PracticalBeautiful: KITCHEN: Thinking about what we are actually going to do and what we need to buy to achieve it...

Our Kitchen is complete grotsville right now. As inherited from the previous owners with cheapest of the cheap cabinets from the 80s, bad plumbing, not enough electrical points, disgusting peach patterned tiles and bad cheap laminate on the floor with a bunch of cracks, no window dressing (since we took down the lace curtains - one of the first jobs entering the house!) and textured wall paper, all of which has a nice tasty cigarette stain-age but even through all this there are still a few things to be kept.

This kitchen make over is not for the long long term but could need to last us up to 10 years until we can afford to do our dream back extension. We have got second hand cabinets, very kindly donated by my Mum's cousins and they just need a bit of adaptation and a new lick of paint, and new handles, but I already have those. Mum has also very kindly offered to buy us a new oven, as the one we have got is literally the cheapest fan assisted oven I could find when we moved in, so I will start properly researching that too.

In this post I'm going to list, in words and pictures, what we need to replace, what we are keeping and what we need to buy to achieve a kitchen we can be proud of. Our budget is very small indeed so I will be looking for bargains at every turn.

Keep List:

I have actually realised through this listing process that there isn't anything which was left behind which I want to keep, it is only things which we brought with us and are new...

1.These are the second hand handles which I bought on eBay to replace the handles on the second hand cabinets, 2. Wall mounted kitchen roll holder from Live Laugh Love, 3. Black Beko Washing Machine (been really happy with the decision to go black with my kitchen appliance since moving in, they look a lot more smart and modern in my opinion), 4. This steel microwave has been following me round since student days and is still going strong, it is just a simple design but goes so well with everything and is very reliable, 5. This Larder Cupboard was in my parents first flat, it was then our painting cupboard for the whole of my childhood until I commandeered it as a student and painted it this lovely blue, it is definitely still one of my favourite pieces, it is so well made, 6. This dresser was bought on eBay for this location before we even got keys to our house, it was a complete bargain at £50.00 and is really an amazing piece of furniture, so so happy with it, 7. This wall shelf until was bought at Lidlington Carboot years and years ago now and has been following me around ever since waiting for the perfect place to put it - I'm hoping to find that place once we have sorted out the kitchen though I'm not totally sure where at this point. 8. Black Dishwasher, again by Beko, again been very happy with this appliance to date

I just realised I missed a few items from the first list so here is a continuation...

1. This isn't the exact utensil bar I have as I have the double one, I used to use it as a jewellery hanger but now I am going to use it for what it was made for, kitchen utensils, 2. I have found one item which they left which I want to keep! These hooks, may well end up being cut down and certainly will be up-cycled, but I plan to attach them to the side of the dresser to hang tea towels and hand towels and oven gloves on, 3. Adam's little sister Nikki bought me these lovely storage draws as a present soon after we moved in, I don't know where or for what purpose yet but I definitely want them in the new layout.

Get rid of list:

1. Grotty kitchen taps, 2. Cracked cheap laminate flooring, 3. White narrow fit oven, 4. Grotty floor cupboards, 5. Cigarette stained ceiling lights, 6. Grotty wall cupboards, 7. Grotty sink with bad plumbing, 8. Peach patterned tiles

Still to buy list: