Please tell me how to survive in a West facing kitchen

[Sunsetsarehellinmyhouse]

I'm losing the plot.
It's actual torture.
Every time it's time to cook dinner from June to early Sept I am on the brink of a meltdown after an hour in my west facing kitchen. The back wall that faces the sun is 8 foot wide and all glass. Glass back door. Glass big window. No actual wall.
The sink is underneath the window, facing the setting sun.
The length of my kitchen is 10 foot and there's nowhere I can stand to escape the sheer intense heat burning into my kitchen from 5pm onwards as the sun lowers until it is directly opposite my kitchen.
I sweat. I wince. I wear sunglasses inside. My legs get sunburn from standing at the hob or worktops as the sun penetrates in to the room.
I can't cope.
I can't cook and wash up earlier in the day cos I'm at work.
I can't cook later at 8pm once the torture is over because my young DC need dinner at 5 or 6 pm latest.
If I leave all the washing up till 8pm by then I'm doing bedtime with DC and don't get back downstairs till gone 9pm and by then I'm knackered with a headache due to the intense heat torture of the kitchen earlier on.
HTF does anyone cope with a tiny box sized west facing kitchen with a glass back wall?
Blinds don't make it any better because I need the glass door and window open for ventilation otherwise I can't even stand in there.
I feel like crying.
Never thought about this when we viewed the house in November.

Put up white sheeting / black out material at all the windows. Best on the outside but easiest on the inside. Turn the lights on. Duct tape it onto doors if you have no other way of fixing it

have an indoor and outdoor thermometer and as soon as the outside temp is lower than indoors , open windows everywhere you can

cook low heat food - microwave as much as you can, use couscous instead of rice or pasta , salads

I have these on the patio doors of my west facing kitchen, they’ve made a big difference - https://www.blinds-2go.co.uk/stick-2-go/61537/stick-on-duoshade-cloud-white.html

Then I just have a normal Roman blind on the window and leave it down 99% of the time!

I got a man from Hillary's blinds round and he recommended a blinds system which attaches onto the frame and it really works - i think you might be surprised what's available.

I have a south west facing kitchen with bi fold glass doors.

An awning will definitely make a difference as will Perfect Fit thermal blinds on the glass doors and any window. My kitchen is liveable now we have those fitted.

Could you get rid of the glass and go for a normal brick wall?
Or just cook easy meals so you're not in there long?

I used to have a pop up gazebo , it broke so it’s just a door curtain atm

Move.

I know they're a bit officey, but I have vertical blinds for my kitchen. That way I can filter how much light I get depending on the time of year. When you're cooking in summer you can just twist them closed as and when.

I have one of these from John Lewis. I originally thought I'd create a shade on my balcony to sit under, then realised it's actually shading the front room instead. It does help take it down from 'furnace' to 'warm room'.
I also have a turbo floor fan from Dyas which was about £40. Thinking of exploring some reflective material on the windows.

In my bedroom I have a black out blind which is down all the time, then I fully open window all night to cool.

In my spare room I have an air con machine.

West facing top floor new build. It was 36.5 degrees in my front room without the parasol!

We have an awning over our west facing window, have done since 2022 and I don't know how we would manage without it in summer. Fully unwound, it comes to about 4 feet off the ground, and puts the room into shade (although obviously you have to duck if you want to use the door).

Mine is south/west facing and it’s deathly from around 2pm! I wfh part time and I need to be out of there by then. We have bifold doors as well 🤦‍♀️
I got up at 6.30 today to do meal prep/put washing on/general chores while it was cooler.
Will think about fitted blinds to the panes of glass and an awning.
it’s lovely in winter but this house wasn’t built for a hot summer -

Pull down blinds/draw curtains-very simple to close the sun out.

Film, awning, blinds are all good ideas.

Another is a dehumidifier to take the moisture out (often builds up in kitchens)

F

I don’t know how anyone could vote that you’re being unreasonable. West facing kitchens/living rooms/bathrooms are hell with big windows. I have them and can relate. If you want to remain living there you’ll have to throw money at the problem. I’m limited as to what I can do as it’s housing association, so no air con, awnings or shutters, but the suggestions re blinds are good.

Also just tape space blankets outside for now - I’ve done so on my back door, the only place I can without blinding the neighbours. Makes a massive difference. Looks like you’re planning on being the next Walter White but it really helps.

Also no cooking! Cold meals all summer!

Where do you live? I have a west facing kitchen & love it, it’s been tough during the heatwave though.

We’re in the same situation, it’s been horrific and I spent a fortune on blinds with thermal linings last year and they really haven’t helped.

This year we’ve bought these- they have been absolutely brillant, very easy to fit and have made a massive difference. They stop the windows getting hot in the first place so really do the job. However we live in a bungalow, so may not be suitable for a house.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Yaheetech-Adjustable-Retractable-Canopywith-Restaurant/dp/B09XTR6FBT/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=34SG91NTKU28B&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.vsX-gqppjcoMHggDMSd5_RuZhpe3JLbRCrZweXZuy1LqlyOaqmTIuEYaN3xsnUKn-jZfanT5cke8F3GIpm2Ac1RWIVkILxw8uUBJn6XzvA-K9ZlyKMqumOhbNsjXYIgfmkuiBFJh9SkkBXqUPmtJo-jf2CJedh5M8o6wnUnCmKK1EOpnwmPD6wjRpOhzoXMVek0kJTo_71O4jLgJeXnHuw._24wYDD1KDdflFcJjptRiIqqBYK12I8gmJhKvMOwl7o&dib_tag=se&keywords=awnings%2Bfor%2Bbalcony&qid=1783458701&sprefix=awnings%2Bfor%2Bbalcony%2Caps%2C133&sr=8-3&th=1&psc=1

As well as an awning, can you get those concertina blackout blinds so it’s shaded as soon as the sun comes out?

Otherwise could you have an actual wall built instead of a glass one with just a normal door or window in it?

I live in Brisbane Australia and my kitchen is the same. The only blind I regularly use in my house is the kitchen one to block the sun! (Before you all come at me and we don’t do daylight saving here in QLD so sunset is 5.30 in the winter and 6.30ish in the winter.)

Blocking the sun will have the biggest impact so that might mean: an awning you can roll out to cover window/door, shutters for the window and blinds for the door. I know you said you need the breeze but I would replace with air conditioning (split system if you can afford it). If your hob isnt gas then I would also look into having a ceiling fan installed (you can get plain just fans or fans that also have a light inbuilt), and a stand up fan for air circulation.

I had this same problem. I was genuinely so distressed about it so I understand. You need to contact a blind company and ask them to come out to see what they can recommend.
Also trees in big pots on your patio will help more than you think.

Exactly what we have. It's made a massive difference.

I have a south facing garden and kitchen, it’s hot all day, I hate opening the windows when I’m cooking as I hate flies in the kitchen. I have white blinds that I keep down which really helps to keep the kitchen cool - it’s still really bright and I have an awning.

I have a North facing kitchen with a large expanse of sliding doors on the North Side and a big window on the West Side. We have the same problem too, as well as freezing in the winter
Does the solar film make it dark inside or colder in the cooler months? Any ideas specifically for sliders which wont cost me thousands? There are already some intriguing ideas on here - thanks.

When I moved to a modern flat in London , it was great in winter as the insulation meant I hardly needed any heating , however in summer it was absolutely stifling . My solution was to borrow the portable A/C unit from my parents campervan . Having the blinds shut & having that on made a HUGE difference . U could try something similar & if u are being blinded then u have really little option than having blinds installed or else u walk around like Madonna with huge sunglasses on 24/7 .