Awkward kitchen, what do you think? (Photos)

[charlieloulou]

Hello,

We have recently bought our first home, we budgeted well for a lovely new kitchen but like many we got stung, leaking pipes, holes in walls shower and cooker not working leaking conservatory etc so we are now trying to work with a much smaller budget.
Luckily my dad is a builder so will fit it and get us the max discount from howdens which helps us a great deal.
Our kitchen is an awkward galley shape with one wall going out at the end. The boiler is positioned in the middle rather than at the end and our electric and gas metres are in the kitchen above and below the microwave pictured. We can't afford to move these items but it's so tricky to work around them. Worktop needs to be laminate due to cost.

Howdens have done the plans, honestly what do you all think? Is there anything you would change? Would it put you off buying the house if so why?
Any advice would be much appreciated it's my first kitchen and all our money that's left so really keen to not mess it up!

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I would ditch the wall cupboard to the right of the sink, you have loads of cupboards and it will block the light and looks awkward.

Can you eat in there? It looks like you have loads of worktop space but nowhere to sit and chat while cooking.

Agree you seem to have a lot of cupboards. Are some of those bottom one appliances? If not I’d swap some for more deep drawers.
Also have you thought about where to put plugs. Can’t see any on the plan

We had removed the cupboard previously to let in more light as it is a north facing kitchen but worried it looked a bit uneven? I think your right though I'll take it off.
There is space for round table and four chairs. I struggled with the galley layout to get a breakfast bar with it looking a bit squeezed in.
Off the archway is the conservatory which has now got a tilled roof and fully insulated with heating so that will have large dining table and sofas.

I think it looks good. I wouldn't ditch those cupboards as what look like ordinary units will be housing your meters and the boiler. Good lighting will overcome any issues. I don't like the space either side of the cooker hood and would either have a hood that filled the space or put wall narrow units either side.

It's not big enough to eat is it?

Oh yes sorry there is a integrated dishwasher and washing machine (we don't have space for utility)
Our howdens designer did suggest putting two rows of three drawers under the hob rather than one row and two cupboards what do you think? Will it look odd?

My dads got the plans and can do all the sockets before fitting we haven't got nowhere near enough currently.

I like it but I would choose a different colour laminate. We have the one you picked and it looks quite dated.

It's the exact same layout as my kitchen the cupboard to the right of the sink doesn't look awkward at all in ours but I do agree about the drawers. We stupidly got none.

I wouldn't have the microwave and the hob that near the door unless it is one not used often eg to a garage, if it's a main door you will have to have it closed whenever you put anything into or take out of the oven and you will have to move if you are cooking on the hob.

You also have to walk accross the door way if you are taking anything from the hob to the oven. I'd move the hob, if possible, to the worktop where the phone is.

There seem to be loads of cupboards, do you need them all? DO you have a separate laundry room? Where do you store your vacuum .

I also agree you need some seating, even if it's just getting rid of a lower cupboard and sticking a couple of stools there.

Are you a couple? A family? Ages of children?

I'm thinking it's easier to give a child (or two) a bowl of cereal on a morning if you are int he same room and you are making a coffee or packing a lunch.

Good idea will look into wider hood.
I think the walls will be tiled with a clear glass splash back on top of tiles behind induction hob.
It does look like lots of cupboards but the boiler gas electric metres washing machine and dishwasher take up quite a bit of space

I would add more drawers, get rid of the little wall cupboard, and also the base units between the fridge and the door, and just have a dresser on that wall instead. Move the oven to wear the microwave is, and just have a freestanding microwave (if you need one).

To where* ffs 🙈

We were going for quickstep beige oak laminate flooring and cashmere fairford, as the north kitchen is quite dark and cold looking. This colours seemed to give it a bit of warmth.

Sadly I can't move the hob it's the only wall facing the outside and I don't like recirculation hoods.
It's complicated the conservatory takes up the whole width of the back of house so the window pictured isn't actually a window it's a giant hole really with large dining table on other side can easily chat through. I know it would be better to removed the wall fully but all the water pipes are boxed up there and haven't the spare cash to re gig it all.

I wasn't keen to have ovens where microwave is as the door from the hallway is there and we have 3 children 1,7 and 10, don't want to worry about accidents. I only use a microwave for warming up tea.
My husbands a chef he likes the ovens next to the worktop and drawers as his mixers will be there for easier baking.
Ideally I'd like the hob there next to ovens but can afford the expensive of cutting through the ceiling to run the extraction out the house.
There is space a round table and 4 chairs if needed.

I would make all the base units you can big deep drawers. They are so much easier to get things out of than rummaging in the back of a cabinet on your knees. I have a cutlery one on top and then 2 big deep ones underneath and they fit everything and anything

Sorry missed part of a post. No laundry room integrated washer and tumble dryer is in outbuilding. May convert in future.
We have a cupboard in hallway which houses vacuum ironing board etc

Will ask for more drawers :) only had Curley drawer before but everyone seems keen on pan drawers

I would go for 2 full width deep drawers under the hob - great for storing pans etc. Our draws have a separate cutlery tray which sits above the top draw and can be separated from it. If you do have thin cupboards then I would go for a pull out for bottles - ketchup, oil etc and a cupboard to keep chopping boards and trays in.

Yes drawers everywhere you can.

I’d go for an integrated fridge and freezer rather than free standing. And imo it looks odd having round handles on all cupboards and then the dishwasher is the odd one out with a pull handle. I’d just get the same handles for everything, maybe a bar handle.

I agree with the comment about cashmere and oak being dated. I’d go for white, or possibly dark blue with white walls. And wooden worktops have never lasted well for me, I’d go for an affordable man made composite that looks like quartz (or actual quartz if the budget will go that far).

We are keeping our American style fridge freezer, it works perfectly and we need the storage so don't want to change it.
Lighting wise will be spotlights and lighting under wall cupboards and under the two open shelves to try to get more light in.
I could move the microwave on top of oven in wall unit? Would prefer inbuilt to freestanding due to lack of worktop space

Why do you think it is so odd? Doesnt look odd to me.

We loved the dark blue in the shop but our kitchen is really dark, north facing and conservatory (tiled roof) across the whole width of kitchen. The dark blue looks look pitch black in our kitchen ditto graphite, slate grey looked dingy and sadly dove grey looked like a dirty white, only the cashmere which we hadn't considered before looked ok. In our kitchen it looks like a stone colour.
Can't afford quartz sadly. I'm worried white laminate would stain and concrete slate looking laminate would be too dark? Happy to take suggestions on laminates though as I'm not convinced on the wood effect laminate either? Worried it's too orangey compared to the pale light oak floor?