Kitchens - one step up from Ikea?

jjrideon

Hi,

I posted before asking if anyone knew a supply only company for Crown Imperial kitchens as a few posters on here had recommended them as a step up from Ikea in terms of quality and range, without going upto the mid priced manufacturers.

But I got no replies!

So I'm expanding the question to include other makes?
The Ikea unit only price for our kitchen is around 1500 in an Abstrakt gloss finish with some pull outs etc. If we use the glass wall units an really spec it out, it's still under 2k.

I can get a basic level Schuller for around 3,000 and Pronorm for around 3,200. (again units only, no fancy internal mechanisms.)

I've used Howdens before and think they are OK but overpriced.

Is there anything else in between that I should be checking out?

Thanks!

trumpton

Howdens have a sale in October, though I agree their list prices are hugely inflated - it all depends on the discount you can get. The Screwfix forums have some good recommendations. They tend to regard Wickes top end kitchens as good quality, Ikea as ok but hard to fit (no space at back of units for pipes etc), Homebase and B and Q as poor quaility. Fitters on there often recommend a couple of web based companies, but personally I would want to see the kitchen before buying lots of units.

I did google Crown Imperial Kitchens and there is a company who seem to sell them direct, though at £145 for a small unit they seem a bit pricey to me.

jjrideon

Thanks for your reply.

Even with the howdens 70% discount, I don't think they're good value (the nice Gloss finish is really expensive for example.) I've used the studio range a few times, but they discontinued the mocha colour which looked decent. But like Ikea, the non colour matched carcasses just look cheap to me unless your doors are White. Personally I think they're about the same quality and price as Ikea.

I guess I was hoping for a more specialist brand, rather than from one of the sheds. Something lower mid priced, that can look mid priced - if that makes any sense!!'

aah

I have just the same dilemma and am struggling to spec my kitchen with Ikea due to their poor range of options with units. I too am looking at an Abstrakt gloss finish and would like glass door top cabinets, but much less than 92cm high - cannot work it out. And although their staff are patient, they are not designers....

covlass

You could take a look at these http://www.omegaplc.co.uk/chippendale/
There is small retailer not far from me I had a look at the Technica Gloss White which looks really nice spec is good

roddydogs

? Magnet.....................

vturner

Don't buy from a shed, remember they have already manufactured it before you decided what you or your room needs. So if there are any tweeks they have to be done by the man with a jig saw....

Buy from an independant that Manufactures or stop moaning and just keep buying the cheap stuff.

ldevlin

Why not have a go at designig your self it is the only way you will get eaxtly what you want and you could also use it to get multiple quotes. Smart draw allows you to download free with some limitations but you can always take a sreen dump to print your plans.

smartdraw.com

good luck

keystone

vturner wrote: »

Don't buy from a shed, remember they have already manufactured it before you decided what you or your room needs. So if there are any tweeks they have to be done by the man with a jig saw....

Ha Ha - are you seriously trying to say that independents don't buy in or produce standard carcases (as the case may be) and modify as necessary on site?

..............or stop moaning and just keep buying the cheap stuff.

Hmmm - vested interest at work here?

Cheers

wexnz

We have just ordered a new kitchen from Kitchen Discount Centre UK. We wanted a Sheraton kitchen (friends of ours have one and it's beautiful, although we have gone for a different traditional design) and designed it ourself after looking at magazines etc. My husband drew up the plan and emailed it to several companies who deal in Sheraton for quotes. KDCUK were brilliant and we were very surprised at the price - it is much cheaper than a similar (but not nearly as nice) kitchen from Magnet.

If you know what you want I think designing it and then asking around for quotes on the basis of your plan is the way to go.

Our current kitchen is from B&Q and it was extremely cheap - it looks nice but when you look closely and use it you know that it isn't great quality. But it has been totally fine for what we needed.

Peartree

It is ages since I posted on this forum and I apologise that I am reverting to what I posted several times before. If you are considering mid priced look at DIY Kitchens online. http://www.diy-kitchens.com/ I rarely recommend but was (and remain after a couple of years) so pleased with the quality of product and the service I got there I've made an exception and recommended many times. If you are happy to do your own design, take a look at their site. They have a wide range of unit sizes and if they have the slightest concern about the 'logic' of what you are ordering (as they did with me and my refurb rather than refit) they will ring you up and talk it through with you to ensure you haven't made a mistake in what you order. They don't do flatpack. All the units are preassembled.

Anyway, worth a look. I hope things haven't gone down hill in the last couple of years or I'm going to look stupid...