Talk to me about fitted kitchens Mumsnet

[ScreamingBeans]

I'm just about to go to B&Q and get a desigy knocked up.

I actually hate fitted kitchens but my kitchen is only 3metres x 2metres so having experimented with various arrangements of cabinet, dresser etc have reluctantly concluded I have to have a properly fitted one to maximize space and get stuff off the counter tops.

I've always had a belfast sink but it's got little cracks in, what's the best alternative?

Any general advice about what to avoid, what's essential - where to start, really?

My kitchen is a similar size and I've just had it fitted out. I looked for inspiration on Pinterest & Instagram which gave me some good ideas about what my ideal kitchen might be, then I tried to bring those ideals into my small space. I visited lots of kitchen showrooms and tried to imagine their layouts in my small space; used graph paper and to-scale cut outs to try out different layouts. It was fun!

I designed the kitchen myself, trying to balance practical (eg creating a working triangle; maximizing accessible storage; don't put fridge next to oven if you can etc) with what looks and feels lovely to me.

What I liked were kitchens that had an open feel, but also I need lots of storage - like you I longed to have clearer surfaces! Hard to achieve that more open feel in a galley kitchen, but there's some scope. What I've done is create one long wall of ceiling height storage - pull out larder unit, double oven/microwave housing unit, hob on a run of base units with lots of deep drawers, plus tall wall units. The other wall has base units for corner unit and the sink, plus washing machine/dishwasher, but no wall units. Instead the walls have some very narrow shelves, and a large wooden plate rack - it looks much more open, less like a corridor.

I bought the units from DIY kitchens and they are fabulous. Also have stuck to limited colours: soft grey-ish units, soft white everything else (worktop, walls & ceiling, shelves, tiles) ; copper handles (goes with existing tiled floor) & wooden bits( eg plate rack, wall mounted spice rack) give warm, cosy feel.

I've also had to buy a stool to reach things in the high cabinets! . It's been huge fun & very challenging doing this, but it's fantastic to end up with a kitchen you love.

Thanks Pralinelatte, I'll have a look on Pinterest etc

Gloss or matt?

@Pralinelatte I have a galley kitchen too and am wanting to renew it. Yours sounds absolutely lovely - would you mind putting a pic up? x

That's a very small space. Have you got room for any corners? A straight run of units and a fridge/larder cupboard on the short wall might be as much as you can fit in , then everything would need to be neatly fitted in. Ikea are good for small kitchen ideas.

If you have a more traditional taste, then definitely matt. Maybe a shaker style with wooden worktops. What would work even nicer is an in-frame kitchen.

I’d focus on the practicalities, though and have a think about what size fridge you need (freestanding ones can have greater capacity) and consider solutions such as a hot water tap and a microwave fitted into a wall cabinet. That should free up work surfaces.

2M isn’t wide enough for standard cabinets on either side but I think you could get away with slimline ones on one side.

Oh, corners can be awkward. Depending on the positioning of the doors, I’d either do an L shape kitchen, or a 3m galley with cabinets on both sides (but one side needing to be skinny units).

There were one or two massive threads on here, full of advice about what people regretted or were really pleased with when they got new kitchens put in. Definitely worth a search - our new kitchen is being installed as I type, and I pored over the threads before choosing things!

I prefer stainless steel sinks and have gone for pale ice blue gloss cupboards, grey concrete-style tile laminate flooring and white splashbacks and walls (no tiles), but I like a cool, sleek, modern kitchen style. My kitchen is pretty big and square. We were tempted by an island, but decided to stick with a breakfast bar in the end.

Sorry no help whatsoever but I keep on reading the thread title as 'fitted knickers' (totally my fault)

LOL at fitted knickers.

Don’t get a black sink
Don’t get a white worktop

Drawers not cupboards. Sooooooo much better.
Slideout bin in a unit (ours is in a 30cm wide), unless you have a perfect place for a standup bin.

Oh no, why not a white work top, that's what I really want!

We had a white worktop, shows every crumb, but looked fab.

@ScreamingBeans awful to clean. Depending on what material research it. Getting quartz? Go to the showroom with a kettle and make a coffee (I kid you not).

Fair enough I have a terrible quality one from Worktop Express, but I wouldn’t recommend.

I've got a white corian worktop and love it. Whatever worktops you like get samples of and leave curry, red wine, tea and coffee for 24 hours and see what they're like to clean.

I have the white corian sink with a stainless steel bottom, so easy to clean.