I hate my shaker kitchen, how can I modernise it on a budget?

[B1rdinthebush]

I have inherited a sage green shaker style kitchen. It has black metro tiles on the walls and solid oak worktops. It's not awful but it's so far from my taste that I'd like to try and do something with it. If I was starting from scratch I'd go for a matt white, handle less style with marble worktops.

Does anyone have any suggestions of what I could do to tart it up on a budget of about 500 quid? I plan to change out the tiles and handles, would a re-spray to a bolder colour help perhaps? I'm thinking a dark bluey grey maybe with handles in the same colour.

Change the doors?

That was my first thought Infinite but I'd have to then also re-spray the carcasses so I would imagine that would be out of budget.

Carcasses are usually neutral? And any end panels/fillers can be changed with the doors. Changing the colour will still leave you with the shaker look just a different colour. Maybe get a kitchen refurb company in and discuss options. I had a refurb kitchen in a Victorian terrace: new doors work surface handles times end panels shelves etc. It was a cheap job as I was skint but came to about £1500 I think. £500 won't get much I think you'll have to respray yourself. Are you ok with the tiles and work surface?

A friend has just had her oak shaker kitchen painted white and new handles £500 - worth googling local decorators to see if they will do it?

It looks great too.

Annie Sloan? I once saw an episode of 'the house 100k built' where they took light fittings to a local car sprayer to have custom sprayed.... I seem to remember that worked out relatively cheap..... maybe worth seeing if they can spray your doors?

Paint the doors yourself with chalk based paint? Cheap and can be done as often as you like.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Infinite I will have a look in to kitchen re-furb companies, thank you. I guess the point of my post was that I know I'll still have a shaker kitchen but how I can jazz it up without spending too much.

piefaced I've found a local company that does this, priced from about £350 (though I need to contact them for a more comprehensive quote).

Part of me thinks I'll just stick with it and change out the handles, tiles and tap. Then I can just start saving to have the whole thing re-done. Unfortunately we've got to have a new front door and basement windows plus work to the roof. So anything cosmetic is very low on the priority list right now.

you mention a budget.

fitting replacement doors will be the cheapest way.

I don't know why you want to spray the carcases.

I think not will look a whole lot better without the black tiles. Could you try painting them with tile paint? I've no idea if it gives a good finish or not though.

PigletJohn Sorry, that's just me using the in-correct terminology. By carcasses I meant everything that surround the doors (fillers/side panels are they called?). I obviously wouldn't bother spraying the inside of cupboards. As I mentioned up thread, I think the only option I have right now is to change out the tiles and handles and learn to live with it until I can afford to replace the whole thing.

Deux The black tiles are definitely going. I'm going to replace them with white for sure.

btw avoid vinyl wrap. It peels in the presence of heat, damp or steam, which are often found in kitchens. Laminated is the hardest wearing.

If you already have ordinary hinges, changing to handleless might add quite a bit if you have to buy different hinges and/or latches. I don't know how you would convert existing cabs.

If you want to change your worktop, it should be the easiest and cheapest thing if you go for a common laminate from a timber merchant (not a kitchen company). You can get a 3metre length for £42 or for £47

you need a strong person or two to carry it, and a big circular saw to cut it to size. Some retailers will do it for you. It is easier if you have fitted one before. Once you know how easy it is you will change them as often as your sheets.

Cutting holes for sinks is hard.

Ikea voxtorp kitchen doors are white handleless, and very very affordable. You could have the in-frame bits of the carcasses painted white to match?

have you got in-frame doors? Is that why you were thinking of painting them?

If you change them, the door and its frame are removed and the new door fitted. Most doors do not have frames and the cabs I have seen are standard sizes, taking ordinary doors and in-frame sets.

Units are usually 500mm, 1000mm, 800mm, 600mm or 400mm wide (external), and ordinary doors are made about 3mm smaller to give clearance so they don't clash when opening.

If you buy in-frame doors I believe they are supplied with their matching frames, but I have never done it.