Critique plans

[mumdone]

Hopefully you can see the kitchen plans. Utility, playroom, hallway and another lounge are missing from this. This is just our open plan kitchen. We’re not sure if we should add more windows to the left hand side of the kitchen? Either side of the mantle instead of the cupboards. Any other thoughts?
Ignore the colour we would have a light kitchen and the mantle is too much we would on my have a shelf mantle.

There will also be a lantern of some sort!

Personally I feel the breakfront larder is pointless. If it were me I’d make that one a proper larder and have a flush run, and make the big larder on the end by the mantle a breakfront. I’d also be having the ovens stacked as opposed to one in that corner, it gives you a tight space, right in a doorway, to get hot things in and out which is less than ideal.

I think I’d consider binning off the little cupboard either side and keeping the mantle as a focal point. I’m not sure how that would look with the oven talls unless you stacked them and moved them but worth asking your designer to have a play, it’ll take them about 20 seconds.

Great. Thanks for the feedback.
If we were to stack the ovens would you keep the end one a cupboard?that doorway is into the utility.
We didn’t like the flush cupboard along that wall it looked a bit to much of a block so though we would break it up with the break front larder.
We were thinking of putting narrow windows either side of the mantle for more light as the lantern is over by the bifolds. Can’t have it above the kitchen as it’s a double storey.
Sorry what do you mean by stacking and moving the ovens? Move then where?
Sorry it’s been a long day of homeschooling, toddlering, working and kitchen planning.

Designer is speedy!

Should’ve also said the island would be a little back nearer to the break front larder as this would be the breakfast larder.

With windows there and in a pale colour it looks a lot nicer. I would stack the ovens and keep the other as a broom cupboard/general kitchen crap cupboard I think. Fair enough about the breakfront, my thinking was that it is still a very domineering tall run, the set back doesn’t give you anything, whereas if it was at the end of that cooker run it would feel more open down there, the larder on its own looks a little cumbersome to me but that’s just personal taste. Again, if it was me I’d orient the island the other way so you can look out the window and anyone sitting on the back isn’t facing away from anyone at the dining table.

It does look lovely with those windows though, good thinking! The designer obviously uses different software to me, I can’t tell if you have any drawers anywhere other than the breakfront base? Don’t underestimate the importance of drawers!

Oh good shout about the kitchen crap cupboard you can never have enough crap cupboards!
It’s hard isn’t it, the island was going to go the other way but I think with the sink and hob close together it works better. Also if I were standing at the sink as it is I will be looking into the open plan and out of the 4m bifolds. I might ask them to switch so I can see.
The only drawers we have are under the break front and under the induction hob.
We may need more drawers!
I might change the main larder to another breakfront larder? I see what you mean by more open down there, if it was a breakfront.

You need more draws. I love the windows either side of the hob but I'd lose the larder to the left of that and just have more worktop instead.

I'd stack the oven too as the one next to the utility door is poor design.

I think the set back on the larger larder range looks odd and doesn't really do anything. Sorry. I'd just have the full larder.

But you need far more draws! Panda, Crocker, cutlery and a kitchen gubbens draw are essential!

That should say pans, not panda!

Thanks. A larder is on my wish list. I see what you mean though more counter....mmm. I need to visit some more showrooms when lock down is over.

The set back, or counter larder would hide away all the counter crap such as kettle, toaster, bread bin all the cereals, tea coffee have a coffee machine etc. Probably the mugs.
So when we open it sitting at the island I can open it and feed the children easily.
Kitchen Grubbs drawers are essentially as are cutlery. I don’t mind cupboards for pans. Especially as we will probably have An in-frame kitchen there isn’t much room in drawers. Thanks for your help.

Is the job or the sink on the island? I wouldn’t have the sink on it.

Hob not job 🤣

Don’t forget if you’re using the breakfront for appliances that you can’t use them inside it. (Apart from an integrated coffee machine) You’ll need to pull them all out every time you use them as they will scorch or warp the shelves above. Another reason to have it on the cooker run, the worktop in front of a breakfront is small, the top unit is usually 450mm, so you’ll only have 170mm of worktop roughly in front of it, maybe not enough to pull items out far enough.

In-frame you will lose 42mm off the width of the drawers, and only about 10mm of height so it’s really not that different. Are you having a proper in-frame or in-frame look with a step inside? Is it a national or independent? The design doesn’t seem to have any end panels factored in, these will take up considerable space, between 18mm and 40mm depending on where they are, by my eye you’d need 6 full height panels on that plus 2 double island end panels and a island rear panel. Have they factored these into the quote? Some companies are notorious for booking you in and then slamming on end panel charges which can be thousands.

Also, agree with PP, I prefer a hob on the island to a sink too.

It’s a sink. We like the focal point of a mantle. Hence why the sink is in the island. Thank you so much for your help. The space isn’t built yet so we are flexible on where the windows go.
If we move to a breakfront to the cooker run how much work top space would we have.
If it was your space how would you design your kitchen? Any help on layout appreciated, thanks.
We are looking at proper in-frame but may go for a lay on. We haven’t yet had quotes.

We were thinking of putting the sink where the hob is with a large window, but it over looks a fence....and the hob where the sink is but the mantles look really lovely. Aahhh I hate planning. I’m questioning the whole plan now

Honestly, I know you don't mind cupboards for pans but having proper pan draws is amazing and a game changer. It was one of those things that I said until I had them myself and I'd never now go back.

Similarly with a larder- I know you always wanted one but you've got two in your design anyway? The smaller one just looks like a very odd add on.
And you don't seem to have hardly any work top space at all?

And yes, as a pp said if you have all your worktop appliances hidden in them, you'll need to leave the doors open and bring them out all the time to use them. Which would be extremely annoying.

I think you are at risk of spending lots on a really poor design. I know it's hard. Get some other designers around.,

I think you’re right!! It isn’t working well and although we have planning we can make a number of alterations still so we are best to do it now.

On my phone so can’t see the plan or pix well enough to comment on specifics but going from other people’s comments...

Would you really want windows either side of the hob? Chances are they’ll get really splattered, tricky to access to clean , potentially a fire risk to have blinds or curtains or coverings on so will effectively always open and leaving you on show to the world, much more noticeable in the winter when you’ll have the lights on early.

There was a property show on bbc1 this week (where 2 architects propose schemes, owners choose 1) and they had a kitchen similar to your layout. Worth trying to find on iPlayer as the winning architect had some nice ideas. One was if you have windows above a work surface, drop the bottom of the window down to the level of the work surface and instead of having a window sill extend your work surface in there instead - resulting in more work surface space and cleaner lines.

I would be worried about the double height bit right next to the kitchen appliances and working bit of the kitchen. Do fire regs allow it? I would also be concerned about cooking smells travelling through the upstairs (and taking the strong smelling, smell-pervading smells rather than just a bit of a smell that gets out when you don’t close the door properly when cooking, making it harder to clean and keep fresh. Plus noise transferring upstairs.

Do you ever like to have the tv on while you cook? Or want to watch it while sitting on the sofa? Will you be able to put it somewhere that would work for both scenarios?

Will have a look later when I’m properly awake and can see it on a decent size screen not not tiny phone screen!

I don’t think you have enough worktop, and you have a lot of tall cupboards. I would lose all the full height stuff on the chimney wall entirely to create worktop space. I’d put the ovens, stacked, into the big tall run, at the left hand side. Still leaving plenty of storage for food and crockery etc. I’d put the sink on the back run near the utility door, thus freeing up the island and probably making drains and water simpler. Not sure where the fridge is but you could put a full height larder fridge into the tall block and an under counter freezer somewhere else. Not sure what’s going on with the benching unit - are you putting a table there?

Thanks for all your comments. We could position the sink where the window seat currently is. This would free up the island. We wanted a free island anyway. We want a large kitchen, lots of children, a dog and a large family. We have plenty of seating if we extend the island. We will also have a dining room table and a snug in the open plan piece. We could also have a range style cooker rather than eye level ovens?

I've got a job in the middle of my open plan kitchen and I am going to move it as if it's not on an external wall the extractor fan has nowhere to extract to. It just filters and regurgitates back into the room.

We could have a large American style fridge freezer in the long run. We do need plenty of fridge and freezer space.

Or we could have the sink against the back wall with a window and a hob on the island. So many options. I’m paralysed with indecision!