Hacks for this awfuk kitchen? Or am I too optimistic???

[queenqueenqueen]

We have just moved into a 1950s semi and this is our kitchen 🙈🙈🙈🙈

We are going to live with it like this for at least a few months/year (!!! 😲) to get a feel for how we'd like the final layout (kitchen diner knock through rooms etc) to look.

Is there anything at all I can do to improve it or should I not even bother?

[MitziK]

Looks like B&Q basic range from the early-mid 1990s. As seen in council flat 'upgrade' works and dumped in communal gardens awaiting disposal as soon as a new tenant was due to move in because they fell apart within three years if used daily

[Stefoscope]

Wilko cupboard paint applied with a small gloss roller gives an excellent durable finish to kitchen cupboards. Fairly inexpensive too!

[FedupNagging]

I came onto this thread for lots of ideas for my tired looking kitchen but the consensus seems to be leave well alone if a new kitchen is on the cards! (Which it is once last dc finishes uni)

The best solution I think is to just paint walls and woodwork to freshen things up; can't use tile decals as the bit I hate the most has a raised pattern. However, I was wondering about the worktop cover - how effective is it and does it stay in place?

So now Mumsnet has just saved me £££ which is a rarity given I mostly hang out in s&b

[KirstyJC]

I would leave it if you're going to rip it out anyway as it won't look right however good you alter it.

You could just buy loads of wine bottles to line up at the back of the worktop so you can't see the tiles?

[Iamdanish]

I would remove as many wall mounted cupboards as possible, and spray paint all fronts, then paint what is left of the tree colored 😀.

[WH1SPERS]

Ha ha, we just ripped out the identical kitchen when we bought our flat ast year. The joiner said it was ? Hygiena from the 1980s and was good quality at the time, because the trim is real wood.

It didn’t persuade us to keep it.

[Tealfrog]

It looks clean and in good albeit dated condition. Put your time and effort into planning and sourcing your new kitchen - that takes ages!

[evaperonspoodle]

I love that kitchen! We had that in the 80's, my parents painted it about 10 years ago and finally got rid about 5 years ago. I still miss it. Sorry, not very helpful.

[Bluewidow]

That’s my mothers kitchen from the 80s so I love it. Really no point doing anything with it is there really if your ripping it out in a year.

[yomellamoHelly]

Ha! I'd designed our replacement kitchen before we even moved in. Took us 6 years to replace it. Living with it just confirmed how right my gut instinct was and I love our new one all the more for having had to endure the old one for so long.

[IncrediblySadToo]

Don’t waste your time, money or energy. Just give it a damn good clean, buy a dedicated notebook to leave in the kitchen so you can make notes of what you do and don’t want in your new kitchen. Start looking at what cabinets you want (who from, not what size etc), what style you like, colours et . It takes far longer than you think to decide on everything.

It’s worth the money and work to paint it etc if you can’t see yourselves replacing it in the next few years, but in about a year...no way (IMHO). I’ve lived with mine, which looks much like yours, for a few years now, I soon get used to it. I have been trying to replace mine but had lots of issues with stuff along the way, and now still cannot decide what I want 😖

[AwkwardPaws27]

I covered up a cracked tile in our splashback by artfully leaning a wooden chopping board against it. Maybe a couple of carefully placed items will detract from the patterned tiles?

[Yazoooooooo]

Just leave it. Don’t waste money or if if you’re replacing it.

[AmIAWeed]

Photos did attach...I'm an idiot ignore me. Desperate to show off my kitchen makeover!

[AmIAWeed]

My photos didn't attach :/ sent you a pm
Forgot to mention we also pulled up the carpet and used stick down tiles from b&q think coat about £50 and an electrician changed our florescent tube light for 6 spot lights...think he charged around £300

[AmIAWeed]

Your kitchen looks just like mine did!!! I have before photo....one of the tiles after a coat of tile paint (it took 3 coats in total despite claiming to be one coat paint) and I used Annie Sloan chalk paint on the doors. I don't actually have a pic of it totally finished as I'm still going but the transformation is amazing.
I have zero DIY skills
Tile paint needed no priming, just loads and loads of coats with a foam roller. The doors took 2 coats of the dark paint and 3 coats of wax. The white doors took 3 coats and 2 coats of wax
Total cost £100 :)

[Spicylolly]

I've learnt my lesson with hacking kitchens, our first one I painted the doors and tiles. Didn't spend a fortune but it was a waste of time and money as it peeled and chipped after awhile and then we ripped it all out. Our new (to us) house has another old dated kitchen but it's all solid so I'm just going to leave it and use the money i would of spent tarting it up on wine instead haha 🍷

[Disfordarkchocolate]

I've had that kitchen! I'd just leave it for now , be prepared to break your nails when you open the doors.

[Soontobe60]

I lived with my horrible kitchen for a year, deciding that nothing could improve it apart from loading it into a skip 😂
I just apologised
It's when we had visitors, and stuck pictures of my desired kitchen on the cupboards so it became a life sized mood board.

[NotANotMan]

My kitchen is like that, I've been here nearly 10 years but as it's rented I have to live with it indefinitely.
I have vinyl tile stickers covering the awful beige tiles and washable kitchen runners on the ancient lino to cover the stains.

[queenqueenqueen]

Yes, think I'm going to probably just going to give it a really good clean and live with it. Who knows we may even get used to it 🤷🏻‍♀ 😂😂
Yes found out about tile decals and am going to be using them in my bathroom!! The kitchen compared to the bathroom is gorgeous 😂

[Knittedfairies]

You can live with that for a while... How many cupboard/drawer fronts do you have? We just replaced them relatively cheaply.

[SD1978]

I wouldn't bother. Spending money on something you k ow you'll be entirely getting rid of seems a bit daft to me. If it's functional and clean, I wouldn't waste money on it.

[Surfingtheweb]

Tile paint, cupboard paint, & paint over the handles, & you can buy this plastic cover stuff from wilko for the worktops. That would be so so cheap. Or bit more expensive, replace the doors & worktops & tile over the old tiles.

[flissfloss65]

I’d live with it as it is. All looks fairly neutral and clean. I’d rather spend money on the new kitchen you’re planning.