I hate my kitchen but it cost a lot of £££

[RightMoveAlong]

Namechanged.

I had a new kitchen fitted around 18 years ago and it cost over £20K in total. New boiler at the same time (in kitchen), built in fridge, granite worktops, solid light-wood kitchen installed by an upmarket company.

I was never happy with the worktops (glittery black) but DP wanted them and I gave in.

It's so dark. The room faces north so I need the lights on all day as the window is small. The black worktops don't help.

It's very dated now because everyone is going for white or pastel painted units.

I don't know what to do , if anything.

We may move at some point and I guess buyers would know it was a quality kitchen even if not their taste and rip it out.

I can't bring myself to re-new it even though the money is there, as it seems such a waste. The property is worth around £650-£700K.

Would it be possible to sell it 2nd hand or get something for parts of it?

I would get the units painted white and keep the worktops.

Also, I would install lights in the kickboards and also under the top presses which will brighten the kitchen up even more! Good luck with changing the worktops, I’m sure it will be lovely when it’s all done!🙂

I have often thought about replacing the doors in my kitchen as the layout can’t be changed, but I’ve never understood how that would work when all the trim (pieces under the high level cabinet doors, built in wine racks, exposed ends of cupboards) would remain? Would I have to replace those (though they are completely built in)? Like in the attached pic - the shelves next to the extractor would still be birch even if all the cupboard doors were changed.

@WowStarsWow the wall units are boxes attached to the wall with brackets, they can be taken off. The old trims would be unscrewed and new ones cut to fit and attached.

the ends are called "decor panels" and you can buy them as accessories. You can buy plinth in numerous colours and effects, and coving and stuff

If you have a wine rack with exposed edges, I think you would need to have one made in a matching board (or buy one, if you can find it)

have a look at the choice of colours and wood effects this company offers....

(click on "colour")

Your kitchen is 18 YEARS old. You've had your use out of it, expensive or not it's time for a change!

I’d think carefully about your choice of worktop op. White doesn’t often work that well with wooden units.

I like black sparkly worktops. I liked the photo a poster added with no wall units and painted lower units.
Consider changing door fronts and adding more lighting with 'daylight' bulbs.

I begrudge painting it simply because I think it's impossible to paint drawers etc to look professional but maybe I'm wrong there.“

There are companies who specialise. Though it might actually cost less to just have the doors and fittings replaced. Though not if you wanted specialist solid wood again.

@DianaT1969

I like black sparkly worktops. I liked the photo a poster added with no wall units and painted lower units. Consider changing door fronts and adding more lighting with 'daylight' bulbs.

Yes personally I’d keep the granite worktops and replace the doors and facings,

@NotMeNoNo @PigletJohn thank you both!

OP sorry for hijacking your thread and I hope you find a way to enjoy your kitchen

Also, I can't get my head round the OP hating her kitchen, but doing nothing about it for nearly 20 years. Batshit.

to be fair to the OP I lived in a house I didn't like for 18 years, I love the one I am in now - even with the pine kitchen, that previous website seems good but the price on the website shows that it will be around 3-4k.

I must admit I never get the "just repaint/respray your kitchen doors" thing - surely then the inside of the cupboards/drawers wouldn't match the colour of the outside (ie. in this case the inside would be wood effect, but the outside a different painted colour), that would bug me far more than having a (currently) unfashionable wooden kitchen! And I say that as someone who likes the painted white/cream/light grey kitchen unit trend...

I agree with replacing the dark worktop though, if the rest of the kitchen is still in good condition - worktops tend to be the first thing people notice on entering a kitchen and if you have a large expanse of black worktop it could be making the kitchen feel a lot darker.

I also agree that new handles/knobs are an easy change - many handles are standard sizes and easy to swop. A new worktop and handles/knobs could really help it feel like a new kitchen (and if you haven't already, maybe try the old trick of "light reflecting Trade Diamond Matt" paint for the walls and a big mirror, assuming adding extra lighting is not a option).

When we bought our home 18 months ago we had the kitchen professionally repainted. The kitchen was hardwood and 10 years old so we couldn’t justify ripping it out.

It also had black granite work tops which aren’t to our taste but after having the kitchen repainted I don’t actually mind the surfaces now.

It’s a large kitchen with island and cost about £3k including paint. There are many companies offering this service but they are not all equal. Our kitchen was completely take apart, treated and resprayed. Cupboards, drawers, the lot. It took three weeks from start to finish and I’m still delighted with the end result. We changed to door handles too which finished the whole thing off.

@Bluntness100

I’d think carefully about your choice of worktop op. White doesn’t often work that well with wooden units.

With white, I'd probably never dare make coffee, prepare berries or use turmeric or paprika.

Eighteen years is a long time. You can certainly justify a new kitchen if you can afford it. Or why not replace the cupboard doors. That would only be a fraction of the cost.

@IamnotwhouthinkIam

I must admit I never get the "just repaint/respray your kitchen doors" thing - surely then the inside of the cupboards/drawers wouldn't match the colour of the outside (ie. in this case the inside would be wood effect, but the outside a different painted colour), that would bug me far more than having a (currently) unfashionable wooden kitchen! And I say that as someone who likes the painted white/cream/light grey kitchen unit trend...

I agree with replacing the dark worktop though, if the rest of the kitchen is still in good condition - worktops tend to be the first thing people notice on entering a kitchen and if you have a large expanse of black worktop it could be making the kitchen feel a lot darker.

I also agree that new handles/knobs are an easy change - many handles are standard sizes and easy to swop. A new worktop and handles/knobs could really help it feel like a new kitchen (and if you haven't already, maybe try the old trick of "light reflecting Trade Diamond Matt" paint for the walls and a big mirror, assuming adding extra lighting is not a option).

I hadn't thought of that! Proper companies take it right to bits but that would be annoying.

What about having the cupboard doors wrapped, not too expensive, and less trouble than painting.

I recently had my cupboard and drawer doors resprayed (from an off white to white) and replaced the horrible dark worktops to a pale grey 'cement' solid laminate. They were from Worktops Express, we measured them, they made them and DH fitted them.
Looks completely fresh and new. And has completely brightened up oUr NE facing kitchen

With white, I'd probably never dare make coffee, prepare berries or use turmeric or paprika

Agree with this - a pure white would scare me with stains (and also could look a different shade from your white walls which might be annoying). If you decide to keep the units I'd look at light colours that would tone with the wood- a white stone with lots of neutral browns/beiges in flecks or veining might look nice with the wood and be easier to look after than a plain white.

@WowStarsWow

I have often thought about replacing the doors in my kitchen as the layout can’t be changed, but I’ve never understood how that would work when all the trim (pieces under the high level cabinet doors, built in wine racks, exposed ends of cupboards) would remain? Would I have to replace those (though they are completely built in)? Like in the attached pic - the shelves next to the extractor would still be birch even if all the cupboard doors were changed.

That is pretty much my kitchen!

I'm sorry- on the one hand I appreciate all the helpful comments, but on the other but I come from a very poor background. my dear old mum is still living with a 50 year old kitchen as she can't afford to change it.

I was brought up with the idea that if something works, you don't just bin it because you're a bit fed up with it!

Okay, I'm my own woman now, and comfortably off. BUT that kind of upbringing does stay with you :)

So- if I do go for painted cupboards, how do they do the inside of the units? the carcass and the shelves, and the end panels?

With this wood kitchen, the shelves are the same colour as the doors, as are the panels above the cooker where the extractor fan is fitted. How do they do it all?

@IamnotwhouthinkIam

With white, I'd probably never dare make coffee, prepare berries or use turmeric or paprika

Agree with this - a pure white would scare me with stains (and also could look a different shade from your white walls which might be annoying). If you decide to keep the units I'd look at light colours that would tone with the wood- a white stone with lots of neutral browns/beiges in flecks or veining might look nice with the wood and be easier to look after than a plain white.

Granite doesn't stain. You can't get pure white granite anyway, so it would be some kind of fleck, unless I go for quartz.

Professional kitchen sprayers work absolute magic. Do that!

@Mumtothelittelfella Is this a nationwide company? How did you choose?