Need advice and ideas for kitchen island

[kah22]

I need help and advice in understanding something

I'm building a new kitchen and am attaching my designers plans. when I was talking to the kitchen man we settled everything: style, colour, sink, taps, style of worktop and I am impressed by his work, except that one needling thing - the island.

You'll see from the design a round tabletop sitting on top of my island it's where we'll serve food and eat, the round will be solid wood to match an engineered wooden floor.

You'll see my designer has included an eight foot sliding glass door, that's intended to be the main way into the kitchen, you'll see from the attached photograph what it is overlooking (after the cleanup!!)

I'm trying to see in my minds what the island would look like from that door. As I understand my kitchen man there would be a curve at the bottom end, like you have on the worktops right and left; one side would be fully bounded, the other side would have a strip struck onto it, the side under the tabletop doesn't really matter as it is hidden. He Also said I'd have to reduce my island from 900mm to 800mm, this is throwing up alarm bells: Why 900 is pretty standard?

Would this be how you would see it?

In my minds eye it doesn't look right: rounded at the top, factory finished at one side and a piece stuck on at the other end. The island will be highly visible and will be a feature of the kitchen so it's important I get it right. I'd like some feedback. How would you finish it

The kitche will be a shaker style kitchen to blend in with a 1960's house

www.dropbox.com/s/nnsjxdv8jv...0plan.pdf?dl=0

www.dropbox.com/s/ccyg2ptphy...58.59.jpg?dl=0

sorry I can't view the pictures getting an error

Sorry, I'll try again, and sorry the plans upside down can't seem to get it the right way up!!

www.dropbox.com/s/dd2hc0pia0lckab/2015-04-28%2018.52.05.jpg?dl=0

www.dropbox.com/s/nc0iutz0lc73xez/2015-04-07%2022.44.35.jpg?dl=0

Do you have a separate living room? The reason I ask is because my concern would be the proximity of the hob to the 'table' end of the island. I think that might be why the designer is suggesting having a 800mm diameter instead of 900mm. Neither of those is very big to sit at for dining - especially when you can only sit round part of it.

I would scrap that idea, make the island longer instead so you get more storage and put a table and chairs where the sofa is on the plan.

If it was me I would go for just a normal island with the sides rounded off like you have done at the end of your kitchen units, to me it just looks odd, and give you a bigger island, and have the seats along the sides also having the hob at the end near the sofa's just dose not look right... Have you seen what it will look like in 3D if not just takes your ideas to magnet or wren and they will a 3D plan of this kitchen its free, just so it will give you an idea....

Who is designing this kitchen? Ask for a proper 3d CAD design as I am not surprised you cannot work it out.

Thanks for the replies to date.

the house I live in is a sixty style detached house. I'm converting an extension that was added about ten years back into my main kitchen and diner area, but I'm retired now so have no call for a big dinning area, however, I have a dinning room proper,, which I can use for family occasions.

My old kitchen will become a utility type room. It's a very smal kitchen anyway.

One of the reasons I opted for this design was view. When the rubble, oil tanks and other clutter is cleared away I intend to deck that large area where the rubble and slabs are now and create one large outside room. The picture I linked to above would be what you'd see if sitting on one of the proposed island seats. The bit behind it will become a sitting/TV room

I've shown you above how it looks sitting looking out from the island this image shows the view behind the island, the living area

The question still remains given the central roll the island plays in my design how would you finish it off so as to avoid making it look cheap. Granite is a bit on the pricy side

Well to make the most of the views through the sliding glass door, the obvious thing would be to have the seating area, be it sofa or stools at the island, at that end of the room. Is there a reason it hasn't been designed that way round?

I'm not sure what you mean. The kitchen section of the room will be a working kitchen, the other section of the room will be a living area. See sofa, chair and multi burner

If you mean why did I not flip the kitchen the other way around well there were potential structural difficulties

Have the island longer and scrap the wooden table end. I have one exactly like this in my very large kitchen and my island is 1.4 m wide by 3.5m long. Yours is too small to take the table. It would be far better to have the island with a semi circular end or an overhang. My table is about 1m in diameter and seats 4. I would strongly suggest having the hob in the island. Your position looks too close to the sink. Opposite the sink is better, so long as you can vent to an outside wall. Do have granite.

I do have a formal dining room but we have a large house. We hardly ever use it. Could you not have the dining room as a tv/sitting room and have a table in the seating area you have planned? You would then have a wonderful kitchen/dining space and use your house more efficiently and for more of the time.

Yes, that's what I meant and fair enough if there are structural reason for not flipping the kitchen and seating areas.

I don't understand what you are asking about the look of the island with the round top though - are you talking about the worktops or the cabinets forming the island at the table end? You won't be able to see much, apart from the round top, from the window end of the room though.

Which is exactly what I suggested Milly!

I have curved cupboards under my table and they match the curve of the table. They are smaller and allow the chairs to push under. I think you need proper drawings of what this will look like from different views. I would not accept these drawings.

I also think your oven is too far from the hob. You will be walking around the island all the time. I like having a kitchen with views but I think you are assuming you will spend a lot of time at the table at the end of the island. I am not sure you will. We don't .

Id get ideas from another designer if I were you

you say the main thing is the view - so what are the structural reasons that mean that you can't put the kitchen the other way round to make the most of the view ?

worktops - I have wood on my island but granite on the worktop and I love both . Granite worktop is extra deep and nearly 4m long and was £1800

I would still go and get a 3d version done, or go onto magnet web site and they have a 3d planning your kitchen, all you have to do is put in your dimensions, looking at your drawings more closely (i enlarged them) you have all tall units one side with fridge and oven and the other side base units hob and sink dishwasher, to me it just seams odd layout, just does not feel right to me, and everything is just in a straight line, even your sofa, even thou its an open plan still nice to have a bit of a split... What about scraping the island and having a breakfast bar joined up where the end of the hob is that way you still have your views to the garden..

I found your plan hard to read but here's the things that woudl bother me

1. The room is the wrong way round to make the most of the view .

1. Is the fireplace existing and if not, why is it there ? Will you really sit there in the darkest part of the room, with no view ?

1. You will spend a lot of time walking . The fridge , cooker and sink are too far away from each other . There's no storage for the dishes near the dishwasher

1. I hope you have good knees, because you will spend a lot of time bending too . All your storage is low down .

1. I hope you only have a small amount of cutlery because the unit is very small

1. Is the 600mm pull out unit your main food storage ? Have you ever tried to use one laden with bottles and cans ? Where will you put bottles ? They fall over when you pull out the unit

1. If you only have one sink You need at least 1.5 bowl

1. 150mm gap at the end is not big enough for curtains. But big enough for thinsg to fall down

1. Who do you think will be using your island seats ? They are not that comfortable for a leisurely meal, more for kids for a quick bite or guests to have a drink while you prepare the meal .

10. How many are in your family and how big is the fridge section of your fride freezer ? Why don't you have a freezer in the utility room and have a larger fridge ?

11. Where are your recycling bins ?

12. I can't see any radiator marked - how is your room heated ?

13. What gadgets / appliances do you use and where will you use / store them ?

14. Whay kind of cooking do you / does your partner like to do ?

I'm sorry to be critical as you said you liked it . But I think it's totally impractical , especially for someone of retirement age .

The first thing I noticed is your island is right slap bang in the middle of your work triangle (fridge, oven, sink). So it'll always be in the way when you're cooking. That's quite a classic error to make when designing a kitchen - does your designer have much experience in kitchens?

I too would get your plans redrawn, even if just to give you food for thought. When I had mine done I got 3 companies to do plans and picked out the bits I thought were great or not right in each plan. One company came back with amended plans to include everything I wanted and more ideas so we went with them and the resulting kitchen is perfect, I wouldn't change a thing

Traditionally you prepare food in the space between sink and hob, yours look very close together so may not be very practical. I also would not want the hob and oven that far apart and on opposite sides of a seating area

Good luck

Mentally , stand in that kitchen plan. Make yourself a cup of tea. Eg

Get the kettle and walk to sink
Fill and walk back and plug it in
Get milk out of fridge
Get out mug, tea bags, sugar , teaspoon , biscuits
Take over to kettle and make the tea
Sit down and enjoy
Put mug etc in dishwasher

Now think about making a simple meal , clearing the table, loading and emptying the dishwasher . Count how many times you will have to walk round that island to get something .

I am planning a kitchen atm.Crucial for me is a decent amount of prep space at the hob - I'm aiming for 1m either side and mine is on a breakfast bar island 2.5x1.2m. You have very little space at your hob and I think you could get a much better layout. I would think about looking elsewhere tbh - 3d cad drwgs are the norm now and let you see your completed kitchen. It is such a lot of money it is worth being superfussy. Have a good look at islands on Houzz.com for inspiration.

If it were my kitchen, I'd want to group the different areas together . So

the crockery and cutlery is together, beide the dishwashers and sink
Bins and recycling near sink
Cooking together - hob, oven and microwave
Pan drawers
Large cupboards for cooking dishes , baking stuff, food processor,trays, scales , mixing bowls ,
Large pantry style cupboard for food (I'm not sure a roll up cupboard goes with your shaker style )

I'd have table and chairs at the window at the top

Then a L shaped layout , runninh down the left and across the bottom wall , as that minimises the walking . Wall and base units on left wall, base only on bottom wall , tall units on right hand wall

So roughly ( From top left going down the page )

2 dishwashers
1.5 bowl sink with bins underneath
600 mm drawers
Large base unit ( 1200) for storing baking etc stuff

Above this wall units for storage of crockery . Should be right above your sink and dishwashers, so you can unload and put straight into cupboards above. And next to the table for clearing and setting . Wall storage means less begining - Much easier onthe knees . Plate rack is easy to use and suits the style

Down the rest of that side and across the bottom - cooking area and fridge
Worktop either side of hob
Eye level grill and microwave

Island - now much further down the room and shorter

Oposite sink - recycling bins
Near cooking area - large pan drawers
Top of island is for food prep
Use the narrow cupbaotds round the " wrong " side of the island for occasionally used items
If you really want a sitting area, id just extend the worktop in a curve at the top and use a couple of high stools .

Worktops - I'd use granite on the L and wood on the Island . Granite is good for wet area and cooking area

Right hand wall , from top to bottom - table and chairs at top

Large pantry for food storage - wide but not too deep ( thinsg get lost at the bakc ) . This is an outside wall I think so shoudo be cool. Keep all everyday food in the top and things you use less often on the bottom , like drinks .

Assuming that's an existing chimney and you want to keep it - I'd have a wood burning stove and a narrow hearth/plinth . Then I'd re hang the door so you can't come into the room and trip over it .

The right hand side is the main route down the room , so anyone coming through the room is not in your working L on the left .and away from cooking area and sink .

I've turned your plan round and enlarged it. To me it looks like a plan designed by someone who a) isn't going to live in that house and b) doesn't ever cook.

I'd go back to the drawing board as it looks unworkable for me and not a particularly safe layout either.

What kind of potential structural difficulties are there that prevent you having your sitting area adjacent to the big opening doors and view?