Kitchen Design

Boumticlad

Good morning all,


I'm putting in a new kitchen in a country house and already my mind is in a spin. I'm east Galway and so far I've been to the following:

1. Homebase Castlebar. Not impressed by the HARD sell. Heard stories about terrible customer service.
2. B&Q Athlone. Decent quote. But some of the stories I've heard are shocking.
3. Cash and Carry Castlebar. Good quote. Seem to be good qaulity. But again I've heard some stories saying their stuff isn't up to scratch.
4. Rite Price Kitchens Athlone. Very nice kitchens - but expensive.
5. EU Kitchens Ballinasloe. Phenomenally expensive.
6. IKEA. Wasn't crazy about any designs.

I know posts like mine have been posted a million times. But I'd love to know what people think. I wonder if there is a handmade option for this area. I've heard some good things about some in Cork.

Please help. Thanks a million

KevArno

Boumticlad wrote: »

Good morning all,



I'm putting in a new kitchen in a country house and already my mind is in a spin. I'm east Galway and so far I've been to the following:

1. Homebase Castlebar. Not impressed by the HARD sell. Heard stories about terrible customer service.
2. B&Q Athlone. Decent quote. But some of the stories I've heard are shocking.
3. Cash and Carry Castlebar. Good quote. Seem to be good qaulity. But again I've heard some stories saying their stuff isn't up to scratch.
4. Rite Price Kitchens Athlone. Very nice kitchens - but expensive.
5. EU Kitchens Ballinasloe. Phenomenally expensive.
6. IKEA. Wasn't crazy about any designs.

I know posts like mine have been posted a million times. But I'd love to know what people think. I wonder if there is a handmade option for this area. I've heard some good things about some in Cork.

Please help. Thanks a million

Hi Boumticlad,

Could you just explain a little about what you are looking for. What finish, style, worktops etc? I am just curious as to what you consider to be phenomenally expensive. Realistically B&Q, Cash and Carry, Homebase and Ikea are all at the very low end of the market, in terms of cost, quality and service. The design aspect of what these guys offer is laughable, as all they sell are boxes, and there are only so many ways you can stack or line up boxes.
I am of course biased in this area, being a kitchen designer, but I know what people in small independant companies put in to original designs.

Boumticlad

Hi Kev,

What I'm looking for I guess is a country style kitchen. The kitchen is a large L shape. I'll have most of my cabinets along one wall and then coming round the short side of the L.

One end of the kitchen is a long way away from the window and could be a little dark. So I'm thinking of a painted cream/ivory style.

Worktops will be either wood or laminate. Not interested in granite marble or quartz. I'd like to have a larder unit and a carousel in each corner.

To me, phenominally expensive is €11k for an 8 unit kitchen. It was fabulous to look at. I just don't have that level of a budget unfortunately.

I'm renovating the whole house and so far I've used smaller independent tradesmen for everything. If would be great if I could do that with the kitchen aswell. Of course, the cost will be a large factor. I've attached a doc with a rough sketch of the kitchen layout.

See what you think.

Regards,
Greg

yop

Looks similar design to ours, if you want a look at the pics in the blog in my sig see if that is what you are looking for, if it is I can put you onto the people who supplied mine.

WoodaleDesigns

That's a crazy quote for a kitchen of this size. I just took a look at their kitchens and they seem to be imported which might explain it.

WoodaleDesigns

Hi Yop, I didn't in that respect but I do now. I never read instructions on product I buy either which causes me a headache from time to time:) I apologise, I was merely stating that the above picture wouldn't cost as much as she's being quoted.

yop

WoodaleDesigns wrote: »

Hi Yop, I didn't in that respect but I do now. I never read instructions on product I buy either which causes me a headache from time to time:) I apologise, I was merely stating that the above picture wouldn't cost as much as she's being quoted.

Not a problem, thanks for clarification.

Kitchen Expert

Hi Boumticlad,

Just took a look at the floor plan you posted. I am not sure what your budget is but you definitely don't need to spend €11k if it is out of budget. The important thing is to try to set your budget to include the kitchen, worktops and appliances and to stick to it. Like KevArno said, local suppliers will usually provide excellent service. Remember that no matter how much you want to spend on your kitchen, the design aspect is crucial. The worst designer can make an expensive kitchen look bad while a good designer can make a low budget kitchen look great. Also make sure that you are happy with the quality of materials being used.

johnydesouza12

An easy and profitable it can make your kitchen is large painting. Change the colours are great for the look of the kitchen. Paint in neutral colours give the kitchen a warm and welcoming. If you go with colours that are bold and bright, you get a fashion chic. The painting is not just for walls. Use on cabinets and really brighten up your kitchen.