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Design Dilemma Before & After Kitchens

Dated kitchen needs refresh

2 days ago

My wife and I agree that this kitchen needs updating in a number of ways, but we don't want to break the bank. The AI split photo shows what it might look like after the changes I think I want.

Countertop (laminate) - has chips and stains so we'll get it repaired/restored. Someone suggested a quartz replacement but we don't think it will match/fit in (plus it's expensive!).
Sink - pretty ugly but new tap actually is a good enough improvement, imo.
Tiles - only thing we disagree on. I want them to go, although it means a big change and potential issues with plaster and removal of extractor hood etc. My wife thinks they are fine.
Cabinets - expensive to have spray painted, but seems to make a big difference, I think. However if I choose a neutral grey, then there is too much of that colour, since the floor is grey also. And if we spray them white, there is too much white!

In the end I kind of go full circle and end up thinking maybe just leave the tiles and cabinets are they are, and just get the walls painted (and the tap changed).

Thoughts? Any advice or opinion is massively appreciated!

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Comments (5)

PRO
Swann Kitchen Consultancy
2 days ago
last modified: yesterday
Good morning!

To not break the bank, but have something durable:

1. You could swap out the standard Bullnose Laminate for a Modern Square Edge Laminate. They're a denser, more scratch resistant laminate. Your bullnose shown here is more prone to chipping and general damage, whereas modern laminates are more durable so this change would make your kitchen space last longer without costing as much as quartz.

2. Sink would be fine left as it is if you're saving money, the main focus is refreshing elsewhere in the kitchen.

3. The tiles being removed would cost more due to plastering and as you say taking the extractor down + putting it back up. If you did that, you could use small 100mm upstands just above your worktop, with a glass splashback behind your gas hob.

If you didn't want to replaster it, you could order some decorative wall covering to match your worktop which would cover that space and give it a refreshed look. They're made from the same material as your worktops and can cost roughly £200 each for a 4 metre x 60 cm sheet. You'd still need at least a clear glass splashback behind your gas hob with that to suit health and safety regulations, as it's made of MDF.

With plastering it or re-covering it, that's preference on which route you go with, hopefully that gives you some good options and insight to what you can do!

4. Painting the cabinet doors - If replacing worktop completely and spending on spray painting the doors, at that stage you may as well change the cabinets completely too. Your carcase is the cheapest part of each cabinet, while the doors are the most expensive piece of each cabinet.

However, if you're just repairing your worktops as you say, it depends on if the doors are Timber or MDF. If they're Timber and still in good quality, then painting them would maintain a better quality door and be better value for money. If the door is made of MDF, you might as well replace the doors beneath your worktop completely to give them a better look

It's probably not worth recovering Bullnose laminate worktop as it only costs a few hundred pounds.

For each option, there is always a fitting cost unless you're closely linked to some trades yourself. Good fitters will have a base day rate for being called out to a job, as well as costs for each bit of work they have to do, so if they're being called out to a job - it may as well all be done in one go rather than replacing everything again in a few years.

If you get it done right, for something you're happy with, it'll last you a long time and give you a good piece of mind.

Happy to answer any questions if you're weighing up different options, or if you'd like a second opinion just ask
Sarah L
yesterday
White quartz-effect worktops with subtle veining.

Large single-bowl undermount stainless steel sink with a brushed stainless tap.

Warm greige walls (Egyptian Cotton or Slaked Lime Mid).

Replace the beige splashback tiles with larger off-white or light stone tiles when you're ready.
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Swann Kitchen Consultancy
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Sarah's idea is great especially to have the sink sat underneath the window, please bear in mind that undermount sinks can only be fitted with actual quartz or with timber. Laminate isn't strong enough to hold an undermount sink underneath the worktop

If you want a similar effect sink and you're keeping laminate you could order a stainless steel sink as shown below, which has a small lip around the edge to help it hold properly. Hope that helps
Sarah L
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I have an undermount sink in my composite worktop
Sarah L
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Ooh just noticed that ChatGPT put 2 handles on some of the cabinets doors 😆

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