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Original poster

Opinions on kitchen diner design/layout

72 replies

Moo31 · 14/02/2019 22:13

I would really appreciate opinions on our kitchen design. We are knocking the wall between the kitchen and dining room down and putting a new kitchen in.

My "must haves" are continuous work surface (which is lacking currently), hob against the wall rather than on the long stretch of work surface (to avoid a suspended extractor fan), eye level double oven, wide drawer/pan drawers and a tall larder.

The door between the hob / fridge freezer is into the utility room. The window in the dining room is currently the patio door but we are moving that to the other wall (the end wall).

Let me know what you think - is there anything we have missed or anything you would change? Thanks!

OP posts:

Thread gallery

whenthewhistleblows · 15/02/2019 20:22

Oh god, do it again Jemma! I need to see before I commit myself to a monumental fuck up!

On the OPs layout I agree that the oven is not in s good place. In addition to the valid points about safety/proximity of worktop, having an oven next to a fridge means the fridge uses more energy trying to maintain low temp. I would look at moving the oven to where the hob is and having them both on that wall.

Jemma2907 · 15/02/2019 21:21

Have just tried again and attempted to upload the 3 pics individually and still no luck! So frustrating! I wonder if they'll all suddenly upload and it'll look.lile.ive spammed this thread! Ha ha!

Jemma2907 · 15/02/2019 21:44

Pic1

Jemma2907 · 15/02/2019 21:45

Pic2

Jemma2907 · 15/02/2019 21:46

Pic3

Jemma2907 · 15/02/2019 21:53

Finally! The table in the layout is a standard 160cm length but the idea is for it to be able to move around out of the way or extend into the space as and when it's needed. I wanted an area for a sofa as I'd like to use it as a family room in the summer. We're also planning an enclosed deck of over 3.5M so hopefully this will make it feel a lot larger than it is.

Original poster

Moo31 · 15/02/2019 21:54

Thank you everyone. Really helpful comments!

To answer some questions -

The room is 6.2m by 3.6m
Our current eye level oven is only a couple of years old and we want to keep it. I also much prefer it to under counter oven (no bending down and safer for 15mo DS). I wanted to have it between the hob and utility room door but you need a certain amount of space between hob and the side of the unit and the available length on that wall is only 2m so it doesn't give enough space.
The oven is currently where the end of the breakfast bar will be so in terms of positioning v the door it won't be any different (and we haven't had any accidents with the current layout).
The largest part of the garden is at the side of the house which is the rationale for moving the door as we can't currently see it from the house (there is only a small bit of garden at the back of the house i.e. visible from kitchen window and current patio door)
I'm glad there are some pro breakfast bar people out there! I have visions of helping ds with homework while prepping dinner ... or sitting with a glass of wine chatting to dp while he cooks up a storm! I want the room open to save running in and out of rooms to serve meals / during meals and so I can start clearing up while DP / DS finish off. Also the dining room is quite a dark space currently so it will brighten it up.
I agree re the symmetry of the tall units and now I see it I can't unsee it! Not sure how to fix this ... 2 tall larders the same size rather than one big and one small? Or (from utility room door) small larder, oven, small larder, fridge, small larder (too many small larders?)
It was my idea to put the microwave up there to free up work space but I think it needs moved too as I'm only 5 foot!! I really don't want it sitting on the work surface though and don't want a combi ...
I've been told and have read that fridge freezer works hardest when your house is cold so having it beside the cooker won't impact.

@Jemma2907 I really want to see your pics!! I had trouble uploading mine last night too :s

OP posts:

MsMamaNature · 15/02/2019 21:57

Jemma2907 that is the layout I was trying to describe earlier with the longer (straight) run of counter rather than the breakfast bar. Your layout with wall ovens will work better because you don't have a door along that wall. OP will struggle to have sufficient storage/larder, wall ovens, microwave and fridge/freezer on that wall in her kitchen because of the door into (I assume) the hallway.

HedgePlastic · 15/02/2019 21:57

Lise the breakfast bar

Original poster

Moo31 · 15/02/2019 21:57

Oh my goodness @Jemma so similar! What kind of units and work surface have you gone for?

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SerendipityReally · 15/02/2019 22:05

How about small larder on the left, big larder, fridge, oven? I'm not a fan of the narrow ones - if nothing else, have one big one.

Re microwave, we put one in the lower half of a wall cabinet. It's a compromise, it's small, underpowered and expensive, and I certainly wouldn't put it any higher. Alternatively you could put it in your big larder unit bit again, quite a compromise.

Jemma2907 · 15/02/2019 22:21

@moo31 I know! When I read your post I was like whoa... that could be me! Your layout was my initial design (but back when we'd planned an extension which we're not doing now). I do love breakfast bars but I think for my family, this was will work better... hopefully! We're having a Howdens kitchen - were going for the fairford Navy units on the lower cabinets, then fairford white for the top and the larder cupboards. The counter is white quartz with sparkly silver bits in it. Grey laminate flooring, white walls though thinking I may paint the wall behind the sofa in Navy to tie in the colours. Builder is coming round tomorrow for a final site visit, I'm so excited! When will your work start?

Jemma2907 · 15/02/2019 22:25

I forgot to mention that on our wall of tall cabinets, due to high ceilings our builder is putting another full size cabinet on top of the tall cupboards (which is why we wanted them white as otherwise they'd be really imposing). It's going to give us a huge amount of storage for an otherwise wasted space. Just an idea for anyone else in the same position.

Original poster

Moo31 · 15/02/2019 22:34

That sounds lovely!!!

My aim is to have it started before the end of March ... we've been told it will take 4 weeks max but I feel that might be a bit optimistic

The plan I got yesterday was b&q but we won't get our kitchen from there. There are a couple of local independents (we're in NI) so we'll use one of them - waiting on 2 coming back to us with plans but I had a day off yesterday and thought I would see what b&q would come up with to try and visualise something!

Please come back and post pics of yours when it's finished!

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ILoveOnionRings · 15/02/2019 22:36

I am pro breakfast bar, for the social reasons.

I am not sure you have enough storage space. I would go for pan drawers wherever possible, you can get so much more in them, no bending down and rooting around to find what is in there. We have two sets of 60cm three drawers and one set of, I think 90cms, 3 drawers, under the hob. Also for the wall cupboards, we went for the extra height cupboards, it gave us an extra shelf of space.

I really don't think you will safely reach the microwave.

Just trying to think what is the bare minimum you would have on the work top - kettle, tea & coffee - left of the hob. Space to the right of the hob looks small, not really a prep area, possibly toaster can go there - I think you will do most prep on the breakfast bar. Do you have a dishwasher? If yes to this, I think you will manage with this amount of work top.

Jemma2907 · 15/02/2019 22:39

Our builder has estimated 4 weeks too! Ah, I hope you find your perfect kitchen! I've loved choosing and making decisions but have also felt a lot of pressure. It's a lot of money for something you'll live with for so long, you just feel like you have to get it perfect! I cant wait until it's done and all the decisions have been made! Will deffo come back with pics :-) x

Original poster

Moo31 · 15/02/2019 22:40

@SerendipityReally we have 3m between the 2 doors. Fridge is 1m and oven is 0.6m so we have 1.4m to play with ... small larders is 30cm and normal one is 60cm so I could have 3 of the same but it might be overkill. There is nowhere else for the fridge or oven to go I don't think so going to have to figure out something on that wall

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Original poster

Moo31 · 15/02/2019 22:41

That should say 3 of the small!

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ILoveOnionRings · 15/02/2019 22:52

We don't have any larder cupboards, never struck by them, which is why my suggestion may be odd.

What about fridge-freezer, then 1.6m of worktop with either cupboards or pan drawers underneath, 1.6 of top cupboards(extra height) then oven units on the end. This would give extra prep area, more storage space and a safe place for getting things out the oven. Also microwave could go on this work surface. Maybe have lighting (ours was £35 and then fitting) under the top cupboards to illuminate the worktop area.

Original poster

Moo31 · 15/02/2019 22:52

@iloveonionrings I agree about the microwave. Could put it in the utility room!!
Yes I want to have as little on the work surface as possible - possibly magnetic spice rack on the wall to the right of hon and then toaster / kettle to the left. The current plan has 3 x 80cm drawers under the hob. Do you think we should put more over the over side too - under the breakfast bar?

Yes dishwasher is coming into the kitchen (currently in utility) - will go underneath the drainer.

OP posts:

Original poster

Moo31 · 15/02/2019 22:54

@Jemma2907 yes I'm a commitment phone and it's such a big/permanent/expensive commitment!!

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Original poster

Moo31 · 15/02/2019 22:54

*phobe!

OP posts:

Original poster

Moo31 · 15/02/2019 22:58

That's an interesting suggestion @iloveonionrings! I'm going to have to go back and get some more designs done aren't I!? Kettle and toaster could go there too completely freeing up the other work surface.

OP posts:

Jemma2907 · 15/02/2019 22:59

We sound so similar @Moo31! I plan on hiding the microwave in a cupboard and just getting it out when needed. Another thing I just thought of, we've gone for an undermount sink with the draining board engraved into the worktop to the right of the sink to make it feel like we have more counter. That corner is where I imagine the kettle will go and having that type of sink will make it seem less cluttered. Just thinking you could do the same and save on worktop space.

ILoveOnionRings · 15/02/2019 23:04

Our hob is on the breakfast bar, it has a 30cm cupboard, small but quite handy, and then the 3 drawer pan drawers underneath. Small top drawer has the chopping boards and bits in, next drawer down has the spices, and some pans and then more pans in the bottom drawer.

I keep all our plates and bowls in one of the 60cm pan drawers, veg in another, cutlery drawer in the top, DH has a small 'crap' drawer. A friend keeps all her mugs in one of hers, I find pan drawers just so much more versatile and you can see exactly what is in them.

Under the sink is a cupboard and we have a corner cupboard, no revolving rack, just a shelf.

Out dishwasher is right next the sink to, hardly ever have stuff on the drainer, and I looked and you have the 1.5 sink - love mine

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