Before and After: A Space That Was Formerly a Care Home Has Become a Dream Kitchen That Is Completely Unrecognizable

From a former care home to a sleek, modern dream of a kitchen, this suburban London home has had a true Cinderella makeover.

Where once stood a soulless, blank kitchen space, you'll now find an expert expression of modern minimalism. This all-black, monochromatic design elegantly blends light and dark, building visual interest with plenty of texturally rich materials and luxury finishes. A vast skylight pours natural light into the space, making each surface sparkle under its warmth.

With pocket doors and push-open drawers, this kitchen is completely seamless, with barely a handle in sight, for the most sleek design possible. Plus, with all the greatest advancements in kitchen tech slotted in, this design has quickly made it to the top of our dream modern kitchen ideas.

With the phenomenal Roundhouse team behind them, it shouldn't be any surprise that this kitchen in the London suburb of Twickenham has made such an impression on us.

Before

Kitchens don't get much less inspiring than this one. This sterile space was fit for the home's former function as a care home, but for the family moving into this home, this lacklustre design wasn't going to cut it.

With all-white, high-shine cabinets, flat, black laminate counters, and sad, white, splash-back tiling, this is every kitchen lover's worst nightmare, a collage of all the most outdated kitchen trends.

The neutral color palette and synthetic materials leave this design completely devoid of any trace of personality; even the steel handles are lacking in interest. Entertaining and creating a welcoming feel in their home was a key goal for the clients, and this space did not reflect their lifestyle.

While this design was entirely functional, it felt as though it lacked anything beyond that and was not a space the clients could imagine living or hosting in. As the heart of the home, the kitchen has a great responsibility to not only look good but also make you feel good, and this space didn't come close to doing either.

The design was reminiscent of badly run rental properties and student homes, a far cry from the elevated, luxury living the clients were aiming to achieve in their home.

After

"Industrial, modern design. Texture. Gadgets. Concrete. Black," lists off Roundhouse senior designer, Ben Hawkswell. "That sharp, purposeful mix drove the whole concept," he explains.

These driving forces are clearly visible throughout the kitchen's design, where every inch is a feat of industrial modernity. Full of sleek, crisp lines and state-of-the-art technology, this design perfectly captures the client's vision in one, monochromatic space. Despite the monochromatic color scheme, Ben managed to create a space brimming with visual interest through the use of richly textured materials.

"Texture was crucial," Ben says. "When working with a largely singular colour, the surface finish becomes the detail."

This is most vividly captured through the unique, softly mottled texture of the kitchen worktop. Although from a distance it blends in with the monochromatic tones of the design, upon closer inspection, and especially when it catches the light, the entire surface is alive with gentle grooves and movements, holding an almost volcanic property.

As Ben describes, "The subtle mottling catches the light differently than a polished or honed material would, adding quiet depth and movement."

For this, Ben chose an antique Nero Graphite, beloved for its durable, hardwearing nature and uniquely textured surface design.

When utilizing such a dark color scheme, natural light has to play a leading role in order to prevent the space from feeling dingy or overly cavernous. Luckily, the vast overhead skylights in this property ensured that this kitchen was suitably drenched in sunlight throughout the day, creating a welcoming atmosphere and exploiting the beautiful textures and details in the materials used throughout the design.

"The architectural angles of the house flood the space with natural light throughout the day," says Ben.

Beyond the natural light, the surrounding finishes made an effort to keep the space feeling light despite the dark tones of the kitchen. "We kept the wall and ceiling finishes light and consistent, using microcement to bounce light and maintain a sense of airiness," explains Ben.

Microcementing the walls played a crucial role in creating this modern, industrial aesthetic. The ultra-smooth, seamless finish you can achieve with this material was perfectly suited to this project and works beautifully alongside the rest of the space.

Complementing the micro cement walls is polished concrete flooring, which further emphasizes the home's seamless feel with its smooth, continuous appearance.

"The space forms a transition between the old and new parts of the house, so we had to think carefully about flow," explains Ben.

In open-plan living, the main goal is always to create some sense of continuity throughout the home while still maintaining the feeling of distinct zones.

"The pantry sits in a niche behind a new WC, concealed by a stud wall, and all tall cabinetry was positioned to avoid interrupting sightlines or natural light," says Ben, "The extra-long island was designed to balance food prep with a flush-mounted Bora Pro for a clean, seamless finish."

The kitchen leads directly onto a large, light-washed wooden dining table, with a sleek, modern fireplace. One step down is the living room, filled with iconic furniture pieces, including a mustard yellow Togo sofa.

"We used a tight, minimal palette but let texture do the talking. The variation in finishes brings richness without visual clutter. That quiet backdrop lets the clients’ art and classic furniture really shine," Ben says.

The modern approach to this kitchen was applied not solely to the design but also to its functionality. With a pocket-door breakfast station and only the most cutting-edge kitchen appliances used throughout, this home brings futuristic modernism and streamlined simplicity to the everyday.

"High-spec appliances were non-negotiable, Bora Pro, Gaggenau Vario," explains Ben.

His clients were interested in designing a space that uniquely reflected their lifestyle and included features that would allow them to do the things they love, like hosting, naturally and effortlessly.

"They also wanted a space for entertaining, complete with comfortable seating, plus cabinetry that could house (and hide) their small appliances and a serious barista machine," Ben continues.

We love how this modern, sleek kitchen design incorporates some of our favorite trends while maintaining a timeless feel — it also includes some cutting-edge products from our favorite kitchen appliance brands.