What do you regret/ love about your fitted kitchen?

[QueenOnAPlate]

We are just in the process of having a new kitchen designed. The designer suggested a wall of cupboards and units and then an island, which does seem to be the trend, but I’ve come home wondering whether that is going to be right for us - we love cooking and have lots of appliances - kitchenaid etc, and they would all have to go on the island which would make it cluttered and reduce the workspace.

I’m also torn about style. Part of me wants all white units and worktop, but I’m worried it will look like a lab!

We are a big family and the kitchen will be very lived in. When we last had the kitchen done (15 years ago) it was really flawed - too dark, fridge in conservatory so not ergonomic, and not enough cupboards. I want to get it right.

I’d love some comments from others to help me decide, particularly about worktop space.

It’s a big space, we are extending and making it open plan, so anything goes!

We had a new kitchen put in last year and prioritised workspace. Best decision ever for us. We also have an excessive amount of deep drawers so lots of storage space. 2nd best decision as everything is nicely organised and easily accessible and I no longer spend a significant chunk of each day swearing while pulling out piles of stuff to find something stuffed at the back of the cupboard mid-cooking.

We went for white and wooden worktops (sort of semi-rustic) but that’s because it fits the style of the house. I’m a big fan of white kitchens as it’s a good backdrop for all the colour and stuff that otherwise accumulates. Ours definitely doesn’t look like a lab!

I like white kitchens too. Or maybe very pale grey. The wall of cupboards plus island works really well for us. All the gadgets have enough cupboard space so it’s nice having everything away with lots of worktop space when you need something. I love our induction hob. Am I’m glad we didn’t go for an integrated fridge as they don’t have as much space as a freestanding one. Agree with the poster above that deep drawers are the way forward, I wish we had more of those.

Things I love

I didn’t put presses on the walls, they don’t hold much and make the kitchen cluttered.

Different worktops, granite on units wood on island

A drawer for oven trays

Do you have a utility room?
Why does the kitchen aid and other appliances havre to stay out?

Integrated bins in a full size counter unit
Dishwasher opposite the plates cupboard.
Lots of counter space, I only have upper units on one wall
Really good lighting( any lighting shopwill help you with this)
Quartz tops, I love them and they are completely forgiving and maintainance free.
I made a Pinterest page to slowly pull together the look I liked best, it really helped narrow things down for me.

We're going for light grey units with white work top, I couldn't face cleaning shiny white cupboard doors all the time but also wouldn't want to look at fingerprints!

ILs have an island, it's pretty much their only work top but if you have enough worktop you might not need one. We have a decent amount of work top currently but getting more, you can never have too much.

We're also getting big drawers, finally all my plastic storage boxes will be together

Lots of cupboard space and deep drawers, all my appliances (apart from toaster /kettle) are put away. Hidden insert in a drawer for cutlery. Lots of counter space.

Our cooker isn't built in, it just fits next to kitchen cupboards, so there is a tiny gap between cooker and cupboards which is a bit of a pita to clean if there are spills. On the other hand when the cooker had to be replaced, it could just be removed and new one put in. (I assume with a fitted one, you'd have problems doing this unless the new cooker was exactly the same dimensions).

Maybe cookers come in sizes, in which case ignore me ...I've never had to consider that possibility ;)

Drawers wherever possible

I love that the grooves in the door are not tight squares, so they clean easily - without leaving dirty corners (hope that makes sense) but it makes life much easier when cleaning them.

We have a wall and then island. Gadgets are in large drawers on the island. We don’t use them daily and take them out to use them.

Love my pull out bin.
Love larder pull out.
Wish I had got a more powerful tap.

Pan drawers as many as you can fit in, they make life so much easier!

Integrated bin and recycling in a cupboard space so you don't have to take up the floor space with a bin.

If you've no utility a tall cupboard with space to put an ironing board mops etc.

Drawers, drawers, drawers.

I love my large kitchen table and don't regret not fitting an island. In the space available having both would be a squash and the table can be pushed out of the way for times when we need a big space.
I love my deep pan drawers, they are more practical than the cupboards.
I love my pull-out-hosey tap.
I love my glass upstands.

I wish we'd had more money to spend on good stone worktops. They look cheap.

I hate my gas hob now but loved it when it was fitted 10 years ago. I'd like an induction one.

I hate that we couldn't quite stretch to floor-ceiling storage in the far corner. What we have is a large chest if drawers and stuff stacked on top.

I think that covers most of it.

Deep drawers. One of mine had upright dividers so it's always easy to find roasting tins, baking trays etc.

The integrated bin/recycling/compost is fab.

And if you get wooden worktops, seal them with oil not varnish. I've had both and varnish is rubbish.

We have base units on iwindow wall. Pull out larder style cupboards and small (high so not everyone could reach it) cupboard to surround large plumbed in America fridge freezer. We have a peninsula , which for us works better than an island as it give more work top surface and acts as a natural divider between cooking and dining spaces.

We have cashmere with integrated handles so lots of clean lines without the clinical feel of white. Work tops are black corian we are foodies so need indestructible. Pasta roller, blenders, slow cooker etc all in cupboards . Got a nice kettle, toaster coffee machine which work with colour pallet are allowed to stay out.

Walk in corner larder, with floor to ceiling shelves, all food and most gadgets stored in there, and still room to hide - yes DD (18) looking at you!

Wish I'd put more drawers in

Drawers. I have 18 of them and absolutely love them.

My kitchen is very pale grey except the island which is a very dark grey, and a white work surface so room is very light and airy.

Only a year old and still love it.

I love my island, it's 3m x 1.5m. Deep pan drawers and shallower drawers on one side, 6 cupboards on the other side, so huge amount of storage.

Love my induction hob, huge seperate but matching fridge and freezer. Huge sink big enough to fit oven trays to soak. Huge pull out larder.

We have a separate utility, so washing machine, dryer and extra sink are in there.

Forgot quartz worktops, never stain, look as good as new 5 years on. Mine are vanilla, I find white too stark.

Boiling water tap, so no kettle.

Watching this thread with interest

If you go for white worktops you need to invest in quality materials, as white laminate will end up stained with tea-rings, tomato etc. Corian is great as it’s very durable and can be repaired, but it’s expensive. Stone ones (quartz, granite etc) are lovely, but if a tin falls out of your wall cupboard onto your worktop and chips it then you’d be stuck with it. Think it’s hard to get white quartz without the glittery bits which I’m personally not a fan of.

I think all white is a lovely classic look, and you can soften it with bright pictures, accessories etc.

Islands are great, but only if you have sufficient space as otherwise it’ll feel cramped. How big is your kitchen?

Good luck, we just had ours done and the number of decisions which have to be made are exhausting!! We went for light-grey units and white corian worktops and it’s made our previously dark kitchen seem twice the size.

Everyone is saying drawers rather than cupboards- what is it that’s so good about them? I’d not even considered them - also any good ideas for how to store spices? I have loads!