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?

Ha ha dad I would love sheepskin but I can only imagine how dirty this would get in my kitchen with a dog and 7 year old boy!

Oooo I love it, but you could change the lights above the island and the chairs and it could look quite different fairly easily.

Photo of the lights in the evening rest I feel they are too bright to have on in the evening (would probably just use for task lighting) but perhaps the bulbs aren't right.

We are planning an extension and originally I was going for the whole modern shaker, parquet, crittall industrial style look but have decided I'm being blinded by the fact these kitchens are all over Instagram and are actually going to date/people will move on eventually. We have a German kitchen at the moment I would never have chosen originally but it has been unbelievably hard wearing (hand painted shaker chips, from experience, and can look worn fairly quickly) so I am planning to get something similarly modern (probably handleless and a mix of light and wooden units). I would change the flooring for something matt (but keep them light), change the lights and maybe the blinds? Shutters in a dark wood would look nice? Change the bar stools. Swoon Editions had some really nice ones. Wouldn't cost much as your current kitchen is v nice.

Thanks Novichok Our kitchen has been very hard wearing and although I'm sick of it it's still in perfect condition. I think you're right about shaker style kitchens being all over Instagram and Pinterest. I'm sure I'd sicken of one of those too. Our current kitchen cost a fortune and if I was doing it again or advising someone I think I would say to install a cheaper kitchen and update it every 10 years or so.
Also thanks to namechangetoday15 for such detailed advice. Brilliant!

I think it's lovely and am very jealous but it also looks like you haven't moved in yet.

I don't know if shaker style will be on its way out yet, it's quite classic looking and versatile and has been around a long time.

Tbh nothing you choose will last forever unless it's very classic and traditional, so go for what you like now!

I like your kitchen but it's not my taste and it's very Soul less. I actually quite like the pelmets!

My friend recently had shaker doors put on old carcass and printed in f&b I was shocked at how amazing it looked - I thought she had a whole new kitchen. It wasn't expensive. She got them on line and had doors put on a new ikea carcass for the island.

Your layout is nice. I would get a new table and maybe our down the parquet floor and see if you then like the kitchen - if not you could change the doors. It's your floor tiles that are the problem. I'm so glad you posted this as I'm planning a new kitchen. My husband wants tiles on the floor (like the ones you have) but you have made me realise that I should hold out for wood!

Ps don't get a dark wood floor. It shows up the rice crispies.

I like the pelmets personally! I would absolutely adore a kitchen like this but if you do want to change it, think carefully about a darker floor. It literally shows everything. We have a dark wood Kardean floor which I love but it needs hoovering several times a day as it shows up everything!

It's a great space you have!

From the other example you've given it seems it might be variety of texture/colour that yours lacks.

Is there space to add a couch or a couple of chairs, a floor lamp to create a relaxing place

Are the bulbs in your island lights daylight or warm white? Switching to warm white or dimming might help...as would changing the shades. Copper maybe?

Chis don't think we would add a sofa to the kitchen as we have a family room attached to the kitchen-photos attached to show colours. They're not great photos so apologies. I think that's why I'm so sick of it as we spend all of our time in the kitchen/family room.

Honestly I think you just need some colour and a bit of fun? If that’s the family room what does the formal sitting room look like? I love the modern show home style interior but it looks a bit featureless - family photos? Personalised art or canvases? Something that makes it yours really (unless you’ve taken it all down to post on mumsnet, in which case, obviously withdrawn). It’s your home 💓

I do hope we're going to get 'after' pictures!

Play with it for a while, with various colours and textures and see what you like.

Give DS several sheets of thick paper, and 3 colours of paint- the green in the pelmet, the mushroom on the wall, and turquoise or orange. Let him paint with his hands. You'll have some original art to frame and put up, or stick on the fridge!

Put a gorgeous textured and coloured runner or place mats on the table or console.

Get a striking bromeliad for the table, and a huge green pot plant to stand on the floor somewhere.

What you have is beautiful, but it needs breaking up.

Wooden floors in a kitchen.

You have an amazing house. Have you thought of volunteering one night . week in a soup kitchen. You really need a reality check.

My cousin is married to a man that is on the Times Rich List. She is never happy with her house, constantly redoing things. In the end it's not her cabinet doors that are making her unhappy. She needs real things to worry about, because otherwise she finds it in her cushions, wall paper, aga colour.. it goes on.

Thank you picklemepopcorn some great ideas. I don't know what a bromeliad is but I'll look into it

Ah thank you! I love that. And I'll try and put 'after' pics on too We're picking paint colours at the moment so hopefully things will start to move quite quickly.

I agree with the others that your kitchen is lovely but could use a pop of colour/some warmer detail. I recently updated my kitchen and got these hanging light shades and love them - they're similar to the ones in the pic you posted. I think lights like these in a bright colour like the green would look great in your kitchen, especially paired with some oak flooring!

I’m so surprised by the amount of people suggesting to add colours. You’d all hate my house

Utterly neutral and bland is great in a shophouse or hotel room as it offends no one, but a real home will always lack the wow factor without a splash of colour or individuality. You need to inject a bit of your personality or it is all just a bit too boring.

Showhouse

I think it’s a stunning kitchen. Maybe update the pendants but it’s gorgeous, much much nicer than a shaker style kitchen. It’s fabulous

Dated?!

I would change the lights and get lots of groovy plants. Check out #greenupyourgaff on Instagram for ideas.