On March 17th we celebrated 10 years of being in business and we thought it would be fun to tell you a little bit about the journey so far…

It all began back in the Summer of 2011. Having spent the last decade working in the building industry Jamie was keen to finally start his own company. With expertise in interior remodelling a kitchen business seemed like a good fit. He approached a really good friend of his, Ed, and asked if he wanted to be a part of the business. Ed was fully on board from day one. Next they started their journey on finding a company that shared their passion and enthusiasm for designing and building beautiful and unique kitchens.

Hacker in Germany

Hacker are a high-end German kitchen company. A friend recommended them so Jamie and Ed flew out to their factory in Germany. They were blown away by the quality and the engineering that went into the kitchen cabinetry.

“… it was looked more like a place where they made cars than kitchens. The level of automation and the sheer efficiency and precision were like nothing we had ever seen.” Jamie, on his first visit to Hacker’s factory in Rhodinghasen, Germany

Added to this the company itself was brilliant, combining industry leading logistics with high levels of innovation. A few beers later and a deal was done; Black Rok had officially begun.The second thing was to find a premise that would work for a kitchen showroom. After a few false starts they settled on Uckfield, East Sussex. The premises were not in a good state but with a lot of hard work the showroom started to come to life and the display Kitchens were installed.

Showroom January 2012

Finally, it was ready and the showroom opened its’ doors for the very first time in March 2012.

The first year

The first year is always the hardest but it didn’t take long before the phone started to ring and customers wanted to come and visit the showroom. They designed a lot of kitchens in that first year and luckily, managed to sell a few too!

“… I think the thing is, when you start out, you don’t know what you don’t know. And that’s kind of a good thing. Nothing can really prepare you for starting your own business. You prepare as much as you can, but sooner or later you just have to cast the anchors aside and set sail. Looking back it was all such a whirlwind of learning-by-doing, we’d get somethings right and often times quite a few things wrong, but you just try and make it to the next day. Hopefully a little wiser and always a little greyer!” Jamie, on the first year in business.

And so it goes on…

Since that first year, time has rolled on by and Black Rok have gone on to sell hundreds of kitchens. Styles might have changed but the same passion and commitment that started the business all those years ago still run true today.

Now with business, not everything always goes right. It is about trial and error. The business was going really well and an idea to open a second showroom was planned. A new premise was found in Heathfield and the installation process started. In February 2016 Black Rok opened it’s second showroom. Unfortunately, it was harder to manage two showrooms than they expected, and coupled with a difficult economic climate the decision was made to close the Heathfield showroom less than a year after it had opened.

“… Fail fast. I remember hearing that somewhere and now, when I think back, I am so glad we made those difficult decisions so quickly and acted as fast as we did. Everything went against us that year, the market slowed down and suddenly costs were mounting up. I’d really lead the charge to open another showroom so it was hard at the time, to admit it was the wrong decision.” Jamie, on closing Heathfield.

With efforts focused back solely on Uckfield we set about making that showroom even better. As Hacker continued to innovate the showroom evolved, with new displays to show the very latest ideas. In the end, and for now at least, one great showroom beats two OK showrooms.

Satin White and Graphite Kitchen 2021

Covid-19 pandemic

No sooner had we managed our way through the dramas of Brexit then Covid struck. No business, big or small, has been able to escape the impact of the pandemic, with months of restrictions and lockdowns it has been a hard few years. Luckily we had several projects on-going so this helped us through the early stages. And then as the restrictions started to ease suddenly business really took-off. As people could not go away on holiday they spent their money on their homes and a mini boom took place within the kitchen world. The only problem this time was the semi-conductor shortage, things like ovens became impossible to get. But in the grand scheme of things, we got of lightly. So many people lost loved ones and so many businesses had to close their doors for good. We are just lucky and happy to say we survived and as ever thankful for all our customers.

“… and in the end what have I learned so far. Well, probably that being in business, no matter how big or small, is all about surviving to fight another day. It seems you are never far from the next recession or the next big, as yet unimagined crisis, but each and everyday you get to unlock the door turn on the lights is another great day. The first ten years has been one hell of an adventure, I can’t wait for the next. ” Jamie, on lessons from the first ten years.

Happy 1o Years to Black Rok Kitchen Design

Thank you to our amazing kitchen fitters who work very hard fitting all the kitchens and being part of the black rok team. Big shout out to Zak, Jake and Ed.

Thank you to Graham who works behind the scenes on our website.

Thank You to Our brilliant Kitchen Designers and Business owners Jamie and Ed.

From all of us at Black Rok kitchens we just want to say a big thank you to all our past present and future customers and to all our friends and family for your support over the last ten years.

Taryn Hodgskin

2 weeks ago

Every aspect of this kitchen; from design to delivery, fitting and then after sales support has been outstanding. The choices were vast and my husband and I had very different ideas. Jamie listened very carefully to us both and on our third meeting, much to our relief, presented a kitchen we both absolutely loved. Not only that, he offered some wonderful ideas in how some interior design features would work and delicately offered advice around material choices. The company were incredibly flexible when our installation date needed moving (twice) and could not have been more helpful for the plumber and electricians first fixing instructions. Delivery and installation took just over three weeks and the team who attended were highly competent, respectful of our home, good company and professional in every way. The small things mattered to them too, and absolutely nothing was too much trouble. Our after sales care from Ed has been brilliant too. Small changes and snags were very quickly resolved and always with a can do, no problem approach. The kitchen is beautiful, its a warm and welcoming space which is a pleasure to cook, entertain, work or just "be" in. The quality of the build is as you would expect from a solid German company (think Audi). Its seamless, well thought through and highly functional. There is copious storage and every moving part of the kitchen works exactly as it should. I could go on for ages, but bottom line is we trusted Black Rok and they delivered a space that we love and in a way that has minimised our stress levels as much as possible. We cant thank the team enough and are so grateful for the guidance along the way and now the ultimate result. We would recommend Black Rok to anyone who wants both a high quality product coupled with exceptional service and we would give 10 stars if we could. Thank you so very much. Taryn and Mike

Dr Martin Stillman-Jones

8 months ago

Jamie and Ed have created the most amazing kitchen, meeting every detail of an extremely demanding brief. The outcome is dramatic, contemporary and stylish — incredibly technically complex yet it presents with amazing simplicity and sensible design. They’ve achieved the near-impossible: a luxurious, fully-equipped kitchen within the compact confines of a 16th-century property that includes two ovens, coffee machine, steam oven, full-height fridge and freezer, induction and wok gas hobs, boiling tap, wine fridge - even a robot vacuum cupboard. The ergonomic design is brilliant. I can stand at the dishwasher and without moving my feet, unload everything in one arm’s stretch: glasses, crockery, cutlery, mugs, utensil drawers close at hand. Food prep is skilfully grouped around ingredients, spices or specialist implements, minimising time and effort. Pull-down content draws in wall cupboards to a wine fridge facing where we eat, not where we prepare… I’ve been renovating properties most of my life, and this is without doubt the easiest and best equipped kitchen I’ve ever worked in. Ed and his team worked tirelessly on the immense technical complexity — solving the instant hot water challenge to a very confined gas wok ring, built-in kettle tap or coffee maker - I can activate remotely for my morning brew! Steam oven to microwave everything close at hand. That it comes with the style and design elements I wanted was the cherry on the cake. Thank you both - and team!!

Dan Olliff

12 months ago

Jamie completely redesigned our large kitchen / breakfast room to maximize the available space and make the best use of limited natural light. The quality of the cabinetry supplied from Germany is excellent, and is complemented by fantastic work surfaces. The "Appliance Garage" in particular combines sleek design with practicality for day to day use. The attention to detail from Ed and the build team was also first class and we really appreciated the open dialogue throughout the entire design and install process. I would have no hesitation in recommending the Black Rok team to anyone considering a similar project.

John Rundle

1 year ago

After a challenging few years with various contractors it was a genuine pleasure to work with Jamie and Ed to realise our kitchen plans. Thanks to Jamie's design expertise we now have a fantastic looking kitchen that maximises the utility of a relatively small kitchen space. The design process was fantastic but we will be forever thankful for the efforts and attention to detail that Ed and his team of fitters brought to the project. I have no hesitation in recommending Black Rok Kitchen Design.

Katie Oakley

2 years ago

We are absolutely delighted with our new kitchen. It's sleek lines and clever design make it a joy to work in Our experience with Black Rock from design through to installation was impressive. So professional nothing was too much trouble and all stages were completed in a timely fashion and to a high standard.

KENNETH SMITH

We had a small, tired basic kitchen and wanted it to look different. Therefore we were in the market for a new kitchen and started looking on line. The Black Roc website was impressive so we decided to visit the showroom and were not disappointed. We met Jamie and Ed who were extremely helpful and the planning began. Jamie visited to take measurements and to listen to our ideas. Several plans followed, each one improving on the last. The time line of delivery and completion was exactly as Jamie had said. On fitting day one, Ed, Zac, Jake, JJ (electrician) and Dean (plumber) all arrived and in no time the old kitchen was removed. A very professional team, working well together and always ready to answer our questions. At the end of each day they left the kitchen and hall tidy having laid protective sheets over the flooring. A great team taking pride in their work has transformed our kitchen. It is now a sleek, modern, well-designed kitchen, with shelves, quartz work tops, carousels, a pull out larder, and even a peninsula! The units, cupboards and drawers streamline the kitchen making it look and feel larger. All finished to a high standard. Thanks to the whole team for giving us our ‘different’ kitchen, we love it!

Helen Gorman

Jamie & Ed at Black Rok have delivered the most amazing kitchen beyond my wildest dreams. From the minute I met them the energy, commitment and flair for design was infectious and I new in the first 5 minutes they were the people for me. The kitchen is the hub of our newly built house and the design is just perfect with Black Rok listening to my ideas and then adding in things I would never have thought of. My adult children especially love the new bar area Black Rok created. The attention to detail, ideas, appliance knowledge and ease with which they worked with my builders was super impressive. The quality of the kitchen and installation has been amazing all the way through the project and nothing has been too much trouble to bring all my ideas to life. My builders said Black Rok were the best kitchen people they have worked with. Everyone comments on, and loves, my new kitchen and I would highly recommend Black Rok if you are thinking of a kitchen project. They balance professionalism and fun with quality and value perfectly. I still walk into my kitchen every morning and can't quite believe it is mine.

Stephen Woolmer

We would like to thank Jamie and Ed at Black Rok for our amazing German kitchen. From design concept to installation, they have been professional throughout and ensured we have achieved our dream modern kitchen. The quality of the build is what you would expect from a Germany company, but the little details from different draw and cupboard configuration's, to the lighting has made the difference. The quartz worktops are beautiful and the island at nearly 3m long makes this large kitchen so workable and an entertainment area in its self. We even fitted in a large pantry behind the kitchen and Black Rok have ensured we have used this space to its maximum potential. We cannot recommend Black Rok enough for your next dream kitchen.

Lorraine Klus

There was no hesitation to use Black RoK for our new kitchen pantry utility and plant room in our new house having used them on several projects before. They never fail to do amazing designs and the insulation team are tidy and polite great quality kitchens .

Donna Law

Great service. Such beautiful well made kitchen. High quality highly recommend

John Wertheim

We love our Black Rok kitchen! Jamie showed amazing patience and design expertise over the two years that it took us to create our vision, at the same time as building our house. Jamie was able to incorporate everything that we wanted, providing great advice and suggestions along the way. The installation was amazing - nothing was too much trouble and the coordination with our builders went perfectly. We have both a beautiful and fully functional space and would thoroughly recommend Black Rok.

Dan Elson

Great service. All the team at Black Rock highly professional. The end result is fabulous. Many thanks Dan

D.M.N.M Gutteridge

3 years ago

Thoroughly recommend the Black Rok team. We put in a new kitchen and got excellent advice through the planning process. We asked to see a number of different layout options on the computer and Jamie was very patient and helpful. The installation team were first rate and took great pride in their work. Overall very satisfied.

Linda Woodhouse

Having downsized, I was somewhat daunted by the prospect of turning my narrow, shadowy, U-shaped, very basic kitchen into one that I actually wanted to spend time in. I now have a light, airy, functional space with practical ‘innards’ and modern, intuitive appliances. Thanks to Jamie and Ed the kitchen layout has been totally transformed and the best use has been made of the space with a sleek handle-less design and contemporary narrow worktops. Both Jamie and Ed have communicated professionally and openly at all stages of the project and Ed was even instrumental in steering me towards my final colour choices! I would thoroughly recommend Black Roc for their design and fitting capabilities.

steven eckhardt

WOW! Black Rok did a really fabulous job job with both design and fit. We have a high quality contemporary kitchen and appliances. The fit was done in just a few days with care and precision. We have had no issues but Black Rok have kept in touch and visited to ensure we are satisfied which of course we are. Fabulous colour and all very functional. Great decision to use Black Rok and we have no hesitation in recommending them.

Nigel Bragg

We have nothing but positive things to say about the team at Black Rok Kitchen Design. Having spent 3-4 years dithering over getting a new kitchen, we finally decided to take the plunge last year. We had 2 criteria: a sleek, modern, German style kitchen provided by an independent, local business with impeccable references. After coming across the Black Rok website, we were immediately taken by the striking designs and reassured by the volume of glowing customer testimonials along with photographs of recent projects. From the moment we met with Jamie in the Uckfield showroom, it was clear that he understood what we were looking for. Although we had some pretty fixed ideas on design and layout, Jamie was able to take those ideas and enhance them seamlessly into an overall design scheme that exceeded our expectations in all departments. We had a few design meetings, several phone calls and email conversations, and within fairly short order were signing off on a final specification for delivery in early 2023. In the lead up to installation, communication was great and the technical drawings provided by Jamie for layout of plumbing and electrical services were described by our builder as the most detailed and accurate he had come across. Indeed the Black Rok team came onto site during the preparation works to meet with our builder and electricians to ensure a smooth installation process. Everything was delivered on time and exactly to the agreed budget. The cabinets and interiors are really well made and constructed with an engineered precision you might expect of a German manufacturer. The installation team of Ed, Zac and Jake were really personable, treated our home with great respect and worked extremely efficiently to ensure the kitchen was installed quickly and accurately. They solved every problem posed to them, displaying great attention to detail and tidying up diligently at the end of each day. We are utterly delighted with the new kitchen, which certainly delivers a "wow" moment when friends and family come to visit. The quality of the workmanship is incredible value for the overall price paid. We still pinch ourselves when walking into the room and are so pleased with ourselves for choosing Black Rok.

philip mccabe

4 years ago

Fantastic, intelligent and responsive service from Jamie and Ed from start to end. The kitchen design stood out from the beginning for its attention to detail and a real understanding of what we wanted from the space. They recommended excellent builders and then worked with them to make sure that the end result was picture perfect to the design. Fitting was spot on from a skilled, diligent team and we were never kept waiting. Issues with 3rd party appliances were dealt with in a way which made it crystal clear that our satisfaction was the priority. Brilliant. Easy 5 Stars.

Helen Davies

We are so pleased we elected to go with Black Rok kitchens, as they have designed and installed the kitchen of our dreams! Throughout the process, from design to installation we were reassured by the professionalism of Jamie and Ed. Jamie created a fantastic design for our kitchen and suggested ideas we had not previously considered and the installation by Jake, Zak and Ed has been completed to an exceptionally high standard! Nothing was too much trouble. If you're considering upgrading your kitchen, don't hesitate to contact Black Rok, you won't regret it.