Where to put the kitchen?

[butterflybuns]

We live in a normal 1930's semi and we are starting a single story extension to the rear of the property over the summer. We've been thinking about this for over a year but still can't make up our minds where to place the new kitchen and whether to knock down the end wall.

The back of the house is already 1 room (kitchen diner) and has French doors to the rear. The aim of this is to get a bigger kitchen, more space to eat and have a bigger lounge area as well as more storage space. Not a lot to ask for then?!

We'll be having a large window and French doors/ bifolds onto the garden. The side door onto the drive will also remain. We've got a front room and hall but not put those on the plans.

The attached plans are our 2 favourite ideas- what do you MNers think? Please help, any other ideas are very welcome!

Is the back garden on the left of the plan, or on the side of the plan. Makes a difference to what I think

The back garden is to the back of the house- so that's to the top edge of the plan rather than the left. The drive is on the left. We're having 2 big velux windows to the extension bit too for light.

I wouldn't take the wall out and have completely open plan - there's nowhere for any peace and quiet should you want or need it. I would look at replacing the pantry with a utility room to get the washing machine, etc out the kitchen. A utility room is really useful and if you have an open plan area it really helps to get the washing machine and tumble dryer out of the way.

Nice to hear that fudge, lots if people i talk too think we shpuld remove the wall. We have to leave a pillar in if we take the wall out which unless we incorporate it into a design will look fugly. The small pantry is teeny tiny, a storage space really so the washer drier could happily go there.

I agree that I like the plan with the wall in. Looks more coherent and I'd enjoy cooking in that kitchen more because it is slightly separated from the family space. I'd be concerned that the kitchen diner in the wall out design would end up feeling crowded.

Personally I'd prefer a kitchen to the front of the house where it's noisy from the road and put the living rio at the back opening to the garden

Although I fully appreciate when kids are younger being able to watch them from a kitchen window whilst playing in the garden is useful

I'm no help

Pretty much exact set up here. First of all we are having the wall knocked out completely and don't have to have a pilaf and ours is slightly wider and longer than yours (and we're going double storey). Can you get a structural engineer to check?

For us, the bottom right corner of your plan is going to be the darkest part of the room (furthest away from windows / bi folds). We opted therefore to have that as our sofa area as it would be more snug / only sit there in the evenings and if we're watching TV, away from any glare coming in from the bifolds (which we thought might be an issue if the tv was nearer to the bifolds). Similarly we/I spent lots of time in the kitchen so wanted that to be overlooking the garden. So I'd say option 2 with wall out, kitchen in extension!

*pillar (nor pilaf!!!)

Ours is semi open plan like your first drawing and I love it. I'm am not the tidiest in the kitchen and not having to look at any washing up etc while still being fairly open plan has been great.

In terms of where the kitchen is depends on what you like. I personally don't care if the kitchen is a bit darker as you always tend to put a lot more lights in the kitchen and I hate sitting in dark rooms so would want sitting/ dining area closest to the garden.

I would also say maybe where you have storage/ study if you can fit it next to your side door a cupboard that you can shut the washing machine away in?

You have a separate sitting room not shown?

In which case k would take the wall down, but have the kitchen units in the same place as option 1.

Great suggestions and opinions, thank you everyone (even usernames rogue one!). DH said we could have the washing machine in that location too likedogs.

We're a family of 5 if that makes any difference and we've got a front room which i haven't drawn. The pillar needs to stay, the builder doesn't want to remove it at all and a structural engineer said it would be better to leave it in too. I'm sure we could theoretically remove it but it would be costly- the money pot isn't bottomless. Unfortunately.

I think I prefer the semi open plan design at the minute but I'll probably keep changing my mind up until they start digging the foundations.

Hi we're a family of 5 too. One thing I would say is to do your sketches / drawings on squared paper to scale. For instance your island unit on the first diagram is tiny - unless you're really planning such a small island you may find it doesn't work (for instance you wouldn't have sufficient space for island and for the wall to stay without it being a bit of an obstacle course).

I prefer 2nd pic. It's real open plan with snug sofa / tv area away for back and kitchen..

We have open plan similar to your second drawing with a separate living room. It works really well. A big open family space is great if you also have the option of a separate room.