How do you start planning a kitchen and what are the differences between the top end and budget options?

[HappyAsEyeAm]

We are in the very early stages of planning to replace our kitchen. That is, we have made the decision to do it, and now need to decide what we want.

I ahve no idea where to start. All of the houses we've lived in have already had newish kitchens and so we've lived with what we have. But we're going to replace our enormous kitchen window with bi-folding doors, and replace the kitchen, appliances, flooring, units, worksurface etc too as its looking quite tired.

Where do I start?

What (apart from price) are the differences between top end and budget? I think our budget will be middle-ish.

And what are the reputable firms/brands?

I have no ideas for layout, colour, finish etc. The only thing is that I know that we need to reposition our sink so that it is closer to the outside drain, and therefore stop the smells coing up through the plughole due to the waste water sitting in the pipes with insufficient trajectory to move down to the drain. And I want a proper draining board and not a draining board that is part of the work surface. I think.

Hi there Happy!

We are just about to buy a kitchen for a not-yet-build extension and we are getting various independent suppliers to do designs. We are looking at Mereway (they make one of the John Lewis ranges) and Schuller. I plumped for these two after scouring the internet for kitchen reviews and it is a misery because no-one can agree.

On the positive side I've dreamt of choosing my own kitchen for years so aside from boring budget bits, I'm having a ball (geek)

All the best

If you want it to last 15 years I would really suggest a painted or solid wood kitchen and avoid anything where the cupboards have a foil cover (i.e. any high gloss kitchen) or veneer. If foil or veneer chip they cannot easily be repaired whereas wood can be sanded and painted can be touched up/repainted.

Just to add another name to the list: Plain English do gorgeous high end handmade kitchens - v pricey BUT I've recently found out via MN that they have launched a cheaper range here if you're willing to have more off the shelf units and less bespoke details. Still beautifully made from solid wood.

Haven't tried costing it up so no idea how it compares to eg John Lewis or Harvey Jones but worth a look.

Layout:

Can you look on Rightmove for what similar houses have done? Or is yours quite an unusual style of house?

The central concept is the "golden triangle" of oven/hob, fridge and sink - all these need to be easy to reach from each other.

Also consider how you use the kitchen. If one of you washes up while the other loads the dishwasher, then you need to be able to open the dishwasher while there is a body at the sink (in our house this doesn't work!) If you like to cook while chatting to others in the kitchen then make sure you put the hob somewhere this works (i.e. so you are not facing the back wall when cooking). You want crockery/cutlery near the dining area for ease of laying table, and ideally also near the dishwasher for ease of unloading.

Sounds obvious but make sure you have enough cupboard space for all your stuff! think about where everything will go.

If you have the space, try to include a seating area so people can sit and chat to whoever is cooking - this could be an armchair, a breakfast bar, a sofa if you have space.

Fridges are really bulky so it's often good to have them at the back of the room so they don't block light and pathways through. Remember if you want one with a water dispenser/ice maker you will need plumbing to it.

Do you need to find space for a washing machine/dryer or can those go elsewhere?

It is always worth talking to smaller, local kitchen fitters. We have just had a beauty installed by a local firm, attention to detail and service second to none. Plus they found a style very similar to one we liked at John Lewis but at a significant discount. We saved money by buying in appliances ourselves and they were happy to install for us.

We also had Betta Living do a design for us, but after the initial slick sales pitch their service left lots to be desired. Their quote was 3k more than we eventually paid (and their design was not nearly as good)!

So it definitely pays to shop around.

Hi I just found this thread as I'm doing research to find which kitchen to buy. Thank you, it is really helpful! I want our new kitchen to last 15 years, so am working out how much to spend and what kitchens are of poor quality. Can I check Pickles, are you referring to John Lewis the store or John Lewis of Hungerford?

I've had JL (the store) price a kitchen before, which was very expensive for a flat we weren't planning on staying for long. But we are in the process of buying our forever (hopefully!) house, so I want to put in a kitchen that will last and not fall apart.