Kitchen overlooking garden - how important?

[CoffeeMummy]

We're going for a 2nd viewing of a really nice bungalow on Saturday morning. It ticks loads of our boxes - 2 bathrooms, 3/4 beds, utility room, garage, and is an end of cul de sac corner plot so has a very good size, fairly private garden.

The only thing missing from my list is that the kitchen window doesn't overlook the back garden. The three back bedrooms do instead. I suppose I had a fantasy of a kitchen with lovely French windows, flowing beautifully onto the patio/grass but this is definitely not the case here. FWIW it does overlook the large grassy area and swing park right next to the house and the back door is just a few steps away from the garden at the side of the house.

I also think it might be possible to put french windows into the front bedroom to make it a dining room (or really transform it into an open plan kitchen diner by knocking down a wall) - although DH would need A LOT of convincing to do this, he thinks it would be madness to loose a potential bedroom.

So - WWYD? Would a garden overlooked by the kitchen be crucial to you? Or should I just compromise as there's a lot of other good stuff?

No, not crucial. Both houses I grew up in had kitchens overlooking the road - good for being nosy but more pressure to keep it tidy. Can you eat in it? Is there a dining room? If not, definitely tell your dh that you'll be knocking through.

It would be crucial for me, and I wouldn't have gone to look at a house with a kitchen at the front.

However, I have younger DC. I think with older DC it might be less important. I like to keep an eye on mine in the garden whilst I cook/drink coffee.

Depends on age of children - it's useful when they are little and you want to throw them out whilst getting on with stuff, but they still need an eye being kept on them. If not, then not crucial at all.

x-posted!

Not something I've ever thought about. I am more concerned by which direction the garden faces and whether there is off street parking

Forgot to add ages of the DDs - they're 5 and almost 2.

I am a bit of a helicopter mum, especially when they're outside, so I'd be inclined to keep a close eye on them. Perhaps it would be good motivation to do lots of gardening?!

Btw The kitchen's not at the front, it's at the side. The wannabe dining room is at the front and overlooks a mostly private front garden.

Bumping and thanking those who've offered an opinion so far.

SwedishEdith I'll be taking a very good look at the kitchen again tomorrow - as I say, it's not as big as my 'dream kitchen' would ideally be, but it is a decent size with room, I think, for a small table or breakfast bar. It's a bit old-fashioned so ideally we'd update it before too long - that would probably herald a long-running debate over knocking through/not knocking through with DH. (seriously, nothing gets done around here unless he's up for it too). Until then I'll probably have to wrap my brain around the idea of either a separate dining room or perhaps a bigger dining table in the living room.

AnnoyingOrange the garden runs east/west I think and there's a loooong driveway, room for both of our cars. As I say, it ticks a lot of other boxes apart from the window thing!

East-west garden sounds lovely! Never rawly thought about having the kitchen window facing the garden...hmmm...perhaps you could have breafast in bed and watch over the children:)

Really, not rawly. hate autocorrection!

Great idea flatbread! I bet I good rig up a good system of mirrors to make that possible...

I certainly think it could be useful having the kitchen window overlooking the grassy park and swings beside - I'm sure the girls would bug me to go and play there and when they're a bit older they could go themselves and I'd still be able to watch out for them.

Current kitchen overlooks garden. Kitchen in new house will likewise. Not crucial, though. I wouldn't mind if it overlooked the road. Would probably feel slightly more connected. I do not have young DC and when I did, having a kitchen opening into the garden was important to allow them to run in and out safely, let me referee arguments etc.

I have a side kitchen which overlooks... wait for it.

The brick wall of my shed!

It doesnt bother me in the slightest because I dont stand at the sink washing up anymore so don't need a view.

I went from having spectacular views from huge windows in my first home to being overlooked at the back and only just being able to see the woods from the front.
I find having the extra living space much more important.

ThompsonTwins I like the idea of feeling connected, especially because I can currently be very nosy about the comings and goings on our street (I'll miss that if/when we move!) so being able to overlook the park would be good for that, plus that window does overlook the hills beyond.

I'm now beginning to feel like a spoilt brat ("I must have my cake AND eat it") as this problem doesn't seem like such a problem any more

Ferret Ever considering painting a lovely picture on your brick shed?

My dc always refused to play in teh garden unless I was there too - so made no difference if I could see the garden from the kitchen or not. But being able to watch the playpark will be invaluable once they get a bit older. If you live anywhere like where we used to live, kids went to the playpark on their own from about 5 upwards - and being able to keep an eye on them then would have been great.

I would rather have the lounge facing the garden than the kitchen. We have a back window and a side window onto the garden from our kitchen but I rarely look out, in fact the blinds are usually closed because I am hardly in there. If it was a big family style kitchen then I'd want a window on the garden though.

Just a thought to consider though - find out how noisy the playpark gets at night - and whether that will be an issue to you. Folk where we used to live bought teh house right across from the park - and cannot stand the noise of the kids playing there on summer evenings (probably up to 10 at night)

Pretty much word-for-word what Ferret said, except that my view is of the side fence.

A house has to tick many boxes, and the view from the kitchen is only one, and by no means the most important.

OP My painting skills are about as good as an average 5 year old!

Good point haggis, I think mine are a bit like that just now too, they like company.

Am looking forward to seeing the place again tomorrow morning - houses are always a bit different to how you remember after just one look. I'm hoping it's even better than I remember, I want that gut feeling that it's right for us.

Thanks for all the advice and views folks!

Ps ferret I could send my 5 year old round to do it for you if you like?