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Would this bother you in kitchen design (will it bother me?!)

67 replies

PippaFawcett · 17/05/2017 21:26

We have had our pretty uninspiring kitchen design back today and I was hoping we would be given some ideas that we haven't already had, but we haven't. I suppose there is only so much that can be done with an awkward space!

Anyway, you will walk through the utility to get to the kitchen - would it piss you off to have the fridge freezer in the utility? And the microwave in there? I asked for an integrated one but it isn't on the plans so I thought I could pop a freestanding one in the utility.

OP posts:
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MoonlightandMusic · 17/05/2017 22:50

Hmm - you don't mention actual sizes of things but could you turn your utility into a walk-through larder? So, fitted cupboards, washing machine, dryer at floor level, with counter-top over, then a mix of open shelving and cupboards (with a gap for the window) to ceiling height for storage.

Free-standing fridge-freezer could then go in the main kitchen and an oven unit could incorporate a microwave. You'd then have your triangle and also keep counter-space.

Also agree about seeing if you can get OnePlanOnHouzz to have a look - she's a professional designer and is v.helpful on here.

OverOn · 17/05/2017 22:53

I'd actually put the fridge freezer in utility. It doesn't look as if it's going to be that far from the prep area. It'll be a pain having an under-counter fridge - lots of bending down to get stuff, when you could just walk a fe steps to the utility and get stuff from there (also looks like you won't even have to open a door to get in there from the kitchen).

The kitchen seems fairly small - I'd be concerned that a big fridge freezer would take away counter top prep space and look dominating. If you did want it in kitchen, I think it should be at the end of the run of units that the sink is on, with an integrated one so the cupboard doors look streamlined.

RedastheRose · 17/05/2017 23:02

Go to several different designers and then pick the best ideas from them all and combine. You can then use the firm that does your favourite cupboards. If you can afford to remove the wall between kitchen and utility that would seem your best option of getting a good usable kitchen. Otherwise when planning a kitchen you are supposed to make a triangle between sink cooker and fridge to keep the flow of the kitchen right. Each of these should be within easy reach of the other so it makes no sense to have the fridge much further away from the sink and cooker than necessary. It is also worth working out where you will keep crockery, food, kettle etc. Ideally if you have a dishwasher going in then make it possible to unstack it and put the dishes, cups, glasses away with the least possible number of steps. It's a time and motion study that really does make your life easier Smile

bojorojo · 17/05/2017 23:28

I would open out the whole space. The kitchen is weeny and the utility room has things in it that should be in the kitchen! If you had a bigger kitchen you could have a built in eye level fridge and similar with the oven and a built in microwave above. It would mean a far more streamlined look and the extra cost would be worth it. What size would there be if you combined the rooms? M2? As it stands it is pretty disjointed with poor flow. You do not have much work surface in the kitchen and the sink is awkwardly positioned near the hob/oven. There is a lot of conflict in that corner. Have a right hand bowl at the very least. It is uninspiring and I wouldn't live with it.

TittyGolightly · 17/05/2017 23:31

You need you Fridge and microwave in your main kitchen. Therefore you need a new kitchen design.

Fuck. Microwave has been in our utility room for coming up for 15 years. And one of the fridge freezers. Fuck fuck fuck. Life has clearly been one massive lie.

Or perhaps it's very much a first world problem. It's certainly nothing I've ever had an issue with.

bojorojo · 17/05/2017 23:47

Depends how much cooking you do and where the utility is in the house. Mine is a laundry room and stores the cleaning brooms and polishes etc but is some distance from the kitchen. I also have a wine fridge there. In other words I am not storing or cooking food in there. It is best to have food storage and prep in the same room, other than a freezer and wine. If you designed something 15 years ago it would now presumably be changed by a new owner! Each to their own but if you are paying ££££ for a kitchen, then getting the best design you can is important, especislly if you have to sell quicker than you anticipate. First world problem it maybe but it is common sense!

confuugled1 · 18/05/2017 00:02

The corner to the left of the sink, under the high level cupboards looks a very difficult space to use the worktops - we have similar in our kitchen and ended up putting the microwave across the corner diagonally so that stuff didn't accumulate in the corner. However our sink has the draining bit on the other side and is one unit further over so that there's space next to the microwave to put things down. I definitely think the sink and draining board need to be flipped around - and maybe moved along one - I think it will be incredibly annoying standing right in the corner to do anything.

I've just realised that you are going to have a window over the washing machine but is there any way that you could stack it on top of/below the tumble drier? And even put them in the cupboards on the other side of the utility so that they get hidden and you can then do whatever you need on the other side - there would be space for a fridge freezer maybe?

Have you made a list of what you think you'd put into each cupboard and figured how it would map from what you have currently - is there enough space for everything you would have?

Make sure there are more than enough plugs - it's always really easy to run out of them. Consider having some sockets that have usb sockets built into them too - really handy for charging phones and tablets etc plus there's more and more things that charge from usb stuff (whether you're giving the satnav a quick charge, or a music player or some fairy lights or so much other stuff...).

Can you have the end unit by the door as one that has a curve or angle on? Opens up the space, makes the room flow better, no nasty corner to hit yourself on, especially if lots of people are coming in or out together. Will you need anywhere to put outside stuff by this door?

Will you need anywhere to sit down in the kitchen? Even just a bench to perch at? Instead of cutting the corner off where the door is could you have the work surface come round a little so that you have a mini island sticking out? Even if there's just enough space for one stool beneath it, you might like having somewhere to sit and do stuff in the kitchen!

Have you thought about having any of those larder pull out multi drawer things? They can be great if you like having easy to access food storage. We had some once in a rented property and we really liked them - always said we would have them when we redid our own kitchen! You can also get 'hidden' drawers that go under the cupboards in the space that would usually just be behind the kickboards - useful for soaking up stuff that is either/or big, clunky, not used very often. Having lots of smaller cupboards reduces the amount of stuff you can put in them vs having the same number of cupboards in a longer run (assuming they are not built as individual cupboards). Have you thought about having deep drawers for pots and pans? Not sure if you have enough space but I'd want to know the kitchen designer's reasons for not putting them in as much as for putting them in. If they can't say why they put them in - or didn't - then they haven't put enough thought into it!

If it's just a small space, it's worth having a look at a few showrooms of 'nice' kitchen sellers - they often sell off their display kitchens for a knock down price and if you are going to have a simple layout without too much stuff you might find that if there is somewhere that has decent sized show kitchens, there is enough in them to get really nice units for your kitchen at a bargain price. There are also a couple of websites that sell show kitchens reasonably. Also means that you tend to get them with all the added extra storage bits and bobs that they've put in to show what they can do!

Qwebec · 18/05/2017 00:07

Hm, as a utility room I would find it really annoying, but the idea of turning the utility in a pantry changes everything. Seen like that it makes sense that every thing food related is together. The undercounter fridge can house sauces and things you need fast while cooking and the main fridge in the pantry is for everything else.

C0RAL · 18/05/2017 00:14

Why do you need a big window in your utility room? It's taking up so much useful wall space.

Why do you need to have two separate rooms ? Yes it's useful to have a untilty room, but not at the expense of having a small and not very well laid out kitchen.

confuugled1 · 18/05/2017 00:20

www.usedkitchenexchange.co.uk/shop/ex-display-kitchen/walnut-style-ex-display-kitchen-integrated-appliances-designer-blanco-sink-ready-now-mw1016ec3/

This is an example of a used display kitchen for sale - and it looks similar proportions to the kitchen bit of yours, even if the sink and an overhead cupboard are in the wrong place. But it shows how they've used a less symmetrical approach and how it works quite well!

Oh and while I remember - get soft close doors - my mum didn't and has regretted it ever since...

PippaFawcett · 18/05/2017 00:21

I like natural daylight and I don't need more cupboard space so the window is staying. Unfortunately we are limited for our budget so we are doing some building work but this layout of the house is the best we can do for our budget, we cannot remortgage or borrow more money so our pot of cash is our lot.

We have had lots of architectural input this far. What isn't working is the kitchen design to make the most of the space we do have. But I don't know if some of it I just need to accept - like the fridge freezer officially being in the utility area. Or if there is a better design that could work with the space.

OP posts:
monsieurpoirot · 18/05/2017 06:43

If you have a limited budget for an awkward layout I would say one plan would be the best investment you make!! You really need to get this right.

TittyGolightly · 18/05/2017 07:16

If you designed something 15 years ago it would now presumably be changed by a new owner!

I didn't design it, but I don't have issues with the layout to warrant a change. The fucking pull out larder on the other hand. Hate it.

We do have a bean to cup coffee machine in the place where I guess you'd put a microwave (guess which gets used more frequently Wink). And the microwave isn't small as it's also an oven.

But still, it works for us.

Kokusai · 18/05/2017 08:18

I know you said you post of cash is limited - but I would defo see how much extra it would be to open it out into one room. If your spending a few £k on a kitchen it doesn't make sense to end up with a sub obtimal layout.

OnePlanOnHouzz · 18/05/2017 10:52

FlowersFlowersFlowers
Thank you for the mentions guys !!
Just popped onto MN while I grab a coffee !

There's always alternatives to any kitchen design !!
Sometimes a bit of thinking out of the box is required.
Pippa, If you want to get in touch with as much info as you have - ie total floor plan if you have one ( right move type is fine ) and I will see if something instantly springs to mind that will help ! If you pm me I'll give you the email address - or click on the contact me button on my pro page on Houzz if you ( or anyone else reading this ) wants to remain anonymous from their mumsnet persona !

soupplate · 18/05/2017 10:57

Our fridge freezer is in the utility - approx. 12-14 ft from cooker/sink. Never bothered us at all and means we have room for table and chairs in kitchen, and kitchen is not overwhelmed by huge fridge/freezer.

FinallyGotAnIPhone · 18/05/2017 21:34

SOrry not read the whole thread but I rented a nice house that had both the fridge freezer and microwave in the utility and it wasn't s problem at all.

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