To ask how old is too old when it comes to kitchens?

[Porcupineintherough]

Warning: first world problem alert.

Please help me settle an argument with dh. We are the owners of a 1980s (maybe early 90s) kitchen. It is dated and getting a little tatty around the edges but still perfectly functional (years of life left in it according to dh).

I feel that we should save for a replacement and get it refitted in a year or two. He feels we should save but wait til bits start dropping off before replacing.

Does anyone else have a 30 year+ kitchen by choice? Will it ever give up the ghost? Admittedly I dont like it but replacement for replacements sake isnt generally my thing either.

Mine is from the 80's and it's dropping to bits. Several cupboard doors have been repaired where they've fallen off.

None of the drawers run smoothly and they keep getting jammed.

One cupboard carcass is held together with metal brackets as they had to dismantle it to do something with a pipe behind it when the boiler needed replacing. The boiler cupboard is missing altogether as it didn't fit around the new boiler, so I just had to remove it and have the boiler uncovered.

The cupboard under the sink is warped as I didn't realise I had a slight leak on the stopcock until I noticed that carcass was water damaged.

It's got a plastic sink and draining board, which is all discoloured and looks dirty even when it's just been cleaned.

One double socket isn't actually a proper double socket and is just an extension cable running under the bench from another socket.

It did have a glass display unit, but that fell off the wall and the doors broke, so I just replaced it with an open wire shelving unit as I couldn't find anything to match.

If I ever win any money, that is the first thing I would replace, but as it is, I'm just making do.

Personally I cannot imagine myself ever forking out the amount it costs to refurbish like that unless it was unsafe. I guess I have really low standards but for me if the home is clean and tidy and you can dress it up that’s really as far as it goes for me. I'm 40 years of age and never refurbed anything in my entire life. My council estate kitchen looks lovely with my lights and bits I've bought. It's clean and tidy and I'm proud of my home. I've never wanted to own a building or build a house. I've always just wanted a base from which to go out and enjoy the world. Money for me is best spent on experiences.

Yup companies will spray them for you. We did DIY and used Zinsser Primer on our plastic kitchen. It doesn’t matter whether the surface will take paint, that’s what the primer does.

www.zinsserdirect.co.uk/zinsser/extra/Primers%20Leaflet.pdf

www.zinsserdirect.co.uk/sheets.php?dir=extra&title=Product%20Brochures&osCsid=ch743l84tifi5t8tdcgmf223o7

Made a huge difference, we also thought about painting the metal handles with metallic spray paint. Good luck!