Show me your "real life" kitchens...

[emdude]

Just moved into a new house. Kitchen is properly grim! We're going to get it knocked out and replaced ASAP. I've been drooling over various Pinterest but I have two kids (actually 2 messy, dirty boys). I'd love to know what people have that work in "real life". I can't see these beautiful glossy affairs working for me.

I'd love an amazing, stylish kitchen but want it to be practical too. I need ideas!!!!

I’ve posted it before but here’s mine. I have 2 lively messy dc too but it really does look like that pic pretty much all the time.

We chose quartz as it’s hard wearing, real wood units so we can repaint in future. Wooden floor so stuff is less likely to get broken if dropped (tbf this is mainly for me not the dc!) and also because it can be sanded back in future (and a bit of wear is ok on wood imo).

The other key is that everything has a place, and we have plenty of space. We are lucky to also have a large pantry and a utility, which definitely helps, but when designing we thought about where absolutely everything would live & triple checked the space & layout was there. My dh would prefer stuff out on the sides but we’ve done that and what happens is everything ends up being left on the sides. Having them much clearer means everything is more likely to go away.

My current kitchen, original 1950s eg blue cupboards. Functional, but old. Formica tops and sliding glass cupboard doors. Definitely, no marble :0)

@sdaisy26 where are your stools from? We're struggling to find some with a back that fit under kitchen workshop height.

@DMdaisy
Is your table the corona pine range? I have the same but mine is pine. Did you paint yours yourself or did it come like that?

Beautiful kitchens !
I've been saving for my kitchen for almost a year.
Just waiting for a time slot now lol

@sdaisy26 that is beautiful

@pumpingRSI they are from made but the worktop is actually bar height on that side of the room so not sure they’d fit under normal kitchen worktop height.

@ F1reintheWh0le oh, please post some pics! I have a kitchen that was handmade by a DIY-er in the 80s, everything is paintable which we are going to do in a few months. Much as part of me would love a modern a kitchen like those posted above, it seems wasteful and wrong to rip out cupboards that are still fine after over 30 years and will probably be fine for another 30 in terms of function. and bin them for stuff that may not last as long and will end up dating anyway. Plus I can't afford it!

@F1reintheWh0le

The design of my 1980s cupboard doors are very similar to those above, apart from the handles. Maybe my kitchen is back in!

@sdaisy26 That's beautiful and pretty much the style I'm aiming for. Can't quite stretch to quartz on my budget though. Anyone know if there are any decent, cheaper alternatives?! I think your right about the storage - if we have the right amount of storage put in hopefully things will stay tidy!!

@DMdaisy Love your kitchen. What flooring is that?

@emdude it's porcelain floor tiles in planks. From a company called Letavole I think

@DMdaisy

Yes that's the ones I have. You have made a lovely job. I'm scared to touch the ones I have incase I make a mess. How much work did it take? Did you sand them first? Sorry for being nosey.

Mine is about 10years old, when I get bored with the colour i repaint it.

dontcallmelen your kitchen is so pretty, live it.

Not live it, love it

I’ve just bought my house and the kitchen is my favourite room. I adore it.

This is mine. It's a matt finish and very forgiving. I'm moving to a house that needs a new kitchen and I'll go white on white again, but with a slight spec or maybe a marble in the top as it shows the crumbs as a flat finish. The quartz has been very forgiving and this has been in for 10 years.

Some really lovely kitchens love seeing all the different styles & colours, @flirtygirl thank you, it’s probably a bit twee for some but it makes me happy.

I would love to see the 50’s kitchen, too. It sounds like my idea of perfect. 🙂