Kitchen 'midlife' crisis

[mrsddoodle]

Help - feel like I'm having a kitchen midlife crisis.

Started off with our hunt for a new kitchen, adamant that I should go for a sensible, timeless, neutral kitchen - so went down the Harvey Jones simple shaker style. Knew this was way off budget, so been looking at more affordable alternatives such as the Howdens Burford in white, with quartz grey worktops, oak floors, large island. But just not getting excited by it.

We have a local kitchen supplier who deals with German kitchens, and he has been working on a design and costing on a far more minimal contemporary design, no handles, curves, a blend of neutral colours, mixed with woods and I'm swaying towards it. It does have some gloss which I said no to originally, but it's not a very shiny gloss - it's quite subtle.

We have a fairly modern house which is only 11 years old, and inherited the kitchen that is currently in, which is a cream panelled shaker country style kitchen design with traditional cornices/pelmets - so think maybe I'm rebelling and not wanting to get old before my time!

The whole project budget (which includes removing a load bearing wall) is £15k - and I don't want to make a mistake that I might regret.

Anyone else done the same thing and regretted/not regretted it?

[GrendelsMum]

DH and I have a theory that what's timeless for you is what you actually like, not something that's carefully chosen to be neutral and inoffensive. So rather than going for a sensible shaker-style Harvey Jones country kitchen, we went for a brightly-coloured kitchen in a rather weird colour, but which suits us down to the ground. And we still really like it - in fact, DH regrets having chosen a 'sensible' wooden worktop rather than the gleaming white corian he really fancied.

[superram]

Unless you move in the next 3 years whatever you choose will be dated. Therefore have whatever you want. We are going through this at the moment and are going for a grey kitchen. I never intend changing it so it will be dated!

[mrsddoodle]

Thanks for your replies. Not planning on moving for the next 10-15 years, so you are right, should go for what I really want, rather than what someone else might like in the future.

Just having a dilemma now as to whether to bother knocking through the kitchen/dining room or keep them separate. Decisions!

[MillyMollyMama]

£15k looks a very small budget to me if this includes removing a wall, installing an rsj and making good. What about plumbing and fitting costs? Flooring can also be expensive. I would go for the modern kitchen but I would expect to pay £15,000 just for the kitchen cupboards and work surfaces!

[GrendelsMum]

We kept our kitchen and dining room separate so that when we have guests over, you can't see the piles of washing up from the dining table. But we incorporated a breakfast bar in the kitchen so there's room to sit while someone cooks.

[LumpySpacePrincessOhMyGlob]

Go with what you like, every time. This is your home, not a show home.

[OnePlanOnHouzz]

your house - your choice ! don't bow to pressure to conform or plan for a re sale that's years away ! do what you like and enjoy it !! think it through thoroughly before you commit ! is your 11 year old house a modern style ? or a traditional style ? it might be an idea to try and tie the kitchen style into the same bracket as the house style if possible ?! but only if you like it !!!