Kitchen advice

[IlFaitBeau]

Currently looking at kitchen of new house and wondering what could do with changing and updating with budget in mind.

To start of - with this snapshot in interests of privacy - can someone say if this kitchen is a particular style (is this Shaker? Or?). The kitchen is a kitchen diner and is fairly large. Floor is tiled and dark. Tops white, bottoms gray. Is there a way to give the painted cabinet doors a spruce up? What material is the worktop? Just unsure where to tackle updating it. Just bought a new cooker by the way…

It looks perfectly nice to me! I’m not a fan of the tiles but it all looks quite smart already. Have the previous owners painted the cabinets themselves?

No we’ve got them painted by a decorater - so doors and handles were taken down and painted with the v55 cabinet paint. But was wondering if good enough ! Not sure …. Is this a shaker style kitchen ?

The kitchen is a shaker style. I would change the worktop and tiles and door handles.

I wouldn't say the kitchen is dated but is definitely traditional which isn't to my taste.

Worktops and handles are a splendid idea. Any recommendations for modern styles that won’t clash with rest of the kitchen and look good later too if potentially re selling in 5 years or so?!

I don't think it looks dated at all. The shaker style has always been my favourite. Worktop looks like a laminate, but the slightly better quality ones which are really practical and will last ages without staining, getting scratched etc. I suppose what really matters is if it is to your taste or not.

Excuse the degree of mess but here is a picture of kitchen which I might remove later but perhaps might hopefully give a picture of what it currently is!

If that was my kitchen I'd put some nice bright tiles over the old ones and a bright rug on the floor, but that's because I like colour.

It's a lovely kitchen.

Ah thank you :) It's difficult knowing what to do because it needs to be 3 things - 1) something I/spouse like and he sort of likes my white/gray/black approach 2) something our humdrum lives with 2 small DC and jobs and hectic cooking wont wreck and 3) and something that will not be a hindrance when house is resold in maybe 5 years ish.

The tiles are definitely not fitting with rest of kitchen as they are yellow/cream but I dont know where to start with that. Would they old tiles need ripping out and plaster board taken out and walls detroyed to replace tiles? Or? We dont want to do the short cuts of stickies/paint - so it would need new tiles.

I don't think your kitchen is bad at all! A little bit of sprucing up with tiles like the others have said would be enough I think! If you are looking for a new kitchen though, my sister recently had one designed and fitted by this company and said they were amazing- i think it would suit your space so well!

I'd definitely change the tiles. I wouldn't worry too much about pleasing potential future buyers and go for something you like.

As you've had the cabinets painted to a colour you want, I think that's your lead - definitely change the tiles to either a bright colour you like or there are lots of lovely grey pattern tiles which add interest. I also think that greys and wood don't always work well as wood/wood effect is so warm and textured. So if you can afford to change worktop, I would. Depending on what you like a fab sparkly white worktop would be good, or a contrasting dark. I've seen some good granite style worktop with a very slight texture which might add some depth?

Can i ask what changing the tiles entails? is it really the case that new tiling can simply be attached on top of existing tiling? I thought tiling needs ripping off first for profound amounts of chaos and money - and then re-plastering and new tiling for equally profound amounts of chaos and money. Is that not the case?

Yes old ones would need to come off, but shouldn't need to re plaster if tiling back over same space, just tidy up filler at the edges. I have seen some good outcomes from tile paint, but understand if that's not what you want. What colour were cabinets before you painted?

Would they old tiles need ripping out and plaster board taken out and walls detroyed to replace tiles? Or? We dont want to do the short cuts of stickies/paint - so it would need new tiles.

You can tile over tiles - we've done that quite successfully.

I've just noticed you have some wall areas that are not tiled. You could start by painting those to inject some colour. That would be fairly cheap and easy to do yourselves.

In my above statement about tiling over tiles - you need to be sure the old tiles are firmly stuck on to the wall, as putting new ones on top of them makes the tiling heavier. It's not a big expanse of wall, and your tiles look new though, so should be OK.

Tiling over tiles looks strange to me. It's easy to take off existing tiles and put on new ones. Any small bits of damage to the walls is covered by the new tiles. I've done it several times.

Tiling over tiles can give you a headache where they meet the worktop. We don’t have tiles at all. We have a granite upstand and F&B wipeable interior paint on the walls. I have a hob in an island, but in your case, just tile behind the cooker. You could remove the tiles, skim over to get a smooth wall and then paint. Way cheaper than new tiles and tiling. Also easy to paint another colour if you tire of it.

It’s Shaker - but the drawers are missing the shaker indent style? They look flat. If I’m honest: get rid of the door knobs. They really look dated. So many really good metal ones about. Try and steal ideas from up market kitchen designers.

I would also want an appliance housing. You have a lot of wall cupboards but no floor to ceiling cupboard. Not sure you can fix that though.

If the work surface is ok, you need to assess if taking it out will damage anything. If you take off the tiles anyway, you might be ok. In my view the kitchen, although shaker, is a bit dated. If you change the worktop, change the sink too.

Thanks all. Will discuss with spouse. For the moment - can anyone maybe link me to -

Door handles that look better and more modern than these door knobs for this colour?

Tile suggestions that you think suit?

Worktop suggestions which aren't laminate?

Obviously do not spend any degree of extra time on searching please - we are all busy and i am myself searching lots! - just if you have experience of something from the list above that "clicks" a bell for you and you can link it! thank you:)

I had an oak worktop (stained) replaced by quartz. It’s cheaper than granite. Works well.
For handles:
Try www.thehandlestudio.co.uk and www.thehandmadehandlecompany.co.uk and Turnstyle Designs. Frank Allart are high quality too. You might need to go through a retail outlet to see and feel some of these. Look at kitchens by companies such as Martin Moore and try and see if you can find similar.

I meant to add: John Lewis explain the virtues of each type of work surface. Then you can find who will fit it. Some are templates which is why you might consider a new sink. Get a big double sink and drain in one of them. My DD has a “Solid Surface” and it’s great. JL gives a good description of quite a few others though.

Thanks @TizerorFizz! Really liked the handle studio. We need knobs rather than handles and I am looking to move from round/knobby ones to angular black ones. This one from the Handle Studio caught my eye to replace the current round knobly knobs www.thehandlestudio.co.uk/matt-black-finish-square-augusta-style-with-base-plate/.

Still looking re: worktops…

Change tiles (add colour?) and work top maybe lighter?

I would find that handle a bit difficult to grip. I really like nickel knobs on a square base. I think you might find the ones you like don’t work so well on heavy doors. I’d be concerned they are not very robust.

I don’t like the hood but that maybe my personal taste

I hanks for your inputs everyone. My partner and I will figure something out between ourselves that suits both of our tastes and budget. Thanks much for all the ideas and links shared.