Does this look odd to you? (kitchen) DH thinks so.

[jamaisjedors]

Photo on profile.

Awkward kitchen. We need to free up the door to the basement to get to the washing machine/freezer.

This is our Plan C (from an online kitchen designer who knows her stuff).

DH doesn't like it. Does it look odd to you?

Could the sink go under the window? As it stands there is very little counter space near the cooker, which would be a pain. Other than that I think the layout is quite good although the table will be a bit of a squeeze. If the basement door isn't used often it doesn't really matter that the pantry is overshadowing it a bit. We recently designed our kitchen and it was hellish so I know what you're going through. At some point you have to stop shifting things around and accept that you've done your best!

As for colours, if you're painting the cabinets make sure you're going with something quite light as it can be overpowering to have all one colour. We were thinking of having the ramsjo cupboards (went with Howdens in the end) and they're not at all clinical - with some nice traditional handles they look quite old fashioned.

I'm not a fan of two-tone.

You can continue the worktop and then drop it down to table height to have an eating area instead of a table. Works very well

Would you like to do mine then noddy?

We have terracotta tiles all the way through the ground floor (reclaimed) so aren't planning on ripping up the floor, we were having a reshuffle of the kitchen rather than doing serious building work and builders are sooo expensive and hard to find here (France).

There was vague talk a while ago of moving the radiator or getting something smaller but is it really the major stumbling block?

We have a recommendation for a local carpenter so could get things made to measure (like a table).

Siting a fridge diagonally in the corner loses you quite a lot of space as the 'triangles' on either side are either made inaccessible or, if the worktops either side hug up to it, an impractical shape that is awkward to clean. Not really sensible if you're already short of space.

What about instead of a table, having a breakfast bar over the radiator and further along? An under counter fridge and freezer would fit under them further along too

cailindana thanks for the sympathy.

DH wanted the sink under the window but then there is no space for the dishwasher anywhere.

noddy how do you join the worktop and the eating area (ie bridge the gap)?

I would love a littel trip to france this could work without teh hob obviously and with stools/chairs

Have you considered plinth heaters? They sit at floor level and blow warm air into the room.

I agree about the diagonal but need to convince DH (or come up with an alternative).

karaoke: the original suggestion was exactly that karaoke but we don't want stools with the DS.

Could the dishwasher go under the sink?

Can the basement have a folding door or a door that opens inwards?

Do you go in the basement when sat at the table?

What are the dimensions of the room & where are the doors - then we can all plan it on Ikea for you?

plenty of room here noddy

Am a little overwhelmed by all the help!!!

At the moment you can't go in the basement when someone is sitting at the table.

The (2) freezers are down there, plus the washing machine, plus the wood for the fire so we are up and down quite a lot.

@cailin - I don't know if a dishwasher can go under a sink, I don't think so because of the height.

@katymac - I have put it all into the ikea planner but can't seem to get any further - I can put up the measurements later if you really are up for a challenge!

I think I need to do some of the toy sorting/decluttering I am supposed to be doing this afternoon but am glued to the thread!

Radiators shouldnt be too exp to remove - a plumber to cap off pipes under floor and big blokes to remove rad. I have a plinth heater in mine which is plenty warm enough for my kitchen.

I'd also lose the table - it takes up a ridiculous amount of space. I'd personally go for a breakfastbar- where the rad is - but like the drop-leaf table idea. You can have it at whatever height siuts you.

The fridge/freezer looks all wrong - the fridge is lower than the cupboard, then the microwave is lower still. It looks like you are deliberately incorporating a stepped design!

Other than that, i like!

Could the dishwasher go a little to right, under the draining board rather than the sink itself? That's how we have ours.

Hmmm looking at it, perhaps not, there doesn't seem to be enough counter space. Unless you get a slimline dishwasher, but those are quite small. Sorry for interrogating, but why does the sink being under the window mean there is no room for the dishwasher?

@cailindana if the sink goes under the window with the dishwasher next to it, then I guess we can't use the wall immediately to the right of it iyswim.

Hi jj. Love a kitchen thread, then saw it was you! Will have a proper look later when not on phone.

Yeah you're right, you need to have a corner cupboard there to make use of the space. But can't you move the sink to under the window and leave the dishwasher where it is?

DH won't go for a breakfast bar and won't move the radiator. We could have a drop-leaf table (pretty much what we already have and DH want to keep) next to the radiator (so no need to ditch the radiator).

I am grateful for all the suggestions but I know DH won't compromise on those 2 things, because the radiator is attached to the central heating and works well so it would cost extra electric to use anything else (athough I did suggest a radiator next to the basement door originally to use that space efficiently).

With regard to the door, currently it opens inwards (into the kitchen) with the handle on the left, we would change it to open with the handle on the right to make the access easier, but for security reasons can't put a sliding/concertina door on there, the basement opens to the outside, it's a half-sunken one.

I'm amazed you all have the patience to trawl through all of this thank you again.

DS 2 moaning (school holidays here, hence me being around). Will return later. thanks

A plinth heather uses the central heating - it uses the same pipes, and just a bit of electric for the fan when it's on. It also doubles up as a cooling fan in summer!

Andif you can rehang the door to open out, that would free up space too

Yes it does look odd - can't resist giving my opinion here.

I hope I don't sound too urgent and obsessive about this, but I went through 3 shitey designers. In the end I started from scratch myself. I decided first where I wanted the cooker, then where other family member spend their time (dishwasher, sink, kettle microwave). Then tried to avoid those areas coming together too often.

1. Run the deep units including sink round in an L shape under the window.

1. Put fridge between door and window, get and undercounter one if it's big enough for your needs. Do NOT put the fridge diagonally in corner of room.

1. Get electric underfloor heating, costs v. little and can use under laminate. Pricey with bills but not in use all the time. Remove radiator.

1. Dispense with all other units in the corner and place table there. Round is good.

1. Use pullout drawers everywhere you can. I have all my pots in one 60cm deep drawer.

Use a small sink so dishwasher can go at the side. Sink is not essential to be under window.

If you need more storage, only put 40cm deep ones along one wall, low height so that there is more elbow room at table.

Avoid wall units if you can, they make you feel more hemmed in. Better to have one slim tall unit than 3 wall units.

Put the hob in the least accessible space, with oven underneath, and put the sink and kettle in the most accessible space. Don't do that 'sink must go under window' thing.

Horse, there is a non-negotiable radiator between the door and the window.