Creative ideas on how to change this kitchen?

[Frazzled252]

We’ve bought a not-new newbuild, and absolutely hate the kitchen. It’s pretty much brand new so is a shame to change fully but it’s so vile that I can’t live with it.
Do any lovely creative mumsnetters have any ideas on how to make it less vile on the cheap?
Thanks so much in advance x

What would you choose if you had a new kitchen?

Personally, I'd look for a freestanding island, probably vintage. Replace blinds. Repaint walls, rugs, plants in colourful pot covers, add your storage jars and appliances, pictures, a shelf for recipe books, better & less bland lighting, etc. It's so stark, I'd think of spots of bright colours to go with it, eg highlights of orange, turquoise, whatever. I'm not sure soft earthy tones are going to sit well with white gloss, nor cosy floral.

hmm, I think the cabinets are fine, however I’d change the work top and the floor, paint the walls.

I think work top I’d go for a lovely warm coppery one, if money is tight, use laminate. Will look much more expensive than it is.

https://houseofworktops.co.uk/compact-laminate-worktops/magma-rodolit-compact

https://www.worktop-express.co.uk/copper-laminate-worktops/

and I’d do a warm wood effect floor, it will look very different, much warmer, and I’d change the leds under the cabinets from cold white to warm white,

flooring I’d do a distressed mahogany, both with the white cupboard would look amazing,

https://floorwarehouse.co.uk/spirited-mahogany-distressed-oak-plank-hard-wax-oiled-190mm-x-20mm-engineered-wood-flooring/

I know we’ll get someone along saying they painted there unit 15 years ago go and it still looks great
painting only really works if there wood or ndf doors
gloss doors don’t paint well and it chips/ flakes off it generally looks like a botched job

you need very bold colour on wall and get some bid statement light fittings

It’s easy to transform flat doors to shaker style by adding MDF strips and then painting the door. You can get B&Q or similar shop to cut the strips in the size needed.

its also easy to paint gloss doors, you just need to de-gloss them by sanding well first so the paint grips well. An electric sander is a must but they are fairly cheap to buy.

whatever paint you use needs to be treated gently until it fully cures - theres a big difference between dry and cured. It takes a few weeks for paint to cure (all the moisture to fully evaporate) and then the paint is much harder and more chip/scratch resistant. I use Frenchic paint for kitchen doors but have used other paints in the past, all lasted really well.

id lose the kickboard lights if possible. Then a big washable rug (with non slip underlay)

https://www.tiktok.com/@jillyshumblehome/video/7359269366111718688?lang=en

this is just to give an idea of how one person changed their kitchen doors from flat to shaker, the colour is nice too! there’s loads of info online on how to easily diy flat doors to shaker so have a good old Google until you find the information you need. Much cheaper than buying new doors.

Yes, they look great in styled magazine shots, but less so once you get your real "stuff" on them.

I'd start with a big scrubbed wooden table in a paler, more rustic wood ( you could go shaker style legs etc) or even an large "Butcher's Block" style island unit with open storage below (doesn't need to be as tidy below deck as eye level open shelving!) I think that would immediately make the room less clinical and would give you great workspace where you could all cook/bake and even eat together.

We inherited a good quality but very dull monochrome kitchen with stainless steel sink and and extractor fan. We simply painted the white walls a warmer yellowy cream colour ( I wanted a mid century mustard yellow but was vetoed and we have learnt to like the kitchen. I would do some fairly low cost cosmetic changes like that and sit with it for a few months. I still hate the charcoal grey, shiny faux marble tiles but i have learnt to live with them!

Also remove that horrible massive wall clock and add a pin board or a nice colourful framed poster. Can you also take the lights off the kickboards? i have no idea why anyone does that - who wants to light up their kitchen kickboards?

Island. You can get storage in charity shops, level them/paint. IKEA is reasonably priced.

& put a matching worktop on top (or even a contrast one).

Kitchen doors can often be found on Facebook. We got oak ones for £200.

I'd start with the floor - it doesn't matter what you do with the units - that floor is horrible. A warmer wood - even vinyl sheet would look better.

This. Any kind of painting cupboards, floors etc look cheap and naff and will look far worse than what you have.

Your kitchen only looks awful because it is empty and bland. It's not vile it's just boring.

It needs a table of some kind in the middle, and your stuff - don't you have any?

In my kitchen, it was very bland when we first moved in, but now there are plants, pans, cookbooks, pictures on the wall, magnets in the fridge etc. it looks lived in.

If you prefer a rustic kitchen, get a second hand country style table and chairs. A rug in the floor. Plants and herbs.

At the moment it looks like you haven't moved in yet.

Maybe I'm just messy 😬

Floor, blind and tiling would make a huge difference.

You can get AI programmes which will take the picture and make the changes so you can experiment.

Also Google ‘white gloss (I think they are glossed) kitchen ideas’ and see how other people style it to bring in what you want to the space.

Sorry OP, I was late the party! But love that AI pic someone created upthread.