Help with kitchen layout

[spydie]

We are currently going back through planning on our single storey extension, and despite multiple conversations over layouts, DH has now voiced concern over our kitchen/diner....

I simply can't see what else we can do in the space apart from an L shaped design. The room dimensions are 4m x 4.25, whilst that may not seem particularly big to some, we have a dainty 18th century cottage, the extension is as big as we are allowed to go. We have sacrificed some space to give us a seperate utility, toilet and shower room. The wall seperating the room from the living room is currently an external wall and made of sandstone, which we are going to leave exposed (would be an offence to cover it imo!!), so we don't want kitchen cabinets along there. The plan is to put a big, rustic table in there which uses the space nicely, but DH is now saying it looks odd having all that space. He has no imagination and cannot imagine a table there..... sigh

Am I missing any obvious solutions here to better use the space!?

[OnePlanOnHouzz]

That space will soon be filled with the table and you need space for chairs to go in and out too ! Looks about right up me ! Try to keep your DW out of the main hub of 'cooker to sink area' - by the French doors might be best place for it - as put of the way a little ! ( DW's can be a trip hazzard when left open)
Follow the cooker guidelines for positioning cooker hood above . Allow plenty of work top space either side of cooker top too !

[TataEs]

it's a bit square for a breakfast bar type to decide the room, it won't leave enough room for a proper dining table and chairs imo, and would make it feel smaller.
it will feel light and airy and spacious as is i thing. what's he suggested?

[Oldieandgoldie]

Could you change the door to open out of the room? Or a sliding/bi-folding door? Or even no door at all?

[spydie]

Yep, I just can't see how we could get in anything like an island or breakfast bar without sacrificing the dining table. DH thinks it looks stupid as too spacious, Tata. He wants a kitchen island now, and a table.... He has grudgingly said it will probably all look fine once its done, and there is a table and chairs in.

Good suggestion re DW, although I fear it will still get in the way as we have decided that a pull out tall larder cupboard is an absolute must, and I can only see that realistically going at one end or the other (with the FF at the other end).

[spydie]

oldie yes we could have it outward opening, although may look a bit messy. I'd prefer no door at all, but I think it's a must for building regs?

[flownthecoopkiwi]

We spent £800 on a pull out larder, wish we hadn't bothered.

If in doubt tell him you can add in a free standing kitchen island if it needs one, but I don't think it will

[NapQueen]

What about one of those islands where the side facing the room has a bench attached to act as one side of the tables chairs?

[NapQueen]

Similar to this

[namechangedtoday15]

my friend has something like this

[YelloDraw]

I love those island>tables!!

[Spam88]

I really don't think it looks like you'll have room for anything else once the table is in and I think the layout is fine as it is. Add the table to your diagram and see if that satisfies DH

[spydie]

flownthecoop that's interesting, were they no good? We do a lot of cooking from scratch and are forever rummaging at the back of cupboards trying to find an ingredient that we need, so they seem a good solution as you can see where everything is.

I do like those island tables just not sure if they are a bit contemporary for our oldeywoldy cottage!

spam88 I did a quick plan using magnets online tool and did stick a table in, but it was only a small table so did look a bit lost!

Think we are going with either Howdens or DIY Kitchens, just ordering from the latter worries me a bit as I've read some terrible reviews online about their customer service and getting orders wrong.

[namechangedtoday15]

These are 100 times better than a pull out larder. You still get to see whats at the back of your drawers but they pull out individually.

If you've ever tried to pull a tall pull-out larder unit out in a kitchen showroom, you will notice that some of the shelves are empty or if you pick up any of the boxes / bottles, they are empty. The weight of a fully loaded pull out larder makes it hard to manage and they very quickly buckle / come off tracks etc.

[MovingOnUpMovingOnOut]

My first thought was to take a photocopy and then draw the table and chairs on the plan. Then your dh can see how the space changes.

Then I thought oooh, larder shelf thingies.

[RaisingSteam]

The Ikea planner is very good for visualising rooms in 3d and you can add chairs and tables. Is it your only dining space?

I don't see where your cooker is but if you had one of those L shaped corner units, put the cooker on the bottom wall 30cm from the corner, that just gives a bit of put-down space each side and good clear preparation area round the corner towards the sink. Maybe leave out wall units on that bit. Have a larder next to the existing door and your fridge at the other "top" end near dishwasher and crockery/cutlery storage. That way you can make a cup of tea without moving a step .

Alternatively you could have a freestanding painted "wardrobe" larder unit against your exposed wall. It can have drawers or spice racks/extra shelves inside it. But check out how that works with the table.

[RaisingSteam]

I've got to say those pull out drawers/baskets are the business. You can stuff them with awful bitty things like half packets of lentils and cake decorations and still find anything in seconds.

[ShortLass]

Don't forget with a table you need room to pull out the chairs for people and room to open cupboard doors.

Your kitchen sounds nice and big to me! Would love at 4x4m space. It would be just right for fitting in a table.

[BrieAndChilli]

How about a Welsh dresser against the stone wall - extra storage and fits with the cottagy feel

[Brytte]

I think it looks perfect for an L shape kitchen and a big table. I second the suggestion to plot it out on the Ikea planner because you can look at the room in a 3D view from all angles. It does help people to visualise what the space will feel like.

[JillyTheDependableBoot]

Those larder drawer things look fab! Where are they from?

[namechangedtoday15]

Pull out drawers - I think most kitchen places do them now - I've just had a kitchen from Units Online and they did them. I think most suppliers using Blum drawers / inserts with offer them as Blum is the manufacturer of them (or at least one of them).

[RaisingSteam]

Most kitchen suppliers should be able to do the inner drawers, they are just a special front to a standard or deep metal drawer box. Nearly everyone uses the same few drawer boxes so it's a case of them ordering the extra parts even if not in the standard catalogue.

Here for example, you don't want the drawers above shoulder level obviously or you can't see into them!

[namechangedtoday15]

Should have said my friend recently got a Magnet kitchen and she has them too. I only have a two base cabinets in my kitchen (it's mostly drawers) and I have them instead of shelves.

[RaisingSteam]

By the way DIY kitchens have x 100 the range/choice of Howdens and better quality units and transparent pricing. You/your designer do have to be careful to order everything but I don't think they're any better or worse than other kitchen suppliers for service. My mum's kitchen was from them, she had some dishwasher problem IIRC but got there in the end. In some of their ranges they make their own doors in their factory and will do bespoke size doors/units.

[spydie]

raisingsteam, yes will eventually be our only dining space. We currently have a lounge-diner so would prefer table in with the kitchen and then I can have the lounge back! Cooker isn't factored in on the architect drawings but I'm thinking along the wall with the internal door. Oh and I'm desperate for a range cooker which takes up more space lol..

I just love the pull out drawers!! We had a couple in our last house, they were a godsend.

Love the selection that you get with DIY tbh and so many shapes and sizes to get the perfect match. I just read a few horror stories on facebook and our builder kind of grimaced....

Anyway, I mocked these up online. I think we will have to replace the perfectly fine and only a year old FF though as I think it would look far better integrated.