Which option is the cheapest?

A refresh is the least expensive because the cabinets stay where they are and there is far less work in your home. A custom kitchen sits in the middle. Fully bespoke cabinetry costs the most because every piece is drawn and built for your room in the workshop.

How long is my kitchen out of action?

With a refresh you usually keep a usable kitchen for nearly all of the work, which is often only a few days on site. Custom and bespoke kitchens involve a full fit, so expect longer. All timings are a guide and depend on materials and scope.

How do I decide which one is right for me?

If the layout works, refresh it. If the layout is wrong, re-plan it. If the room is period, awkward or listed, have it made. The free Home Design Visit exists to answer exactly this: I look at your carcasses, doors and worktops and tell you which option gives the best result for the money.

Kitchen designed and installed by Nick Archibold in a Wiltshire home

Compare your options

Refresh, Custom Or Bespoke?

Three ways to get the kitchen you want. Here is the short version of each, side by side.

The short answer

If your layout works, refresh it. If the layout is wrong, re-plan it with a custom kitchen. If the room is period, awkward or listed, have it made bespoke.

Option 1

Kitchen Refresh

Keep the units. Renew everything you see and touch.

Pick this if the layout works and it simply looks tired.

See kitchen refreshes

Option 2

Custom Kitchen

A new layout, with cabinets and doors from a long-standing UK manufacturer, designed in your home.

Pick this if the room needs re-planning, not just re-fronting.

See custom kitchens

Option 3

Bespoke Kitchen

Hand made for your room in my own workshop, then fitted by me.

Pick this if nothing standard quite fits.

See bespoke kitchens

Side by side

WHAT YOU GET WITH EACH ONE

Comparison of a kitchen refresh, a custom kitchen and a bespoke kitchen
	Refresh	Custom	Bespoke
What changes	Doors, fronts, worktops, sink, handles, lighting	The whole layout, with new cabinetry throughout	Everything, made piece by piece for your room
Your layout	Stays exactly as it is	Re-planned around how you use the room	Drawn around the room, however awkward
Cabinets	Existing carcasses kept and repaired	Supplied by a long-standing UK manufacturer, in standard and custom sizes	Hand made in solid timber and quality boards
Typical spend	From £15,000 to £20,000 for a complete refresh	From £20,000 to £30,000	From £30,000
Time in your home	Usually a few days	Around a week or two to fit	A full fit after 10 to 12 weeks from first drawings
Best for	A layout you are happy with	A room that needs re-planning	Period, listed and characterful homes

refresh

What changes: Doors, fronts, worktops, sink, handles, lighting
Your layout: Stays exactly as it is
Cabinets: Existing carcasses kept and repaired
Typical spend: From £15,000 to £20,000 for a complete refresh
Time in your home: Usually a few days
Best for: A layout you are happy with

custom

What changes: The whole layout, with new cabinetry throughout
Your layout: Re-planned around how you use the room
Cabinets: Supplied by a long-standing UK manufacturer, in standard and custom sizes
Typical spend: From £20,000 to £30,000
Time in your home: Around a week or two to fit
Best for: A room that needs re-planning

bespoke

What changes: Everything, made piece by piece for your room
Your layout: Drawn around the room, however awkward
Cabinets: Hand made in solid timber and quality boards
Typical spend: From £30,000
Time in your home: A full fit after 10 to 12 weeks from first drawings
Best for: Period, listed and characterful homes

Ready to start

Get a professional's opinion

Tell me your budget, your timeline and what you want to change. I'll recommend whether a refresh, custom or bespoke kitchen is the best choice for your home.

Request a free home visit

Common questions

A kitchen refresh keeps your existing units and layout and renews the doors, worktops, sink and handles. A custom kitchen re-plans the room using cabinets and doors from a long-standing UK manufacturer. Available in standard and custom sizes. A bespoke kitchen is drawn for your room and hand made in the workshop, cabinet by cabinet.

Wondering about the money side first? See replacement kitchen door costs.

WHAT CLIENTS SAY

5 out of 5 stars from Mr & Mrs Thomas

“We contacted Nick when we were looking to upgrade our 16 year old, tired looking kitchen. He took us through a comprehensive decision making process in a calm, patient, honest and straightforward way. When he carried out the installation, we were extremely impressed with his level of skill and ability to find practical solutions where necessary. The result is a very high quality kitchen which we are delighted with. We recommend Nick without reservation. He is a craftsman of real talent with design 'know how', matched with complete reliability and absolute attention to detail. It has been a pleasure to have him craft our new kitchen.”

Mr & Mrs Thomas · Kitchen refresh, Brinkworth · September 2026 · Google review

5 out of 5 stars from Matthew Rogers

“We engaged Nick to replace our tired kitchen. Nick took his time to let us know various options we could consider and was very patient in the planning process. Asking us for the pain points in our current kitchen was valuable as we started to plan the layout of our new kitchen. Nick has a calm approach which helps when dealing with such a big project. We are very happy with our new kitchen and would recommend Nick, without hesitation, if you are considering a similar project.”

Matthew Rogers · Custom kitchen, Corsham · October 2025 · Google review

5 out of 5 stars from Zoe Moreton

“Nick is highly professional, has an eye for the smallest details and is great at communicating. I drew a design I loved and Nick made it come to life. He regularly updated me on his progress, and when he came to fit was unobtrusive, polite and very neat and tidy. We would use him again in a heartbeat. Thank you Nick!”

Zoe Moreton · Bespoke kitchen, Melksham · July 2023 · Google review

Wiltshire & the South West

STILL NOT SURE WHICH ONE?

That's what the free Home Design Visit is for. I'll look at your kitchen and tell you which option gives you the best result for the money.