Would you spend 30-40k plus on a kitchen?

[crystalgall]

We are in the process of buying a house. The needs to be completely rnovated which I am excited about including a new kitchen.

I really love the grey/blue shaker kitchen look but my god some companies are so expensive. However it doesn't seem like you can get the same look with IKEA/howdens etc. Also we are utterly inexperienced in building works/DIY so want someone to come and do all the measurements/design etc and just have it fitted. Minimal faff on our part.

I want to know if it's worth it? It's our forever house pretty much and I cook everyday. The kitchen will be part of a big open plan space too. These are some of the companies I've looked at. Bloody gorgeous kitchens.

Sola
Devol
Tom howley
Harvey jones
John Lewis of Hungerford
Second nature kitchens

So would you spend that much on a kitchen? Have you?

[Bambooshoots14]

No

We recently got a blue/ grey one from wren which was much cheaper than that

[calistaraines]

Yes, we have just spent £50k on a new kitchen. It is beautiful

[QuestionableMouse]

Nope. That's nearly what my house is worth.

[crystalgall]

calis can I ask where from?

[ouryve]

Not for this house, I wouldn't. next door but one was sold at auction (admittedly in a state) for around that much, a few years ago!

B&Q all the way for us!

If I had a lovely house that I expected to live in for the long term, I would consider spending that sort of money, if I had it, though.

[crystalgall]

We're in London!

[calistaraines]

Rencraft

[calistaraines]

Mine is on their website

[SecondMrsAshwell]

If I could, I would.

Like you, I cook every day. Having a good kitchen where you have enough room for all the equipment and to be able to do what you want would be a dream for me and, if I were buying my own place, would be as essential as having a good mattress.

My current kitchen is so small that when my sister was leaning on my mum to buy me an all singing, all dancing Kenwood mixer for my birthday, I was forced to put the kaibosh on it because I really hadn't anywhere to put it.

[Ktay]

Look at British standard kitchens - same company as plain English but off the peg and far more affordable

[ijustwannadance]

I would if I could afford the big house to put it in.

[FankEweVeryMuch]

Did you know you can go semi bespoke? so cheaper carcuses and then handmade doors, end panels, kick boards etc.

I think it's all relative really, if I had the money to justify and £50k kitchen the. I would. I wouldn't in my current home as the kitchen is too small and I don't have a spare £50k.

[redhat]

We did an IKEA hack. It took months to plan and we had a really good kitchen fitter/joiner. We added trim and edging, custom feet etc. We then used expensive tiles, wallpaper, handles, lighting and decent work surfaces to disguise the kitchen further. We ran the cabinets all the way from floor to ceiling and also stacked units in places to get combinations that were not available.

I'd challenge anyone to know it was ikea when they walk in the room. Our house is a large property over the million pound mark (in the midlands not the South) and the kitchen looks in keeping. All done for less than £18k including decoration.

[FlyRussianUnicorn]

If you can afford it OP then why not? Your money. just like if I was given that much id spend most of it on handbags

Will you get your moneys worth though? If you enjoy cooking and spend lots of time in the kitchen then I guess so but if there are things you could spend the money on that you would enjoy more- spend it on that.

I do agree thats nearly worth a entire house in some places. My grandparents for example which my parents are looking into selling is worth about 55k. Its stuck in a 50s timewarp and not in the best of areas but still.

[FankEweVeryMuch]

Meant to add, we have an IKEA kitchen and I'm really impressed especially with their extra tall wall cupboards so they make use of all the wall space up to the ceiling.

[redhat]

Although if you added in my time it was probably nearer the £30k mark!

[FankEweVeryMuch]

redhat a family member of mine did that recently and it looks great.

[SingingSands]

How on earth could a kitchen cost that much?!

[Whenwillwe3meetagain]

Is shaker a bit dated now? Haven't seen any new ones in London when house hunting.
(Missing point of thread)

[crystalgall]

Thanks calis.

Fank how does that work? Where do you go for carcasses and then are the fancy companies happy to just provide doors?

Told you we were clueless.

[momb]

5% of house value. That's approximately what I'd spend.
Even the loveliest kitchen in the world will be dated within 5-10 years and if it's your forever house you'll still want to replace it.

[scarlets]

Probably not. I've several friends who have done so, and they look lovely but no more so than slightly cheaper ones. I can understand why a keen cook would want a great kitchen though, and needless to say people can spend their hard-earned cash how they want.

[crystalgall]

I don't know about that When but I do love the look

[redhat]

That's why we didn't spend a fortune momb. Our house is our forever house. We could put a kitchen costing £200k in it and it would still look shabby and dated by the time we come to sell in 20-25 years.

[calistaraines]

Painted wood units are timeless in my opinion