Jade’s Bespoke Kitchen Units On A Budget

Kitchens are a dear do, and the minute you step out of the ‘off-the-shelf’ realm and into bespoke, the costs can become immense. That’s why when Jade contacted me about her featuring her recent makeover RMS I snapped her hand off because this stunning light and bright kitchen cost a lot less than you may think. Over to Jade to share more.

When we bought our house at the beginning of 2016 (a semi-detached Edwardian property), the kitchen was actually at the back of the house: it was a tiny room, with hardly any units and even less worktop space. It was also separated from the rest of the house through a series of rooms and doors, and the whole layout just wasn’t practical for family living. Having also found out I was pregnant with twins a week after moving into the property, we had to make the space work for our growing family!

Our brother-in-law was reading kitchen product reviews for what seemed like a week and he came up with the idea of moving the kitchen to the centre of the house, in what the previous owners used as their formal dining room. We then decided to knock down several internal walls to create one big open-plan kitchen/dining area, and turn the old kitchen into a family room/playroom. After hiring an architect to draw up our plans and getting the go ahead from building regulations, building work began in the summer of 2016.

Fast forward a few months to when all the major structural work was finished, and it was time to get the kitchen of dreams installed! I used a remote kitchen designer called Peter Earthy to put my ideas into a plan from which all the units could be ordered. I had spent months looking at kitchens on Pinterest, and wanted a shaker style in pale grey for its timeless look that would complement the period of the property. I knew that the space was big enough to take an island, so wanted to incorporate this too.

I had my heart set on painted wooden units, but knew this might be an expensive option. However, I had read in an interiors magazine about an online company in Hampshire that supplied painted wooden kitchens at an affordable price. Their showroom in Southampton happened to be quite close to us, so we got to see the styles for ourselves. We went with a collection called Madison Painted Ash Light Grey and the salesman in the shop helped me place my order. The entire kitchen (excluding worktops and appliances) cost just over £5500.

To keep costs down I also sourced every appliance online, using discount codes and cashback sites to ensure I got the best possible price. I love wok cooking, so wanted a range cooker with a powerful central flame, and this Bertazzoni one more than delivers. The kitchen handles and knobs were from ironmongerydirect.co.uk and the light fitting is from Willow and Stone. I often get asked where the bar stools are from – these are old science lab stools that I got for £50 on eBay, and I painted the legs. I love shopping at high street places such as Matalan, Homesense, The Range and TKMaxx for accessories, and I’m partial to a Cath Kidston accessory for a pop of pastel colour.

I hope my kitchen shows that bespoke needn’t be expensive, and that you can achieve a high-end look on a budget.

{STEAL JADE’S STYLE}