New kitchen. What do I or don't I need?

[CulinaryDesign]

I know there was an excellent thread a year or so ago. If anyone can link it, I'd be grateful!

We moved into a new build show flat with a very badly designed, cheapest possible kitchen. DH has just suggested we replace it with an Ikea one

What do I need to think about?
What do we need?
Cupboards vs drawers?

What are appliances from Ikea like?

How solid are their worktops?

I did our kitchen a while ago and am pleased with

Couple of deep pan drawers
Couple of shallow drawers for cutlery

Not too many of anything because I have lots of different stuff and I can always find a way of arranging things to fit

I’m pleased we coughed up for a proper corner storage thing- it holds loads and is used daily

I rather regret the under cupboard lighting- not because it’s not useful, but because it’s broken a lot and is difficult to fix or replace. Try to get a system you can replace easily when things burn out.

I also wish I’d stood over the chippy as he fitted the worktops because he stupidly put the join parallel with the sink instead of at right angles to it. Means that the slightest bit of water ruins it, so I’ve had to get worktop protector to cover the join- defeats the point of having the worktop, really.

If I did my kitchen again I would definately have a waste disposal thingy in the sink

proper corner storage thing
Do you mean a corner cupboard twirly thing or something else?

Wide drawers under the hob. Carousel for corner cupboards are rubbish! Everything falls over. I've replaced mine with boxes from Ikea which are easy to pull out to get to the deepest reaches.

Pull out drawers in cupboards, so much easier than shelves. Boiling water/instant hot water tap. Cupboards where the doors go up and over instead of hinged on side for those top cupboards that you dont go in often. Cupboards right up to the ceiling. Narrow pull out pantry. Corner carousels. Big sink and also a small sink, either together or separate. Useful for so many things. Lots of sockets. Lots of worktop space.

As many WIDE drawers and narrow drawers as you can over cupboards they hold loads more!!

Avoid have internal corners if you can.

Pull out wire drawers in the cupboards or something similar, so you can have several ‘layers’ for jars and tins and spices.

I love our warming drawer, but that might not work for you in the layout you have.

Pan drawers certainly, cupboards going up to the ceiling and pull out stuff again, so you can reach.

Bar or extra worktop space?

Yes, I have one cupboard that would've been so much easier with drawers.

Deep drawers are fab. I have one for pans and one for crockery. I have deep narrow shelves next my fridge and I bought the pull out inserts from IKEA. IKEA have so many nifty storage tricks, have you spoken to one of their consultants?

I’m doing a kids cupboard beside the fridge and away from my working triangle. Their cups and plates and bowls. Kitchen roll for Them to clean up. Water dispenser in fridge to get own water.

I’m getting lots of drawers. Boiling water tap. Built in stool for my kids beside the sink (and for my tiny mum).

Filing cabinet drawers at the start of the kitchen where letters pile up for all family admin and docs.

Shelves for cookbooks in island to keep them tidy.

I have a waste disposable in my sink. Brillant - peel veg, leftovers straight down sink and washed away. Unless you like to compost , it is great.
I also have a pop up electric socket on my island worktop., if you have one . No dragging wires around .

IKEA consultants are pretty good at planning.

Deep pan drawers
Waste disposal
Good under cupboard lighting.

Have you got a floor plan of kitchen and reception rooms?

Plugs. About 2.5 million plugs and plugs with usbs.

Lighting. Several layers. Up lights down lights spotlights cooker lights, extractor lights, centre lights. DIMMERS.

Deep drawers.

Tall cabinets with pull out baskets.

A washing up liquid dispenser drilled in the stone beside the sink.

At least a metre around an island if you are having one, otherwise do not have one.

Bins built in to cabinets.

Drawers for plates, bowls and spoons beside or near the dishwasher.

Best of luck.

Avoid the Ikea sinks - the pipes on them are a bit flimsy, other than that fab kitchens. The worksurfaces are plenty sturdy enough, the kitchen designer was great, it was all cheap and trouble free. We got our own fitter.

YY to deep drawers in all base units, all ours are 50/50 deep drawers except for the cutlery drawer that is 25/25/50. We also have shallow hidden drawers under the worktop in some of the units which are good for small things like medicines, plastic lid tubs, spices.

I wouldn't get USB sockets unless they are in an out of the way corner because nothing is more infuriating than cables trailing all over the worktop when you are trying to wipe up and who wants food splashes etc on their phone.

Don't put the hob on the island unless you want to pay ££££s for the extractor and have hardly any to choose from.

We also have a wall of floor to ceiling 40 cm deep cupboards instead of wall units all around.

We do have a corner carousel thingy but there's hardly anything in it and it doesn't really get used, but we don't actually need the space, but it just fills a corner that was more or less unavoidlable.

Current floor plan on its way. No electrics on sink side, only on the side with the cooker.

Don't plates rattle and get bashed in drawers?

Hmmm no electrics... is it a petrol driven dishwasher

Plates etc been fine in drawers for 8 years

Somewhere (near the sink) to hang the tea towel and hand towel.

I know it's a really stupid little thing, but it boggles my mind how few kitchens have this and it really makes a difference.

Is the Bar a breakfast bar? If so do you like using it or is there a table next to it anyway?

How many bedrooms does this flat have?

Don't bother with a unit under the window as it just creates 2 internal corners and they are crap for storage!!

Boiling water tap for definite. I really didn't think I needed it and thought it sounded too dangerous with the kids but I added it at the last minute and I wouldn't be without it now. 2 dishwashers and 2 sinks really make the kitchen work so much better if you have the space. Lots of pan drawers and a couple of narrow pull out pantries. I also have a tap with a separate spray hose which is pretty useful too (but not as essential as the boiling water tap).

I wouldn't put in a tall larder unit as it would impact on your worktop space. We have all our stuff in under counter drawers. In a previous kitchen we actually had under counter fridge and freezer to maximise work top space too. Partly as having a larger family I need space to dish up onto at least 6 plates...

The more storage you have the more crap you keep so think through before maximising cupboards. Wall and tall units can make a kitchen feel very small.

Would be useful to know how big the flat is etc.

Quooker tap if you can stretch to it.

Pan drawers.

Good lighting.

Boiling water tap. A godsend.. also bins in drawers, pan drawers and a pantry type cupboard for food.