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Original poster

Kitchen Islands and Bifold doors

171 replies

Passmethegin11 · 04/11/2019 08:11

Has there been a kitchen extension built in the past few years which doesn’t have both of the above. Most of the kitchens don’t have space for an island and it looks squashed in. Where has this obsession come from? Also painting everything grey!
I’m guessing kitchen islands and bifold doors will be the avocado bathroom suites of the future!

OP posts:
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Africa2go · 05/11/2019 12:28

No rain, bugs or flies coming in when the bifolds are open, that can't be a genuine concern?! Hmm

Just go with what you like and works for your family / lifestyle.

Original poster
Passmethegin11 · 05/11/2019 12:42

Would be in Manchester with all that rain!

Yes George Clark is partly to blame! Such a shame all kitchens seem to look identical

OP posts:
Original poster
Passmethegin11 · 05/11/2019 12:45

Crittall doors or French door do look much better

OP posts:
NancyJoan · 05/11/2019 12:56

Crittall are terribly 2019, though. And madly, madly expensive, however beautiful to look at.

MarshaBradyo · 05/11/2019 12:57

I wouldn’t do bi fold but Crittal are very in atm

French are probably a nice bet

MarshaBradyo · 05/11/2019 13:04

Don’t people get flies coming in in summer. I have low tolerance admittedly due to growing up where closing the fly screen was be all and end all.

Do they behaviour better with fully open do they not come in or just get out again

HighNetGirth · 05/11/2019 13:04

Unless you have got a lot of space sliding doors are better than bi-fold. DH browses architecture mags online (like Building Design) and architect’s websites as the pictures will show you lots of little ideas and fixes that are not the usual thing.
That said, if something is attractive, practical and works for your family who cares how conventional it is ?

MarshaBradyo · 05/11/2019 13:06

I like the idea of frameless sliding as they are called

iknowimcoming · 05/11/2019 13:08

I've won this bingo game! Island, bi-folds and grey wall units with navy island units - I love it all but tbh it's a huge room so fits really well. Our island seats are super comfy too!

Cornflakesncake · 05/11/2019 13:13

YABU I love both when done right. However my PILs have put a small peninsula in their kitchen that looks a bit daft tbh. They now cannot fit a table and the room is small; it does look odd.

ohhhhlivia · 05/11/2019 13:15

I don't think bifold doors or kitchen islands (assuming both done well) will date but grey already has.

It's too associated with Mrs Hinch now.

I have nothing against her personally and I respect her for managing to make money out of thin air, but her following is generally a bit chavvy. Not a selling point in most houses I'm afraid.

Newbie1981 · 05/11/2019 13:16

I don't really get the need for bifolding doors. Just to keep up with the jones I expect

Newbie1981 · 05/11/2019 13:17

Islands are pretty useful tho, extra worktop space and drawers. If there is room I think they look good

HotGingerPudding · 05/11/2019 13:17

Yes HighNetGirth I’ve noticed current series such as Your Home Made Perfect utilises glass panels in lots of interesting ways, suited to the individual house. Not one size fits all bifolds. In fact I don’t think I’ve seen these at all.

As a PP has said, it’s whatever works for you but I do think the bifolds seem to be the default option with kitchen extensions rather than all these people adopting an outdoors lifestyle.

If I were looking to buy I’d have major concerns over how secure the doors were and assurances that they weren’t the equivalent of cheap basic uPVC doors. And it would concern me how expensive it would be to reinstate the wall to install french doors at a later point.

Sammy867 · 05/11/2019 13:21

We are in the process of a new kitchen and have gone for a solid wood kitchen painted. We have also gone for french doors instead of bifold and no island. The kitchen will be painted navy for now but being solid wood we can repaint if we get fed up of it. I’m not keen on the bifolds at all or the large islands

YourOpinionIsNoted · 05/11/2019 13:31

We can't afford to extend for another five years ish, but we are currently planning on having bifold doors. We have a big garden for the size of the house and I want to maximize the feeling of space. At the moment it seems like it will be a good, practical option - let's see if I still think so in five years!

clevername · 05/11/2019 13:32

Everything dates though, doesn't it (admittedly, some things more quickly than others)? I found an interior design book from the early 90s the other day and everything looked really, really gross.

And I think, now we have Pinterest and Instagram, trends come and go way more speedily because we are all interior designers (at least lots of us think we are!) and we all reach saturation point with ideas/colours/trends much more quickly than we would have before.

But bi-folds? They're just an engineering/building advancement aren't they? If you want to be able to open a wall of your house in the summer, when previously you wouldn't have been able to (without frames in the way), then they're a bonus. If you don't want to, you don't have to do it. But to call them a trend is a bit like saying having indoor toilets is a trend!

YourOpinionIsNoted · 05/11/2019 13:34

#bringbackoutdoorlavs #nightsoil 😂

shivbo2014 · 05/11/2019 14:03

We done an extension last year and have both. Love the Island its the focal point in our house everyone hangs round it cooking, drawing, reading the paper, working. Also love the bifolds, especially in Summer. Was definitely not trying to be trendy but the extension is big and this seemed a useful thing to do with the space!

MaddieElla · 05/11/2019 14:06

"Can't put curtains or blinds in front of bifold doors"

Meet my husband. Grin

He fits blinds after he fits the bi fold, then he boxes them in so you can't see them when they're rolled up.

Sipperskipper · 05/11/2019 14:13

Having an extension next year (kitchen into new dining / living space). We are having glass sliding doors with minimal sight lines, so it will be like one big glass wall when closed. No island as there isn’t actually room in the kitchen area, although I would have really liked one!

wonkylegs · 05/11/2019 18:14

I've done a few this year without either (architect)
Not a fan of bi-folds, prefer large format sliding or French doors
I'm also try to steer clients away from islands unless they have loads of space and even then if it's not going to add anything.
Mind you most of my clients have quite big extensions so probably could have got away with them if we didn't do something a bit more special
Only one grey kitchen so far and it suited the bloke to a T - I wanted black but it was a step too far for him.

Wynston · 05/11/2019 18:22

Get me i still have the avocado bath suite and the 70's kitchen......!!!

PickAChew · 05/11/2019 18:34

Crittall windows always remind me of the metal window frames we had back in the 70s. They were bloody cold to touch in winter and often had ice on them, in the mornings.

Seeingadistance · 05/11/2019 19:40

Everything dates, and everything comes back round again. I have friends with ancient metal framed windows. I keep telling them how “on trend” they are!

As long as you like it and enjoy living with it.