New kitchen-awake all night worrying!!

[mistersmum]

I know this is trivial in the grand scheme of things, but we (well I !) am planning a new kitchen and we are still in the early stages but I am aware of how much it is going to cost and don't want to make any mistakes. Had the builder over last night as we need a wall knocking down and have had some basic plans drawn up so the ball is rolling. And DH is bored already...and we haven't even got on to tiles, colours etc
Anyway - has anyone got any of John Lewis' own brand appliances (oven, ceramic hob, d'washer, fridge freezer)? Any good?
Any other tips would be great too.
To intergrate or not to intergrate - that is the question? Thanks

good luck dream of having brand new kitchen would love an island and pull out bin for crumbs that magically disappears. one of those spray shower taps for salad. salad drawer. Iwould just have the works You spend so much time in the kitchen it is pressure to get it right. Good luck and enjoy.

no knowledge of john lewis stuff, re intergration, mine is all fully intergrated,looks fab, and all fine until something goes wrong .. have just been quoted £200 to change the powder dispenser on my dishwasher

Ouch !

This isn't exactly connected but we've just had a new washing machine from John Lewis. As part of our research into which brand to buy, DH found out that John Lewis washing machines are just Zanussi ones under the J.L name. So going by that, I think J.L choose good companies to make appliances.
For me personally, I wouldn't integrate appliances. I actually quite like to have units "broken up" and not covered by doors. Plus it's easier to replace appliances.

Thanks for comments so far. I hope to get some sleep tonight...

rollonsummerholidays - Lakeland do a thing which screws onto your existing tap turning it into a spray thing when you pull it down. I needed one cos the taps I bought wouldn't pour into the sink basin so I needed its adjustable-ness

we have just had our kitchen done.
we decided not to get an integrated dishwasher as ours is only a yr old, then we changed out minds and ordered an integrated one, then we installed the current one whilst waiting for delivery of the integrated one - it looked fine, so we cancelled the integrated one.

HTH

thanks shrinking violet will give it a go

mistersmum - if you haven't already sussed out your layout - really spend time on that - think about the space, and where you're likely to be doing what - i.e. making a cup of tea should have sink, kettle, teabags, spoons, mugs, bin easily accessible - I realised that my teaspoons didn't need to live in the cutlery drawer, and also that the cutlery drawer didn't need to be in the kitchen when I broke down the different steps. Also factor in how much help you will want from your child(ren) - mine empty and load the dishwasher, so all crockery needs to be in low cupboards. When you're cooking, what needs to be at hand? And so on.
No help on appliances, sorry, although my PIL have a fully integrated dishwasher and you can't tell if it's finished unless you open the door whcih they find a nuisance.

I think integrated are better if the kitchen is smaller as they have such a clean look wheras non integrated break up the lines and can make a small kitchen 'close in' on itself. I have fully integrated and LOVE it

Thank you - I feel like I am driving DH mad with all of my kitchen talk, but we do have quite a small kitchen and the planning just seems so important. But i just see him glaze over when I start talking to him about it...I'm sure I am the same when he starts talking about cars...And we also need to get moving as we are having 40 over for his father's 80th in July (not quite sure how that happened)or wait until afterwards.
I also think I am much more aware of money and things since I stopped working so it makes it harder for me to make my mind up now as I am not just "frittering" my own wages like I used to be able to, but luckily have been left a bit of money to help along with the kitchen (currently leaking v small fridge, doors falling off and no storage what so ever). Right off to bed now...

Misters mum - sleeping OK?
Just wanted to say know how you feel. Friend came round last night to help me tweak the design for our kitchen and I was far too giddy come bedtime. Tired today.
What's the progress?

Shrinkingviolet - good tip re kettle, spoons, bin etc. Incorporated your thoughts in the tweaks.

I have an integrated kitchen, which looks nice, even though it is now almost 10 years old. The downside to integrated comes when you have to replace something. My fridge stopped working a few years ago, and wasn't worth repairing. Because the kitchen is integrated, there were only 1 or 2 models that would fit, and infuriatingly, they both cost approx 2x more than the basic stand alone fridge of the same size/make.

So beware, and be prepared that you'll pay through the nose to replace/update. At least, IME.

We are still waiting for the builder to come and see if one of the walls is load bearing and then I want to get on with it as is driving me mad and me and DH have just had an arguement about it YAWN

mistersmum...oooh what fun we did ours last year after knocking walls down and extending...I adore it and kitchen now has table and huge sofa in it. Tick for integrated from here.....if space permits have a full length bin cupboard...I hate kitchen bins! and definately granite worktops..fab for making bread on!!

Smurfs
Is the granite difficult to maintain (if you know waht I mean) I keep reading varying reports on how to look after it...but I do want it!!

mistersmum - granite is very easy to maintain and looks fab. I treated mine with the creams/solutions that the chaps gave me when it was installed but since them I clean it as normal....ooops probably should treat it better really !