Wise Mumsnetters with style (= Noddy) gloss or matt kitchen??

[amazonianwoman]

I've decided we're definitely going modern(ish!) rather than the Plain English look for our new kitchen. Probably handleless with big pan drawers.

Is gloss passé? Should I go for matt? The colour will be kind of alabaster. Not white and not cream/ivory.

Thanks

[Pannacotta]

Go for matt, much more timeless, IMHO anyway!

[PigletJohn]

handleless, eh?

[noddyholder]

Matt! Thanks for the compliment. We viewed an apartment with ultra modern just as you describe and it was stunning What worktop? I too have told dp I want a plain english when we eventually move and have wanted one for years but have changed my mind too.

[albertswearengen]

We were keen on gloss but the kitchen man put us off by saying the surfaces were quite easily damaged.

[noddyholder]

I think gloss looks cheapy as it is everywhere. We have ruled out a few places with new gloss kitchens as I would rip them out so a bit of a waste of money. Matt is classic I hate reflection in a kitchen.

[minipie]

Matt. Gloss will show every grubby mark.

Slight tangent but is it possible to have a painted kitchen in a modern style, or will it just end up looking a bit "homemade"? I like having a painted kitchen as it can be refreshed easily, but thinking about a more modern style for the future.

[BobbiFleckman]

do people in your house have hands which are sometimes ungloved? if so, go matt. REALLY. you will be a slave to a gloss kitchen, particularly if handleless.

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

Going around... ungloved? My pearls, I am clutching them.

I thought the same thing, though. Gloss means a lot of polishing behind people, and while you might be okay with that in the early days, it will soon get Old.

[noddyholder]

Mini i think you can I always put a plain slab painted kitchen in my refurbs and people seem to like them.

[Dollydowser]

Gloss gloss gloss! My units had a matt covering on them when they were first fitted and I hated them until it was peeled off to reveal the lovely shiny surface underneath. My kitchen is dark though so looks so much better for reflection. A kitchen with a lot of natural daylight may look very different to mine. I probably spend 10 seconds twice away wiping of finger prints. Easy.

I like painted kitchens, and have one in a previous house. The house was older and suited that style.

I love my big pan drawers, would never go back to pokey cupboards again.

[GuinevereOfTheRoyalCourt]

Easy. Which do you prefer?

If you want the more practical/easy-to-clean choice, then gloss would probably win - but it probably depends on the exact finish of the matt you choose. (Some will be a nightmare, others just fine)

Ignore people who go on about about gloss being dated if it's what you want. Your kitchen will date whatever you choose, and actually it's usually the layout and finishing touches that give the era away. If you're really worried about this, just resist from anything that might look lovely but is impractical as it'll go out of fashion as soon as people realise!

[amazonianwoman]

Thanks all.

We are regularly known to go gloveless in this house, so I'm thinking matt is the way to go.

Pigletjohn - yes handleless!

Noddy - probably a pale quartz worktop. Saw some fab glass ones today but could never decide on a colour. And I'm not into bright colours. Or any colours really!

[noddyholder]

I love the pale quartz with white All the more reason to choose matt actually I think it will look so elegant. I want a new kitchen!

[Pannacotta]

I think pale doors with pale quartz worktop would look great, very classy.
Of course you must choose what you like amazonian, but in an older house I do think matt might look more appropriate.
You mentioned that you loved your friend's house (who came to see you about your kitchen). What was it that you liked? Can you pin down the overall style/feel?

Noddy, out of interest, when you say have put in painted slab kitchens, have you gone bespoke or do you have have doors made to fit standard sized units?

[Pannacotta]

This is more the P English look but is a good example of pale doors plus pale worktops = lovely!
lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4PfBssprdyc/TYsPiyLIrSI/AAAAAAAAAKo/CseBbUJL5Co/s1600/K2-Side-return-extension-Kitchen-and-dinning-area.jpg

[noddyholder]

Doors on standard units. MDF with all the edges finished and then sprayed by a car sprayer or a painter with a big studio!

[noddyholder]

Have also had bespoke for tall cupboards as needed iffy measurements. A good carpenter can work wonders if you are on a budget which I have been as it was all work related. Can't wait for my own kitchen!

[amazonianwoman]

Ooo I have the noddy stamp of approval

]

Now that kitchen is beautiful Panna. And it has handles. Should I go for handles rather than handleless? Will handleless date too quickly??

What I liked about friend's kitchen was just the overall wow factor. Their house is vast and the kitchen diner alone is as big as our downstairs (and our house is big with 3 reception rooms and big kitchen)

Their kitchen is cream gloss (which I never used to like) with Corian (which I don't like either). But the whole space just worked. It helped having floor to ceiling glass doors and lots of original art deco features.

Annalouiseh's DH brought round some slab MDF doors yesterday which he can get lacquered in any colour - matt or gloss.

[Pannacotta]

Thanks noddy that is interesting to hear.
We are planning our kitchen and on a budget (have lots of other work to do too). What sort of brief do you give a carpenter? Would you get them to create the units and doors from scratch?

Like amazonian I am finding it hard to decide what to have and who to use to make it!

[noddyholder]

I like grey just think it only suits certain houses and people are putting it everywhere atm and it can look grim!

[noddyholder]

Panna I would get a good carpenter and show him a good picture of what you like and see what he comes up with. You can buy rigid units from howdens and use your own doors. It is more for bespoke but building all the carcasses in mdf would mean masses of painting which does cost. I love plain english too lots of carpenters copy them though! We are downsizing (old) but I can't compromise on kitchen . I would love a poured concrete worktop but dp hates

[PorkyandBess]

I look at a lot of newly fitted kitchens because of my job.

Posh house, people with lots of money - always have matt finish units. Small kitchens, people on a budget go for gloss.

We're having ours done at the moment. Although we sadly fall into the latter category, we have gone for matt. So far, it looks fab.

[noddyholder]

Every house I have viewed has had gloss I think I would get bored.

[PorkyandBess]

I went to a house yesterday in which a Smallbone kitchen was being fitted, a hand painted one. Even untainted it looked amazing.

[PorkyandBess]

Unpainted, obv!