Extended kitchen. Kitchen cabinets at back or front?

[uppitywho]

Having permitted Dev kitchen extension which will double size of kitchen. With doors to garden etcetera. Architect has put kitchen at back (darkest area) and seating at front. I prefer idea of kitchen looking over garden and seating in snug area. What has been anyone's experience of different plans. I could still have a chair or small sofa near doors
And utility room? Seems a bit of a waste of space in a small extension

I guess it depends. We are in middle of extension, 1930s semi so lounge & stairs at front of house, dining room & kitchen at back of house. New extension will be one big room at back of house (across whole width). We are planning v small utility room in first part of what is now kitchen (I. E. the part nearest to front of house) and back part, plus all of extension behind existing kitchen, will be new kitchen. I think we spend more time in the kitchen during day (so we'll be looking over garden) and only really watch TV in evening (when it will mostly be dark anyway so no point overlooking garden) so snug / seating area will be in current dining room part as that will be darkest part of new extension.

Having said that, our next door neighbour, who has already extended, has put kitchen along the dining room / living room wall and that looks lovely too (actually gives more wall space doing it that way). I think it just comes down to personal preference.

How wide is the kitchen diner room? We had extension done last year to 1930s house and similar to previous poster, the room at the back is the whole width so over half is bifolds with seating and the bit is kitchen. Kitchen has overhead velux so is a bit brighter than the seating area.

I think it's nicer to be able to sit at the table and look over the garden.

If your kitchen is big enough, you could have a peninsular unit allowing you to work in the kitchen end while facing the window end. Don't make the peninsular so big that it is awkward to walk round.

For maximum beauty, put matching door-fronts on both sides of the peninsular. If you have them fitted with hinges, not just dummies, you can access from both sides, which is surprisingly useful. Though in most cases I would go for huge pan drawers on the kitchen side rather than cupboards. Once you have had them you will want as many as you can get.

If you put an extra-wide worktop on the peninsular you can sit at bar-stools from the sitting side and keep people out of the way.

Its will end up 5.5 m square approx. On a small 30s semi The architect has put in a utility and small study on the outside wall but I'm thinking of not bothering with that and having the kitchen on a l shape by the windows.

Can you upload a picture of your floor plan? Pigletjohn that's exactly how we have ours, a peninsula with doors opening either sides! No "breakfast bar" though, we wouldn't have used the stools.

I think that you need to think of the ages of the children you have. If they are v young then its nice to be able to keep an eye on them whilst they are playing in the back garden. If your work area is at the back of the room will you be able to do this?

Also how equitable is the division of labour in your house. In our house one person does the cooking and cleaning and the others turn up for 15 minutes to trough and then disappear leaving skivvy to get on with tidying up. If that is the case then the skivvy should get the best views in my opinion....trots back to the 1950s.

Kitchen cabinets can come with various light fittings that can stay on day and evening if required in a darker area of an extended home - and most of the time the necessary water /waste and electrics are already in that area hence most architects will sketch them in that part. To move them to the new area means more build cost for new plumbing and electrics etc. But it's your home - if you prefer the snug at the back and the kitchen in the new area go for it !!