Kitchen extension

[bamummy2]

We are extending our house and having a new L shaped kitchen diner living room.
I thought starting from scratch would be really easy but there is almost too much choice!!

The house is a renovated bungalow and is probably more on the modern side but could also get away with a traditional looking kitchen.

I know it's personal choice really but wanted some help deciding.... if you had the choice to start over would you go for a very modern looking kitchen or more traditional? Is there anything you would choose again or definitely not choose again!?

TIA

I would say it depends on your style of furnishings. I think a really modern kitchen with a traditional lounge is a bit odd so I think that is why lots of people go for a mid design in white, or grey and white, which is easy to clean and will not date. That is why Shaker is popular and plain cupboard fronts. Make sure you can grab the handles ok. In a flat we own, the handles are integral at the top of the doors and my nails suffer! Not my choice but they are a pain. I think wood can look quite oppressive if there is too much of it but accents are good to have. Dark wood is definitely not a good idea if the kitchen is small. Lighter colours bring light into a room and you can add colour splashes with a Kitchen Aid mixer and crockery. I like KBB magazine for ideas.

As to what to have - depends on space. I have a large island with a built-under 90 mm wide oven and 90 mm wide induction hob. I would always have a high quality induction hob now. I also have two built-in fridges and a smaller freezer. I found I left things too long in a larger freezer and the smaller one has a better churn of food. If you grow your own, that will be different for you, but two fridges is fantastic. Above the freezer I have a built in coffee machine. I love it but obviously it is not essential.

More essensial is two large sinks. I have a large double ceramic butler sink and a stainless steel veg prep sink in the island near the fridges. I have a second eyelevel oven with grill and built in microwave. Lots of stoarge for crockery, groceries and cooking equipment is vital as is as much work-top space as possible for food prep, dishing up and putting dirty dishes before stacking them into the dishwasher. If you have a dishwasher, get a very quiet one. My Miele just swishes about very quietly and everything is sparkly clean.

Have fun!