Homes and property expert Louisa Fletcher gives some useful ways to spruce up a tired looking kitchen in no time.
Kitchen design trends tend to run in five to seven year cycles, but who's got the budget to rip out a kitchen every few years to make sure that they don't get stuck in a time-warp? We all know that renovating a kitchen is one of the most stress-inducing and patience-testing projects a DIY enthusiast can take on. But there you are, looking at your beige cabinets and thinking "I really need to do something about this!" Fear not, with a bit of planning and a spare couple of days, you can achieve some really amazing results. Here's how...
Take a look at the layout of your kitchen. In most cases, the existing layout is probably already the most practical and achievable, in which case providing the current units are sound, it's simple to change doors, draw fronts, cornices and kick plates. There are a few companies around who offer this service, but the best of the bunch is Excalibur (www.excalibur-kitchens.co.uk) who custom make all the components so that everything fits exactly and all you have to do is take off the existing doors and fit the new ones, and there you go, job done! In fact, for those who are a little screwdriver-shy, the nice men at Excalibur will do it for you, and reckon in most cases they will get the job done in a day.
Whilst you're updating cupboard and drawer fronts, it may be worth taking a look at replacing worktops. The cheapest and most popular route is to look at one of the many laminate options available, which can easily be cut to accommodate existing hobs, sinks and working space. Good websites to look at for ideas, costs and assistance with refitting your worktops are www.kitchen-worktops-plus.co.uk and www.swedemade.co.uk.
If you want to go a bit further and update, for example, your hob or oven, then it pays to shop around. Homebase (www.homebase.co.uk) are reliable in terms of range of choice and price, but you could also try smaller suppliers, such as www.appliancedeals.co.uk who have also have a wide range of brands at all price points, and also offer delivery, connection, disposal and extended warranty services.
Tiles and splashbacks are another area where it's relatively quick to perform some makeover magic. You have a few options - you can paint them with specialist tile paint (fiddly though, and the results rarely justify all the faffing) or rip them off, make the wall good and then re-tile (not something that is conducive to a stress free weekend) or, use one of my favourite time saving tips - tile over tiles. You can either pay a professional to do it (highly recommended, and you're hopefully saving money by not having a totally brand new kitchen anyway!) or, if you are good with your hands, you can give it a go yourself. If you do decide to tile over existing tiles, there are a few things to bear in mind, firstly that the existing tiles need to be soundly bonded to the walls. Obviously, no matter how well fixed the new tiles are, if the old tiles de-bond from the wall and fall off, then so will the new ones!
One way to check is to gently tap them. If they sound very hollow then they are probably not well fixed. Pay particular attention to wet areas which are more likely to have problems. Also, remember that you will need a specialist adhesive to get the job done properly, and make sure that you take time to finish off edges properly to ensure a neat looking job. Finally, don't underestimate the difference that good lighting and use of colour can have on a kitchen. Look at the room during the day - is it light, bright and welcoming? Consider replacing stark, industrial-looking strip lights with downlights for a more modern feel. Think about colour - blue kitchens are seldom welcoming, and yellow is a bit 1992 - a neutral palette will offset any cabinets and worktop, then you can add colour by playing around with accessories and pictures. It's easier to keep your look up to date this way, so hopefully you won't feel the need to change everything again in another five years time!
One way to check is to gently tap them. If they sound very hollow then they are probably not well fixed. Pay particular attention to wet areas which are more likely to have problems. Also, remember that you will need a specialist adhesive to get the job done properly, and make sure that you take time to finish off edges properly to ensure a neat looking job. Finally, don't underestimate the difference that good lighting and use of colour can have on a kitchen. Look at the room during the day - is it light, bright and welcoming? Consider replacing stark, industrial-looking strip lights with downlights for a more modern feel. Think about colour - blue kitchens are seldom welcoming, and yellow is a bit 1992 - a neutral palette will offset any cabinets and worktop, then you can add colour by playing around with accessories and pictures. It's easier to keep your look up to date this way, so hopefully you won't feel the need to change everything again in another five years time!
Font size
Mail
My account
Help
Community
Print now
Send to a friend
Related articles
Related products
