Can we turn this space into an eat-in kitchen?

[lessonsintightropes]

It's the kitchen in this house. The current kitchen has too many cupboards (currently tenanted to four people, so needed). Will we have enough room to have a table, preferably to seat 6? It seems pretty ambitious to me for a 15'8" x 9'2". Any ideas?

It would appear to have a table and chairs in there already.

That was after I shouted 'how much?'

maybe. I would put a door from recep into kitchen and block door from hall to kitchen. then have a fitted bench (like a diner) in an L-shape in the corner of the kitchen nearest the hall, with a table in front. a fixed bench gives you more seating and takes less space than chairs. Then have stools or narrow chairs on the open side of the table.

Jammed up against the wall, and no room to pull them out - gets right in the way of the door - hence thinking of knocking out a few cupboards.

Tbh it's pretty cheap for the area!

435 for upper norwood?!

House prices here much higher than 12 months ago...

You could make the kitchen an L shape rather than a U and fit a table in, you would lose a lot of worksurface and storage though? A table to seat 6 is likely to make the room feel cramped wherever it goes, does it need to seat 6 all the time or can you use a drop leaf?

I would reverse the kitchen door so it opens into the hall rather than into the kitchen, and I'd lop off the ends of the runs of kitchen units at or around where the original dividing wall was. It's never going to be huge, but it should be enough to get a neat six-seater in. Taking the door through the living room would be a pain in the arse in both rooms.

Agree about the drop leaf.... We have one of these tables: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1960s-Ercol-Light-Elm-And-Beech-Scandinavian-Style-Dining-Table-/161273304008

Open, it seats four comfortably, 6 if necessary. But 99% of the time it has one leaf dropped and pushed against the wall. It still seats three very comfortably, but it's really conservative on space. Optimise your space for the way you use it most of the time, not for Christmas dinner.

The kitchen feels quite intimidating with all the cupboards. Most people complain about not enough storage of course. I totally agree with the drop leaf table idea and, in the longer term, I would consider extending out into the garden to make the kitchen area lighter and more spacious.

Very inefficient kitchen isn't it? I think you need to take out most of the units and start again (there are probably enough units to re use them though)

I would put a fridge freezer to the R of the french doors (if it fits against the stub wall), then an L of units on the sink and cooker walls. Have the hob a bit further to the right so there is a good workspace between it and the corner. You will have to be super efficient with storage - cupboards right up to ceiling, maybe some high level cupboards above the table, very shallow but full height shelves or cupboard between the doors.

Have a four foot long table on the wall backing the lounge, short end against the wall and 2 chairs each side. If you have occasional visitors you can pull it out, extend and put a chair each end, and just squeeze around. eg this and some compact chairs/stools that tuck neatly under it. It can double up as worksurface.

Also make sure every cupboard earns its keep with decent storage, pull outs if necessary and no dead spaces. Maybe swap the extractor hood for a neat one that goes under/in a cupboard and gives a bit of extra storage.

Ikea kitchen planner is very good for these kind of problems.

Thanks for all the really helpful advice - some great suggestions I hadn't thought of (love the MN hive-mind!) - we're having a look at a second place this eve and deciding between them before offering - we had sort of ruled this one out, but your advice has ruled it back in. Much appreciated!