Help with kitchen cabinets. Looking to immitate deVOL.

[HomeExtender]

I'm looking to imitate a deVOL kitchen but can't afford one
I've looked at DIY kitchens Norton range but the lay-on frame is 10cm, a lot chunkier than deVOL. Has anyone seen any kitchens with a slimmer onlay frame above no V groove (so the frame is flush with no gaps)? I dint want in-frame. Thanks so much!

Just thought I'd update and say hi. I've taken my foot off the pedal for a bit as been so manic with kids and work. How's everyone's research going?

I need to get going with mine again soon!

Slow progress here! We hired a roofer from My Builder (with glowing feedback) and it's turned into a nightmare. He started in October, it took until February to 'finish' the job and it's still leaking. We've now had to hire another professional to finish the job (as our original roofer is now ignoring our calls). I'd like to give him negative feedback, but I wouldn't put it past him to retaliate in some way and we can do without the added stress. I sometimes feel bad for having such a low option of tradesmen in London and then yet another arsehole comes along.

On a more positive note, we should have the leak fixed on Monday, the plasterers can do their stuff and we're still on track for a mid-May finish. This is non-negotiable as I've already invited lots of family over for a joint birthday, wedding anniversary, kitchen opening party.

Sooo ... my new challenge is finding some lovely dining chairs to go with my rustic/reclaimed wood table. My original research tells me that upholstered ones are very comfy but can be quite plain and stylish looking ones are pretty uncomfortable. Chairs from Habitat and Made aren't great quality, Heals ones are fabulous but £££ (as always!), M&S ones are pretty 'blah', which leaves John Lewis. I don't really want to order any from online companies (e.g. from Swoon Editions) without being able to see/sit on them first.

Have to go and wake DD up from her nap but will post a bit more about ones on the shortlist and would be grateful for any recommendations!

Post the negative feedback, what can he possibly do to retaliate? He deserves it, and so do all the prospective clients he has.

We had similar, carpenter (at least thats what he called himself), put us through hell. I posted negative feedback, he contacted me offering a full refund if we removed the review. Told him to Whistle, seeing his livelihood go to the gutter was worth way more than the thousands I wasted on that loser.

Upholstered ones would get filthy very quickly with little sticky hands.

What about old church chairs or a rustic or vintage bench one side? Reclamation yards, Ebay?

These are so cute with a seat pad: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Quality-Original-Vintage-Church-Chapel-Pew-Chairs-for-Dining-Room-Pub-Restaurant/172978264835?hash=item28464edb03:g:u8EAAOSwmOJaCZfS

I just have a bad feeling, Humpty. He previously worked as a bodyguard for actors and as a bouncer. If I gave negative feedback it wouldn't surprise me if I came home one day to find a smashed window or a vandalised roof. I realise that sounds ridiculous(!) but we've had a run of bad luck recently and I'm hoping that things quieten down a bit.

That's exactly what I was thinking, Goingslowly! They'll wreck them! We already have four chairs (pic attached) so they need to match a bit but I want something really comfortable for us and our parents (all in their 70s with various bone replacements). Sadly benches are out.

DH likes these but I went to the showroom and the fabric looks very cheap: www.made.com/flynn-scoop-back-chair-graphite-grey-1

I like these. Sooo comfortable but they're a bit plain: www.heals.com/hudson-pair-of-dining-chairs.html

These are another option. Much more comfortable than they look but DH not keen: m.johnlewis.com/house-by-john-lewis-whistler-dining-chair/p3212167

I need to find a sofa for the kitchen as well .

Oh crumbelina, that sounds like a crappy situation :/ from what you’re saying it sounds like maybe it is best to not do anything even though I would struggle not to, it’s probably the most sensible thing. I bet you can’t wait to get this whole project behind you. Hopefully in a couple years time they will just be anecdotes you can look back on and laugh.

I like the JL chairs, they aren’t mega exciting but I’m not sure they need to be! The Made ones are very pretty, shame about the fabric. So does swoon not have a showroom at all? And what do you think about sofa.com?

I am very jealous you are going sofa shopping for the kitchen! I can’t wait till I am in that position. We are putting our place up for sale soon which is very exciting and I found a school in Richmond I am very happy with, so that’s one thing we’ve been able to scratch off the list and one step closer to moving, yoohoo!

Are you happy with the kitchen units??

Great news that you'll be moving ahead with listing the house soon! Richmond is such a lovely area - I'd move there in a heartbeat if we had the budget. Nice big house tucked behind Richmond Hill please. Or maybe one just off the green.

I think I'm overthinking the need for a comfortable dining chair. Am going to drag DH to John Lewis tomorrow and will probably opt for the ones I linked to. We're running out of cash and so cheaper ones are probably needed. I did see some lovely leather ones in Heals but they were £400 each. . Also, we accidentally bought a sale 'bargain' £500 olive tree from Ham Palm Centre (lovely place) and didn't factor in the cost of having to crane it over the house! Only after buying it did we realise that it weighs 500kg and wouldn't fit through the hallway or side alleys.

Unfortunately Swoon don't have a showroom (only pop up events at certain times of the year). I hadn't considered Sofa.com - thank you! I'll add them to the list. Loaf and John Lewis have some lovely sofas but the former are pretty expensive. I'll probably end up going to JL again like I do for everything.

Oh, and the kitchen units haven't arrived yet, sadly. We can't fit them until the walls are plastered and plastering can't happen until our roof doesn't leak - pah!

Oooh, those church chairs are nice aren't they Goingslowly. A reclamation yard might be tricky with two young kids but maybe I need to spend a bit of time on eBay. A few mismatched, antique wooden chairs around the table would look good.

Urggg, so we had another roofer in to fix the leak today. He quoted a price of £500 which we thought was a bit steep (but to be honest we're desperate now and need the plasterers in asap). He fixed it in less than four hours. I know we agreed to the price but I thought it would be a day's work for two people. So I guess he's on £1k a day.

I won't be encouraging my daughters to go to be university. I'll be pushing them to be plumbers, builders, roofers etc.

Oh no! £1000 a day?? That does sound a bit steep :/ it’s a shame when you don’t know if you can trust the builders you hire and the prices they quoteThat’s put of the way now and you can move on with all the other work and you are one step closer to your beautiful kitchen, yay!

Richmond Hill and the green are both amazing and exactly where we are hoping to move, but it won’t be a nice big house unfortunately 😆 did you say you are in north Kingston? That’s not far! I have a school friend who was born and raised in Kingston and it’s just next to Richmond Park, such a lovely area, we go visit her whenever she is in town.

I really love sofa.com and they have very good reviews, loaf is lovely too but they seem a bit more mixed with customer feedback, I think the main complaint I saw was a longevity issue.

Jumping in here because I’m also looking for units like these from Magnet.
www.magnet.co.uk/kitchens/all-kitchens/dunham-grey/

I was quoted £6.5k, which seems a lot from Magnet. DIY kitchens, do something which looks similar - it’s called the Stanbury but I’m not sure. I know they have a store but it’s just too far for me to get to. Does anyone know if they send samples of the actual door, so I can make a proper decision if they do? Has anyone gone ahead and ordered this?

I’m also after Carrara Marble worktop.
Magnet do a Minerva in Cararra White, but I’d like to be able to compare the price with some independent shops. Any suggestions?

Goingslowlymad123, Humptynumpty02 it’s nice to see you both have lovely things to say about Karen@Oneplan. She is designing my kitchen for me as we speak. I took the plunge to contact her after being so disappointed with the design outcome from stores such as Magnet & Wickes. So far, she has been amazing, totally blown my mind with her imagination.

The stanbury is lovely & they do door samples in their standard colors for a fee which they refund when they are returned. I have some pics from their showroom kitchen

Yes, I'm in NK, Barbie. I'm a born and bred SW Londoner and love it here as I'm very close to Richmond Park and the river and Bushy Park is only a 15 min walk. The shops are a bit too tempting though - especially on maternity leave!

Do let us know how your property search goes - I LOVE looking at Rightmove and especially property in Richmond so feel free to send through any links for me to be jealous of.

Re the sofa, we've opted for an Arlo from John Lewis in a light grey aqua clean fabric (which should be stain resistant and handy with two young children!). It should blend in well with the polished concrete floor as well. Our top budget is £1k for it and so sadly sofa.com was out of our range, but we will need one for our living room a bit later so will definitely pay them a visit.

The plasterers start on Monday, we have momentum again! Things are really going to start moving over the next two months.

Squats, I'd recommend getting a quote and samples from Diapol for your marble worktop - they're very competitive and I've used them twice and been very happy. I'm not too sure re the DIY samples but I hear that their customer service is great for checking this (and the Norton is a fabulous shaker kitchen).

Thanks for the pictures 4yearsnosleep - it does look lovely!! I'm now torn between the Norton and the Stanbury. The frame is slightly thicker than the Dunham from Magnet but it still looks fab! I will order some samples.

Crumbelina, thanks for the recommendation, I’ve never heard of them and quick google search shows they’ve only got about 7 reviews on UK trust pilot - and my other half is slightly obsessed with this and uses it to make a lot of his decisions!! I’ll get in contact with them anyway and see how it goes.

I have some Norton samples I've attached photos of; that's what we're having. The stanbury is almost identical to the Magnet one (just available in any colour) it's a smooth molded door. The Norton is more a solid wood look, but is still pretty modern as the shaker bit is smooth with no joins. It's incredibly solid and well made. The Stanbury is definitely the closest match to the Magnet kitchen, so it depends on what you prefer.

We just fitted a British Standard kitchen. Very pleased so far. You have to pick up or get them delivered- but that was only £200 to deliver across the country. Devol wanted £650 to deliver. You also have to paint them if you want them in a different colour to the 'broken white' that they come in - but that saves £££££'s.

Squats, here are some photos of Norton from the showroom so you don't need to go The quality is excellent!

I agree with your other half re TrustPilot. Do ask them for a quote though - you may be quite impressed. I've used them twice (and planning to again in a couple of months for the kitchen worktop). Also, have a search here on Mumsnet for Diapol - lots of recommendations should come up.

www.alchemykitchens.co.uk

I'm obsessed with Style No.2. Reminds me of deVol but cheaper?

Thanks for the pics Crumbs and 4years. We've decided to go for the Stanbury as we want something without the grain showing.
Also, found a fitter who specialises in fitting DIY kitchens, who seems professional and has quite a bit of experience behind him. Just waiting to obtain a quote.
Structural surveyor is coming around again today to look at knocking down the arch wall between our kitchen and diner. He has been before and said its a fairly easy job for him but I’m so anxious now as we’ve started to see more random cracks appearing in different parts of the house! The builder said the house could have moved! How does a house just suddenly move?! There’s also a huge crack in the cloakroom wall from where he removed the tiles and the bathroom floor is not level- it’s about 4 cm longer on one side than the other. I’m hoping this doesn’t turn into a nightmare as this was meant to be our dream home!

Oooh this is exciting! Can I join in?

I am currently in the process of designing our new kitchen - and also trying to get that deVOL look without the price tag!

I'm thinking a DIYKitchnens Norton or Helmsley, with base units painted Obsidian Green by Little Greene and the tall units painted in a lighter colour (not sure what yet!). Going for iroko worktops.

I've attached my plan, and an image of an obsidian green kitchen that I'm using as my inspiration. What do people think?

The main things I am really not sure about are:

• Should the tall cabinets be green as well as the base cabinets? I worry that my kitchen might look like two different ones combined!
• Do people really rate pull-out bins? I have a base cupboard I think I can swap out for one - but they always seem so small and such a pain to empty . . .
• What on earth should my flooring be? I know I'd like porcelain tiles for the minimal upkeep . . . but I have no idea whether I should go grey or black or white or something else!

I would super appreciate anyone's advice/input!

Ooh I love the colour and your inspiration kitchen! The plan looks good too. I wonder if the base unit at the end of the tall run is in keeping and if it's better to have more consistent doors for the tall units? That said, it's hard for me to say as I'm sure you have a reason for it all and have thought it through. Have you thought about using OnePlan on Houzz for some advice?

I'm thinking that if you really want to imitate DeVOL then Norton would probably be the closest match (I've been to the showroom and had a good look at both). Helmsley is lovely too though. Alternatively you could buy IKEA carcasses and get Shaker Doors to make in-frame doors which look like a very close match to DeVOL (although it's a lot more effort than DIY Kitchens!). I can't remember if I mentioned it before but we didn't go for in-frame as I think it makes the cupboards a bit less accessible. Will dig out a Shaker Doors photo for their in-frame kitchen though ...

I'd probably go with the units all one colour but that's just personal preference! I could see myself preferring one colour more over time.

Re floor tiles I'd be tempted to go for grey as black and white would definitely show dirt/dust more. Not sure about your budget, but I absolutely love these (and have them in my bathroom). Go for the large format (907 X 907mm) and have less grout to clean! www.mandarinstone.com/product/new-york-brooklyn-porcelain/

I've opted for a polished concrete floor but it's £140 per square metre. Definitely worth it for us though as we'd have to pay a couple of grand anyway for a concrete screed base that we'd lay the tiles over. The tiles would probably cost another couple of grand given the floorspace (and my expensive taste!) and then the labour to lay them ... I want a floor that's super minimal upkeep with no grout and the ability to quickly run the steam cleaner over it.

Re pull out bins, I'll have some under my sink for recycling but haven't worked out the main bin. Maybe use my Brabantia and hide it in the utility room when guests come over. I'd be interested to what other solution people are thinking about?

Sadly, I don't have much to report myself. We've been fitting the insulation and had the room plastered so I guess it's progress of sorts. The floor is being polished in just over a week and then we enter a world of flat pack hell of constructing the IKEA carcasses. It should really motor after that and I'll be sure to update. Pretty much everything has been ordered and I can't wait for the trickle of deliveries through April and May.

Actually, ignore what I said about the tall unit door consistency - I'm talking rubbish. Just realised that one of the units will have an oven or two?

Here's a snap of a Shaker Doors in-frame kitchen and it's in your colour.

Oh, and Perrin and Rowe do those beautiful brass taps (have seen them in the DeVOL catalogue). So lovely but so expensive!

Oh and Squats I hope you've had better news about the cracks? That and damp are always the things that worry me.

One day I'll put everything in one post, sorry!

Barbie, how are you feeling about London house prices and buying? It really feels like the market is on the slide and there are lots of reductions in Kingston. It's starting to make a few of my friends question the price of building work in London and whether it's worth it. We're slightly future proofed as we've done so much of the work ourselves and are here for the long-term. If we were selling soon and had paid for a builder I'd be a bit about all the upheaval for not much return.