Tarting up a dated kitchen

[WittgensteinsBunny]

So, we're in a bit of a kitchen pickle. We moved house last year and decided that we would just live with everything as we've stretched ourselves to move into a bigger house. So far we've done the essentials, replaced some floors and bought some new furniture.

The house is a project and at some point everything needs doing. We're happy to live in a project, but the kitchen is really starting to get to me. Unfortunately because it's an odd extension on an old house, the kitchen / dining space is quite a big room but a rubbish layout. We have plans to knock through into our hall and completely revamp this end of the house at some point but not now. We can't afford it. I've had a kitchen designer in to talk through the costs of improving the layout and replacing what we've got but it's going to be between £15-£20k, which I'm not prepared to pay if we're going to rip it out in a few years' time.

Does anyone have any tips for tarting up a dingy, dated 15 year old kitchen? It's pale wood effect MDF and it's peeling. I'd love to replace the tiles, cooker hood, appliances and maybe even replace the cupboard doors? I contacted one company about doors (about 8 doors and 6 drawers) and the cost of those alone was £2k. Surely, there must be some cheaper options out there?! Any advice would be hugely appreciated!

theboxofdelights I think if you shop around and if you like the layout then you could get new doors, worktop, tiles and repaint it for £3000. 7 or 8 years with a kitchen you don't like is silly as you have a decent budget.

@theboxofdelights - totally off topic, but how tall are your ceilings?!?! I see your point though. The kitchen's not bad enough to HAVE to do something about it, but I can see why you aren't keen. Then, it is similar to mine, and I am the same! Just planning on putting up with it though until we're ready to do "the big project".

@nearlyadoctor - my DP's old kitchen looked like that - he got new cupboard doors and drawer fronts. His worktops were awful so had them replaced, but yours look OK. A new extractor, new cupboard fronts, a blind in the window (those windows and doors are DARK!) and different colour walls and new flooring would make a huge difference to yours.

That’s exactly what we’re in the process of doing, have new top units, new extractor, muscle shaker coloured doors, scion blind, wood affect flooring.

10ft high Crazy.

I am not sure I could do it for £3k with doors. I need 40 ft of worktop, plus tiles, sink, job and decorating, I don’t decorate downstairs myself as the ceilings are too high for me.