kitchen

Be deceptive with porcelain Porcelain tiles now do a very good job of passing themselves off as wooden flooring. Although the price of these very realistic-looking tiles is still quite high, this will fall as their popularity grows, plus they require far less maintenance than wood, so they could work out cheaper in the long term. Here, a porcelain wood-effect floor tile is teamed with bespoke cabinetry for a luxurious but practical finish.

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Upgrade your splashback This tiny kitchen has a luxurious feel thanks to the thin porcelain tiles used for the splashback. The large format tiles have a marble finish which is almost as good as the real thing, but a fraction of the price.

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Veer towards veneer Solid wood is obviously more expensive than veneer, where a thin piece of wood is glued on to boards. Veneers, however, are now of remarkably good quality and it’s hard to tell them apart from the real thing. This beautiful kitchen, for example, has IKEA carcasses and plywood fitted doors with an ash veneer covering. It’s worth getting an experienced carpenter in when working with veneer, as a professional will ensure it looks like a quality piece of furniture once it’s finished.

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