Yet another kitchen plan critique, pleease

[fishseddy]

Hello all,

I would really appreciate your thoughts on the kitchen plan attached (standard side return extension), I've been round in circles a thousand times and think I'm happy with this, but would appreciate a fresh perspective. Dimensions are 6.5m x4.84m.

I'm going with handmade kitchens direct and am in a quandary about whether to have it all in Hague blue (or similar) or just the island in blue and the rest in a neutral tone. the room is south facing and bright so I think it can take the dark, but I don't want to suck the light out of it either as it's a lovely light room at the mo.

All thoughts welcome-thank you!

Blue Island, rest lighter

I have cream units and a blue island it works really well. I think all blue would have bern overwhelming.

Thank you! Yes that's my instinct too :-)

My first thought is that the oven is in the walkway in to the kitchen. Is this a good idea, people walking past as you are trying to get things in and out of the oven?

Could the oven be in the one of the other tall cupboards?

In fact the walkway into the kitchen and out to the garden is though the main working part of the kitchen. Could you flip it? So kitchen against the wall where you have the tv?

I would have the wall with the door as your appliance wall - at the moment your oven is in the doorway.
Are you a very tidy person that never has pots or dishes at the sink? Where is your dishwasher - do you have work top space to house the dishes waiting to be loaded?

I am not tidy - i have my hob on my island and sink against the wall - love it as i would have my back to the room otherwise.

This was made easier as we were building an extension so put in a lowered box ceiling and ran the ceiling cooker hood flue out that way.

@fruitbrewhaha yes you're right I did wonder about that...it's where the current owners have it at the mo (this is a new house that we're moving into)

It could go next to the counter top, although I wold prefer to have the fridge / freezer there for convenience....and even so it's still kind of in the walkway

The other two tall units are a bit awkward as I can only fit one unit containing an appliance there (HKD appliance units are 680 rather than 600mm) and I have the tumble dryer there at the mo, in the bottom half of a tall unit, next to a pantry cupboard (which is 600mm) - the total space along that wall before is reached the door frame is 1280mm so it's a tight squeeze.

If I put the oven there instead of the tumble dryer I would basically have 3 appliances all along that stretch of units by the hob which I think would be annoying vs need for storage? Also, I would have quite a long way to carry things back to the hob area to put thyme down.

Gah! It's so tricky...

@Tealfrog I have though a lot about the drawbacks of the sink in that position! But in the end I've decided to go for it, we are reasonably tidy, and I think I'd prefer it to having the hob there as I don't like any of the extractor options (i did look into it when trying to decide!)

I'm also not a super cook who spends ages over the hob, though of course I have ideas about becoming this type of person when I have a lovely kitchen to do it in :-)

The dishwasher is in one of the units next to the hob; in the island I have two sets of wide pan drawers

Whatever you do, put a double plug socket on the side end of your island nearest the window - up high near the counter top.

Otherwise it is useless for food prep - no where to plug in mixers, liquidisers etc.
Puting it at the window means you get a nice clean line when you walk in and give you a plug point you can use at the orland and table if you need to charge a laprop.

I have a very similar design of kitchen to yours but we are 3 years in!

I'd put the settee on the opposite wall as I wouldn't like the kitchen units running along the wall with the door and patio doors...you'll regret it.

Where is the door way into the kitchen?

Actually @Tealfrog I think you're right about the oven, I've shifted in in this version... I think it does work better there thank you :-)

Defo notes about the plug sockets, good thinking!

I would offset rather than centre the sink. Where will your bins go?

@imanoldbattleaxe I totally know what you mean, and if I could design the room myself from scratch I'd definitely do it that way. But sadly I don't think we can make it work-the existing kitchen is laid out this way and I don't think we can stretch to such a massive overhaul of plumbing etc...also the second doorway leading from the living room to the kitchen is very close to the wall so the units would stick out a fair bit into the walkway iyswim

@mummmy2017 there are two doorways-one from the hallway and one from the living room, they are either side of the two tall units positioned in the middle

I must admit I did wonder why you didn't just have your kitchen along the sofa wall..

Long L shape.. washing machine and tumble dryer where plants are and loads of cupboard space along that wall .
Then you have masses of room to live with table and sofa moveable.

Thanks @Whattodowithaminute yes that's an idea... there is 600mm highline bin unit next to the hob (directly under the hob are pan drawers)

Yes - but can you do side by side. We have two ovens but one is also a microwave ( Siemens). It is more expensive than an oven and microwave but so very handy - 90% of the time is is used as a microwave but for 10% we need a second oven or warming oven it is amazing. They are the same size so side by side gives symmetry.

@Tealfrog that would be ideal but I don't have enough tall units to be able to do it, esp as I can only fit one appliance unit on that central wall (they are 80mm wider) :-(

Btw - make sure your distance to the island allows the dishwasher to fully open and the opposite pan drawer to open fully too.

Good point, it's currently about 1.05m would that be enough?

I think that is too close - i have 117cm to the island and have a small gap left when both are open. Check you dimensions but i think you won't be able to full open the pan drawer if it is opposite the open dishwasher.

Not dissimilar
Room is 7m x 4
I've got 2 chairs up the other end, but the fireplace is there, so that's the cosy end.
What's your worktop made out of?

Do you need a sofa and the dining table in there? We have a side return extension with a very similar layout with the 2 doors at one end (one from hall and one from living/dining room) and we have an almost u-shape of units so range cooker/extractor on the back wall with 2 base units either side. An approx 3.5m run on the right side (as you go in) with 2 larder cupboards and American fridge freezer in the middle. And a corresponding 3.5m run on the left side with all low units - one x drawers, bin unit, double Belfast sink, dishwasher and wine rack. Then the island is totally clear on top (2 x pan drawers, book shelves and wine fridge built in). We have a sofa/tv at the end by the bi-folds but you could have a dining table instead. But not both.

Just a thought! Ours is HMKD as well and I love it. It's beautiful. The designer was a bit 🤨 about my U shaped idea as everyone seems to go long down one wall but it really works for us.

I'm not sure my explanation is great so have tried to attach s couple of photos....

I think it's better now you've moved the oven and the sink is where you'll spend most of the time so it's better in the centre island and more sociable than having it where the hob is. Please come back when it's done and show is the photos!