A row of industrial units with a large sign reading hubble above unit K. Two vans and a black car are parked outside, along with a forklift near the entrance. The overcast sky mirrors the thoughtful mood of choosing the best worktop for your kitchen.

Celebrating 20 years of exceptional design, Hubble Kitchens and Interiors has become synonymous with luxurious, contemporary kitchens, seamlessly blending style and functionality. Our signature German kitchen furniture from Leicht, paired with forward-thinking, tailored designs, continues to reflect not just the architecture of the home, but the unique personalities of our clients. As we mark this special milestone, founder Richard Hubble looks back on the company’s beginnings, sharing the inspiration behind the family’s passion for crafting extraordinary spaces.

Three men in lab coats with Hubble logos stand together indoors, smiling up at the camera. The black and white photo, taken in a workshop or laboratory setting, makes you wonder: what is the best worktop to have in the kitchen?.

Whilst a boy at school, afternoons were often spent at my dad’s factory helping manufacture his range of string instrument bows and accessories.  Looking back, I realise now that this gave me an understanding of different materials, the process of manufacturing production and what’s involved in bringing a product to market, which was very impactful and ultimately extremely helpful.

Coming from this background of family engineers and innovative designers, my natural path was interrupted by the economic and social changes of the 1990’s which saw me ultimately spend my formative working career in the music and banking in the City of London.  Make a quick buck in cool Brittania!

However, after some years in that fast-paced, money driven world, an itch needed to be scratched and following the birth of my children I wanted to return to my creative and engineering roots for the ‘serious’ part of my life.  Earning money alone wasn’t going to sustain my internal passion for the next 30+ years.

So, 20 years ago along with my brother and dad, I started a small family company, Hubble Constantine, taking both of my mum’s Greek & Anglo-Saxon surnames.  We started renovating houses in Southwest London & Surrey and relationships with trades and architects were rapidly forged, especially with German Architectural company, ‘3s’ from Richmond.

Witnessing many build projects, we quickly realised that there was a shift in how people were aspiring to live.  New projects saw people evolving their homes to open plan living spaces, which at that time was relatively a fresh idea and required a new design aesthetic that was different from the purely functional, high-gloss, formulaic kitchens that most companies were offering.

Modern kitchen with dark cabinets, large white island worktop—ideal for any cooking style—built-in ovens, and a dining table. Glass walls offer garden views and natural light, whilst a unique ceiling light fitting hangs above. What is the best worktop to have in the kitchen?.
Modern kitchen with white cupboards, wooden accents, and a spacious island featuring a hob—perfect when considering what is the best worktop to have in the kitchen. Integrated appliances and a skylight complete this clean, minimalist space.

Picking up on this emerging trend, we soon started to specialise solely in Kitchen renovations and opportunities grew as we gained a reputation for delivering a design quality at high value.

Working closely with builders and architects, we quickly recognised that customers’ budget on full renovations, especially period properties, would soon be soaked up even before the main structure had been formed, eating into costs set aside for the internal fit outs.  We became accustomed to the value engineering process, which was often the solution to help maintain individually designed furniture to work cohesively throughout the home, from the kitchen to the bedroom.

A modern kitchen features white cupboards, a large island with the best worktop to have in the kitchen, grey wall ovens, three black pendant lights, a skylight, and large windows providing natural light and views of greenery.
A modern, minimalist living room with large floor-to-ceiling windows, built-in white cupboards similar to the best worktops to have in the kitchen, open shelves, a fireplace, light wood flooring, and garden views. Sunlight streams through a skylight.

Focusing on Kitchen and living design, we were increasingly finding challenges in using the British products that were on offer, as we found them to be restrictive in basic structure, design details and material choices and we struggled to achieve the designs we had envisioned for these new open-plan spaces.

So, I relocated my family to West Sussex to build a factory so we could manufacture our own products that would meet our focus.  This boomed immediately.   We refined our modern design aesthetic and forged our own look and feel that was a blend of European and British styles, but always unashamedly modern.

Being born and brought up on shaker and cathedral arch style doors, kitchens from Hygena gave me a natural aversion to the Cottage kitchen or Faux-Classic inset frame!

A man with grey hair and a beard, wearing a work coat, is assembling or repairing furniture in a workshop. The black and white image evokes craftsmanship—much like choosing the best worktop to have in the kitchen for durability and style.
Two men in a workshop are assembling or inspecting a large rectangular cabinet or shelf, working together and adjusting its position. The black-and-white scene evokes the care taken when choosing the best worktop to have in the kitchen.
Two men in work coats are assembling or inspecting a white shelving unit in a workshop, surrounded by tools and machinery. The black and white image evokes the precision needed when choosing the best worktop to have in the kitchen.

Whilst learning the trade form the ground-up helped us understand what’s involved behind the scenes within the kitchen industry, we soon found limits to our manufacturing base, especially when compared with some of the multi-generational European manufacturers from Germany, Italy, or Spain.   The more we progressed and expanded, it was becoming more evident that we wouldn’t be able to compete with manufacturers with such historical longevity.

A close-up, black-and-white image of two people assembling a drawer on a workbench, prompting the question: What is the best worktop to have in the kitchen? One person holds the side as another steadies it, highlighting teamwork and precision.
A black and white photo of an industrial workspace with metal shelves, equipment, rolling racks, and a staircase leading to an upper level—perfect inspiration for those wondering what is the best worktop to have in the kitchen.
A person uses a handheld electric sander to smooth the surface of wooden planks, much like preparing materials for the best worktop to have in the kitchen. The black-and-white image focuses on their hands and tool during the sanding process.

Some of these companies were 90 years old and were pushing the speed of technology advancement in the industry.   A small factory in the UK, serving one showroom could easily be left behind with this kind of advancement.

Though initially sceptical, we started to collaborate with brands such as DOCA, Comprex and Schroder, with mixed success and a different set of challenges, such as communication, an added language barrier and delivery issues.  Then, we were introduced by chance to the late Graham Hopper, who had been working with Leicht for over 30 years already.  He soon realised that their unique architectural and design-led products were ideal for what we needed to push our vision forward.  With their large-scale factory and machinery, they could easily handle bespoke sizing and offer feasible solutions for smaller designs that wouldn’t push the budget out, allowing us to really stretch our legs and move forward in the way we wanted.

A modern kitchen with matte black cupboards, a built-in wine fridge, wall ovens, light wood flooring, a white island with three black chairs, and two pendant lights—ideal for showcasing what is the best worktop to have in the kitchen.
Modern kitchen with glossy green tile splashback, white cupboards, and a marble dining table—often considered the best worktop to have in the kitchen—plus an open living area with a grey sofa, colourful cushions, and matching side tables under skylights.

After 2008, Leicht started to focus much more on their export business and we grew together over the last decade.  Having a close relationship with such a brand, it feels like we have our own high-end, advanced factory nestled in the hills just an hour outside of Stuttgart.   No other manufacturer we know of responds to the demand of how the interior is changing for modern homes than Leicht.

Modern kitchen with a large island featuring a light worktop—ideal if you’re wondering, what is the best worktop to have in the kitchen? Three wooden bar stools with woven seats, glass pendant lights, and light wood flooring complete the bright space.
Modern kitchen with herringbone wood flooring, a central island—perfect for asking "What is the best worktop to have in the kitchen?"—three brown bar stools, dark cupboards, under-cupboard lighting, and large windows showing a night sky. Sleek and open space.

Other partnerships have followed, such as the wonderful Italian brand Novamobili, who offer products for bedrooms and living spaces.   This collaboration supported our next move forward, offering solutions for the rest of the home, where we can continue a cohesive look and feel throughout and design multiple areas all under one roof.  Moving from one showroom to the next for bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, study, or even outdoor areas, is for us soon to be another old-fashioned idea.

A modern built-in wardrobe with slanted doors under a sloping ceiling, one door open to reveal hanging clothes and shelves with drawers. The light-coloured room, ideal for those wondering what is the best worktop to have in the kitchen, features a black door in the background.
A modern home office with large windows, a wooden desk reminiscent of the best worktops to have in the kitchen, a black office chair, white cupboards, and colourful bookshelves. Natural light fills the room, with plants visible outside.

So, 20 years on, our strive to achieve a modern design aesthetic, that evolves with the 21st Century way of life, remains at our core.  The family business continues and with the addition of designers Tyler Britton-Smith, Stephanie Cameron and Beth Driver bringing new ideas and talent to the table, Hubble Kitchens and Interiors endeavours to push forward as a passionate independent kitchen company for the next 20 years.

A man with a bald head, glasses, and a short beard stands indoors, leaning against a worktop—perhaps pondering, what is the best worktop to have in the kitchen? He wears a white dress shirt and navy trousers, set against a wooden background.
A man with short dark hair and a beard, wearing a grey Hubble polo shirt, stands indoors leaning on a metal railing. The modern, minimalistic decor and soft lighting create an inviting setting—perfect for discussing what is the best worktop to have in the kitchen.
A smiling woman with blonde hair, wearing a blue and white striped top and black cardigan, stands in a modern kitchen with wooden shelves, crockery, and a light-coloured worktop—perhaps answering "What is the best worktop to have in the kitchen?.
A man with a beard and long hair tied back is smiling and leaning against a counter, perhaps pondering what is the best worktop to have in the kitchen. He wears a green button-up shirt; behind him are shelves with books, bowls, and decorative items.
A woman with straight brown hair, wearing a loose light blue button-up shirt, stands in a modern kitchen with dark cupboards and a wooden worktop, smiling at the camera as if pondering, What is the best worktop to have in the kitchen?.
A woman with long brown hair, wearing a sleeveless black top and black trousers, stands smiling by a white worktop in a modern kitchen with dark green cupboards, perhaps pondering what is the best worktop to have in the kitchen.

This is how multi-generational companies happen.  An idea, a lot of learning and sacrifices and an ethos.  Watch this space.

Logo for hubble kitchens & interiors in a clean, modern black font on a white background. The word hubble is large and rounded, with kitchens & interiors in smaller text below. Contact us to discover your perfect space.