that sit at the core of Roundhouse’s design philosophy.
Explore how these trends could shape your 2026 projects, and visit one of Roundhouse’s seven showrooms; Wigmore St, Clapham, Fulham, Richmond, Guildford, Cambridge or Cheltenham to speak with Roundhouse’s expert designers.
Join SBID
Find out more about our flexible membership structure.
By subscribing, you agree to be added to SBID’s mailing list. As an industry’s standard bearer organisation, we strive to bring you the most up to date news and access to exclusive industry content through our various newsletters.
First Name
Last Name
Email Address
I accept the SBID Terms of Use