Help! I want a kitchen like this.....but on a budget and I know you can help me.....

[Maidamess]

dream kitchen

BUT the price tag is tooo much.

I do not really want to get a carpenter to custom build me one. I want simple preferably wooden doors that have only very plain detailing on them. I also want some shiney chrome handles and knobs.

Do any of you lovely ladies have any recommendations of a good kitchen? (I know its been done to death on here but I am desperado)

Watch out for those framed-door kitchens. If not well designed they can be a pain.

Ours is an MFI kitchen with framed doors and a drawer in each cabinet. Most of the cupboards are 300/400mm wide doors, so the actual opening of the door is too small to get anything in or out of (eg. a medium saucepan or cereal packet). The problem is they have invisible hinges (huge steel elbow ones) rather than the small surface hinges where the door swings clear. Corner cupboards are particularly inaccessible. We have rebuilt a number of the fronts so they swing out as one big door.

nailpolish - my units from Handmade Kitchens were about the same as your quote from B&Q and they are mostly solid oak ( with some oak veneered MDF for stability). And our kitchen is quite large. you can coem and see them if you like as you live quite near i think. we shoudl be finished in the next few days

you dont have to assemble them but you DO have to paint or varnish them. And its a big job. So if you are not into DIY them you woudl need to add a painter's time to the cost

I went to B&Q...they do have 'inframe' kitchens, but they still have that Plastic look that I don't really want.

Ikea was ....confusing. We spent ages faffing around planning our kitchen on the PC instore. Then the nice lady came and did it properly for us! So at least I have a rough layout to show other companies.

I have cancelled appointment with Harvey Jones. I think I will investigate Handmade Kitchens Direct. I like their style. Any more input from anyone, please feel free!

Plus my lovely builder is only charging £1k to fit kitchen so I will save there hopefully, seeing what some other people have spent!

is that £1000 for all the plumbing and electrics ( and tiling if necess) as well as the joinery? Are you paying time and line or is it a fixed rate?

if you get your units from handmade kitchens then they are ready made so you wont need to get the joiner to build them, just fit them. but you will need a painter, so it probably works out about the same cost

we budgeted more for painting as we had a whole room to do from scratch IYSWIM - newly plastered walls,ceiling and cornice, skirtings & facings, 5 doors and one window. And 16 kitchen units, mostly with a split finish. So it was a big job

john lewis of hungerford the kitchens are much nicer than they look on the website and reasonably priced

I have bought my kitchen and it was from MFI...so I need to speak to granny slipers to make sure I havent just cocked up! (Too late I know, but worth a chat)

Oh you are going to HATE me...have a look here. fab VERY reasonable, solid wood, great hand-drawn plans to fit the space measurement for your room. I know two people with kitchens from them and both are very pleased with them.

We went to Wickes for our kitchen - both Wickes and Focus had up to 70% off the ranges we liked as it was end of season etc - we got it from Wickes in the end last month and the price was something like £19 for a cupboard instead of £100 - even the "posh styles" were really good prices. We have got the "standard carcass" one though as we are fitting it ourselves, but a 3m worktop was £59 full price, delivery was about a fiver etc. Cooker, hood and hob we are getting from Argos - they had the best range and "value for money" offers. Still to get a sink but again will go to either Focus/Wickes/B & Q. They all have websites and most stuff can be ordered online if you don't have a store near you.
You may find something from them!

jill thats a very nice company by the looks of things. we HAD to sort our kitchen out this weekend and I anm very pleased with what we have chosen. It looks just like a Harvey Jones one that I was quoted £25k for, but cost £6k instead, including all appliances.

thats great! can we have a link please??