Howdens kitchen query

poundshillingpence_2

Our problem is an awkward alcove 112cm, that has to house a 550 freestanding fridge freezer plus a long Vaillant boiler that would require a 50cm door. The carpenter has pointed out that Ikea don't do a long 50cm door whereas Howdens do.

Rather than pay hundreds of £ extra, we might just have an MDF cupboard built to hide the boiler, painting it the colour of the wall. It is in the other side of the room, so could possibly be camouflaged.

Could Howdens Glenendon be mixed with Ikea Abstract, if on different walls?

Another thing is that
Howdens offer a 150 filler wine rack, whereas the Ikea wine rack is too big at 200

When the house is eventually sold, new buyers will want to knock through and build a big extension, so it is not worth laying out a lot of money on this smallish kitchen. Ikea units fit the bill

evokit

majjie wrote: »

A standard tall gloss end panel from IKEA - is £56. The list price of the same from Howdens (last year's price list): £396.99. That tells you all you need to know about Howdens list price! Even with 70% off (which is more likely than 80% - unless they've got a lot more desperate recently) - that's £119.

Wow.....Is that there 'SERIOUS' list price??
thats almost the same cost as my mums enitre howdens council kitchen.....

majjie

poundshillingpence wrote: »

Could Howdens Glenendon be mixed with Ikea Abstract, if on different walls?

I wouldn't mix the two creams - unless you've checked that they're not too different (they're likely to have different levels of gloss as well as being different shades of cream). You could mix two colours, though. What about IKEA's Abstrakt yellow-white with Howdens Glendevon Flint Grey? Or cream with black?

As for that being a serious list price - I guess it depends who you ask. It's not a price that anyone would ever pay!

poundshillingpence_2

Thank you for the grey/cream suggestion. Ikea have the abstact yellow white units on display with a pale grey worktop which looks good in the store. They also have a cream kitchen with wooden flooring plus wood look worktop that looks fresh and warm. The kitchen is about 3.5 m x 2.2 m , not sunny, with with lots of leafy greenery outside of the window plus glass door at one end of the room. Hoping to make it light and airy and modern, but still in sympathy with the outdoors. The concrete floor will be covered with quite convincing Amtico oak look flooring. There is an hatch type opening into the dining room which we are thinking of trimming in light oak Any ideas as to which laminate worktop will look good yet be pracitcal? So many of them just look like fake something or other

majjie

I don't actually like most of IKEA's standard worktops - not least because they only come in a maximum of 2.46m lengths. If you go for non-Ikea worktops, though, you'll need to buy the 670mm wide double edged breakfast bar type - and cut off one finished edge (because IKEA units are 600 deep). You'd get a lot more choice of colours, though.

Ikea's custom-made worktops - on the other hand - are good but, obviously a bit more expensive (and you still don't get a lot of choice). I like the Beige Sandstone laminate. The custom made wood is good too - as long as you're prepared to look after it - although I'd avoid the beech.

Fed_Up_Tradesman

majjie wrote: »

That's part of the reason why I prefer IKEA - they're honest about their prices.

Hmm. IKEA also use / have used prison labour to manufacture their stuff.

Food for thought.

majjie

Fed_Up_Tradesman wrote: »

Hmm. IKEA also use / have used prison labour to manufacture their stuff.

Food for thought.

That's stretching it a bit ... suggesting they might be using prison labour now! They're accused of using East German and Cuban prison labour back in the 1980s.

Not something to be proud of - but it doesn't really affect my admiration for their honest pricing policies these days.

I don't like the false list prices that a lot of other kitchen companies use - to try and hoodwink consumers into thinking they're getting a bargain (I like it even less that it seems to work! ).

Fed_Up_Tradesman

majjie wrote: »

That's stretching it a bit ... suggesting they might be using prison labour now! They're accused of using East German and Cuban prison labour back in the 1980s.

Not something to be proud of - but it doesn't really affect my admiration for their honest pricing policies these days.

I don't like the false list prices that a lot of other kitchen companies use - to try and hoodwink consumers into thinking they're getting a bargain (I like it even less that it seems to work! ).

Each to their own I guess. Ex Stasi collaborating furniture company - now all touchy feely and trendy. Hey ho.

Last flat pack IKEA kitchen I was asked to fit didn't have recessed backs for plumbing & services and the way they hung their wall cupboards with a ridged plate was just a disaster. I don't know if they're all like it though. Had to buy a special size spanner for the tap nut too & when I went into my plumbers merchants & explained the problem he said "What are they - IKEA taps ?"

The marketing of kitchens is a disgrace I agree.

Just like supermarkets with their food promotions though really.

poundshillingpence_2

Thank you, I have checked the sandstone beige worktop out at Ikea and it is indeed lovely, so that is the worktop sorted! Next question: the electrician is pressing for a decision on sockets. The previous kitchen had shiny chrome fronts, which were attractive, if prone to fingerprints. What is the upmarket choice nowadays?

majjie

Brushed or satin finishes, I'd say - chrome or steel, or nickel - although a lot of people still use white.

I wouldn't call IKEA touchy feely or, necessarily, trendy - just good value for money, if you're on a low budget. And if you're going to buy an IKEA kitchen, I would try not to use a fitter who's surprised that the units have no recess at the back. Look for one who is used to fitting IKEA units!