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.

Another vote for Velux windows and electric blinds.

We have three massive Velux windows - they are gorgeous when I have them open. Also have proper blinds so when the summer sun is streaming in and disturbing, we can close with a touch of a button.

Really worth the money if you can have them.

My island has nothing on it (except some pull up sockets). I really like it clear - it becomes this massive table for craft etc that everyone can sit at. But then you would need to fit hob and sink around the side.

Pull up sockets with usb are also great - no cords trailing around from laptops/food processors etc.

Also, love my boiling water tap - I got one on offer on Amazon - a Grohe one with a tank for about 500.

And a water softener for the house.

Thanks everyone. We have young children so we like have a snug area in the open plan space so we can keep an eye on them.
We also have a separate playroom which will be a games room eventually and lounge and they have quite large bedrooms that they can use for homework or work at the table or island.
I expect we would craft at the table or island.

It is a large space so we have the room to accommodate the snug.

In a previous house we had a glass roof with electric blinds was a god send!

This house will have a flat style glass lantern I expect with blinds and I expect we will have blind in the bifold as we are south facing.

Water softener yes!! Need one of those.

It’s (very) theoretical for me at the moment.... but I think I prefer “slide and swing” doors to bifolds.... more flexible, less bulky - have you looked at those?

What are slide and swing doors?

Have a look at New Wave doors and Profix are the two brands I’ve saved pics from but I’ve seen loads more including minimal frame/‘frameless’ ones which look sooooo sleek. They’re more flexible and take up less space than traditional bifolds. Also called “slide and pivot” or “slide and stack”. I think they’re like the lovechild of sliding patio windows and bifold doors and there seems mechanics with them than with bifolds, not sure how that stacks up price wise.

Apologies for the promo video, I’ve seen better ones but this is the first I found this morning and it shows how they work

Oh slick! I like them.

I would put the sink and dishwasher where the window seat is and more work top along there up to the tall unit.

The hob would go inbetween the windows and the ovens would be stacked to have a pullout or swing out larder cupboard beside them. I'd use that larder for spices and cooking ingredients, as near the hob and ovens.

The appliance/breakfast unit would be flush and normal sized (not a narrower cupboard) and I would have slide and hide doors on this, to be used for appliances, hot drinks prep and breakfast but gaining the full width of the unit.

Your snug area is great and so is the dining room and circulation space.

I would not have bi folds, so many are coming to the end of their life and its not ten or 15 years, in many cases its 6 or 8 years. They are overpriced as they are so popular especially when French doors and sliding doors, look just as good.

I would have nothing but sockets on the island. I would have normal sockets on each side as lots of people report the pop up ones failing over time and food and gunk getting caught in them, that probably contributes to their failure. Sockets comes in great metal finishes and colours and marble, glass etc.

The only other thing is more drawers, you may regret not having more.

My previous post should say less mechanics with them (slide & swings) than bifolds. Therefore less to go wrong.

I like flirtygirl’s ideas. Apart from if dishwasher can go in utility (and it’s handy to so) then do that, keep the noise and mess away :-)

@flirtygirl ...we were like you but I even had the sockets hidden under the quartz. Just by a cupboard so really sleek

I haven't RTFT but you are clearly in line to spend a bomb, you need a professional kitchen designer.
Symmetry is a great but not at the expense of function.

I would put all my food storage together where you have the breakfront larder - fridge freezer and big wardrobe type pantry

Then on the back wall - crockery/cutlery/drinks area nearest utilty, then sink in the middle, then oven/s nearest the windowseat.
The mantle is a nice feature but I don't think you can sacrifice wall space for it when you are open plan.

Then induction hob on the island with big 90cm workspace each side.

Definitely worth using the DIY kitchens planner. Re-create your current plan and update as the comments on here make you change your minds - events occur in real time (a la 24!)...

We've ordered a stanbury in charcoal and mussel. Will have wood floor and a quartz top of some description.