13/10/2019
I just thought that I would put down a few thoughts with regard to kitchen design. I have been designing, making and installing kitchens for the best part of thirty years and to a large degree my mentors have actually been my clients. They, after all, are the ones who desire a 'new one' and often describe what they 'don't like' about the existing one. The main skills required in designing kitchens are a large chunk of common sense and the ability to listen. Take away the 'designer' bit for a second and think about it this way. Whether it be the cheapest Ikea range or a fantastically expensive 'High st' job a kitchen is just a selection of large storage boxes, generally made from chipboard. High quality MFC is usually how it is described. MFC stands for melamine faced chipboard. Mostly, the carcases, or boxes don't actually wear out because they are doing very little except 'sitting there'. Not much wear and tear. Kitchens however are the most widely used area of the house and what does wear out are worktops and all the moving parts such as hinges, drawers, appliances etc. When appliances fail we usually trawl the internet and replace them as soon as possible. Lets face it, who, especially with a family can live without their washing machine or dishwasher or fridge for more than a day or two? Consequently all the 'really' important bits are replaced immediately but often there are still those really annoying doors that drop when you open them and the drawers that still stick. One day we'll get a new kitchen when we can afford it, is a comment I hear on a regular basis. If your kitchen is basically laid out in a practical way, and in my experience, the vast majority are, it is quite possible to upgrade the existing to a high standard without the , what I call, "Household heart surgery" that a brand new kitchen installation entails. I recently 'restored' a very 'tired' fifteen year old kitchen in Ipplepen to a point where my client was nearly in tears, of joy, I hasten to add, and said, and I quote," You have just made the impossible possible". Needless to say, I was quite proud. I suppose my point is that if the basic design and structure is good it is not too expensive to bring it up to a 2019 / 2020 standard. My client in Ipplepen was quoted nearly £10.000 for a new kitchen by B+Q. We created a new one for a fraction over £3.000. Food for thought perhaps, and thank you for listening. Steve Jones.
