4 new rooms by Xmas

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Dec 2, 2007 | by ANGELA MACFARLANE

KITCHEN

BUYING a kitchen is usually a lengthy process. First you have to decide what you want, then work out what you can fit in the space with a kitchen planner. Then you might have to wait weeks for it to be delivered and installed. Yet with a little forward planning and by hiring a van, you CAN buy a kitchen straight off the shelf...

UNITS DIY stores are your best bet as they now have special take- away kitchen ranges.

Take-away kitchens at Wickes (0800 106 068, www.wickes.co.uk) start at pounds 242 for an eight-piece unit kitchen. This includes 3 x 1000mm base unit, 2 x 1000mm wall unit, 1 x 500mm wall unit, 1 x 500mm 3-drawer pack, 1 x 600mm built-under oven housing.

B&Q (0845 850 0175, www.diy.co.uk) have 14 take-away kitchen ranges in various styles. Prices start at pounds 691 for the Maple Style kitchen made up of eight units.

APPLIANCES: Remember you will need a Corgi-registered fitter for gas and a qualified electrician for electrical appliances.

Look out for the Take Away Today range from Comet (08705 425 425, www.comet.co.uk), a core selection of products, which every store must have in stock.

Washing machines, dishwashers, fridges and built-in cooking appliances can now be taken home on the day from Currys (0500 304 304, www.currys.co.uk).

WORKSURFACES: These can be bought off the shelf in most DIY stores Don't forget decorative strips to hide the joins.

Ikea (0845 355 1141, www.ikea.co.uk) sell a selection of 14 take home today worktops.

Kitchen tops start from as little as pounds 17.99 for 30mm x 600mm x 2m in white at Focus DIY (0800 436 436, www.focusdiy.co.uk).

FLOORING: Bear in mind the rest of the colours in your kitchen and if you buy anything off the roll remember you will need a vehicle big enough to to get it home.

Focus (as before) and B&Q (as before) have Rustic oak-effect parquet tile vinyl flooring, pounds 4.98 per pack of six.

TILES: See bathroom section.

BATHROOM

AFTER kitchens, bathrooms are probably the most expensive room to give a makeover. But they are also one of the major selling points of any home when you come to move on...

SUITES: Take-away suites are available mainly from DIY stores while basins can be bought from Ikea.

Wickes (as before) have a terrific range of complete suites with matching pottery, panelling and hardware all ready to take away. The Antarctic suite range starts at pounds 250.99. They also have an extensive range of showers, taps, free-standing furniture, shower enclosures and screens, shower and bathroom accessories.

A Rosa bathroom suite, pounds 299 for WC, sink and bath can be collected in store at Focus (as before).

There is a choice of 10 take-away suites at B&Q starting from as little as pounds 189.

Cabinets and sink units are available at Ikea (0845 355 1141, www.ikea.co.uk).

TILES: DIY stores keep a large stock of flooring and wall tiles. Remember to allow for breakages.

Topps Tiles (0800 783 6262, www.toppstiles.co.uk) has a huge range and a free "how to" video guide to tile cutting.

Focus - as before) have a range of both flooring and wall tiles.

BLINDS: High street stores and out-of-town home stores will have small to medium size blinds in stock. Remember to decide if you want the blind to fit inside or outside the recess of the window.

Fabric Warehouse (0800 316 4408, www.fabricwarehouse.co.uk) have aluminium blinds as well as roller, Roman and vertical ones.

John Lewis (08456 049049, www.johnlewis.com) has a total of 70 ready-made blinds available which include rollers, blackout rollers, Venetian ones made out of wood and metal, and fabric blinds.

RADIATORS: You won't be able to pick up and take away a radiator if you're looking for one of a special size or colour. But you should have no problems with normal-sized ones or heated towel rails.

Argos (0870 600 8784, www.argos.co.uk) stock a limited choice of wall-mounted radiators and a large choice of freestanding ones.

Wickes (as before) stock a wide range of modern, traditional and heated towel radiators.

BEDROOM

BEDROOMS are the rooms which often tend to be forgotten, with most money being lavished elsewhere in the home. But if you buy furniture in the morning and freshen up the walls and floor in the afternoon, you could sleep sweetly that night.

BEDS: Taking away a flat-pack bed frame couldn't be easier but make sure your transport's big enough to fit in the mattress.

Dreams (0870 33 33 612, www.dreams.co.uk) has a great selection of bedsteads, mattresses, pillows and duvets in stock to take away. Bedsteads start from as little as pounds 69.

Furniture Village (0800 7833 833, www.furniturevillage.co.uk) has vacuum-packed, rolled-up mattresses that can be taken away.

BEDROOM FURNITURE: For an instant makeover look out for furniture clearance stores which have ex-display and end-of-line items. Be aware these can't be returned if unsuitable and some flat-pack products can't be returned once they have been built.

New Heights (020 8452 1500, www.new-heights.co.uk) specialises in solid wood, leather and upholstered furniture and has a good selection of ex-display and second items at reduced prices.