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Property/DIY

Best and worst things about your kitchen?

76 replies

41notTrendy · 01/11/2012 17:40

A shameless attempt to get ideas Grin
We are considering knocking our kitchen and dining room together, so would like to hear what others love about their kitchen, and what drives you mad.
I love that we have a big breakfast bar that doubles up as a worktop. I hate that there are 3 doors in our kitchen, 2 of which back onto each other and are always in the way.

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Bamaluz · 01/11/2012 17:44

I love my 90cm wide drawers, although I hate the ceramic hob.
Love the built in double oven, with the gas grill at eye level.

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41notTrendy · 01/11/2012 17:46

Bamaluz, is your oven a gas oven?

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Flossiechops · 01/11/2012 17:56

I love our kitchen, it's 30ft by 10ft and it sold the house to us. We don't have a formal dining room but have our table in the bay. It can be cold in there though so I would always consider the heating when refurbishing. we have long lengths of granite which when I can be arsed to clean gleam like a mirror Grin

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Bamaluz · 01/11/2012 18:06

Yes, gas oven. Had electric before and never used the grill at all.

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noisytoys · 01/11/2012 18:12

Best things - It has everything a kitchen should have, oven, freezer, fridge, sink etc and is quite big Grin

Worst things - nothing works how it should Sad

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headfairy · 01/11/2012 18:20

I love that we have two really long work top runs, I hate that the fridge and freezer are undercounter so i'm always scrabbling on my hands and knees, and there's no full length cupboard so we've nowhere to store brooms, mops, the ironing board etc.

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Gingerodgers · 01/11/2012 18:23

I have a smug range style free standing cooker with large oven. Don't get one, I hate it. The oven takes ages to heat up,and a real pita if you just want to bake a tray of cookies with the kids.

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Mandy21 · 01/11/2012 18:23

Nothing really about current kitchen - perhaps the fact that it gets lovely and warm when you use the oven because its so small Wink. Also hate with a passion the cream coloured tiles which we had to put down in haste as they were on offer and seemed like a good deal. Kitchen floor always looks dirty!

We knocked through between kitchen and dining room in a previous house and loved it. Loved the double oven at eye level, the roll top cupboard. Didn't like the under the counter fridge, also really liked the slimline dishwasher as I could put it on every day. Loved the island unit which meant I could watch the children whilst I was cooking, although didn't like the high gloss finish as it needed quite a lot of keeping clean.

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Gingerodgers · 01/11/2012 18:24

Smeg not smug. Tho actually the bloody thing sits there looking all posh and smug!

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smokinaces · 01/11/2012 18:26

I love that mine is huge. I have every appliance going. And a Breakfast bar. And a table and chairs. I can easily fit 8 adults in there comfortably. I am going to miss my massive kitchen/diner when I move arent I?

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41notTrendy · 01/11/2012 18:35

Interesting about high gloss finish, have been lusting after white glossy cupboards.
Smug/smeg Grin
Would appreciate views on eye level ovens v under counter ovens.

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GrandPoohBah · 01/11/2012 18:39

I love my new eye level oven as it means I can see how things are cooking without bending, ditto getting things in and out.

I wish I'd thought a bit harder about where I was going to put my bin when I was planning it though.

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Shakey1500 · 01/11/2012 18:47

My 800 pan drawers with soft close and the led blue plinth lights.

Worst is the wrong cornices put on,they overhang further than i like but tis minor.

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Mandy21 · 01/11/2012 18:49

Eye level - especially if you have young ones. No hot surfaces, also much easier to see how things are cooking.

The hi-gloss - loved how shiny / reflective it was but it did smear quite easily

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BackforGood · 01/11/2012 18:51

I prefer under the counter ovens, as I don't like the idea of any of my dc lifting things down from an (adult) eye level oven. tbh, nor me, I think the potential for slightly tilting something with oven hot liquid in down the front of you makes it something I'd not consider but maybe my family are more clumsy than some?
I love my really wide drawers, including my saucepan drawer
I love my pull out larder cupboard
I love the 'hose' on the tap that I can pull out and swill round the sink
My 'magic corner' cupboard units are also pretty nifty.

What I don't like is the shape, but there's not much I could have done about that - it is what it is.

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Usedtobefun · 01/11/2012 18:51

I designed a new kitchen two years ago when we knocked through dining room and study and added on an extension creating a big kitchen diner.

I have two built in eye level ovens side by side and it is much better than my previous under the counter oven. Easier when lifting out big heavy casserole dishes and roasts much better to keep an eye on how things are cooking.

I also have an induction hob which is absolutely great and I would highly recommend one.

I have white high gloss doors which actually do not get as grubby as I thought much easier to keep clean than the previous shaker style wood doors.

Corian work tops are great very tactile and easy to keep clean, particularly with curved up stands which mean crumbs don't get trapped in the edges along the wall. I have a pop up plug built into the breakfast bar which is really handy.

The only thing I would change is I would have put underfloor heating in as there is quite a lot of glazing so the dining area does get cold in winter.

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poohbearrules · 01/11/2012 18:56

Worst thing? It's currently sat in the dining room waiting to be fitted Grin. Wall also getting knocked down to make kitchen even bigger.

Bit worried now though, cos we're having a range type cooker, huge free standing fridge and cream gloss doors! Having a breakfast bar too so can watch DD do homework etc whilst cooking (she's only 14weeks tho!). Planning ahead!

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sausagesandwich34 · 01/11/2012 18:58

I love my eye level oven, much easier to get things out of the oven & check on baking etc

dont like that I only have 30cm of worktop next to my sink even though I have a big kitchen

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eatyourveg · 01/11/2012 19:00

I love my range cooler. I hate the fact that there are no windows, just 5 doors one of which we have taken off its hinges as it kept getting in the way - 2 doors are kept shut all the time and only opened for Christmas parties or other big bashes

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SamsGoldilocks · 01/11/2012 19:07

Best and worst is my larder cupboard - it's a normal width cupboard with lots of shelves and space inside, but my bil pulled it out completely and despite fb spending 3 separate days trying to fix it, it remains fragile and the door doesn't shut flush. In fact it really pisses me off as I don't know how to fix it.

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ohmygoshandgolly · 01/11/2012 19:10

I love my kitchen, it's my favourite room in my house but I hated the building work involved in getting it right.

I particularly like the underfloor heating, bi-fold doors to the garden and my wooden worktops. I wish I had room for a range cooker though.

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sommewhereelse · 01/11/2012 19:10

I second the hose tap. I really miss the one from our old house but we are renting at the moment.
The worst thing about this kitchen is the sink. It's only four years old but it's made of a white material (not porcelain or enamel) which has a matt rather than shiny finish that really holds stains.

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BackforGood · 01/11/2012 19:11

Just remembered - I love my sink as it's 1 and 1/2 bowl size, but just one sink IYSWIM, so, washing up I can do in a bowl and still have room to tip things down, or rinse or whatever, but occasionally when I wash something big - like grill pan or oven shelves - they still fit. Would hate to go back to a single sized sink now.

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Chubfuddler · 01/11/2012 19:13

I love my aga. I love having my pans hanging up ready to grab when I need them, it helps that they are nice pans. I love having the French windows open in the summer when eating breakfast and I can smell the lavender beds outside. I love the adjoining futility room where the grudge and washing machine lurk out of the way.

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Purplehonesty · 01/11/2012 19:15

Best thing it's open plan to lounge and so it's really social
Worst thing sold oak tops they are a huge pain to look after. Never again

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