Kitchen design dilemma

6 years ago

Hi houzzers,

Before I start, thank you to everybody who responds, all advice will be greatly appreciated. warning: long post ahead, apologies!

Here's the Dilemma: we purchased a kitchen from a showroom and the flooring from an independent retailer and selected the flooring from conscience and not by taking worktop samples (my bad) thinking we'd be OK. Having everything installed, it all just looks too same with no interest. How can I make it abit more lively on a budget?

The room is a kitchen diner with a U-shaped kitchen on end, dining on the opposite end. The kitchen itself is a cashmere gloss, paired with a 'driftwood' sort of wood effect worktop/splashback (a lighter worktop/flooring may have suited better in hindsight) and vogue beige wood effect porcelain. The walls are Dulux chalk blush 1 and 3.

We are yet to buy a dining table.

I would like to now inject some colour to make the kitchen look abut more exciting...here are my ideas, feel free to correct me and criticise (I've learnt a lot through out this process but haven't clocked all the tricks):-

- I need blinds for the windows so maybe get something a bit colourful - what colour would suit well

- I'm thinking of purchasing orla keily storage caddies and play up on them colours for Stools for a breakfast bar which we are considering to put up.

- a nice clock (inspiration required)

What else could I consider??

I will attach images off the space tomorrow.

Thanks all.

Featured Answer

croninella

6 years ago

I love it - once you have a funky lightfitting and blinds, it won't look bland

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Comments (21)

A S
Original Author
6 years ago
I will leave the possibility of repainting the kitchen open but something for the future as we have just had it painted...
PRO
Bisque Radiators
6 years ago
Why not get a statement radiator to add some wow factors, as well as being practical is also adds some color to the room, please see a few options below! http://www.bisque.co.uk/gallery
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Hi Doron, The design works well and usability is great, with the island serving as a work point from fridge, oven, hob and sink. If you are worried about walking into the view of the side panel to the left, is there option to move the door further into the room? you could then think about an open shelf unit next to the fridge freezer. If budget would allow, you should consider adding end panels to the sink run, otherwise you will see down the side of the handle trim. You could use either door material or wrap the worktop around. Also there is a comment on the plan which reads, 'Future oven position' what is this in reference too? Hope this helps, Daniel
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Hi Shona, To be honest, I'm not that impressed by either design. The first is rather bland, and the peninsula seems awkward and wastes a large amount of space. And while (when pushed by clients) I have designed/installed kitchens with islands with less than 900mm space around, the overall layouts have still worked ok. When I look at the John Lewis design, it just doesn't gel for me - oven & hob separated by the sink; American F/F jutting out and liable to be awkward when people are sitting at the island; and an island which is so narrow and long, it'll seem, I think, weird and make the space feel long and narrow. My initial suggestion would be to start with the broad outline of the first option, but ditch the peninsula and end the units in line with the tall units opposite. This will then leave a lovely, large, squarish space in which to put a more substantial island while still having plenty of room to move around it and, if desired, incorporate seating - up to 4 places could be comfortably achieved. This will keep the main prt of the kitchen open & easy to move around, provide more of a "feature" from the island, and overall give the impression of it being less of a long narrow space. Given the dimensions, I'd want to play with this a little before making final decisions, as the width is just a hint narrower than I'd like, but a good designer should be able to give you lots of options more inspiring than the current 2. Caldicot Kitchens
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Why not have an oven under hob and One under microwave too ?
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I just measured my room with yours. Mine is 7.86 wide X 4.60 to the bathroom wall (where your extension is) We do have our lounge area extra but that extension is mainly the kitchen and dining area - plus casual seating in summer. Don’t despair. I would really recommend having a go with that software I mentioned and you can have up to 3 layouts for free (I’ve never paid!) and it’s pretty easy to work out. (I don’t sell it by the way 😂 I just love it!) With my room only being slightly wider than yours - If you only plan on using it for kitchen and dining then I would definitely make the utility larger and worry about the dog leg after. If you are having an island, then you will have units in that so do you really need units all the way around the walls? That seems a lot of units. Could you not make the dog leg pantry as I mentioned as you are talking 600 dog leg then units on top of that - that’s a huge space. You wouldn’t need units then around both corners. Just flinging some ideas about! Have you got rough kitchen plans or design? Where is your living space to be? It’s a great space and I think you need to step back and start at the basics with it with what you really want from the room and how you could fit them into that space. These are rough pics of my room which changes all the time as I move my dining table about ie by the window, also my tub chairs move around depending on the season! It’s a flexible space.
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A S
Original Author
6 years ago
Wow, is the first one a radiator, I do like that, just not for the kitchen as we have UFH...Thanks for the response...

I will get pictures up, later during the day.

Many thanks
A x
PRO
Bisque Radiators
6 years ago
It is, it comes in so many colors that the Arteplano can suit any room!

Good-luck with your project.
PRO
LiteTile Ltd
6 years ago
Hi. Have you thought about the lighting side of things? You could inject some colour by having some LED kick-strip lighting...this could be colour-changing so you can "set the mood" in your kitchen depending on the time of day, season etc. You can set the LEDs to be static on one particular colour, or to scroll through all the colours and you dim as well. Do have a look at www.litetile.co.uk - you will see that we have an online LED shop (we can make up the lengths of LEDs and extrusion in the lengths to fit your kitchen) & we also make bespoke illuminated splashbacks and one of those would certainly inject some colour into your kitchen!
minnie101
6 years ago
Hi. I think some photos will help. Colour could be good but maybe adding different textures and herbs and plants could also help. Perhaps also include the dimensions of the space available for dining and breakfast bar
A S
Original Author
6 years ago
Hi,

In terms of lighting we have under cabinet lighting and considering the Philips hue strip lighting under Base and above wall cabinets... we still need to buy fittings and are looking for inspiration.

I've attached an image of the kitchen area which takes up about a third of the room.
I'll get some measurements in or a floor plan

many thanks
A x
A S
Original Author
6 years ago
Thank you for all replies.

@minnie101 I've attached a poor attempt of a mock up of the space available. 2 of the tall cabinets house the fridge and freezer whilst the other two serve as larder units.

The doors are oak, with 5 glazed panels, not as shown in layout.

I have also attached the storage caddies I'm looking to add to get some colour running through.

I purchased the salter geo lattice bin which works well in the space and has got some pattern running through

I would like some inspiration in terms of:-

-ceiling light fittings
-blinds (type, colour, design)
-dining table
-should I get coloured microwave/kettle (we will look to install integrated microwave in the future)
-what can I do to improve

Many thanks once again
A S
Original Author
6 years ago
oh, and this is the bin, forgot to attach in above post.
minnie101
6 years ago
I might post a couple of questions in stages! It looks as if you need a flush or semi-flush ceiling light? Do you know what the ceiling height is? This isn't the most exciting light in the world but you can tilt it. I'm assuming you struggle a little for light around the sink area unless you plan to install more so it could be useful? Is a light also needed for over the table? The kitchen looks nice btw!

https://www.johnlewis.com/nordlux-alba-led-adjustable-tilt-semi-flush-ceiling-light/p717431?colour=Grey
PRO
Contemporary Home Design Ltd
6 years ago
Wesco kitchen accessories have very vibrant retro kitchen accessories which will give any kitchen lots of character

https://www.wesco.de/en/shop/products/kitchen-accessoires/
A S
Original Author
6 years ago
Thank you CHD, I will take a look

Thank you as well minnie, ask away

The ceiling is standard height, 1.4m... so a semi-flush fitting may be better suited... We were in two minds about spots and decided against it, I'm wondering now whether it would have been better.

The room receives plentiful natural light due to fully glazed doors from adjoining rooms but would like more artifical light for evenings. Are there any fitting which spreadlight across the room rather than in one spot, not a big fan of the standard tube lights...or anyway to install, say spotlights after plastering, etc.

Thank you all once again
Ax
minnie101
6 years ago
I've just realised you don't have any ideabooks set up in terms of styles and colours so I'm making a pure stab in the dark based on the canisters! I would go for the first set of canisters in terms of colours. Add a wooden bowl for fruit/veg (the white company).The hand soap and a brush in a little pot also looks nice, these are Meraki. The art is by tretchikoff, prints are widely available. The chair is a cherner chair but you can get repros and would team with a similar table. The rug is a washable rag rug by trendcarpet.co.uk, I can't get an image of the ones I thought but there is a striped burnt orange one (which they call beige) and the other is shades of orange with white in the middle. You could look at bronze for the kettle to tie in with the canister lids? I would add herbs on the worktop and maybe faux olive for the table but in a stoneware vase? Do you like this light as I have seen a similar semi-flush version but just need to find it if you do! This would obviously disperse the light too. Made.com also do a few plug in wall lights which could be worth looking at. I may have got that all wrong in terms of styles you like though!!
minnie101
6 years ago
In terms of blinds, do you know what style you want? Roman blinds aren't really recommended for a kitchen although they may be able to be spot or dry cleaned. Quite a few people do have them though if you were keen on a Roman (and use your extractor!). Again with real wooden blinds, the wood may react to the change in humidity the same as a floor. I've attached this link as it gives info on types available plus their pricing is good

http://www.blinds-2go.co.uk/kitchen-blinds
A S
Original Author
6 years ago
Hi

Thank you for the lengthly post with lots of inspiration...I'm yet to look at everything in detail, but I've skimmed through and taken a look at the images...

I just haven't got round to creating ideasbook ; I must admit, when I first started using houzz, I didn't realise ideasbook was where I could store all the images I liked so I was screenshotting the images to save onto my gallery for future reference... which is only useful for myself, not others who would like to give advice, unfortunately.

I quite like the copper-bronze kettle, I'd been deliberating a while as to what kettle to get and I think the copper may be the way to go... I like the use of plants and bold colours as you've suggested.

For someone taking a dab, you've got a lot of stuff on there to my taste, (all the wooden elements) but I feel that the space already has an overpowering sense of wooden colours textures with the flooring, splashback and work surface so want to add something different to create a slight contrast, hence thinking of bold bright colours.

I have considered a breakfast bar on the window wall, opposite to the kitchen with colourful stools (I'll attach an inspiration image, which again, I unfortunately screenshotted in place of saving to ideas book).

I think I will start an ideas book so I can get advice more suited to my style instead of making people guess.

For blinds, I was thinking either horizontal or vertical blinds... I'm not a keen fan of roller blinds as they don't give that in between stage where you want light to be coming in but you also want that privacy factor.

I do quite like the light fitting, it's sort of contemporary, industrial but does it hang low...we are a tall family and wouldn't like to knock in to it.

Thank you for all your help Minnie...highly appreciate it

A x
PRO
OnePlan
6 years ago
Minnie is a star !!!
Love the suggestions here !!
minnie101
6 years ago
You're welcome :) If you get a few ideas in a book I will have another go, I love "shopping"! The ideabooks are quite good as you can add comments as to what you like, which is helpful if you only like one thing in the room and hate the rest! Colour will be great but also mix the different textures/materials such as marble, glass, cork, stoneware, terracotta, metals, fabric etc. There are loads of great accessories around ATM as texture is so on trend. I wish there were more good semi-flush lights around though (and bathroom ones!) . Will have a look though
PRO
Bloc Blinds
6 years ago
Hi there,

I would recommend bright roller blinds here in a dimout fabric. I know you said you weren't keen as you find it hard to find the middle ground in terms of privacy and lighting but I think this won't be an issue if you opt for a dimout fabric.

Our new, artist inspired, "Rosbeg" print below would certainly bring colour to your kitchen and also fit in well with the driftwood worktop. It is shown below in blackout fabric but the dimout version allows some light to filter in while maintaining privacy.

Another option would be a really bright pop of colour like Luscious Lime below.

What makes our blinds unique is that you can swap the fabric of your blind by hooking off one and hooking on another in seconds without ever replacing the system or even removing it from the window.

If you are still not sold on Roller Blinds you should check out ourZebra Blinds which are horizontal blinds which also offer flexibility in terms of privacy and lighting. Free samples and more advice on which blinds to choose are available at blocblinds.co.uk.

Best of luck,

Kiera
A S
Original Author
6 years ago
I'd have a look at dulux chalk blush 3/4, I've had it in a room with a warm white and cool white bulbs and the colour looks great...it's an off-white so very neutral.
A S
Original Author
6 years ago
wrong post...oops