DIY kitchens - Helmsley anyone?

[Lambrilittlelegs]

Hello
We think we have decided on a Helmsley kitchen from DIY kitchens. Has anyone else got this one and if so would you mind posting some pictures? It’s not available to view in the showroom so we are buying offline without seeing it (although I will order a sample door).

Going for a F&B painted finish.
Any advice/tips/pics most welcome! Thanks

Weirdly, I found myself in front of a Devol showroom this morning just after posting so went in of course. I assume many of us are wanting to emulate a similar look to their Shaker kitchens with Helmsley. Anyway, they were all gorgeous! They had the Silestone Lyra and something I’ve already forgotten as nearest substitutes for Carrara Marble which they had as worktops on display. No cockbeading on their kitchens.

I'd love to visit a Devol showroom! What wall tiles is everyone having seing as we all like same style of kitchen I was after marbe look metro tiles but since we saw marbe look countertops and decided on those, need to choose different tiles..

Happy to find this thread as I’ve just been planning out our Helmsley kitchen and utility room.
We are going for the light grey for wall units and railings on the island, with a lagoon worktop (though not sure I’ll order from DIY)
Interesting that they will make the doors without the cockbead detail, and I think I’ll probably ask they do that on ours as I prefer the simpler look without.
Where are you getting your handles from? I’m trying to find a good supplier of antique brass cup handles, latches and knobs. Any recommendations appreciated!

I was just looking on eBay for the handles so far, plan to order one of each I like to see if the cheap ones are any good. I'm after a combination of "mushroom" pull handles and cup handles. Can't decide whether to use two cup handles on each of pan drawers or just one in the middle.. Will get them in brushed nickel to match the brushed steel appliances I think. If you are after brass handles you may like this decorative rail to match www.rowenandwren.co.uk/bitra-hook-rail.html

We went with 1 cup handle on each pan drawer, they were too expensive to buy 2 for each drawer.

Thank you! I love the rail. I have the same one on my Pinterest board! I’m thinking about putting it above the sink for hanging buckets to tidy bits like cloths and soap away.
I’ve been having the same dilemma (amongst many others) re the drawer handles but I think I prefer the look of two cup handles on the drawers, although obviously it’s the more expensive option!

I'm thinking how wide do the drawers need to be to look not too crowded with two handles? 80cm? And what width is the most useful for storage? Our old kitchen had a combination of 40cm and 60cm cabinets (IKEA) and that was fine, but I note all the inframe kitchen cabinets look wider, perhaps because you loose some space inside the narrow ones with inframe design. We had an Ikea fintorp rail between the sink and the oven in our last house and I loved it so we will have something similar again as well. I like the look of no upper cabinets and open shelves/rails for storage. Also torn whether to go for metro tiles, brick slips or nothing at all with just an upstand behind the sink. Does anyone know how much splashing there is with a butler sink (single, 60cm) and a swan tap combination? Never used those before.

Humptynumpty02 it looks beautiful, I’m even more excited now.
I’ve been asking Diy via the support system about removing the cockbead detail and am more convinced after seeing your photo. They have told me that they can’t change the design, and now I’m desperate to do it even more. Not sure if I need to speak to someone else or take their word for it

@aisteb also having tile indecision. I’m thinking I may have some patterned Bert and May ones, just a small row as they are super expensive. Love the idea of the brick slips though, that’d look amazing. I had those on one wall in my old house and absolutely loved them.

Oh no I really dislike the beading, wonder why they said they can't change it. I assumed they just use Herewood frame with Helmsley doors as Herewood do not have that detail I don't think Humptynumpt what is the secret to them agree to do Helmsley without it? We all want your kitchen now :)

Love to the Bert & May tiles btw but my husband does not like that sort of look.

So many things I need to look up! No idea what brick slips are amongst other things.
I was thinking crackle glaze metro tiles or the sort or rustic edge ones but am now changing my mind and thinking about a quartz splashback instead. Have a look at the Harvey Jones Arbor kitchen in blue. I LOVE the quartz splash back they have in it. It’s like a dramatic swish of marble.
That’s really annoying about the beading. Perhaps if we all ask them, they might consider it? Although if a precedent has already been set, they really should!
Anyone found any nice taps? I can’t decide what color they should be if the cup handles are antique brass or pewter.

Anyone else not so keen on the panel in the drawers? I much prefer the look of the narrow drawers without the panel but not sure what the front actually looks like on some of the wider drawer units.

That's a shame regarding DIY's stance of the cockbeading, on all honesty I don't know why they don't just make this as standard.

I can't say there was any real trick to getting them to change it for us, we had ordered in the sale at the foot amid the year then only realised later that there was cockbeading when we ordered some sample doors to double check. Basically I told them we were devastated that it didn't turn out as we expected and had invested so much time and money into our order. They came back, honestly couldn't do any more, told us it was fine and they could remove the detail.

I thought that maybe to the contrary too many people came across this forum and started asking for no beading Or maybe it just depends who you get answering your query.

I'd love drawers with no shaker panel but have not come across any affordable kitchens like that.

We are having a 3 in 1 tap (one that does boiling water from the same tap) so will just go with what fits and doesn't cost the earth. Our last kitchen had Laura Ashley rustic metro tiles and copper accessories so now copper is so in I actually feel "been there, done that" and doubting metro tiles for the same reason.

Brick slips are just like the face part of the brick, like tiles but look like exposed brick wall once glued on and pointed.

Just got a couple of quotes for marble look quartz worktop, all over £2k Was going to have that on one side and wood on the other but now thinking maybe we can afford only a bit of quartz around the sink and have to go with wood everywhere else. Definitely cannot afford a quarz splashback. Wondering whether marble look laminate would look naff.

I feel I will soon get to the point where I won't be able to make any decisions any more. We are about to do the whole house, so past caring about details like taps and handles. Can just about make my mind up about all the big stuff

I know how you feel! It’s really overwhelming and feels like a huge reaponsibility. DH is not at all interested and just keeps saying he trusts me to make all the decisions. We’re only doing flooring, bifolds / patio doors, taking down some stud walls and the kitchen, but even that requires a level of decision making that is making me quake!

GladitsFfriday Thank you so much for that F&B match list, very helpful. You don't by chance know what the Dove Grey would be in F&B? I was given it as an option only at the last minute of ordering which sent me into a spin of indecision as I had settled on the Light Grey. They told me the Dove Grey would be a better match for the light grey carcasses.

The Dove Grey is on the DIY website available in Helmsley or Luca but can be made in the other styles as well, though that isn't yet advertised. They told me they are replacing the Light Grey with the Dove grey.

If you know the F&B equivalent that would be brilliant, thanks in advance.

Can you ask them to send you a sample of a door in that colour? Their colours are similar to the F&B ones posted on here but they are not an exact match (I have samples of all their carcases and all farrow and ball colours and have compared) so'd get a sample door if the exact shade is important to you.

I know the feeling, we are having an extension and my DH has had no involvement (by choice) so I’m making all the decisions. It’s good in a way but a lot of pressure and with builders here there are a lot of decisions that need to be made immediately.
Are you getting worktops from DIY? Has anyone found a good / reasonably priced quartz supplier?

aisteb thanks for the heads up re F&B colours. Yes, I have ordered another door sample in Dove Grey. I already have a Light Grey and Cornflower Blue. The Dove Grey option was their suggestion at the last minute which made me wobble from the Light Grey. Reading your posts it sounds like we are having similar dilemmas! I haven't got round to thinking about tiles yet... Re worktops I hope to find a slim 28 mm white matt laminate but getting someone to cut the mitres might be difficult. We are doing all the fitting ourselves. Budget is tight!

Robinredface We aren't getting the worktops from DIY because they don't do a slim 28mm laminate, only 40mm thick and I prefer slim. I know what you mean about all the decisions having to be made at once - it's scary and I'm worried about getting it wrong because this is a forever kitchen. For reasonably priced quartz maybe try Worktop Express? Unfortunately for us they don't do a slim laminate but for quartz I think they might be a good option.

I've just priced up my Helmsley kitchen using a template I got done at Magnet.....and it's a lot more than I thought it was going to be........
It's coming in at £10,200 so far. That's all the units, plinths etc and end panels, quartz worktops, sink, tap, double oven, microwave, induction hob and extractor. For some reason, when I'd done a rough stab at it before, it came in as much, much less so in my mind, I was looking at around 6,000 which was probably ludicrously unrealistic.
Seriously panicking now.

Oh no Rosita, it adds up when you add on the extra bits you don’t think of like plinths and end panels etc. Mine seems to keep going up and up too and I have no idea how much the silestone worktop is going to come in at. Does anyone know if DIY do a sale in the next few months? That could bring the price down slightly if you wait to order.

Also DIY have agreed they can do the Helmsley without beading BUT for an additional 10%. I’m not sure I’ll go ahead as it’ll be an extra £750ish

Rosita you'll save cash by sourcing the quartz, sink & taps elsewhere x

I did look at quartz elsewhere but it seemed even more expensive! Any top tips for where to source? I’ve tried mistermarble and a few others that have been recommended before.
I called today and asked about sales but was told there is nothing planned.

I got quotes for quartz from Mayfair, Diapol and DIY and they were all roughly the same, around £2300, DYI actually £100 cheaper. I optimistically thought it would cost around a grand less so now don't think we can afford this :( Dread to think what all the extras like plinths and end panels will cost, haven't priced those up..