Kitchen advice please

6 years ago

Hi looking for some advice for my very small u shaped kitchen. Bad plan shown at top from one of the big wholesale kitchen companies, more to illustrate just how small the space will be. I am having building work done to make it to this size so my budget is pretty small.

I think what is fixed is that I will need to use White handleless slab doors ( howdens Clerkenwell or Bayswater). I think gloss might help to bounce light around more than a Matt finish would.

I am stuck on everything else. I like glass splashback and although I like bright colours usually, I think maybe a light blue would work best and not overpower the room. Then that leads to what sort of worktop works best with a glass splashback. Howdens do a glass effect counter top in grey and also in white but that might just look awful next to glass?

I am also thinking of using the Kahrs chevron flooring in either white or the grey (one of the two lightest colours - photo shown below) but I may change my mind once I see the samples next to my wooden floor in the adjoining room. So a wooden floor probably rules out wooden counter top too. I like the look of Corian/Maia etc. but I think they will be over budget. Or do I forget glass and go for the matching counter top and backing scheme in a laminate?

As I said my budget is quite small, do I try and save by not integrating all the appliances, I think definitely across the facing wall but perhaps the two side walls I can have a fridge freezer on one side and a dishwasher on the other side wall next to the sink. I will be having a stainless steel hob and over/ stainless steel sink/ tap. ( photo attached at top of an example dishwasher/ sink scheme).

Any advice would be really appreciated on what countertops/ splash back/flooring would work and be practical in this very small room. If anyone also thinks the layout could be better that would be great as well.

Featured Answer

Danielle H

6 years ago

Hi Caroll,
I too have a very small kitchen which is open plan with my living room. My kitchen is Howdens but in Matt white with the profile handle. It's been in for 3 years and I've had no problems with the quality or peeling doors next to the oven. I went for a white worktop and mid grey flat metro tiles. The floor is walnut laminate. My budget was tiny (full house renovation on my first time buy by myself!) To keep budget down I sourced all my appliances from different places. Oven and integrated fridge were from a place that sold returns (all without damages but missing original packing) my hob and extractor and sink were off eBay!
Do you have a floor plan or the room? Easier to look at layouts from above.
Do you need to return the kitchen round on the left? Could the fridge be integrated on the long run at the end? Only mentioning because that end wall cupboard may be difficult to access over the counter.
I've included a photo of my kitchen to show you similar colours/layout to what you're going for. Hope it helps, happy to answer any questions :)

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Comments (36)

A S
6 years ago
Hi,

I hate to drop this but I would shop around a little more to get a better quality gloss kitchen. The gloss kitchens offered by Howdens is vinyl wrapped MDF and so over time You will find that the vinyl will peel off the edges and more so near ovens and cookers.

A lacquered finish is much better quality.
Caroll Brown thanked A S
A S
6 years ago
I think any light coloured gloss cabinets will help lighten the space and bounce light.

A mirrored splashback or glass splashback will also bounce light making the kitchen. feel airy. As you are considering white gloss cabinets, you could choose any colour splashback, I like the idea of a light green or blue or a bolder green or orange.

With regards to worktops, if your budget is tight, I'd look at a good quality laminate worktop in a marble effect or speckled just to add a little interest to the plain cabinets.

For flooring, I like the first two shown in your image...if this doesn't work, I'd get large format tiles or consider Luxury Vinyl Tiles- They are an investment but they do last and are highly durable. These are available in wood effect, stone effect, etc.
Caroll Brown thanked A S
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S L
6 years ago
Glass splashback can be quite expensive. If you having the walls plastered I would just put an upstand around the worktop and have a standard off the shelf glass splashback for behind the hob. You seem to be going for white and pale colours anyway so I think it would still look quite light without the expense of all that glass.
Caroll Brown thanked S L
Juliet Docherty
6 years ago
Maybe it's worth considering which lightens the space more - a light worktop or light cabinets, (of course you could have both). I'm inclined to think that light worktops do. Have a look at Birch ply formica worktops, they are very practical and cost a fraction of stone.
Caroll Brown thanked Juliet Docherty
Yasmin Y
6 years ago
The matt white handleless cabinets from Ikea are cheaper than Howdens (I looked into both) and you may be able to use the saving to get a better quality worktop
Caroll Brown thanked Yasmin Y
Caroll Brown
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks everyone, I will look into these various options. Hadn't heard of birch ply Formica - I will look it up. Agree that a speckle worktop might also add more interest and large format tiles would most definitely work if the wood flooring doesn't.

I've had an ikea kitchen before and it lasted 10 years and is still going strong. Practically all of the tradespeople I have spoken to recently don't seem keen on fitting them though which is annoying.

I didn't get any other design plans from the kitchen planner (the one above was from Stevenswood) but the photo below is from my architect plan. When the building work is complete the room is only 5 sq metres. I felt by accessing the room from the lounge would give me a U-shape where I could fit In more than the L-shape but I seem what you mean Danielle, that the fridge could have gone in at the end of the long wall instead of having a corner cupboard.

I could have been much braver and made it open plan to the lounge and had a small island but that would have taken some of the lounge space. It's difficult to try and fit everything in to such little space, although it'll be a vast improvement to the current size.

Danielle, your kitchen looks fabulous and ties together beautifully.
PRO
OnePlan
6 years ago
Compact kitchens are often the trickiest to design!

I agree with your idea of DW in the return under window by wall. And looks like a FF could go the other end next to boxed in WVP.
The FF could be freestanding - but I'd suggest everything else be integrated for a more streamlined look.

Not sure how efficient the wall extractor might be given it's part blocked by a column? Some creative use of flat ducting in an upright position might allow an extractor to be placed above the hob, which is where the moisture and aromas are created - think I'd suggest that would be more efficient than just a wall fan.

A detailed design, taking into account everything including ceiling and window heights etc would be useful here - then you can place the electrics and lighting in the right place and maximise storage, workspace and appliance positions.

This is the sort of freelance project we often work on with clients - getting the detail right at design stage - then allows you to shop around for a good deal without compromising the design.
Caroll Brown thanked OnePlan
Juliet Docherty
6 years ago
Hello Caroll - just a quick note on Ikea kitchens. We recently did ours and opted for Ikea (carcasses and doors) and spent more on the worktop. However, this may sound strange but we spent more on the fitting than the actual Ikea kitchen. We have an amazing carpenter and he modified everything to fit so that it looks bespoke. He was so impressed with the final result that he is fitting one in his own house. The carcasses are slightly deeper than typical kitchen carcasses so you can't put a standard 60cm worktop on them. We opted for a 'skin' of granite over the top of moisture resistant MDF, it looks the same and cost a fraction of solid. (Granite Transformations).
Caroll Brown thanked Juliet Docherty
A S
6 years ago
Many don't like fitting Ikea kitchens as they come flat pack and therefore require much more work to fit, and so, though they may be cheaper, the cost to fit is also more thus working out within a similar price range to a built in kitchen.
Caroll Brown thanked A S
Juliet Docherty
6 years ago
This is true, but I wanted the oak ikea doors which only fitted their carcasses. I have to say though, they are lower to the ground and have more storage space.
Caroll Brown thanked Juliet Docherty
PRO
The Interiorist
6 years ago
For a budget kitchen that still looks quality I'd back IKEA - I did a large kitchen that was on a very tight budget and could find no better value (at the time). The client helped in building and preparing the units for the joiner, so quite a bit of money was saved there, too. The worktop I sourced for this kitchen was also very economical in price and is laminate with a glass look to it. It's from a company called Getalit, worth checking out. In terms of splashback, you can have (clear or coloured) glass made to measure and it will also help bounce the light. Or go for glossy tiles?
It's always worth having a good look around and think laterally sometimes. You are having all the right ideas, so it just remains to find your personal solution - good luck!
Caroll Brown thanked The Interiorist
PRO
Croydon Window Company Ltd
6 years ago
Hi Caroll, this is a kitchen we did , and our client chose glass units from Howdens, and we supplied and fitted the glass splashback.
Caroll Brown thanked Croydon Window Company Ltd
PRO
Floor Monster
6 years ago
Hi Caroll,

We currently have a whitewashed Chevron board in stock! It is our Lucerne Chevron! This board comes with a 5mm veneer so it is a very hard wearing board.

We also have a laminate herringbone that will bring the cost down dramatically! It is our Islington Herringbone!

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to get in touch! We would be more than happy to send you FREE samples.

You can give us a call directly on 0141 887 5698 or you can email us at info@floormonster.co.uk.

Kind Regards,

Jack
Caroll Brown thanked Floor Monster
Caroll Brown
Original Author
6 years ago

Thanks for your comments and advice.

With regard to ikea which is probably the cost effect/ quality option. I think because space is tight that the additional depth might not work for my space. It's a shame because these kitchens in birch ply look fabulous (Plykea ) and use ikea carcasses. If I was going open plan would be perfect. Not sure anything other than white would work in my space.

Floor monster I have ordered the samples you suggested, thank you.

These worktops look great The Interiorist. I will look them up,

OnePlan, the fan/extraction does concern me. I need to have further conversations with builders.

These other views are of the retrieved howdens plans ( they seem to take them down pretty quickly).
PRO
OnePlan
6 years ago
Ah - the builder will be the influence to use a certain builders merchant then ... just remember you don't have to use that supplier ...

I've had a client use Plykea in their home before - we did the drawings with the relevant ply spacers between units etc too - looked pretty realistic in the drawings - and was all done properly to scale etc ... the spacers do take up a little bit of room - fine in a larger kitchen - but in one where every bit of space matters... it's style v function and in this instance it's a fine balance.

The key measurement in your project is the depth of the kitchen and that boxing - as you might be able to use ikea cabinets if you still have enough space for a FF and to put a sink and DW on other end.
Caroll Brown thanked OnePlan
PRO
OnePlan
6 years ago
You might also want to consider making the entrance opening wider with barn door sliders on the lounge side to close it off when you aren't in the kitchen - but open it up when you are ? Might help the space feel less closed in.
Caroll Brown thanked OnePlan
Danielle H
6 years ago
I was going to suggest something similar to one plan. Do you have the room to put in a stud wall in the adjoining lounge to allow for a pocket door to the kitchen? From the look of the plan you'll probably need to keep the door shut when you're actually in the kitchen making you it feel more enclosed. Or can the door be hinged the other way so it opens into the lounge? Do you need the door, could you just have a bigger opening?
Caroll Brown thanked Danielle H
Caroll Brown
Original Author
6 years ago
I haven't decided on the door yet, I might just remove it completely depending on noise levels of WM and DW (yes also having to fit in a WM but that will be integrated). Good idea about sliding door/changing the direction of hinges (Danielle H). My builder seems open to using any supplier I choose but said about extra time/cost in building units from scratch V's pre-built.

OnePlan do you know of any company that does normal depth units (60cm) , either carcasses plus separate birch doors similar to Plykea or complete units? I really like them since I found that website. Failing that I will probably just go white units from Howdens (swaying towards the matt finish now) with birch formica countertop.
PRO
OnePlan
6 years ago
https://sustainablekitchens.co.uk/blog/plywood-kitchens/

Olga from sustainable is on Houzz too

https://www.houzz.co.uk/pro/sustainablekitchens/sustainable-kitchens

I don't know her (or them) personally - but I often see informative posts on the dilemma section from them.

And have found these two via google

http://www.plylam.co.uk/solid-birch-kitchen-units-and-doors.html

https://customfronts.co.uk/
Caroll Brown thanked OnePlan
Caroll Brown
Original Author
6 years ago
Me again, I am looking for some further advice and suggestions please. Now that the project is starting in just over a week’s time I am starting to feel unsure about some of the decisions I thought I’d made. The kitchen requires some building work to bring down a wall, to make a tiny kitchen into a small kitchen of 5 sq meters.

I was initially thinking I would go for a integrated handle gloss kitchen but the more I have looked at these I am now veering towards matt ‘true’ handle-less doors. However I am sort of tied in to using Howden’s, because of the turnaround time for the project of 3 weeks, the prebuilt carcasses they supply and also because the joiner rates them. On looking at their ranges, either Greenwich or Stockbridge slab style door would be the compromise but are not quite a true handle-less, and it would have a low profile minimal handle. Or would a painted wooden kitchen be a better bet?

I am also at a loss for the worktop, the more I look, the less I see anything I like. My budget probably limits me to laminate or wood, I did like to look of birch ply formica but not sure it could be made in time and was also going to cost £1000 for 2x 3m pieces. So my options are these from Howden’s, a) grey oak. b) Rustic oak laminate c) Grey glass effect laminate (or white glass effect) d) White mirror chip laminate /or formica ply which I would have to have made. Or a white worktop in laminate but I am quite messy so this might just look terrible all the time. Also a consideration, would glass effect look bad against a glass splash back? Would grey oak be too much upkeep - is it the same as looking after lighter wood - oil regularly etc.?

The kitchen will be re-measured once the wall comes down, as I am keen to make the best use of the space. I plan to paint the walls FB Cornforth white or Ammonite, I am considering a light teal glass splash back to brighten up a mostly white space. My other issue is with appliances, I have chosen a neff oven, mainly because of the sliding door feature which will be really useful in this small narrow space, do I have to keep to the same brand for hob and cooker hood? My other appliances are integrated so they don't matter so much.

Lighting is another part i haven't really considered, I like this light from M&S but it is probably really for above an island or a dining table.

Any help would be appreciated - Thanks
PRO
OnePlan
6 years ago
My honest opinion of this sleek style is it can work in ultra modern homes - but there's not many of those about - it can also work in older homes if everything else is ultra modern too - I personally think they can look a bit clinical in an older home - a bit like when I visit my dentist - who has sleek fittings in a beautiful old Edwardian building ... it's down to personal taste. My taste is to try and match the character of the kitchen with the character of the house and your other furnishings ... although I understand that's not to everyone's taste.
Caroll Brown thanked OnePlan
Jonathan
6 years ago
I agree that gloss kitchens can be a little harsh and light worktops probably bounce more light around than pale doors.
I think a kitchen with handles will look great but given it is a tight space perhaps handleless will help you feel like there is more room.
I like your choice of lights but would also have under cabinet lights
Caroll Brown thanked Jonathan
Danielle H
6 years ago
Have you seen Howdens Clerkenwell handleless? Available in Matt and gloss in various colours? I think it might be a newer range. I have the Greenwich Matt white with the profile handle. My kitchen is small and I’ve never found the handles to be an issue, ie. I’ve never caught myself on one!
I went for a white worktop and it requires less cleaning than you’d think. Just always make sure you use a chopping board, my housemate decide to ‘quickly’ chop something and now I have a dark knife line on the counter!
None of my appliances match brand. I just went for what looked good in my price bracket. I wouldn’t buy any appliances from Howdens, shop around, you’ll get the best deal that way.
Have you seen the marble laminate from B&Q? I would have considered that with my white kitchen had it been available 3 years ago. Also Selco do a good selection of worktops, see if your builder has a brochure.
I think a glass splashback will make the kitchen ultra modern. If you want to tone it down a bit maybe try metro tiles or an aged mirror splashback.
I like the light but agree you’ll probably want under cupboard lighting too. I have 3 points of lighting in my tiny kitchen. Under cupboard, a recessed LED on the sloped ceiling and over breakfast bar. Each light gives a different ‘mood’.
Best of luck and keep us updated!
Caroll Brown thanked Danielle H
Caroll Brown
Original Author
6 years ago
Help need to order today, saw the Howden Burford cashmere with copper handles. Will it clash with stainless steel appliances? Or should I stick with white matt handless, thanks
Caroll Brown
Original Author
6 years ago
The updated plan is putting me off but I like the oak/glass tile and Burford with the copper handle.
Danielle H
6 years ago
I LOVE copper but I would only accessorise with it and not actually have it as part of the kitchen cabinets, just because styles change so often, it’s easier to change accessories. What are the handles like? With shakes style I like knobs or cup handles. Did you have a look at the Allendale? Hope I’m not throwing another spanner in the works! Have you an image of the updated plan?
Caroll Brown thanked Danielle H
Caroll Brown
Original Author
6 years ago
Thank you, I love it too, I could potentially change them later down the line, if I go off them. In a small space I'm not sure if too many different metals work. Can't seem to embed the link. But it's now an L shape layout.
A S
6 years ago
I think cashmere and coppers work brilliantly. Would you consider an undermoubted sink as opposed to a stainless steel sink and maybe, even a copper tap.

I've attached a link to an image showing what look likes a chrome tap with cashmere units and copper profile edgings strips.
Caroll Brown thanked A S
Caroll Brown
Original Author
6 years ago
so I caved and I got nickel handles instead but I suppose in can get copper accessories. We'll see what it's like once it's all fitted and Ill post some pictures. thank you
Tani H-S
6 years ago
My kitchen was slightly larger but needed the light units. We went with a white gloss, a wood effect dark grey laminate worktop and teamed it with walnut effect laminate flooring. The flooring really warmed the look up

In my experience ... I wish I'd have had full glass splashbacks as the amount of sauce that gets splattered on the painted wall would have been easier to wipe off glass! Worth the money in my opinion. I went for white/clear as didn't want to commit to a strong colour. If we had stayed (not sold it) I would have painted around the units a colour which could have easily been changed.

You could also consider a clear glass splash back (above the oven) that can be screwed on. That way you can paint or paper behind it and change it when you fancy. Usually they glue them on so you are stuck with it (no pun intended)

Definitely look around for a better quality gloss unit as they can chip (sister has high street ones and they always chip!)
Caroll Brown thanked Tani H-S
Jessica
6 years ago
Can you give me an idea how can I plan the kitchen, living and dining ?

I'm planning to do
- the kitchen in american walnut
- a small home bar
- a fireplace

what is your oppinion?

thanks a lot
A S
6 years ago
@Jessica

you may want to start a new discussion to get more responses
Caroll Brown
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago

Work is almost finished and thought I'd share how it went. Existing kitchen and cupboard were made into one (still quite small room)

three weeks later and its now almost complete. I still have to paint the walls and get some tiles: thinking of glass metro tiles in teal/aquamarine and I might just paint it white for now as the cupboards are Buford Cashmere. I am really pleased as although it's still pretty small it flows well and I have large area for food prep and a place for my coffee machine. Here are some not very good photos.
bebeblubelle
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Hi, after loads of consideration into handleless kitchen I decided to go for this Ikea Ekbacken worktop after seeing it in the showroom. I was impressed at the quality and price a length comes in at between £50 & £60, they also have the splashback too. It has a nice square edge giving the clean lines that will go with the kitchen. I have gone for a Matt White look and once finished will post it on my page! Good luck
clw102
5 years ago
Hi @caroll brown, just seen this thread. Kitchen looks great. Keen to know what the worktop is - is it Howdens wood effect laminate and would you recommend?