Where oh where should we buy our kitchen from?

[FarFromBeingGruntled]

I'm sure this has been done to death elsewhere, but my brain is turning to mush with different kitchen brochures and I need some help!

We are buying a 60s terrace and need to rip out the kitchen and replace as soon as the place is ours, ideally before we move in. We are renting atm, but obviously don't want to pay rent and mortgage for too long so time is of the essence. (There is other work that needs doing to, including installing a new boiler in the kitchen).

We like classic shaker style, matt, probably cream (maybe grey/green), either black or oak coloured laminate worktop, probably slate effect laminate floor. We need integrated double electric oven (floor unit level), gas hob and integrated dishwasher. Roughly looking at 16 units (Inc appliances) and not wanting to spend more than £10K.

So -
Where would you buy

• kitchen
• worktops (if different)
• floor
• appliances?

Please help me - this is our first property and first kitchen!

Ikea! Great quality, 10year guarantees and you can spread the cost interest free.

I've done a few kitchens now and they seriously come up trumps every time!

I would find a decent local kitchen fitter - ask if they are electrically qualified. I would then get them to get the units, work tops etc through howdens trade. If they can tile too then great. Buy the appliances from appliances online. If you need a few things like oven, extractor, dishwasher etc then ask AO for a deal.

ao.com are brilliant for appliances

I have posted in a very recent thread that we had a mediocre experience at Howdens - much better at Wickes and Benchmarx who had fab designers who actually made great suggestions rather than just taking what we thought we wanted at face value.

We also got a design and quote from a local independent kitchen place who were surprisingly good value - when the quote actually came through..... (these delays meant we didn't want to choose them)

There's lots of positive stuff on here about Ikea but we found they just don't have a huge choice of doors - lots of white and black / grey gloss so possibly not in line with your Shaker requirement?

There is so much choice it just gets overwhelming..... I found a photo on Pinterest that was a perfect starting point - we went round the houses and considered loads of options e.g. granite worktops, tiled floors etc etc but came back to the basics in the photo and that is the kitchen we will end up with.

Happy searching!

Agree A.o.com - though Ikea's appliances have 5yr guarantees, not sure if the fit other units though

Would've said Ikea but for your taste, Howdens with a joiner that has fabulous discount there

We have just bought a cream shaker style kitchen with solid oak doors from b and q, the builders are very impressed with it as are we. The flooring is a slate tile effect laminate from howdens which I highly recommend, it's beautiful and not cold underfoot. Howdens can also be beaten down on price!

That's not the colour of the floor by the way, builders are protecting it with cardboard till they have finished :)

Ikea.
Picture on my profile.

Ikea
picture on my profile

Thank you everyone

I like Ikea's Bodbyn doors, but I think the grey is probably too dark for our kitchen. The off-white looks good but it's hard to tell the shade from the brochure and unfortunately we live over an hour's drive from IKEA so it's a bit of a trek! Might just have to make it a day out for the kids...!

We have a Howdens showroom in our rather small town and I know of one independent fitter who only uses them, so I would hope commands a good discount! Think we might get a quote from him. They have some lovely kitchens but it's so tricky to know what to budget for them.

Ideally though we'd like a contractor who can do the kitchen, floor and electrics, and remove the old back boiler/put in the new combi - so they're sorting the different trades instead of us. I'm sure many local companies are happy to use Howdens. I keep reading some builders don't like IKEA kitchens - is that because they're flat pack? We have some IKEA furniture I love, and some I hate that's so flimsy and can't hold much. I love them for their products versatility and clever storage solutions - I guess that carries into their kitchen design.

Builders who do not like Ikea are just fusspots.
Its fine and easy to use.

We bought our appliances from ao.com (great service) and had our kitchen installed by John Lewis. The overall cost came in at less than it would have cost to have a Howdens kitchen, and we had a great fitter. As John Lewis also included other finishing touches, such as boxing in pipework, it worked out at a very reasonable cost, about £5K less than we had budgeted.

OP, if you like the IKEA kitchens but not the doors, you can get shaker style doors made to fit. It's not uncommonly done. Then you can paint them yourself or get them sprayed.