Aibu to want to replace this kitchen now

[Cantinao]

Hi, DH and I have just moved into our new house- it’s somewhere we plan to stay until the kids have flown the nest, lovely house but a bit dated.

The kitchen is solid and functional but I don’t like it. It must be 20 years old. To replace it would mean that we would have to borrow more which dh is dead set against doing. He thinks that we just live with it for a few years.

i’ve attached a couple of pics. Not showing the whole room in case someone identifies me!!

could you live with this?

Mines from the 80s, if it ain't broke, why fix it

Kitchens can be cheaper than you think. Try going on the diy kitchens app. You might surprise yourself.
obviously I don’t know your personal financial situation, but I wouldn’t want to live with it- it’s the room you spend most time in 🤷‍♀️.
Id be throwing it on a 20 month interest free credit card but only if I could afford to pay it off in that period.

I don't spend long enough in my kitchen to care what it looks like tbh.

It needs replacing because some doors are damaged.

If it looked in as good condition as Op's I wouldn't bother-unless I could easily afford it.

It’s ugly. But it doesn’t sound as though you can afford pretty. Not-in-debt is far superior to pretty.

Save up. While you’re doing that, spend time using this kitchen and deciding all the things you will change and improve to get maximum use out of the space and light, deciding how you will use it as your children grow etc. If they’re still tiny, let them mature on a kitchen you’ll be happy to replace when they’re old enough to treat drawers and cupboard doors properly.

That's amazing! Looks like a completely different room.

My kitchen is [hang on] is about 40 years old. To be honest, I'd rather spend my money on holidays (I don't have enough £ to do both!).
It works, things have been replaced over time (sink, fitted oven, hob, the odd cupboard door screwed back in place, handles stuck back on), and one day I'll do the whole thing, but there are higher priorities (heating system, the loft space, carpet) and I'm not getting into debt for something that is essentially cosmetic. Not that I don't like nice things. I replaced my bathroom a couple of years ago and I still get a skip of happiness going in there.

I'm a lone parent so I think that impacts my decision making.
I also don't care what anyone else thinks.

My lovely neighbour had a kitchen from the early 1950's...It was such a wash of nostalgia to go in there.
Like visiting a picture in an old Ladybird Book.

Of course when she passed away, new neighbours completely redid it with an aga type cooker.

I would hate it. If you can’t afford to replace, I’d paint it and replace handles etc as a stopgap.

Definitely not worth getting into more debt for. Maybe replace the handles/doors. We got ours painted, it was pricey but much less than a new kitchen.

Not worth getting into debt for. It's fine for a few more years. Use that time to save up and really decide how you'd ideally have it. If you've just moved in I'm sure you'll change your mind about the ideal makeover once you've lived there a while

Going against the grain... if you can afford the repayments, have a new kitchen.

We spend SO much time in our kitchens... just do it.

Thanks for all the posts. Still not sure though😂

I just think it’s so very old fashioned

We spend SO much time in our kitchens

Speak for yourself!

If it's in good nick I'd live with it. Not to my (or your) personal taste, but hardly hideous.

We've been in our house 7 years and I dislike the kitchen aesthetics but whilst it's functional it isn't a priority. We had DD the year after we moved in, then covid, then health issues means it hasn't got to the top of the to-do list yet!

I would have no issue liv8ng with that after repainting it and changing the handles.

But what do you want instead? I can't work out what size the room is etc.
I ripped the kitchen out the day we got the keys the previous owners were still outside as I swung a hammer to their kitchen

If people are really ripping out and replacing their kitchens every 10 years then no wonder most people don't have enough in savings to survive an unexpected job loss.

It's a little bit dated, it's hardly "so very old fashioned".

It’s a decent sized space and I’m ok with the layou. Apologies for the scribbled out bits. I don’t want anyone to look at this and recognise it 😂

Is that paint hard wearing? It looks fantastic!

I love that colour

Change the handles and paint the doors! It'll make a huge difference!

Getting rid of the black countertops and splashback would make a huge difference. A nice light countertop would hugely brighten up the room.
Replacing the handles would modernise the look.
You touch the handles all the time and the countertop is your work surface so these are important to like.

I would live with it rather than borrow.

Swap out the door handles - that is what is making it look dated - and consider painting it. Even just painting the edges of the top cabinets black would make it look sleeker IMO.

Maybe swap the cooker hood for a fancier one like one of these types.

It’s really dated. Personally I couldn’t live with it. Magnet are doing 0% finance at the moment and 50% off cabinets. I’d go for it and wouldn’t waste money on new handles or painting tiles.

I bought a new build 20 years ago and the kitchen was far more modern than that, so I think it’s older.