To ask if any of you are interior designers or estate agents?

[Ilovegeorgeclark]

Ok. I know I am not BU but DH has no taste! I have had to name change for this!

We are having our kitchen extended knocked through to make a big open plan kitchen diner.
Architect has come up with a gorgeous scheme with L shaped kitchen, large island and a whole wall of glass sliding doors looking out onto the garden! I love it!!

Problem is DH, who is easily influenced by his parents, is unsure.

They have said, 'why on earth do you want an island, it just gets in the way.' And 'think of the money you'd spend on curtains with all those windows' 😫🤣

So, DH is now faltering (I know... apron strings...)

How can I convince him that a modern, beautiful open kitchen (think ugly house to lovely house) is the way fwd and to ignore his parents.

I'm asking if any of you are estate agents as I'm sure it will increase the value of the house and cold hard cash might bring him to his sense.
Thanks

PS I know I am very fortunate to be in this position.

We have an island. It gets in the way.

I don't like it and when DH chose it, I never really considered it. It's annoying.

But I agree the windows sound lovely. Would you even need curtains if it's opening out onto your garden?

Definitely don't want curtains. I'm thinking slim electric blinds.

Not an estate agent or a designer - sorry - but I have a kitchen just like this and it is gorgeous. When we bought the house it was the 'lead' picture on the estate agent's listing.

Every visitor says how fabulous the kitchen is. Even delivery guys who catch a glimpse of it say "wow, your kitchen is amazing."

We don't have any coverings on the bifold doors, because they look out onto the back garden, so we don't need them.

And yes, the house was pricey!!

I love our island, it separates the room and is used a lot. We also have loads of glass (massive windows and two large sets of French doors) which we haven't even bothered with curtains or blinds for as we are not overlooked. Done well it will definitely add value to your property.

Sounds like a wonderful idea - go for it and it will add value to your house.

Thank you. I know it could be fantastic. DH is just getting on my nerves now as he is such a sponge to his very old fashioned parents.

By the way, your kitchens sound fabulous!

Why not get him to watch some of the George Clarke shows? They nearly all do this fancy huge kitchen/bifold doors thing, he has great advice for the people on planning islands, how much space to leave round them for easy access, opening cupboards/ovens etc, and they always look amazing!

Cool cool.. he won't, I've tried to get him to watch but he thinks it's dull! He's so irritating as he has an opinion based on very little. He closes ideas down but has no real thought of his own.

I’m an estate agent. It will add value to your house.

Who uses the kitchen the most?

Thank you DMPI. Can you think of an obvious way U can demonstrate that to him without showing him this thread?

I not u!

Tell him it's only a modern version of a kitchen table, just more versatile!

I sat down dh with the edited highlights of the George Clarke series. And we viewed a couple of houses where it had been done, he’s sold. I know what you mean about ILs, we are going to have exactly the same issue. They hate that look and are v vocal about it.

We too ha e an island and big bifolds. Again, it looks out into the garden which isn’t overlooked so would never think of getting blinds. In the summer we open it all up when get home from school etc and children just run in and out all evening. Island they all sit around for breakfast etc and we have a computer on it so I know what they are watching if they go on youtube! It’s so much better than our old kitchen and we spend 90% if the day in there. I hope you persuade your husband!

An island only gets in the way in a small space that you have to walk around all the time. In s big open plan room it can help zone it so the place doesn’t look so much like a kitchen. It’s very useful extra work surface and extra storage. Mine has the o end and job, wine rack and hidden recycling and rubbish bins, and bar stools on far side. Just have home look at and home magazine - most open plan kitchens have an island!
And if not overlooked don’t put anything on the glazing.

@Ilovegeorgeclark have any similar houses in your area had extensions? You can look up estimated house values on Zoopla and should be able to see a difference in value on extended properties.

I've an island. Or a peninsula. It seats eight normally . And more at a push. It doesn't remotely get in the way, and it's used constantly. People congregate there when they come round. Even when I try to move them elsewhere they just sit there. I had ten round it at the weekend.

And I've no curtains. Can't stand them. I'd say having the kitchen redone, with the island, and removing the old hideous curtains has added a lot of value.

Our island is 2m long and I adore it. We have a kitchen table too but unless we have visitors we eat all meals at the island, kids do homework there, anyone coming round for coffee or drinks naturally sits there... it's a fantastic sociable space. You won't regret it!

curtains can be very affordable - just make sure that you will be able to hang your fixing at a height that means you can by off-the-shelf ready-made curtains. Super variety of ready-made options (all decor styles) at John Lewis, Dunelm, and Laura Ashley. Standard prices are good, and sale prices are terrific.
Look on-line for "extended poles". This company was very useful: www.thepolescompany.co.uk/?gclid=CjwKCAjw7anqBRALEiwAgvGgm114U5zOGOeIR-Te8ICh-9J7ytAhhnYLbJkQtB4E5qo-IeyC37Wc3BoCDcEQAvD_BwE
I also used a local company on one occasion - they made an extra long curtain pole that needed no supporting bracket in the middle, and that they couriered in an extra long length. No cuts.
I've renovated a few places this way. In one house (our current house) the sliding doors are particularly wide -- so I hung two eyelet
curtains on each side; four curtains in total cover it well . We use them in winter only. Makes the room nice and cosy. I prefer curtains to blinds for this reason, and also because curtains come in such a variety of interesting fabrics. The fabric livens up the room.
In a previous house, I used ready made "pencil pleat" curtains but didn't 'pleat' the curtains. The curtains thus remained wide enough to pull across the full expanse of window.

We designed kitchen islands are fabulous! Perfect for family-living.

When we were having building work done on our house, MIL got offended because we didn't install a ton of things that would have been appropriate for very much older people. She even insisted we needed luminous strips on the edges of steps so we could see them. And before someone says it, no these were not to benefit her and FIL - they were for our benefit. We are in our early 40s.

Your DH needs to understand that this kitchen is for you, not his parents. If you post pictures of the design, I am sure the hivemind on here will give you good advice.

LMAO at verticality 's in-laws' advice!

If the OP's not careful, her PIL will convince her DH to install a stairlift next...