Inframe painted kitchens/ handmade.... Where to look?

Beckyplans

Hi. I am looking at getting a painted inframe kitchen and am wondering if anyone has any recommendations. I love the look of a harvey jones style kitchens but cannot afford the price tag. I have looked at diy kitchens but from what I can see their painted inframe version (Milton painted) has quite a visible wood grain texture and I would prefer a smoother surface. I am not worried if it is made out if solid wood or mdf, it is just the inframe painted look that I like. Does anyone have any suggestions of where to look? When I scour the internet it's often difficult to tell the price point of the kitchens. I have read some people just get a local cabinet maker to make the kitchen. I am open to that idea but have no recommendations locally. Any advice would be gratefully received, I am based in the south east. Thanks

phill99

Magnet do one, the Arlington. It can also be sourced via Magnet Trade at a much better price.

CKdesigner

Hi Beckyplans

Welcome to the forum.

I know exactly what you are looking for. In some respect the 'in-frame' kitchen market is more of a minefield than the contemporary kitchen market!

The headline brands / makes of in-frame kitchens are the likes of Mark Wilkinson, Smallbone, Chalon. These are all top end premium brands, then there are companies like Martin Moore, Harvey Jones and Tom Howley who all do very similar products of equally as good quality as the 'premium' ones but not as expensive. The issue I think though with all of the above mentioned is that they are not in my opinion 'truly Bespoke' they all have set dimensions and an actual range of products for the customer to select from.

Then you have the DIY store type copies at the lower end of the market, which are a long way from what you would get from Harvey Jones for instance.

Like the odd independent kitchen specialist across the country we use a specialist workshop that is properly set up to make top quality bespoke in-frame kitchens for us in whatever design, shape, style, dimension, anything we want, and at realistic prices.

See what independent kitchen specialists are around you, call them first to see whether they do in-frame, ask them if its hand painted onsite. This is really the biggest indicator whether its a 'proper' in-frame kitchen or just off the shelf in-frame. Then go and see it, check the hinges are butt hinges, solid timber Dovetail jointed drawer boxes, 25mm plus thick doors these are all essentials when it comes to in-frame kitchens.

Where are you in the South East, I may be able to recommend an Independent to you.

CK

evokit

Ck
A proper in-frame does not need to be painted on site nor does it need to to be 25mm + as you state to be a bespoke kitchen.
yet you know this

bgh

If it's not already too late: look at Sheraton kitchens. We've ordered ours and it looks like you've described, i think. I found the prices reasonable.
HTH

leveller2911

Spam reported..........

lostinrates

CKdesigner wrote: »

Like the odd independent kitchen specialist across the country we use a specialist workshop that is properly set up to make top quality bespoke in-frame kitchens for us in whatever design, shape, style, dimension, anything we want, and at realistic prices.



CK

How on earth does one find such a place? We have a house we want things to fit....an irregularly shaped old house that we like and do not want to look like a new furniture of regular dimensions has been fitted in 'as best as possible' but want it to really fit , making the most of ITS dimensions and our wants. Not just in the kitchen, but for book shelves and everything......

ejf13

AIRich recommends Classic Kitchens Direct in 19 Bargates, Christchurch - I also looked at them and they seem fine, except that I then discovered Handmade Kitchens Direct in 91 Bargates, Christchurch - that's it, just swap the digits - delivering, guess what, handmade kitchens by mail order. Even more bizarre, the catalogues are virtually identical, even have the same code numbers for the cabinets. Only difference is that Classic will deliver painted, Handmade don't. Spoke to Alan at Classic and he said they were entirely separate businesses, previously using same primary supplier which is why the cabinet codes are the same. Recently Handmade have switched supplier (but that's according to Classic).


Now this is copy-cat trading to a bizarre degree ... if you have ordered from either of these firms, does anyone out there know why two independent firms offering virtually identical products/services exist at opposite ends of the same street ??? And did you check out both and can you rate one vs the other ??

GeoffBird

Tom Howley completely ripped us off. We chatted to them and they asked for a deposit they claimed was completely refundable then refused to give it back and the salesman claimed he never said it was refundable. So annoying as we literally asked about 10 times.

ryder72

GeoffBird - Are you sure this was not a design fee and not a deposit? How much did you pay?

Design fees are never refundable.

HelStone

We moved into quite an old 'irregular' shaped house and needed a bespoke kitchen to suit. We looked at a few of the bigger companies but went with a smaller company called simon Benjamin. It's a very good quality shaker in frame style and all made to measure for our wonkey home. They were lovely and we love our new kitchen. We're SE based too.