Kitchen advice please?

[JessyJames]

We are embarking on the traumatic task which is called "kitchen extension". The initial plans are being drawn up.
The builder has recommended Howden's or Magnet for a basic, reasonable quality kitchen. But I don't like the look of their kitchens.
Can anyone recommend some other brands to look at please? I'm looking for something very plain, not too shiny. I want completely flat doors with no contours at all and either integrated handles or no handles at all. Preferably white, or something very pale.
Thanks!

We used Benchmarx. Was very good and reasonably priced. Had a Howden's kitchen in the last house (can't believe I've done this twice and once again on the next house!) Good luck.

Thank you, I will have a look at them!

I did not like Howdens or Magnet kitchens either when I was looking. Actually, bizarrely, Jewsons have some reasonable looking kitchens. I went with an ikea (nodsta) kitchen in the end (much to my builder's chagrin).

Almost went with Jewson Portobello kitchen - white, painted, matt with integrated handles (handleless, or whatever is correct terminology). Ikea kitchen I chose is same but not painted.

Have a look at DIY kitchens. Currently in the middle of this - we are looking at budget kitchens though so you may get something better for a larger budget (although interestingly enough, Ikea and DIY kitchens get very good reviews). They have quite a few kitchens which are slab, flat fronted doors in matt, plus various ranges which are handle-less etc and all come in a choice of colours. I've only done the preparation work so far so can't vouch for the finished product personally, but have spoken to them a number of times to get the design pinned down, they've been very helpful and the reviews (other than 1 bad one about a door peeling - which I think was because it was vinyl wrapped rather than painted / sprayed) are good.

Howdens get a big old kickback from builders, FYI.

Ours is Ikea, it's gorgeous. Plain white and stainless steel. Looks good 4 years on.

Another vote for Benchmarx kitchens, we installed a kitchen from their Holborn range (integrated handles) two years ago and it is still going strong. The kitchen fitter was very impressed with the quality of the units.

Also, have a look at Mereway kitchens, their Cucina Colore is handleless, they supply John Lewis but I recommend you find an independent distributor to see if you can get it cheaper.

We are in the middle of this too - going for matt white handleless 'Remo' from DIY Kitchens. OH is an architect and it seemed to be the kitchen company of choice for his colleagues home projects, all of whom are impressed with the quality and look. That was good enough recommendation for me. I have previously put an Ikea kitchen in a house and really liked it but I'm not that keen on the new Metod units - they don't seem to have quite the range of sizes they did before and the white handleless doors had a weird fake steel detail in the door pull that we didn't like.

I was v interested in DIY Kitchens when I was looking but was short on time....and know how. next time I'd definitely be tempted

For those of you who have DIY kitchens, did you do the design yourself? The thing that puts me off us having to work out exactly what to buy.

Yes, I literally drew it in a word document with the measurements on, did a side view and a top down view (had been on the IKEA planner beforehand and used that as a guide) and then I emailed it to them. They converted my drawing into a quote and put all the items I'd need in the online basket. I've been to the showroom tonight, am looking to order in the next couple of weeks. They checked my meaurements and went through it all in detail. Like I said, can't vouch for the end result but so far I can't fault them.

Once you've mastered ikea kitchen planner, you can master anything IMO! Gets you familiar with how to plan a kitchen.

Yes we did the design ourselves, agree ikea kitchen planner though clunky is the best place to start. I had a really thorough read (complete with taking notes) of the massive 'kitchen lessons learned' thread on here which I found an invaluable help. I've taken lots of ideas from there which I would never have considered otherwise.

(NB just realised that I'm wrong on my post above, we've gone for Luca matt white not Remo. Second Nature - who make DIY Kitchens doors - do make a Remo matt white but DIY don't stock it)

try Rot Punkt. Lovely german kitchens - very well constructed indeed.