AIBU to ask how I can improve my kitchen, with a photo.

[Figaro88]

The photo is not my actual kitchen but it is the same units and work top. 12 months ago I moved into a 2017 new build HA house before I come across as being ungrateful I am not, I am very thankful for a permanent roof over my families heads. A couple of the dc friends parents have made comments when collecting their dc from play dates/parties of "oh you live in one of the HA houses then" but only after being in the kitchen, I am now a bit self conscious about it. It has to be the kitchen as the houses all look identical from the outside. So how can I stop it screaming HA when people come into the kitchen? I am wondering if it is the anti slip plastic floor tiles like in supermarkets or the lack of cooker hood, really wish their comments didn't bother me. The tile behind the cooking area goes up to the top of the upper units. I have a 6ft 5inch long window in the kitchen as well so we get a lot of natural light coming in and the kitchen is just a kitchen dinning room is seperate so it is 3.5m×3.5m.

Download the Dulux colour test app to experiment with colours. Annoyingly it added colour over your tiles but I think teals, navy blues and emerald greens will make your cupboards look gorgeous, plus you said you've got the natural light so the room can take it.

So pleased you're getting floor tiles & I think the storage jars & cornicing will look great!

@TeacupDrama I do like that first blind, so thank you for linking them.
I'm not embarrassed about living in an HA property at all, I have been very lucky and got a lovely home in an area I could never afford to live in other wise. The snippy comment just took me by surprise as even if you think it you don't say it!

Please post another photo when you're done OP.

If you start upgrading sockets etc, if anything goes wrong the HA won’t repair them.

It's a good clean kitchen. Bear in mind that if you alter the fixtures and fittings and need repairs in future the HA won't be able to help you, as they will only repair what was initially installed by them. Also if you want to move in future you may have to put it back to the original before going.

I love that storage jar. If you’re going for a patterned blind get that before the paint and match a colour from it, much easier than trying to match a blind to a paint.

Not sure if it’s classed as dated now but I put up wainscoting in my kitchen and painted it white (very badly as you can see

Join the Facebook group DIY On A Budget. Don't get me wrong there's some crazy stuff on there and I have see the group slagged on here a lot but there's some great ideas there.

I've used that Dulux paint app as mentioned above and it's great. Really gives you confidence to use colour. The photo that @burritofan has created looks very smart.

Your visitors were very rude to comment!

I used to have a kitchen very like that and it was good, and quite liked it. Wouldn’t spend money trying to change it.

I had oak cupboards and black accessories in my kitchen. I bought these Next curtains on eBay and made a roller blind out of the fabric. It looks really lovely. I do have cream walls as my kitchen is quite small like yours, and I thought colour would be overpowering.

But it looks great with the black accessories.

@Foslady what colour is the upper part of your kitchen wall I really like that colour, it looks like a sort of petrol blue?

Wish I was that handy @MrsJamieFraser2 sewing is not my strong point! I love that pattern tho on your blind.

It’s a few years old now but it was from Johnston’s paints (and cheap!!!)

@Figaro88 I've got fabric left and would happily make it for you. It really was quite straightforward.

You can get paint matched to any colour at B&Q by Valspar. There's also a massive range of colours by Valspar anyway, so do check them out. The tester pots are a good size too, not like the piddly little tester pots from Dulux.