Research which was carried out recently discovered that the addition of a loft conversion to your home can result in an increase in property value of around £30,000 to £35,000. With an investment of around £20,000, that is a pretty good return. So, it seems that loft conversions are popular – they add space and they can improve your home. So what have replacement kitchen doors got to do with that? Well, have you ever thought about adding fitted kitchen doors to your loft conversion?

You can achieve a fitted look in your loft room for a fraction of the cost of bespoke

Lofts can be used for a number of purposes, but probably the most popular are as a bedroom or a study. In both of these situations you will need fitted cupboards and wardrobes and you can use replacement kitchen doors to achieve exactly the look you want.

Read on for plenty of reasons why replacement doors are a great idea:

 Replacement kitchen doors are a cheaper option

To make the most of your loft conversion and get the best value for money, you need to save cash where you can. The fitting of cupboards in your loft will be a great place to start. Replacement kitchen cabinet doors are very often a much cheaper option than designed fitted units. You may be able to buy carcasses to fit the space, but more often than not you will want to built the framework for your cupboards to fit the awkward spaces you are faced with. Then all you need to buy are the front facing cupboards. You will get a highly professional look for much less than you would normally expect to pay.

 Replacement kitchen cabinets can come in bespoke sizes

A loft is one of the few places in the house where nothing comes in standard sizes. The walls are often sloping, the roof can meet the floor and you might have dormer windows which jut out at strange angles. The fact is that regardless of what type of fitted furniture you have, it will need to be bespoke.

Replacement kitchen or bedroom doors come in a huge range of sizes and can be made to measure (within certain tolerances). You can get a fitted and designed look for much less than it would cost to hand-make all of the required doors. You can fit doors into the eaves, between joists and under dormers easily and cheaply.

 You can also get wardrobe doors and bathroom cabinet doors

If you are using your new loft conversion as a bedroom, perhaps with an ensuite, you will need wardrobes and a bathroom cabinet. You can buy replacement doors for each of these options. We have a huge range of bedroom doors which come in a range of sizes. These can be mixed and matched with smaller doors and drawer fronts to create a fitted bedroom.

You can carry that theme into the bathroom as well with smaller doors to create cupboards suitable for the smaller space. High gloss doors are perfect for the bathroom as they create light and space and are very easy to keep clean.

 You can add extras too

We sell extra carcasses which could be used in your loft. While most of the space will need to be built to measure, there will be places where a simple standard sized carcass will work perfectly. On top of that we have plinths, end panels and cornices which will unite all of the cabinets creating a really high-end look. Add some fancy handles and the look is perfected.

You may not have thought about using replacement kitchen or bedroom doors in your loft – but hopefully we have shown that not only are they a great option, they are cheaper and will give you the bespoke look you are after. You might even be able to add another few thousand to the asking price for you home!

While it is very true that replacing your kitchen doors is much cheaper than replacing your entire kitchen, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take special care of the doors once they are installed. Each of our doors requires a few simple rules to be adhered to, to ensure that they last for many years and always look just like new.

Keeping high gloss doors clean is a breeze if you know how

 Timber veneer doors

It is always important to remember that timber or wood veneers are prone to peeling if they become overly wet or if they are in very humid conditions. For this reason you should avoid using very wet cloths on your doors. A simple spray with a very mild soap solution with a damp cloth is usually enough to get any dirty marks off. You should then buff it with a dry lint free cloth to remove any water marks. Work in the direction of the woodgrain to avoid scratches.

Always avoid abrasive cleaners or anything which contains alcohol or bleaches. You could ruin the surface and alter the colour of the wood. If you are in any doubt, test in a small area first.

 Painted doors

It is clear that using solvents of any kind on a painted door is going to remove the paint. However, many cleaners will have a similar effect if they are used repeatedly. For this reason you should try to use a gentle cleaner sprayed onto the cloth rather than the door. This will dilute it further.

If the door has a woodgrain finish, you should work in the direction of the grain and take care to look for ingrained dirt or dust which has settled into the grooves. We provide vinyl doors which can be painted and therefore you should check the paint manufacturer for advice on looking after the finish.

 High gloss doors

Your gloss doors will come with a protective film over the front. You should remove this only after they are installed as the curing process continues for around 72 hours after the film is removed. This means the doors will be liable to scratching and other marks. You should avoid cleaning the doors for at least a few days to prevent any marks appearing on the surface.

There are a number of products available which are designed for cleaning high gloss doors, but plain water is also good for regular cleans. Always use a lint free soft cloth and use a circular motion to achieve a high buff. Micro-fibre cloths are also perfect for achieving a high shine with very little effort.

High gloss doors do sometimes show fingerprints – but this is easily taken care of with a soft cloth. Once again – never use abrasive cleaners.

 In general

The most basic rule when it comes to looking after your replacement kitchen doors is to simply keep on top of the cleaning. You should wipe them as soon as you notice they are dirty and while the stain is fresh. A deep clean from time to time may be required, but little and often keeps the job easy. It will also prolong the life of your door – avoiding the need for scrubbing.

Don’t forget that your doors will be affected by their environment. Doors close to ovens, dishwashers or below sinks may be likely to become affected by water, steam or heat. Cupboard guards may be useful in these cases or filler strips.

In the very unlikely even that your doors are damaged in some way, you can usually replace the single door easily (another reason to buy replacement doors) and if it is a manufacturer issue you will be able to return the door for a replacement or for it to be fixed.

There are many reasons why you might decide that a traditional look will work well in your new replacement kitchen. You may simply prefer the way that a traditional door looks with its curves and detail or you may have an older home which needs the traditional look. Even if you are a fan of a more modern style, there are a number of traditionally-styled doors which still have a contemporary look. We have chosen our top five traditional doors which we think you will love, no matter how traditional you are.

The Gothic door from Bella is the perfect example of a traditional style

 Trends Arlington

This shaker style door is what we like to call traditional-light. It is a great stepping stone from a modern and minimalist look to a more fussy traditional feel. The shaker style has always been noted because of its craftsman-like feel and the attention to detail – while still maintaining a plainer look.

Arlington is a flat door with vertical grooves which are repeated on the drawer fronts. With quite wide frames and an inset panel, this door is ideal for a kitchen where a country feel is required, but will look great in even the most modern home.

 Trends Wadhurst

Wadhurst from the Trends range is a great cross between the craftsman-like feel of the shaker-style doors and the almost Gothic feel of the more ornate doors. With the vertical planking in the middle raised section and the curved upper edge, this door almost has a country feel with the extra detail of something which has been made by an expert in carving.

We see the Wadhurst door in a country cottage kitchen in a home which has the dimensions to carry off this ornate style. For a truly traditional look an Aga and a butler sink are the perfect additions.

 Trends Goodwood

Lovers of a very traditional look will be impressed by the Goodwood door from the Trends range. With deep carved-look panels on both the door and the drawer fronts, this door is one of the most ornate we have in stock. The central panels are cleanly cut and there is not a curve to be seen, however it still meets the criteria for a traditional door.

With a handmade look, the Goodwood has the appearance of being a traditional layered door with several panels pieced together. This offers plenty of shading and interest to the door and would be ideal in a kitchen where the detail will catch the eye. Perhaps one where there is plenty of light coming in from the garden.

 Bella Gothic

Dyed-in-the-wool traditionalists will love this Gothic door from the Bella range. Looking like a church window with peaked arches and intricate craved panels, this door is about as traditional as you can get. Yet your kitchen will not be overwhelmed by these doors. The drawer fronts are plain, which allows you to pull back from the styling somewhat and gives a little relief from the ornate look.

Gothic is perfect if you have a church conversion kitchen. While this may seem obvious, it will hark back to the original feel of the building without being too over the top.

 Bella Milano

Milano has the feel of traditional doors with two middle panels and one running across the drawer front. Not only do these panels have a raised or carved look, they are also very ornate and handmade looking. This style of having a raised panel gives the door a shaded appearance making the grooves look even deeper and more obvious.

You should team this door with matching pelmets and hoods to give your fitted kitchen a complete look. Your kitchen will have a certain strength and solidity – something which is ideal in an older more traditional home.

All of us dream about having the perfect magazine-ready kitchen, but few of us could ever afford it. Those kitchens which we see gracing the pages of interior design magazines are invariably designed by an expert and are totally bespoke. By this it means that the kitchen is manufactured specifically for the space and to the specifications of the designer and the owner. This takes money – and plenty of it. However, by simply opting for replacement kitchen doors you can get a bespoke look at a fraction of the cost.

You can get a bespoke look for far less than you think

There are plenty of reasons why you might want kitchen doors which are outside of the usual off-the-shelf doors you would find anywhere. Take a look at these reasons and see if any of them fit your circumstances.

•  Your kitchen has odd shapes, nooks and crannies which require unusual sized kitchen doors.

• You want to include an island or breakfast bar which needs to fit into a particular space.

• You are replacing kitchen cupboard doors which are quite old and do not fit current modern sizings.

• Your previous kitchen was bespoke and now needs replacing.

• You have certain things in your kitchen which you want to display or store and you want kitchen cupboards to fit them perfectly.

• You simply want your kitchen to look different from all the rest.

 Thankfully when you come to order your replacement kitchen doors you will see that your options are varied and you can design exactly what you want within certain parameters. Here at Kitchen Door Workshop there are various ways you can customise your kitchen doors and get a great and satisfying result.

•  Your drawer front can be made in most sizes up to a maximum of around 1200mm. Don’t forget that your choice of handles and even the style choice may be affected by the size of the drawer front. Some handles may not fit well or may look odd.

• Your door fronts can vary in size from around 283mm to almost 1700mm. In terms of width, you can go as wide as 1200mm. Your mid rail can be positioned anywhere you wish and does not necessarily need to be in the centre.

• If you wish, you can choose to have your door supplied with a horizontal grain rather than a vertical one. This is available in some cases and can be applied to the canopies, wine racks and end panels.

• If you want your hinges to be drilled for you, you can choose exactly where they need to be. This is especially useful if you are reusing hinges and the previous ones were positioned in an unusual spot.

 Essentially you can have almost any sized door, with any type of handle and have it turned whichever way you wish. This gives you so many options and the chance to completely customise your kitchen.

 The advantages of having a bespoke kitchen are many, but include the fact that it will never look cheap, thrown together or made to fit. There are many kitchens where it is clear that the kitchen has been designed around the size of the cabinets rather than the size of the kitchen. This means that filler strips are used, strange looking small cabinets are placed amongst larger ones and the whole kitchen simply doesn’t come together and look coherent.

 We suggest that you really take your time to design the kitchen of your dreams and try not to let the availability of regular sizes hamper your choices. Remember you can have almost any variation when buying replacement kitchen doors.