Kitchen design help please

[YorkshireTea86]

Longtime lurker here hoping someone/anyone could have a look over a couple of kitchen designs I think I've narrowed it down to after many months of switching between a U shape or L shape!
I've done them myself on homebase site but we will be ordereing from diy kitchens not perfect, we will be having a double built under oven and the island will be the ikea Stenstorp. The tambour unit will just be a normal unit 900mm high unit to house the boiler.
The main difference is either a blind corner unit or an L shaped one, but depending on which I chose I will then have tone decide what interior pull out to have or non at all?! Who would have thought there would be so many choices?

Any help or advice much appreciated!

The layout you currently have is not bad, it's just there's a lot of unused wall space on that run where the FF is. Getting the microwave off the work top will give you quite a bit more space, not sure where it is in your plans - it can go on brackets instead of in a unit. If you need more storage you can put bridging units over the wall units. Better lighting will make a big difference.

Why are you doing it yourself? Contact someone like Wickes, they will come to your house and do it for free and do it properly, you can then take the design and either use them or not.

I didn't want to waste anyone's time when I'm pretty certain I'll go with DIY kitchens, plus the chains don't seem to have as many unit sizes as DIY so didn't know if they would be able to fit stuff like a d/w in - it's not something I'm willing to let go!

I would cut your losses on the fridge freezer and get something integrated. Get a dresser type unit to go where the dehumidifier is for things like china (can also have the toaster there if that works for your family! Might help with the breakfast crush!).

I'm going to disagree with everyone- I think a breakfast bar would work but maybe a small curvy one? Will try and find some pics.

So this peninsular isn't right at all but I've seen nice tiddly ones like this in showrooms!

And dressers made out of kitchen cabinets (obv could also have an actual dresser!) my in laws have this - dresser holds table china, cutlery, placemats, toaster, bread, cereal, jams etc. It's great! (Although obv makes unloading the dishwasher slightly more onerous!)

You can definitely have the function of a dresser with a wide wall/ base units combo, not those dated "dresser" units that come onto the worktop.

I'd you leave a gap in one corner, say tuck your washing machine into it, you get the function of a u shape without a space wasting corner unit. Slightly less worktop but all of it accessible.

The FF is quite prominent but if you are like us, a lot of trips to the fridge are just to fetch snacks or things for the table so it might as well be near the dining area.

Oh forgot picture

I wouldn't have a dresser unit because used to have them when I lived at my parents and they really limited the usable work surface which is already an issue.
That might work Raisingsteam, not sure that we would move the hob though we don't use the area in that corner except for pots waiting to be washed. Will see what dh thinks, he's fed up of me changing my mind and talking about it but equally doesn't want to be involved in the decision making process!

If you have a dishwasher you won't be spending lots of time washing up. I would go for a block of floor to ceiling units on the back wall with your sink in it. Then I would have a run down the right hand side with the cooker in there and then at the bottom of the run I would have a breakfast bar type affair with high stools for the children. Free stand the fridge freezer on the left. I might even paint that wall black and turn it into a giant chalk/memo board so the ff blends in more and it's useful in a family home.

Turn your table 90 degrees so it is landscape orientation and have the same flooring throughout laid lengthwise and the room will feel bigger.

I'll post some pictures later because I have the school run now.

Something like this picture along the back (for shape, not necessarily style or tiles).

I found a couple of pics on Pinterest of windowless sink treatments. First one is gorgeous and involves glass front cabinets with great lighting (also like the raised microwave) Second has a window-look mirror and open shelving.

I would keep the existing layout, have wall cupboards which go all the way to the ceiling on the two walls except the sink wall. You can much more storage in that way (Ikea do tall wall cupboards)

In your u-shaped plan, get rid of the larder cupboard. Yes they're nice but only if you have enough space. Then you get more work surface.
Put the microwave in a built in cupboard off the work surface.

Have you had quotes for moving plumbing? It might not be as bad as you think.

The ceiling is too high to go right up to (additional 60cm from current units).
We've not had any quotes yet because I wanted to get the layout first, do have a friend who is a plumber though, hopefully he will be able to do it.

OP, the thing is, you don't use the space between your current sink and hob because it's too small, dark and crowded. If you had a clear say 1.2m from corner to hob, no overhead units or worktop clutter and good lighting, maybe utensil racks, you would do all your prep and baking there. Leaving the side behind you for people getting tea and snacks, or unloading dishwasher. Pots for washing can go other side of sink. Then you don't need a lot of space the other side of the hob, maybe just 0.6m to serve onto.

You don't necessarily need a lot of worktop, but it needs to be uncluttered and in the right place.

Also if you are going DIY kitchens, there are a lot of different base units with wire baskets or interior drawers that pull out, you can get lots more in them (and find it again) than units with shelves.

Tall units (up to the ceiling) are fab for things that you need to store in the kitchen but don't use particularly often. If you're only using them every so often, not a big deal to use a stool to get them out - so you get another layer of units on top of your wall cabinets or your larder unit.

I was also going to suggest what Movingonup said - a little peninsular coming off the wall on the right hand side and swinging the dining table round 90 degrees (have benches maybe that slot under the table when its not being used). We have an island / peninsular and think they are brilliant for kids.

like this??

Or these?

Yes that was the sort of thing I was thinking about, especially your first pic namechanged but with enough depth/overhang on the bottom units to have stools on the side away from rest of kitchen.

That shape is really nice. It could have more wall units on the right hand side but you need to be careful it doesn't seem oppressive.

I know you have high ceilings op but you can always add a second set of wall cupboard on top if you have the right style. It would give you loads of storage, make the most of the amazing ceiling height and mean you can have less storage elsewhere. It also looks cleaner if it all goes all the way up to the ceiling.

Gosh I worded that terribly. One needs to be careful of too many wall cupboards.

I really like open shelving but they do need quite a lot of dusting.

The other advantage of floor to ceiling is that it creates the illusion of bringing the wall forward and with restricted light due to the layout that is going to actually make the kitchen feel bigger and lighter.

Both of these pics show how light and reflection can be used to brighten the space. Choose an inexpensive Perspex splashback to go with plain units and by installing lighting underneath the units it will make it look lighter and more expensive.

If you like a more traditional, Shaker style or similar, then floor to ceiling is hard to pull off with wall units but open shelving is a good look.

Something like this:

I think I'm even more confused!!
The budget won't stretch to double wall units, we don't have that much stuff because of the serious lack of storage now. I considered a peninsular like that but think it will be too cramped where the doors open with the dining table, there is a huge chunk of the room that is essentially wasted space which is very annoying! I do like the look of the mirror window above the sink though. It's likely to be shaker style so I thought some open shelves with stuff used daily on them. If I put a box unit over the f/for would that help make it look like less of an afterthought like a pp mentioned?

No, just put it on the left on that bit of wall on its own without any units.

Have you decided what to do yet?