New kitchen - what do you love, what do you regret? recommendations please!

[gillyweed]

My mum has asked me to help design their new Kitchen, she's been dreaming about a new one for years but has a chronic illness so not up to doing it herself, my dad just doesn't care...

Their both late 60's so want a design that will work well the older they get (eye height cooker etc.) and both love cooking and food; lots of gadgets, implements etc!

The room is corner of the house, about 5 x 10 m, window on both exterior walls - one corner (next to main window) has the entrance to the cellar; made to look like part of the work surface, the lid lifts up and door opens to lead down to dodgy steps (to freezer, utilities etc), this takes a massive amount of space up but we can't see around it without moving the stairs to another room ££££!!! The room needs gutting and taking back to bare walls, I suspect everything needs re-doing.

We're thinking ikea probably.

Basically I'm after any advice, what do you like/dislike about your kitchen, mistakes, recommendations, regrets, zoning, design?!? Its already the hub of the home, I just want my mum to enjoy being in there again without bits of it falling off in her hand!

I hate the slate floor in my kitchen, it is a bugger to clean.

I love the little shelves half way between worktop height and the base of the units next to the hob. Dead handy for herbs, jam, oxo cubes etc

Howdens are pretty good. They are trade only so you will need to find a tradesman to order for you. My DH has an account if you need a name to give them for starters.

Induction hob vs gas - induction wins hands down!! Cleaning all the bits and pieces on a gas hob is a total pain so our hob always looks shit with induction, it costs a bit more, and you need special pans, but it's an investment... It works by magnetism, the surface doesn't get particularly hot (though the pan does, obvs), which means any spills or splashed oil etc don't burn on and it's just a simple wipe down afterwards. Loved it, miss it!

Got a bin in the cupboard in our current kitchen. I quite like it now, though I wasn't sure to start with. You have to be careful to get the stuff in the bin IYSWIM, not 'miss', but I like the fact it's out of the way. Also, my DCs can't really get at it, whereas in the old place I had to be vigilant when they were toddlers... Also it took up floor space, and often seemed to get a bit manky when I couldn't be bothered to clean it often enough so I don't miss trying to shine the Brabantia up.

Floor tiles - get something with a slight pattern - then every single bit of dust etc. won't show up as much.

I have a large larder cupboard, but no drawers inside. That's my only regret. It's a massive cupboard (which holds a microwave, so has a power socket) but I am forever hunting around inside and it looks a mess.

I have no hanging cupboards as I hate them, have open shelves and love them.
There is ony one cupboard with normal doors, all the others are drawers (some of them huge).
Next to oven I have a row of small and deep drawers for cooking spoons, sellotape, scissors, oven glove et.
Remember to think of a space to hang up towels.

I have fridge, sink and oven/hob in a row, that is perfect for us. The other side is just storage. No more running across the room with something hot.

I love my pop up sockets, boiling water tap with its own little sink, neff ovens with slide under door, u shaped drawers under the sinks and it's a kitchen of drawers, fan flipping tastic.

do you find your pop up sockets get filled with crumbs or are they just perfect?

I've recently had my kitchen done. If you live in the North of England I really recommend giving my kitchen designer a go - he's a nice bloke who will do a free design and is great at getting it just right and all the details right. I went with him for the supply of it all and had my builder fit it...it worked out much better quality than Howdens and cheaper too. Message me if you want his details.

They are perfect, they are in each corner of the kitchen and are only up when needed. My work tops are completely clear, everything put away when not being used. I'm not a tidy person by nature but this kitchen has changed my bad habits.

This is the kitchen tips thread mentioned up thread.

We have just bought some howdens units, I was quite impressed with howdens. We know someone with a trade account so got then at trade price. Apparently alot of builders add their own commission on so be wary of that.

Lots of pans work with induction - to check if yours would work - take a fridge magnet off the fridge and see if it sticks to the bottom of your pan - if it does - then it's 99% sure it will work on induction !
Treat cooking on induction exactly the same as if cooking with gas - not electric - and you will have an easy clean easy to cook with hob !

Induction hobs are simply the best thing ever, and you must make sure they get one. Once you have used one, you will never ever want anything else. Basically magnets, so actual real life magic!

Pop up sockets - ours runs into a cupboard so is easy to clean around, but the seal is still good even after 5 years

(((((((((Induction hobs)))))))))) Would never ever have anything else - I loved my gas hob but induction is just wonderful and so safe

Larder cupboard with drawers - love mine. No reaching into the back, ever.

pan drawers are a hundred times better than cupboard units. Modern drawers (aways?) have ball-bearing runners and soft close buffers which make them a pleasure to use.

You can even get drawers for the under-the-sink unit, they have special cutouts for the waste pipe.

Some kind of pull-out device for corners, otherwise you will never see what's in there.

Wall units which go right up to the ceiling oprevent the thick layer of greasy dust, though it will be diccilcult to reach the top shelf so get some good kitchen steps that will fit in the "cleaning" cupboard.

I dislike integrated appliances because they are so difficult to fit, remove, replace or get at for repair.

Lots and lots of sockets. Switches above the worktop to control unswitched appliance sockets below. When the wall switch is directly above the appliance, it is obvious what it does. Or, in the case of boiler and extractor hood, the switch is below. You can have the switches labelled if you are obsessive. No switches ot sockets on the wall above the hob where someone might reach past hot pans, steam or flames. All switches (including lights) and sockets at about 1200mm above the floor where you can reach them even if you are small and frail, have a bad back, are fat, pregnant or in a wheelchair.

selks - might take you up on that offer, will chat to the folks and see what they think, we're in the nw.

Might revisit the idea of pop up plug sockets seen as you lot all seem so pleased with them, just a bit wary of getting anything to gadget-y or fitted due to the hassle if they break (same feelings about corner cupboards and fitted appliances!)

Thanks for the link to the thread, will take a serious scroll through!

wow induction hob sound amazing! Am I right in thinking they won't stay on if there is no pan on them? that would be truly amazing!

Thanks piglet, some great advice! I think they should go for all draws or pull out larder but that would be a complete change for them and might seem a little extreme!

gillyweed
Induction hobs are the bestest ever for safety
they will not work without a pan on them to complete the field
the hob itself does not get hot - when pasta boils over you lift up the pan, wipe the hob and put the pan back down
once cooking has finished the burners are safe to finish within minutes and cold in about ten minutes
and the heat up is instant
seriously excellent for the absent minded / elderly / have kids / you name it
and they use less energy so actually pay for themselves in the long run

I love my kettle tap, basically it's a boiling water tap. Never really need to boil a kettle again.

I linked to the magic corner cupboard a couple of days ago.

I retrofitted one into my ikea unit a couple of weeks ago and it has transformed my corner cupboard experience! I love drawers - have them everywhere and have cups/crockery/glasses in them so the dc can get a drink whenever they like (and set the table!)