Would love some opinions on these kitchen layouts please

[bobkate]

Builders are booked in to start in 2 weeks, structural plans are all finalised so I feel I now need to get a real handle on the kitchen design/layout now as I'm not great at making decisions on the hop.
So I would really appreciate any thoughts/critiques on our plan as it stands at the moment.
Both images are the same other than the island's rotation is flipped. Not sure which way would work better.
The fridge on the island is an under counter/integrated one. Figured we may as well resuse our current one and it can be used for milk/beer, etc.
The room does extend further than the picture shows, with room for a table, sofa, etc. We do have another totally separate living room.
I was thinking that the back wall would be a bank of floor to ceiling units ( bit like the 3rd pic which I have saved from pinterest but I have a feeling it's maybe Bax's from the extension thread ) incorporating tall integrated freezer, fridge, ovens side by side and a larder/cupboard either side.
Thanks in advance. Please nit pick away - there's bound to be lots I haven't thought of/totally overlooked.

The sofa, if it were to remain there, would probably end up being the dogs' sofa. But I hadn't initially thought of putting a sofa there. As I said the architect stuck it there. I think the dogs' would probably love being there though!

Thank you another
Very useful - at the moment we don't have a bin underneath but that would work well. We currently have our compost bin on the work top so to lose that underneath in a cupboard would be nicer. And stop the tea bag splatter on the tiles where my DH seems to aim wrong [angry}
If we had a penisula ( that's where it would be L shaped right? ) then wouldn't there be a huge space left in the middle of that part of the room? I'm presuming you mean continuing along at right angles from the end of the sink run.
Yes - may make sense to move the fridge to under the worktop on the sink side.

When I planned our kitchen I found it really helpful to make a plan of what you need to house and how you want to store it then plan how many cupboards/drawers you need and fit them in accordingly. Think about how you move in the space. Dishwasher/putting things away, oven/work surface for putting down, fridge/prep space so they don’t have large spaces to travel in between. Then look at each section of units, tall units, sink run, sides of island and plan each of them to have some symmetry if possible as it looks much neater to the eye.

Good tip - thanks notthesort - I suppose because we have quite a narrow galley kitchen at the moment the way we use the kitchen now is hopefully very different to how we'll use it in the future space. I struggle to picture how we'll move about in the new space...it'll be so huge compared to what we've been used to!
Can't tell you how useful you have all been as a sounding board. So thank you very much.

another that's no use if you're left handed!!!

You could make the peninsula L shaped off from original position of hob - so over all run would be U shaped - this would stop the traffic dashing to the loo through the main functional part of your kitchen from dining & sofa area and thru backdoor boot room. This would divert people on a safer route......and not drive you batty bumping into people when you are trying to work in the kitchen

Thanks another I get what you mean from a safety point of view. Will have a look later when I am back from work but the U shape isn't grabbing me I'll be honest. But food for thought for sure.

A lot of what I thought has been mentioned - you don't have much worktop space, there isn't much storage, but you've mentioned wall units which aren't on your plan, there is nowhere to put down what you have taken out of the oven or are putting in. Keep fridge and freezer together, it's much more sensible when you think about where you will get your cooking ingredients from. I think moving the ovens would make a huge difference - it's as though you definitely want a bank of tall units and that isn't necessarily the best use of space.

Also the woodburner will be wasted in its current location so close to the ovens and with nowhere to sit by it.

I agree that job in the island would be my preference. Have you seen the extractors that come up behind or to the side of the hob? here?

Will be back later after work to muse some more! Thanks for the help - really appreciate it!

Where are all your pan drawers going to be?

After feedback from here we moved our hob onto our island. Feel so much happier. Your sink and hob look like they might be quite cramped esp if you have a toaster and kettle out too.

I wondered where the pan drawers were going to go. I stand by my earlier post - it's the bank of tall units across one wall which means that things don't work in terms of flow. I'll add that the door to the downstairs loo could do with opening inwards, not outwards into the kitchen space.

Would it work better to have the living/dining space up near the wood burner and move the kitchen down to the other end?

Your plan is not bad, but I think there is a risk of ending up with a slightly disjointed kitchen, and I think the wall with a woodburner is a big part of that. You could take a step back and rethink the whole space - I know you said budget is an issue, but I think you need to decide now whether the wood burner is staying or going. Because if it goes, you now have an extra wall to use to tie in the kitchen space better - like incorporating the alcove areas either side of the chimney breast.

I tend to dislike peninsula u shape kitchens. Having had one, and now an island, I know what I prefer. Small islands are not worth it, but big ones are!

Regarding the sink, we use our sinks for soaking prior to going in the DW and washing glasses and non stick items that cannot go in the DW. And the dog occasionally! I just find bigger sinks are better now I have one!

When talking about moving pans of hot water, if you put a veg prep sink on the Island, it’s not far. You could position the hob so you just turn round and empty a pan into the sink you are planning. Many people don’t have a sink right next door to the hob.

We now have 2 built under bins. One is in two sections. Recycling, waste food and general rubbish. Paper recycling is in the laundry room. I love my huge pan drawers and crockery drawers.

Regarding the bank of cupboards. You get storage above and below a fridge and freezer. I have cupboards above and below both my fridges. I only have a small freezer in the kitchen and I have a coffee machine above that. You could put the fridge and freezer side by side, have a larder storage in the middle and then the ovens above each other. Would this fit in? If you have a large island, you will get enough work surface.

Maybe the dogs could have beds away from the kitchen?

Okie dokie - I'm back from work but getting the kids squared away so wil have a proper read through later.
Lots of good pointers...I think a few more mock ups are in order!!

aclearshot I was planning on pan drawers being under the hob, wherever that was situated. At the moment we only have 2 pan drawers so we'll at least double that, if not more than double.
Wow It's not that I am set on a bank of tall units - I just thought that would be the best use of that part of the room tbh. With the size of the island we are again doubling the amount of worktop space we currently have so for me it will seem like I have lots. Again, storage wise..I would utilise under the island for cupboards and drawers. Plus the run of worktop where the sink is would have at least 1200 to use for either cupboards or drawers ( if we keep the mini fridge that side ) above that run would be some wall units for mugs and glasses.
I presumed I would use the island as a somewhere to put things down to and from the oven. I do see that to leave the wood burner in that spot is not a great idea so we'll have a rethink on that. But don't see how if it was gone the flow would be any better. Just cooler at times!
The door to the loo is in the hall, not the kitchen. It does open inwards and is not within the kitchen.
aclearshot all the water/gas/drains are within the sink area place. I think it'll be cheaper to move the wood burner rather than all the services. Plus I would prefer the living part to be nearer the back doors.
hawaii I get the thing about the wood burner...but even if it was gone and we could incorporate the alcoves either side..it would still be the issue that there it is more than a couple of steps from the hob and sink to oven/fridge and freezer wouldn't it?
Bubbles I was being a bit tongue in cheek about the dogs!! Yes I think if the hob were to go on the island I would place it just across from the sink.

I think really I need to go back to somewhere like howdens/wickes/wren to get some proper 3d images done. But these points really have helped focus the mind somewhat so I do appreciate the input.

A couple more mock ups - on the 3d image the drawers and whatnot underneath aren't right as I've done some cutting and pasting but what about if I put the ovens at the end here? The hob opposite on the island.
Then on that back wall a fridge and freezer with pull out larders or tall cupboards either side. Sort of like the 3rd image...

Thought it might also be useful to give an idea of our current kitchen space...the walls are marked in red and the workspaces ( with appliances, worktop, etc marked in yellow. )

That's where I thought the ovens could go instead - right next to the opening through to the boot room is probably not ideal though.

You could leave the fridge freezer and oven on the back wall, continue the units where the wood burner is and put your hob in the middle there, then continue out (where your island is marked) to a deep peninsular unit which could house the sink and dishwasher. This would form a u shape on this side of the room (which I know you said you weren’t that keen on!) which would give good walking space between the main work areas. You could then have a breakfast bar on the other side of the peninsular or more low cupboard space depending on if you need more storage. Where your sink and hob are at the moment could be integrated washer and dryer to make a dedicated wash area, or lots of storage for less used items like vases, bread maker etc.

My brain is literally hurting !!!
notthesort can you even run water and drains all the way under like that though? The drains and water supply are right outside the window where the sink is currently situated.
I get what you mean about the u shape over there. I'll have a fiddle about with the bits and pieces. The washing machine and tumble drier are in the utility ( boot room ) so they are at least one thing less to worry about!

We had a similar extension to make a kitchen/dining/family room and our dishwasher is in the island and the sink is in a separate run of units with the washing machine in laundry room next door. The pipes were sunk in the floor to run off into the main drain under the island so I think it would be doable in your case as the distances look similar. A separate run of units would give you more working space and the cupboards, or even better run of pan drawers, will easily be filled😁

We have the sink and dishwasher in the island with the pipes cut into the floor.

I have the veg prep sink in the island and the water softener. The water is supplied to my main sink under the floor. If you are redoing everything, it’s possible. I would have the main sink against the wall though. Whatever you do in the sink, it tends to be less communal than chatting when you are preparing food or cooking at the hob. This is why I think the hob is best in the island.

My dog would like his own settee!!!