The Hub of the Home
As our desire for sprawling kitchen diners increases, the kitchen is becoming one of the biggest rooms in the house The age of the formal dining room has passed and so we now need a space big enough to accommodate our need to cook, eat, relax, socialise, entertain, work and study.
It's because of this cultural change, that kitchen design and fitting is big business. What you could spend on a new kitchen is probably limitless, but not all of us have a limitless budget. There are ways to get a style you want within a more realistic budget and still have some money left over for shoes!
As you can imagine, a reclamation business is not really the place to come for a highly laquered, highly modern kitchen. We are much more inclined towards the traditional, wooden, country look which can be updated with polished worktops, funky handles and accessories.
At Wells Reclamation we have our freestanding kitchen unit range. Each unit is solid pine, including the internal shelving and drawers - no MDF for us! The range is small but perfectly formed with sink units, island units, butchers blocks, cupboards, wall units, larders and dressers. All the freestanding units come with solid beech worktops as standard. This can be replaced by you with granite, marble or slate to make the finished look more contemporary. The additional brilliance of freestanding units - when you move you can take it with you!
If you want a more 'fitted kitchen' look, we also have our Mix & Match range. This collection of solid pine units enables you to create a fitted kitchen on a budget. Once in situ, the units can be painted any colour to give you the look you want and finished with the worktop of your choice. The beauty of this range is the speed in which you have a finished kitchen. As each unit is already complete, the fitter does not need to start with the carcassing and then the doors etc. When I had mine installed, I had no kitchen at 9am, and by 3pm I had a fully functioning useable space. Brilliant!
Wooden worktops or something else??? As long as you secure wooden worktops properly and then treat and seal them, there is no reason not to have wood. Using the right sealants and oils will ensure a long life for your worktops - using trivets and chopping boards when necessary will protect them from damage and markings. However, if you like the idea of a highly polished reflective surface there are a number of options. Granite, marble, slate, or stainless steel. The natural stone options are beautiful when cut and installed professionally. They are hard wearing, easy to maintain, easy to clean, and you can have an array of colours to add interest to your kitchen. The added appeal of natural stone is the lack of uniformity - no two pieces are the same. If you prefer a more consistent look, stainless steel could be the choice for you. It gives your space the look of a professional kitchen and again is easy to maintain and easy to clean. Another positive of more costly worktops with cheaper kitchen units, is that it enables you to create an expensive look on a limited budget.
Adding a touch of individuality is so easy with the array of knobs and handles available on the market - highly polished simple chrome knobs, traditional brass cup handles, wood, ceramic, glass, wrought iron, novelty shapes etc - the list goes on and on. Whatever you choose, go for the best quality you can afford - imagine the wear and tear on your kitchen over the years and how many times a day you open the cupboards and drawers - the handles have to be sturdy as well as beautiful.
All in all, it's probably easier to spend more on a kitchen - have a problem, throw money at it. But by shopping around and thinking smart, you could save £1000's leaving you with some extra cash to spend on better appliances and lots and lots of shoes.
- 24th April 2013
