Come and be brutally honest about my kitchen

[Namechangeforakitchen]

Hi. We moved into our house 8years ago and the builders put us under huge pressure to get the kitchen fitted. Consequently feel I rushed the choice of kitchen and I’ve never really loved it. I think the tiles (shiny tiles) and doors are dated. I would love a contemporary Shaker style kitchen with wooden parquet floors but obviously can’t afford to put a whole new kitchen in.
We are about to change things with our mortgage which means we’ll have some spare cash to update the kitchen but I don’t want to rush things this time!
I’ve attached some photos of the kitchen this morning and thought I would ask you all to be brutally honest and give me advice on how you would update the kitchen. I’m thinking new floor, new table and breakfast bar stools, new lighting above the island??? What do you think?

Take them down and send us the ‘after’ picture!

Do you actually need blinds? You have the kind of windows that look really nice bare, but I appreciate that might not be possible if you’re overlooked.

It's a lovely kitchen and I really like the floor. It will bounce the light around and brighten the whole room.

Whatever you do don't go for black floor tiles - we made a big mistake choosing them and they always look filthy. I'm not sure more wood would work terribly well, if you do go with wood effect flooring I think you'd need something quite contemporary as anything rustic would jar with the rest of the kitchen.

I'd go with more colour - funky lights and stools, some nicer blinds (lose the pelmets!) and some stunning art on the wall instead of a TV.

Agree - get rid of lights and pelmets and lay a wooden floor.

It definitely feels like it needs a big injection of personality and colour in there - pictures on the walls, plants/foliage, a big vase of flowers or bowls of fruit.

Personally I'd change the dining table too, once you've done the floor, and can see what would work with it. It looks a bit old-fashioned. And get some funkier chairs for it. Perhaps some of those wire ones if you like the industrial look?

It's an amazing space - so much you could do!

Before you change the floor, try the less expensive things like rugs, plants and accessories. You may find that is enough.

I love it too

I really like the floor, and I wouldn't want the hassle of changing it. You'd need to be careful about the level so you weren't making things more difficult when one of your appliances breaks and needs to be replaced. Plus I wouldn't want wood in the kitchen as I don't think it's practical.

I say add some colour (doesn't need to be very bright), change the lights and the blinds. Add some knick knacks and plants so it looks more lived in. Maybe change the table and sideboard - i like them but I'm not sure they go with the kitchen.

I think it looks great! I probably wouldn’t choose the shiny tiles myself but I think it’d be challenging to lay a new floor around the units and they are far from offensive. I’d just get a new dining table and chairs and some other accessories to freshen the look up a bit without hideous expense and practical headaches

I think it looks very modern, and is lovely, but actually I would hate it.
To me it feels very sterile.

So, if I were to change it, I would want something softer and with colour, but keep the clean unclutteredness.

so suggestions
change bar stools, they look unomfortable any way.
get a much bigger more substantial table, and then put striking chairs round it, maybe even of different colours.
Change the wall paint colour, it adds to the blandness, you could be really brave, the room has lots of light reflecting surfaces. Go birght orange! (only half joking)
Get something to catch the eye, it is all very monotone, no personlity, a picture, a tall sculptue in the corner by the table, a centre peice on your new big table, an interesting clock, mirror, it needs a focus and something personal, without being fussy.

A new floor would be really expensive, and I'm not sure it would work. (would you lay it on top? if not, how are you going to rip out the floor without wreckign everything else? If you lay it on top, what about the doorways etc?)

Have a look on Pinterest at Scandi kitchens - your kitchen units are the sort of style used in scandi decor, but there are lots of ideas of making the space more cosy/feel warmer.

we have engineered oak flooring that has yellowed from the sunlight ...not sure you can get one that doesn't change colour in sunlight ?

I would go dark wood.

I think reclaimed gym flooring would look good , I like the look of shabby/retro mixed with modern

I think the funky blinds would be great. It looks very bland at the moment as if you don't dare to add any detail for fear of it being thought tasteless. I'd get the TV off the wall and put up some funky art - it's a lovely room, but needs some personality. At the moment it looks as if you haven't moved in.

I’d just soften it up with pictures on the wall, maybe a new colour which is less neutral - like a beautiful blue and change the pelmets because I don’t like the colour .... bit of pattern. A wooden floor if you’ve got money to burn. But new paint and some frAmed prints would soften it all up.

More colour, personally looks a bit too clinical for my taste

I’d get rugs rather than new flooring. Stick them down!’

When I look at it again, I would agree with others about keeping the floor as is. But I think your splashback is too dark. Something lighter would change the look completely and then as others have said, accessorise!!! I got a very minimal kitchen put in, but have loads of art, candles, a couple of plants and some very nice caddies for tea and coffee on the worktop and it has transformed it.

You need some lovely art on the walls. Really colourful things. Perhaps a mosaic.

OP I think your kitchen is lovely and agree it's way too nice to undo.

I think changing the floor would be a nightmare unless you were ripping out the kitchen & island. I think you can completely change the look by changing:

1. The wall colour - go for a navy blue or mid grey maybe - something to contrast against the kitchen doors in the kitchen part of it.

1. Change the lights over the island to some thing more contemporary.

1. Change the table - we have a large Habitat Dublin table which is glass which looks quite contemporary I think with Eames style chairs.

1. The sideboard is nice but add some oversized art around - maybe with tones of whatever wall colour you go with in the kitchen part.

1. Maybe add an oversized armchair / footstool in a statement colour (or neutral colour colour & add cool cushions).

1. Get rid of the pelmets and roller blinds. Get Roman blinds in designer fabric to coordinate with walls etc.

I love the minimalist look and clutter-less design.

I would love to have your kitchen! I can understand why you might not love it. I love a tiled floor - you can get wood effect tiles, look gorgeous, google it! Also can be a cheaper option than proper wood flooring and easier to maintain. Other than that i wouldn't change a thing.
There's this thing call vinyl wrap if you've heard of it? Update your cupboards without having to replace them by changing the colour. My DH is a tiler so I've very much for a tiled kitchen haha but yours does look lovely as it is

Why do you not like the lights? Can you please post a photo of them on in the evening?

I ask as we're currently doing ours and they're the EXACT lights I had in mind for our 'mid-century modern' kitchen.

Thanks

Gorgeous. Looks like a show home only more minimalist

Way too shiny though

Excuse the typos! Had way too much fizz.

Gah sorry. Just re-read my reply from last night. I added a photo to show Rest the pendant lights at night but it didn't display for some reason. I'll try again tonight.

Sheepskin, sheepskin everywhere. That'll soften it up!