Can You Get the Luxury Kitchen Look on a Budget
Luxury kitchens look great but the clue is in the name – a luxury kitchen implies a hefty budget. If your budget is limited then it is still possible to achieve that high-end look worthy of the glossy magazines; it just takes a bit more planning and clever shopping for both the big and small kitchen items.
Concentrate on the Doors
The luxury choice would be to buy handmade, solid wood kitchen cabinets. If your budget doesn’t stretch quite that far, then buy standard, mass produced kitchen cabinet carcasses as cheaply as possible, and spend your budget on more expensive doors. There are several companies on the internet who will make doors and panels compatible with cabinets from supplies such as Ikea, for example. Another option is to minimise the number of cabinets you buy, perhaps replacing the wall mounted cabinets with open shelving instead.
Ex-Display Kitchens
Ever wondered what happens to all of the kitchens on display in showrooms when new products are installed in showrooms? Many large retailers will sell them off at a fraction of the cost as ex-display. Kitchens which have been on display in showrooms aren’t “brand new” in the sense that they have been installed and doors will have been opened by customers, but they certainly haven’t been used in the same way as you would at home. The cost of an ex-display kitchen can be as little as 25% of the original price, so buying ex-display can allow you to spend your limited budget elsewhere.
Budget Worksurfaces
The luxury choice would be granite or quartz, but the price for a granite worktop could be several hundred pounds for a 3 metre section. Solid wood gives the high-end feel but is considerably cheaper than granite. It does need a bit more looking after than laminate or granite, but is worth the effort of caring for it. Another option is to mix granite on an island unit or one part of the kitchen with wood or other surfaces elsewhere, which can be surprisingly effective.
Laminate Flooring
You could easily spend thousands on expensive porcelain tiles or solid wood flooring but modern laminates and vinyls mean you really don’t have to. Modern flooring replicates the look of wood or porcelain but at a fraction of the cost. Vinyl and laminate is hard-wearing and easy to clean, and perfect for heavy traffic areas such as the kitchen. Search online for inspiration and to get ideas about how other people have used similar flooring in their own project.
Tiled Splashback
Using expensive tiles sparingly on a splashback or other small area of tiling is a great way of injecting some designer style without breaking the budget. Search around for gorgeous hand-finished tiles which are end of range, or discontinued, or on special offer. Measure the space carefully to make sure you know exactly how many tiles you need for the job. Another option is to try to source second-hand tiles which someone has removed from their own kitchen.
