Kitchen design

[3kidsandus]

I'm really struggling with designing our kitchen. I've been to 3 designers and all struggling to fit everything in without it looking crammed!!

The length is 4.2m along the back wall.

It just looks like a lot of tall units!!

The problem is that we don't have a utility room so tall units on the right incorporates a 300mm broom cupboard for ironing board, mop etc. Then we have an American fridge freezer (only because I've always wanted the ice maker!! ) a double oven unit and a 300mm larder.

The tall units therefore take up half of that wall space (2100mm)

The option could be to forefeit my fridge freezer for a 60cm one. Potentially getting rid of broom cupboard and storing under stairs??

The sink run is Washing machine then sink unit tumble dryer and dishwasher!

Also, what are thoughts of seating on island being on shorter end?

Any help/critique very welcome!!

[Parietal]

can you post a floor plan? much more useful than pretty pics.

think about how people will move about in the space & use the space.

[wowfudge]

Can you get the washer and tumble dryer under the stairs, stacked instead of in the kitchen?

[curlywillow]

I would go the whole hog and put floor to ceiling units along that whole wall. Use glass so that it is broken up.

There's an MNer OnePlan who is a fab kitchen designer and very reasonable.

[3kidsandus]

Hehe re: pretty pic!

Attached a floor plan!

Need storage under stairs for shoes/coats/Hoover!

It's also not so much base units I'm struggling to fit in as the island gives us that. It's the tall units really.

Do you know the name of the mumsnetter who does the designs?

[3kidsandus]

Curly, where would you put the hob? Not keen on having it on the island.

[curlywillow]

OnePlanonHouzz She's also on Houzz.co.uk

[namechangedtoday15]

I would lose the American fridge freezer (takes up too much space) and the larder cupboard (think a 30cm larder cupboard will be pretty useless but that's because I don't like larders!). If you can lose the broom cupboard too, you could potentially just have 1.2m of tall units.

I'd have either an integrated fridge freezer or under counter separate fridge and freezer if you have lots of base units. I think if you can reduce the width of the tall units by doing that, it will make it seem much bigger.

Alternatively, I'd go with curly's suggestion and have floor to ceiling units all down the back wall, lose the "L" shaped units under the window but have a long island running parallel to the tall units on the back wall.

[Lesley1980]

Do you need an island if you have a table in the room?

[curlywillow]

yep, floor to ceiling all along to back wall and then a nice long island running parallel.

Or you could ditch the island and have a peninsular sticking out parallel to the back wall. I have this set up and it works really well.

Or you could utilise the other wall.

So many options in that space.

[3kidsandus]

Some great ideas! Thank you!! I hadn't really thought of a wall of tall units!! My only problem is I don't want a hob on an island!

I just WANT an island! Always have! Don't ask me why!

[atticusclaw2]

Don't ditch the american fridge freezer.
How about creating a shallow C.

floor to ceiling (right up so that there is no gap is a much more sophisticated look) units along back wall. This can incorporate ovens etc.

Lose two units off the RHS and put them onto the LHS

Have a longer but narrower island running along the top

[YelloDraw]

I really like it, I quite like the lots of tall units look.

[3kidsandus]

Miaow, have you got a pic of your kitchen?

Atticus, yes I'd not really thought of a run of tall units but I'm quite keen not to have hob on island really.

Yellow, thanks that's reassuring!!!

[PigletJohn]

Don't get 300mm tall cabs. I bought some for the end of a run, and although you can (just) fit in a large pan or casserole, or a mixer or espresso, they are deep and narrow and it is difficult to reach in and find stuff at the back. Squeezing in large things is chipping the front edges.

Due to the fancy doors I will have to swap mine for a 600mm tall cab, with the original doors either side.

I agree that a "tall wall" can maximise space usage, but as it has no worktop, your island will be even more useful.

I have seen a kitchen where the prep island was on big rubber wheels like an industrial trolley (hidden underneath) and had the knives, chopping boards, oils, spices, bin etc underneath, and could be neatly rolled back against the wall when not in use. I thought it very glam. No plumbing on the island, though. I think it was about 1500mm long, which is probably as big as you would want.

[PigletJohn]

btw if that's your hob on the bottom wall, where is the extractor duct?

[ChinUpChestOut]

Your island looks a bit close to your sink. Speaking from bitter experience, I suggest you push your island back 30-40cm if you can. The number of times that people will be squeezing by you to wash their hands or faff while you're in that particular space will astound you. And annoy you.

[PigletJohn]

I was thinking you could have a peninsular instead of an island. Joined on where your pic shows the TD. Have lots of pan drawers in it, they are much better than cupboards. It need not be so deep.

Instead of a small access gap at each end, you could then have a larger gap at the L end. Remember a doorway is about 760mm and a wider gap will feel better.

[atticusclaw2]

In your space, a peninsular will work better.

[lauraknightc]

Hi!

So I would say if you're looking for lots of storage tall units are definitely the way forward! If you can fit in a wider larder than 30mm then I would definitely do that (also google Blum Space Tower for a larder idea - will make finding everything so easy, I have one!).

I would think about position of your washing machine, the door will no doubt be hinged on the right and the washing machine will open up the left making the access slightly awkward.

I think you definitely need to consider a peninsula - this will work so much better in your space and you are essentially only losing one side in comparison to the island. (3 sides inside of 4 on the island).

If you are going to have a mixture of cupboards and drawers - consider where the drawers are in relation to where you will be working and what you will be storing in it!

Hope this helps!

[3kidsandus]

@pigletjohn

Was thinking of having more of a pull out larder for the 300mm tall cabinet. But you're right.. Might lose the broom cupboard and go a tad bigger with the larder and keep American fridge freezer. I saw the size of the integrated and the freezer space is tiny!

It's a telescopic extractor fan so hidden behind the wall cupboard door!

[3kidsandus]

@miaow

Yes that does look very similar to our set up! If we did a u shaped with peninsula that would work but I've just always wanted an Island and wouldn't be happy without one. I will probably be back on here in a few months cursing like your mum did!!

[3kidsandus]

@laura

Yes! That's exactly the type of larder I'm after! With pull out drawers!!

Good tip re: washing machine! I'd put dishwasher on end for better access but might rethink that!!