Your best kitchen design tips please

[horseymum]

I know there are loads of kitchen threads but
I'm just at the initial stages and want your top tips, the things you love about your kitchen or those you wish you hadn't bothered with.
Probably thinking of IKEA as Howdens pricing frustrates me. Main thing I dislike about current kitchen is fussy beading which makes it hard to clean and frame doors which limit space.

This is an originally old thread but has been added to over the years.
It's a good starting point
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/1554664-The-MN-lessons-learnt-kitchen-thread?pg=1&order=

Great, thanks! Just the kind of thing I'm looking for.

If you have the space, put a big bin in a pull out drawer. Makes a massive difference to the look of a kitchen when there's no bin on display!

@Ifonlyiweretaller beat me to it on the bin - totally agree! We’ve got 2 decent sized ones so recycling goes in one and normal waste in other. I’d also add somewhere for pet bowls if you have them - Wickes do a nifty purpose built unit for this but a good joiner could also make one. Also do not forget at least 1 unit with drawers!

I was told to think do you work right to left, or left to right (so once you've chopped do you prefer the saucepan in your left or your right etc). This will help you more clearly plan where you need bigger workspaces.

Our kitchen was ‘done’ by previous owner, so things I wish were different
Cupboard and drawer pulls stick out and catch on clothing , sleeves etc.
Overhead cupboards are too low so there is no space for my blender when it’s attached to the top of my stand mixer
Under cabinet lights are fiddly to change bulbs

I agree with the pull out bins near sink. Also I have a couple of sets of wide deep drawers with sides. I find these brilliant as no crouching to see what's at the back. Normal double door opening corner unit, no fancy bits needed as if used correctly for lesser used items in corner , either sides are still accessible - I use for toaster, georgegrill etc, baking pans, pyrex. Also I had units go to ceiling to maximize storage no greasy tops to clean. I also had a flush extracter, (clean lines) no dust collecting canopy. And as you can gather I don't like to make work for myself so I also have laminate back boards but fancied tiles behind job but to make low maintenance I've put glass over. See pics

Actually disagree about a large bin - it'll stink before it gets full so you'll end up emptying it when it's half full so get a small one - use the rest of the unit for something else.

Don't have corners of you can help it.

Wide deep drawers and Individual pull out drawers where you have to have standard units

If you're not having tiles, go for an extra deep splash back.

If kitchen space allows, go for a wider worktop. You'll find that extra few centimetres stops the items that are permanently out dominating the workspace.

Standard wall unit depth is 30cm which is not deep enough for a dinner plate. Many companies offer 32cm but you have to ask.

Once you have a first draft of your new layout, go through every cupboard you currently have and make sure there is a suitable place for all items.
I was adamant that I wanted nothing but deep drawers, no base cupboards but decided that my chopping boards and trays would be happier in a cupboard, so added one.

I like the idea of deep drawers . Hadn't thought about full height cupboards. Will probably do away with tiles. Plates etc are in low cupboards so kids can help lay table!

I have the most amazing ( in my opinion ) kitchen which we converted a garage to fit in ( work with what you have and all that) .. the cabinet maker did an amazing job and used some fab hardware .. the things that I wanted and got was a pull out larder , a hidden bin for rubbish and recycling , a breakfast bar , lots of storage that is easily accessible, an area for kettle / toaster etc out of the way , a built in microwave ( I hate stuff on the side ) an American fridge freezer/ large fridge freezer .. and that it goes to the ceiling as I hate it when people use the top of the cabinets for storage as it looks so messy .. i got all those things and love it ... I also would get quartz worktops with a hidden sink of money extends that far as it looks so much nicer than a horrid stain less steel sink stuck on top .

I like the idea of a hidden sink of money
Can you get those in ikea?

There are so many different permutations of bins, you should be able to get a combination that suits your needs.
We are just nearing the end of a kitchen installation and the bin combo took a while to find. Old kitchen waste bin was a little small, so we have gone bigger. Food waste bin was too big and got smelly before it was full, so we went smaller.

Best thing about our new ( last year) kitchen?
The lights are on a sensor. Especially good in winter, they come on automatically when you walk in with your hands full of shopping bags, dirty plates etc, it means the actual light switch no longer gets mucky from greasy fingers etc.
( In summer it doesn't come on so much because it's already picking up the sunshine)

Yes to cupboards to the ceiling (unless you live in a lofty Georgian rectory)
The top shelves might be difficult to reach but we have plastic baskets up there and just pull it down to get what we need - the top shelves are used for rarely accessed things like light bulbs

Oh that's genius @amigababy I've just added that to my list!

I got rid of a lot of the wall cabinets when we had our kitchen done a few years ago and it really opened up the space and made the kitchen look more high end imo (it was just Ikea but one of the more expensive ones) We have quite a big utility room and pantry though so could afford to do it. It's a lit cabinet and I put a garland on it with light last at Xmas, I love it!

Only drawers below work surface, boiling water tap, hidden bin, no tiles.

We have Alexa do the same with our lights ..

@WhereDoesThisToiletGo 🤣🤣

I agree drawers are fab BUT make sure you have one deep drawer or cabinet for keeping the odd tall item. We have one deep drawer, I was going to have it divided in two and I’m so glad I didn’t as it’s brilliant for tall water bottles, cheese grater, tall measuring jug, beer bottles etc that won’t fit in pan drawers.

An alternative to taking the cabinets to the ceiling is to box in above them with plasterboard (called a bulkhead). Not as dominant as full height cabinets but avoids the dust collecting gap. Also provides a good place to run extractor ducting.

Plenty of daylight, and don't fill your kitchen with dark surfaces that absorb the available light - In short, don't have one of those kitchens where you need the lights on all the time to see what you are doing (and yes, they do exist!).
Have flooring that is easy to clean and doesn't need constant titivating to keep it looking good.
Only have bifolds (or a large wall of glass, however constructed) if you have got a decent view. If you are overlooked by a block of flats/other houses, what's the point?

My top tip is to really consider what you want out of the kitchen and how you will use it.

Kitchen/Diners with islands and breakafat bars work for some, while others prefer a totally separate kitchen so they can shut the door on the mess and smells.

We have just totally relocated our kitchen from a back room to a side return (historic extension which was used as a games room previously). We now have a massive island (3.1mx1.5m) with breakfast bar,. We have space for a small, family dining table at one end and sofa and TV in the other end of the room.

It works for us as we are quite social cooks who like to spend time together in the kitchen, children doing homework/drawing/playing a game or adults sharing a glass if wine while getting a meal together. In the past we either ended up with all four of us cramped in one room or one isolated while the others were off in a different part of the house.

Slightly unusually, our hob and ovens are in the island with the sink under the window, this allows me (or whoever is cooking) to always be facing the others, I HATED the taught of always having my back to the family/guests.

My other top tip is to really consider whether you need wall units, as a PP said, they are often too shallow and can be very tricky to access. Our last kitchen set up had a lot of wasted storage space as it was just too high for me (5ft7).

Drawers and carousels below the worktop
so you NEVER have to reach all the way in

pop up sockets in an island so you can plug stuff in randomly

more sockets than you think you need
(but not as many as that house on Rightmove)

Lots of room on either side of the induction hob