kitchen dilemma!!

[Joso]

Ok people may have seen my thread 'bout worktops but now I'm after advice on units. Was gonna go for Shaker style but have since decided that very simple wood veneer could look good. It's a smallish galley style kitchen but the roof slopes and we are going to fit a massive sky light so it should have a feeling of space. I guess I want something streamlined...and I also want somebody to make my mind up for me! The floor is definitely gonna be wooden but the units and worktops are up for negotiation. My question is should I go for shaker (or is that quite naff now!!?) or plain fronted birch veneer. Help laydeeees please - I don't know my mind anymore. My brain is in kitchen chaos!!

I love my shaker style, however with a small gallery style kitchen the plain fronted style might be really smart. One tip the 'designers' suggest is to not have wall units on both sides to increse the feel of space.

Open shelves on the walls do look cool at the moment and make the room look wider. Was in a very smart but tiny galley kitchen yesterday which had a big steel range cooker, some painted cupboards (sort of Shakerish) with no baseboards - ie you could see the floor under them which also made the room look bigger, a butcher's block type unit from Ikea, which made the room more funky and less fitted, a butler sink with a curtain under it and a mix of slate and wood worktops. It didn't look like a showroom kitchen but it did look funky, homely and very Red magazine iykwim. All painted white inc the walls with open shelving. It also had a small area built by a carpenter as a larder cupboard for food supplies which meant you didn't need wall units. As you can tell I had a good snoop!

Or you could use the space under the cabinets for storage. I asked my fitter not to permenantly fix the kick boards, and I use teh spaceunderneath for large baking dishes and stuff that I use occassionally.

surely the thing about shaker style being a classic is that it never looks particularly dated?

Well I'm lovin' the sound of that kitchen you were in Aloha - that's exactly the kinda feel I'm after. We are also looking at a range cooker but was thinking it may be too big for the space but at the same time it could give the kitchen a real wow factor. I mean I've come to the conclusion there's no reason why a small room has to mean small things - ifykwim. Would love a wood worktop but I know my limitations and maintaining the bloody thing is gonna be well beyond me (and my ol' man!!). I think if it's the laid back look I should probably go for the Shaker style. I think maybe flat fronted is a bit too sleek modern minimalist for me and my posseee. Crunchie what do you think - I have it in my head you are the design guru.

Aloha...by the way what colour were your chums painted units?

They had ivory painted cupboards and white walls. They are a very stylish couple with a v cool house but their kitchen is honestly really small and the big cooker in the small space makes even more impact. I think wood is fine provided you keep it away from the sink. I do nothing with mine - I know you are supposed to oil, but I dont. Slate is lovely looking though and if the kitchen is really small and you substitute a butcher's block for a unit it shouldn't cost that much.

Hmmm 'puts design guru's hat on!!'

Shaker will never be naff or dated since it is a classic, but I think it is a style best suited to larger kitchens - remember it comes from a traditional American style which usually suggests larger rooms.

Flat fronted cupboards are great (no fiddly corners for muck to settle, unlike Shaker) They are perhaps more 'of the moment' and could date more quickly, particularly with those long bar handles. However, great for smaller rooms.

Looking at your original post, the floor will be wood, that could work with either, but make sure that the colour matches the units to increase the sense of space if you go veneer fronted units.

So .... my solution!!

If you can, lose the wall cabinets, use under unit space if poss - bear in mind if you lose the kickboard the amount of gunk that will gather is disgusting and leads to loads more cleaning! A smaller range cooker would be great, 90cms at most would give you 2 decent sized ovns and at least 5 burners (I went for Rangemaster Toledo, sleek and modern, ut with a separate grill). Birch veneer flat front cabinets and matching floor, with darker worktop (go for a fake slatey formica). No tiles, try to get an upstand around teh worktop of the same material as the worktop. Pale creamy walls, loads of light via teh sky light and lots of chrome accessories!! Tada

Personally Iwould get teh best quality units you can, so if you do get bored the doors could be changed at a minimal cost.

Crunchie...i'm lovin' your solution! What you say about Shaker being the look for a bigger room is soooo true. Now I'm seriously thinking about the flat fronted cupboards. Am I right in saying that you're suggesting match the cupboards and floor for example birch units = birch floors. Then slatey style worktop (would you suggest the matt finish or the shiney finish?)(Can you recommend any particular brand of worktop?) With regards to the upper units - I love the idea of open shelving but unfortunately I have to go for proper units otherwise I'm gonna have nowhere to put things. I know it's less stylish but I've gotta think practicality here. And finally why do think it's best to go for an upstand as opposed to tiles - just wandering. Big thanks for all your help missus crunchie 'design' laydee.

Our last house had a tiny galley kitchen and we got a lot of extra space and a nice 'feel' by creating a 'dresser' out of wall units on the end wall; so we had two (glass -fronted) cabinets on either side, sitting directly on the worktop, then two directly above those and one bridging the gap. We then put a cut-to-fit mirror in the 'splashback' bit where the 'hole' was in the middle, instead of tiles.

If you need wall units, do make sure some are glass fronted, you can get lovely frosted glass so the inside can be a mess! If you can break it up with some open shelves do. If you have nice china or stuff it looks great.

The upstand rather than tiles just looks more modern and contempory, particularly if you have stainless steel range cooker and flat front units.

Also it depends on budget for the worktop. I adore my granite and would advise it to anyone, except for the cost. Even though it is black it is so shiny it reflects the light. However I wouldn't go for shiny formica as it scratches easily, unless you are obsessive about chopping boards! Also integrated appliances give a smoother line with less to break up the look, therefore agagin makes things look bigger.

Oh and Axiom ar ethe best formica worktops with the largest range.

How much are you spending?

Big Budget - go with rigid carcass units (like William Ball), Granite worktops and Stainless Steel Range cooker.

Small Budget - IKEA units are good quality and have the right style, formica worktop and stainless steel hob and oven (you could have a double oven in a unit which looks nice in a long narrow kitchen.

Is there room for units on both sides? or is it a long narrow run?

B&Q do plinth drawers and also a small set of steps that fold down into your plinth, I haven't tried them myself but like the idea if you are short of space.

Ooh, I've got some of those steps waiting to be installed with the rest of my kitchen, later on this week! I've gone for Shaker style, having tied myself into knots over what's hot and what's not. I decided in the end to get the one I liked the most and as I always returned to Shaker, that's the one.

I can't find any nice wall tiles, though. Any recommendations, to go with ivory shaker and terracotta flooring?

What's the worktop?

I've got a 90cm range with a ceramic top which is flush with the worksurface and makes the kitchen feel like it's got more work space than it actually has.

Dark green granite, I think - I've forgotten as it's been so long since I chose!

Crunchie definitely like the idea about glass wall units - think it'll give that feeling of space. Worktop wise I have found this black matt slatey formica one that seems good. Am definitely veering towards the flat fronted units now in birch. Like you Suedonim I too have tied myself in knots about this bloody kitchen. I think i'd just freak out if it didn't look fantastic. Would love granite but don't have the spare millions of pounds which it'd cost. So here's the verdict (at the moment)it could well change. Flat fronted birch units, range cooker, upper units in frosted glass, black slate style worktop, light wood flooring. Whadya reckon ladies?

Sounds good.

Suedonim, my mum has cream shaker style units from Ikea with a beech worktop and slate tiles on the floor and the splashback is those brick shaped tiles in a warm cream. It looks fantastic. And her kitchen is tiny.

Stylish, Joso! That sounds lovely. I meant formica granite, too, not the real MaCoy.

Your mum's tiles sound good Aloha - do you know where she got them? I've seen black and white brick shaped ones but not cream.

Anyway, I must go and empty yet more cupboards - my heart is sinking at the thought of the week to come......