Redesigning kitchen - what is a must have?

[TwinklyLightsForXmas]

We've decided to redo our kitchen this year. What is an absolute must have/do and what should we avoid like the plague? We currently have an island with a sink in it which just looks messy most of the time. The washing machine is in the utility so just need an integrated dishwasher and would like an American fridge freezer if budget allows. Other than that, what did you do that was a winner or what do you wish you'd done differently? Thanks in advance!

My favourite things are the huge American fridge freezer (try and make it a priority!) and range cooker. The rest of it is about maximum storage for me. Farmhouse kitchen so not worried about 'gadgets' and I manage to keep wine at a good temperature without a wine fridge. The other thing that was important to us was no laundry in the kitchen but you've already got that sorted.

In one thing I DO wish we had was more than one sink - we have a huge Butler sink that was already in the house but no separate part to it so we have to use a washing up bowl in it which rather spoils the look.

did kitchen last year. definitely lots of pan drawers.
this sounds sad but I squeezed in a full height 60 cm deep cupbard which is only 25cm wide (maximum width left in the run of units) for my ironing board and brushes. Don't have a utility room, so this way it is out of the way.

• Minimum 2x sets wide drawers - one for pans, one for crockery plus 1x Standard drawer stack.
• Minimum two ovens (possibly one that’s a combi micro). I wish we had had room for a warming drawer.
• large enough sink, in our old house we had a very big single bowl, but this time we have an 800 wide sink with a 70/30 split

-sink to be in ‘dirty zone’ of kitchen, i.e. not in island

• island/peninsula to give ample uninterrupted work space (I prefer island but often this is dictated by the room itself)
• ample fridge space, either American style, or separate larder fridge plus undercounter freezer
• ample food storage, ideally in one location, so big pantry cupboard (walk in pantry if you can make it work - ours is modest but amazing).

Induction hob

We did ours a couple of years ago. My favourite bits are:

• Our American fridge freezer with plumbed in water / ice. I specifically chose the one with the biggest capacity in the fridge part I could find, and it's amazing to always have enough fridge space. We have an extra freezer in the garage so the smaller freezer half isn't a problem.
• A 2 shelf pull out oil rack and a 3 shelf pull out spice rack, so much better than craming oils and spices isn't cupboards.

-2 full size ovens with a separate microwave above

We have a big pull out larder cupboard but I'm not a fan. If we replaced it, I'd get individual drawers instead.

@billybagpuss I love the look of your kitchen, would you mind me asking where you got it from?

A cooker hood I don't bang my head on.

Lots of drawers - one side of the island is all drawers and I have under oven pan drawers too - they take so much stuff compared to the same size of cupboards.

My lovely tap - makes me happy whenever I use it.

Things I wish I'd done differently.

• more pull out baskets in cupboards....didn't do this because of cost, having seen how much more efficient drawers are regret this.

• my sink is a little small - to get it bigger I possibly would have had to compromise somewhere else but it makes washing oven trays really hard.

Big sink (two if you have a utility room)
Drawers instead of cupboards with shelves
Integrated appliances look good but if they break down they are a PITA to replace. Also, I don't think they are as reliable as free standing ones
Two dishwashers
Glass splashbacks instead of tiles s they are easier to clean and their reflective surface looks great and makes the room look larger.

I have a sink and induction hob with integrated extractor on the island. The dishwasher is right beside the sink so the sink doesn’t look messy.
I second what others have said..........boiling water tap, pull out larder cupboard, drawers rather than cupboards, hidden bins. I also like the wine chiller though could live without! Lots of sockets with USB ports. Really just repeating what others have said. We have a granite worktop and amtico flooring. Would recommend both.

Just installing our new kitchen at the moment and my favourite things are:

The under sink drawers that are in a u shape drawer. Absolutely love mine

Agree with pan drawers and I love the internal drawers inside the pan drawers so store things like Tupperware lids or pan lids

Convoy larder - this was a last minute addition as it was quite expensive but I love it. You can fit so much in the unit now

Also used to have an American fridge freezer and now moved to inter grated full height fridge and separate freezer. Much more space in the freezer so prefer this combination

Agree with the biggest sink you can get. My husband choose a normal sink for the kitchen but I insisted on a big Ikea sink for the utility and he agrees it's brilliant. You can fit so much in it and wash the trays etc