Thoughts on our kitchen design?

[mumdone]

Fire away!

Are you a cook? Where are the power points for your gadgets if so. I can't read the descriptions on your plan. How will you use the space that's what matters. Who is designing your kitchen then?

May I ask Ikeakitchensuccess what is the brand/shade of the green paint in your kitchen? It looks great with the white gloss.

These were our very first drawings of the kitchen.
It changed quite a bit but we kept large Belfast sink and dishwasher by the window.

Small food prep sink in the island and wine cooler in the island

Also, I wanted a very traditional kitchen so I know this layout is quite standard and not very modern!

@weepingwillow. thanks it’s pine needle from the Pantone collection by fleetwood

Not modern, traditional. I don’t want a sink on the island. I’ve far too many children who through stuff everywhere. Lots of power points everywhere. No issue.

@IkeaKitchenSuccess lovely kitchen. I’m after a more traditional in-frame kitchen.

My opinion (not that you seem to want anyone’s!) is to get rid of the bench, you have other seating in the kitchen and in experience the bench will just become a dumping ground!!
I would put the sink where the bench is, the job where the sink is and put the ovens together (and away from the fridge as the heating applicable next to the cooling appliance Doesn’t always bode well.
If you could fit a walk in pantry (size of a normal downstairs loo) it would make a big difference to storage. I love my pantry.
The island would then be free for food prep, dishing up, buffers, kids to eat breakfast, sit with wine and nibbles etc.

Yes, it does seem that way. That is one of our plans. Sink under the window
With dishwasher and bins.
Clear island. Hob where the sink is.
It just all seems a little to spread out. I keep going around in circles. Despite designer help!

@BrieAndChilli we had a proper old pantry in one of our houses (an ex-council house semi, the one which also had parquet) it was great...find a north wall. :)

Dumping ground is a fear of mine. I feel
A bit overwhelmed big decisions.
I don’t want to get it wrong!

I think the practicalities in terms of layout remain the same regardless of whether you have a traditional or modern kitchen.

I would definitely avoid anything on the island.

The thing is, an independent designer will help work this out, the kitchen company just want to sell you all the expensive cupboards.

@sbplanet we live in an old military semi-detached and have a walk in pantry which on a north facing wall!!
Can fit so much more stuff in it than you can in cupboards.
We have wall shelf’s which have tins, glass jars of pasta rice etc, baskets for other bits. Then floor shelves for cereal etc then a kitchen island thing which has bottle rack, drawers etc with chocolate etc and wire baskets. Wall shelves have wire baskets on the under Neath that we use for biscuits and nuts etc. Then Big container for crisps. And a shelf above the door which houses picnic stuff and we also have things like slow cooker, bread maker etc in there

Oh we’ve had both 🙈 and I still can’t decide.

To be fair the kitchen designer from showroom came in more modest.

@BrieAndChilli sounds amazing!

I love the hob on the island. I hate having my back turned to everyone while I cook.

I like the configuration of sink/ dishwasher/bins. But I wonder if having the hob opposite the sink and bins will lead to a lot of little splashes and drips on the floor (I hate cleaning floors but if it doesn’t bother you that might not matter).

Will it be a kitchen for one or two cooks? You can manage with less counter space for one person, but if there’s a second person prepping, you might need more.

There’s “landing ” counter beside the ovens but is it likely to be full of dirty or draining dishes? Picture yourself burning your hand as you pull out a tray and trying to land it quickly and safely.
There’s no counter space beside the fridge and freezer which isn’t ideal, but it’s not a safety issue like the ovens. I’m picturing you coming in with shopping, putting it on the island and packing it away in the fridge and pantry. But then you have to walk across the kitchen to the other pantry? I’d group things into zones instead (and like a pp mentioned keep ovens and microwave together)

I love, love the window seat!

Without knowing more about how you use a kitchen, it’s hard to make suggestions. How much time is spent there? Do you cook a lot? What is your mess/clutter tolerance? Will you entertain a lot? How do you feel about people in your space? Will dc be cooking with you? etc

Have you tried playing around with the Ikea kitchen planner or similar? Even if you’re planning on buying a high end kitchen it helps to the space visualise and rotate it in 3D.

@Barbararara thanks. I hate those kitchen design yourself things I’m useless at them and just don’t have the time.
I’m the only one that cooks.
No our sink will hopefully be cleared from stuff before cooking. We are planning on 2 dishwashers and to be fair we are pretty tidy I just didn’t want empty saucepans and trays on the island as I clear them into the sink.
Our sink would be as deep as we can get and a double.
The landing area next to the sink would allow for emptying if bags but to be fair the floor does quite a good job of that.
We’ve had large kitchens before but the space didn’t work.
Splashes doesn’t bother me.
We would mainly only use 1 oven the other is for larger family occasions.
I like symmetry and 2 ovens apart is more pleasing to the eye, to me.
We are a family of 5, large family, would entertain a fair bit.
I love the island seat too.
We will have an 8 seater dining table.
I imagine cooking and chatting too hence hob on the island.
Thanks everyone for your help.

Window seat,
I love the window seat.

*@mumdone Our island will be 3m long. Our kitchen is 7mx4m
*
Our island is similar size...I changed the design to remove the hob. Is one clear speak with large flowers in the middle. Was the best change I made and is a fabulous social space but can if necessary be used for food prep but also gets used for kids and others to work at. We have electric sockets in the cupboard underneath the seething area to plug in a laptop if required

Really try and avoid sinks and jobs on the island if you can

Can you get something to go over the hob so it can be useable space?
@Normalmumandwife if you’re happy to share would love to see your set up. Thanks

Hi, I think it will look lovely! It looks like it will look beautiful.

But I wonder about some practical points. I know for me, I’d rather more work surface - even with a three-metre island, I’d question if there is enough space for prepping, plus cooking plus plating up for a family of five. We probably have similar amounts of countertop in my current kitchen and it isn’t enough. I’d also prefer ovens beside each other, both for practical and aesthetic reasons - but I think it could look good this was too. Is one a micro/oven combi or did I miss the microwave from the drawing?

I like the window seat. And I don’t think there’s an issue having the hob on the island unlike others. I think sinks usually get quite cluttered on islands (at least in my friends’ houses), but easier to clear the hob stuff to the other side of the room. Also I’d change all standard units to drawers if you can - more practical, especially on the island.

Where are you putting your cups, glasses and plates - it doesn’t look like they can be near your dishwasher unless on the island? I’d make sure unloading dishwasher is easy.

Yes to more drawers. I will keep plates etc in here. Which will be in the island. Glasses the designer said about the ovens it’s 10mm higher than a standard cupboard. Mugs will be in the breakfast pantry. Glasses can also go in here. We might use it for a bar/coffee station!! It’s quite large.
Microwave we hardly use so maybe in the utility, just to have one in case we ever use it. If we have the hob elsewhere we would compromise on other elements, full pantry, fridge freezer both full height.
I just keep going around in circles.

@mumdone "I just keep going around in circles."

What do you feel is missing/wrong then? If you love the window seat is there a way of changing the layout orientation to make that more of a feature space?

Is this the one large kitchen/dining room/lounge the only room? Where is the utility room? Could you have a fridge freezer/pantry in there?