Very exciting :-)

Looking forward to seeing progress

Looking good!!

Love the tiles and the wall. Can't wait to see the finished kitchen, the old one looked great too :)

You have a great space to work with! Have faith in your designer and let the delights of a new kitchen unfold.

Carolina I am SO HAPPY you decided to share this process with us. Waiting with baited breath to see the new transformation even though I love the look of your old kitchen. It proved that good classic design will stand the test of time. Hope it not too dusty for you all <3

@chief_brody: Yep, it is :-) Isn't it cool? Will be hanging over the peninsula. I didn't want lights hanging from the ceiling, so this was a good solution.

OH MY GOSH, there is so much I love here. I cannot wait to see more, swooning over the worktop (Calcutta?? ) and Common Carolina this is Houzz, there's no such thing as boring updates *grin* !!! gimme MORE please :)

It looks fab Carolina (and Karen!). Looking forward to seeing more pics. Hope you're over the moon with it :)

Thanks :-)

Yes, we're very happy with it, Minnie. It's exactly like I pictured it in my mind. It was difficult to find a kitchen shop who would/could make it exactly as we wanted. The white cabinets are a different brand from the black ones.

Hi there! Thank you for sharing this process. I am sure your client will have a great kitchen in the end. Best of luck guys!

I'm glad it's turned out exactly as you wanted. It was well worth the wait and the hassle of sourcing the units! Back to cooking now :(

Where are the units from? The style combination really works :)

@Jen P, I'm in the Netherlands and both brands are German (but bought from a Dutch kitchen place). The white cabinets are Next125 and the black oak are from Häcker.

I wasn't sure whether they sell in the U.K., but they do have English sites: Häcker and Next125

Oh my days !!! This is the stuff kitchen dreams are made off. To say I ADORE IT would be a total understatement. Its just incredible and I love the Dekton as a backsplash only?? Its spectacular Carolina enjoy many happy times in there <3

Lol, these aren't the 'official' photos, Karen. But I'll make sure you get a set when they are done.

@Monica, we've used the Dekton only in the niche, as backsplash and as countertop. Would have loved to use it for the peninsula too, but felt it would be too busy with everything else that's going on in the home architecturally. It's a bit of a strange house. But I'm very happy that we went with it in the niche. I love it!

I love your new kitchen, Carolina, it's beautiful -- and I thought I recognised the Dekton Aura worktop! I have the same one on my worktops and on the wall behind and either side of the cooker. It doesn't just look gorgeous, it is virtually indestructable -- A Good Thing, as I tend to wander off leaving hot things stood on it!

You have totally made me look at it again. I discounted it for our kitchen because like you I felt it would be overkill but totally LOVE the idea of using it around the hob and backsplash and use a different material colour for the island. Very, very nice, I bet you are delighted <3

Hello Monica -- not sure if your message above was for me, but it made me go and check my kitchen again, lol! I think you're absolutely right that, in the abstract, it *seems* as if it might end up too busy, but actually, it isn't at all (although I admit I'm biased because I love my kitchen). Maybe because 'marble' is such a classic look that it goes with everything and still looks elegant?

Looks gorgeous, well done!

Loved reading this discussion and adore your black and white kitchen. I am planning a kitchen and want black cabinets like yours but getting worried about them being high maintenance. Carolina, please can you share your experience of living with black kitchen cabinet doors? What material is it? Laminated? Which Next 125 white cabinet did you use?

Hi @jayatipal

The black cabinets are a dream. Sometimes you see finger marks (I blame my husband), but they're easy to wipe off with a damp cloth. It's oak veneer. They have a lot of structure, which contrasts really nicely with the smooth white cabinets. The Next 125 cabinets are the 505 ones, I think. Sometimes when the light hits them in the wrong way, you can see watermarks on them. Apparently you need to wipe off water that drips along the fronts immediately, otherwise it leaves a permanent mark. But normally you don't see those marks. They're easy to clean otherwise.

The white worktop is Hi Macs (similar to Corian). We chose that because the peninsula is too large for a seamless worktop of most other materials. You see every scratch on it, so if you're very particular choose a different worktop. Scratches can be buffed out, but there's no point in having that done, because it does scratch very easily. I don't mind.

The marble in the nook is Dekton, ceramic. Ideal!

We're going to build a new house and I'll most probably go for a Nex t125 and/or Hacker kitchen again. With a Dekton worktop (if budget allows).

You are a star Carolina! Thank you so much!!

I have fallen in love with the theme of black and timber kitchen. Was thinking of going for Fenix onyx black from Next125 (NX870- V187F) but still keep staring at the glass front in black( NX912 is so gorgeous!).

Timber of the theme will either come from timber floors or old oak cabinets (NX650) or Schuller C Modena. Why am I so indecisive! 😩

After reading your comment, I feel so much more confident now that I know black isn’t as bad as they say.

Can I ask something? Where you say:

“Sometimes when the light hits them in the wrong way, you can see watermarks on them. Apparently you need to wipe off water that drips along the fronts immediately, otherwise it leaves a permanent mark. But normally you don't see those marks. They're easy to clean otherwise......”

Is it the black or the white part of the kitchen where the water leaves mark and needs to be wiped off immediately?

If you don’t mind me asking, why did you not choose the black cabinets from Next125? I am thinking of going with Next 125, so wanted to check if I am missing something. It’s such a big investment, I really want to get it right.

Really appreciate your help.

I meant on the white doors you can see watermarks, sometimes. Depending on the light. But otherwise they just look clean and without marks.

Funnily enough, after I replied to you, I wiped some finger marks off the black doors and where the doors were wet from wiping, all kinds of marks showed up that you normally never see. And you don't see them on dry doors at all. They were probably dog nose marks, but you can't see those at all on dry doors 🤷🏼‍♀️

I just wanted a white peninsula and black oak tall cabinets. The doors needed to be a specific height to fit between the floor and the steel beam. Hacker does made to measure more easily than other brands. So that's why the black doors are from Hacker, not Next. And the handleless fronts of Next feel really nice, slightly rounded at the edges and enough space for fingers. I have arthritis in my fingers so tested loads of handleless kitchens. Most were too sharp around the edge (ouch) or did not have enough space to put your fingers comfortably around the front. If you can try out different brands or models, you'll know what I mean.

I don't know how much spots or 'dirt' black Next doors will show. But wiping with a damp cloth is a quick and easy solution.

Last week I was in a home where they had a gloss cream kitchen and that showed loads of finger marks and I don't know what else, but I do know that I'd much rather have my non glossy kitchen doors 😉

Our kitchen fitter did say that he loves working with Hacker, because of the quality and finish. I think the full name is Hacker Systemat.

But I love both cabinets and as I said: would choose either or both brands again.

It’s a black kitchen! Decision made and such a load off my mind. Phew.... it’s a bit like being able to marry the person you have fallen in love with. 😆 ha ha....

Thank you so much for all your help Carolina.

You’re welcome 😊 Hope it doesn’t disappoint. But I’m pretty sure you’ll love it!