Does this ruin my new kitchen?

[KitchenLayoutHelp]

We are moving into a new house, there was an integrated fridge freezer included that was too small for us, we already own an American fridge freezer we wanted to bring with us.

This isn't our kitchen, ours isn't finished yet but this is the same size and lay out. I have (badly) edited the kitchen like ours to show where our American fridge freezer is going and where the breakfast bar is being shortened to to allow extra room to pass by it.

It just looks a bit rubbish. I love how big open and bright the room looks in the first pic. I know we need to prioritise storage over looks but I'm worried it looks really bad and out of place. Does it?

@KitchenLayoutHelp I think that is a good idea - if I am completely honest I would paint that book case / shelf unit the same colour as the kitchen - so it does look like it is all meant to be part of the kitchen. I think it will be fine . As a previous poster says - perhaps making a casing to go round the fridge freezer and perhaps shelves on the dining side would work - but I certainly think having that unit makes the Fridge freezer less of a "thing"

If it helps you - my kitchen is small & the designers told me the maximum size my island could be otherwise too big for comfortable access through the entry . I snuck another few inches on the island which gives v narrow cupboards for dog food etc & it is fine. But we can still get in and out without having to turn sideways. All good . I think your last post is a great idea , but if it were me I would get that unit painted to match the kitchen - so as to preserve prettiness of the kitchen.

I would not worry - I'll bet once installed - you will be happy as long as you don't keep thinking about it. Actually having that unit or similar on the side I think looks nice.

I am the worst person for buyer's regret but having renovated 4 houses ( as owner not developer) - not every single thing goes to plan but by and large they all work & once done and lived in for a while - it just becomes "your house" .

I think you have a good plan there @KitchenLayoutHelp & all congratulations on new house - don't worry. ( personally I would not put the plant there but that is just personal preference - apart from that - good answer to your own question

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I would sell your F/f and buy a small undercounter freezer to stick in the utility room. Then have an integrated tall fridge in the kitchen, with a small freezer compartment.

When we moved into our current house there was a large integrated fridge in the kitchen with a small icebox - enough room for a bag of peas and some ice. We then put a small freezer in the utility room. It was fine. When we had the kitchen redone a few years ago we changed it to a 50/50 integrated fridge freezer and bought a second hand fridge to stick in the garage.

If the fridge freezer is too big for your current needs that would push me towards the integrated tbh. Then you can look at other options in a couple of years (e.g. utility, garage, shed) when you actually need the space. Although I'm sceptical that any average family really needs a 500l fridge freezer. Nice to have maybe, enough to be squeezing past it every day and barely able to open the doors and sacrificing much needed worktop not so much.

I am a family if 5 with 3 teens.

I have a full size single fridge and a freezer in the garage. There is no way in a million years I would go back to any sort of fridge freezer. I shop once a week, my fridge is full to the brim, and then empty by next shopping day.

You will make it work, and get used to it, and in a kitchen, that fridge space will be amazing. I like the photos putting something on this end to hide it, blackboard/plant etc.

Don;t worry about the gainsayers, make it work for you.

Excuse the atrocious editing. It's starting to look more normal to me now, the more I look at it? Especially with furniture.

But I am tempted to just stick with the integrated now based off the measurements.

Sending these edits to dh and I can't stop laughing at how bad they are.

Love the worktop :-)

@KitchenLayoutHelp I think whatever you end up with will just be "your kitchen " & you will be happy with it - all best to you , Basilisk x

I think it looks fine. I was going to suggest a nice tall green plant against the side of the fridge but I see you already have that idea.

With the shorter peninsular and a bit of decoration it will look fine.

It looks odd now only because it looks cold and bare without the personalisation.

Don’t fret. It’s fine. Enjoy your new kitchen.

Trailing plant on the wall cupboard by the breakfast bar!

We have wire going across our ceiling and one climbing along that.

If we add one more 600cm unit it would be unobstructed? Still an eyesore though!

Sorry if someone suggested that already! Just playing around on floor plans.

I wouldn't recommend having more than one fridge or freezer as it means you never have any idea what food you actually have in. We have two freezers currently and it's a pain going between both. Especially with them in different rooms. The only benefit to having separate is if you only put drinks in a separate fridge for example.

This is what I think. I'd find out how much extra it would cost. It's not a huge amount more- maybe 2 units?
You could then have a breakfast bar by the utility door at a later stage?
Excuse the child like editing!

@KitchenLayoutHelp have you considered what @Nichola2310 has suggested above? My in laws ended up doing that (think they changed fridge so moved it)- even though original spot looked fine too), they’ve still got small table (4 chairs) opposite the fridge, but if you feel the fridge in other spot feels tighter that’s another option.

Do you really need the peninsula? I’d get rid of it and just have the table. Get a small moveable island if you need extra work space.

@KitchenLayoutHelp

If we add one more 600cm unit it would be unobstructed? Still an eyesore though!

That works better as it brings the fridge within the lines of the kitchen.

@KitchenLayoutHelp

If we add one more 600cm unit it would be unobstructed? Still an eyesore though!

Much better, fridge is well within the kitchen. Is the rest of the room and dining table to scale? Plenty of room if so.

Further up the thread, someone said you can't put an american FF flush against the wall as it needs to have air to circulate. It doesn't look as though you've allowed for that. Your table and chairs looks small too - didn't you say you're a family of 5? Just make sure it's all to scale.

@Africa2go

Further up the thread, someone said you can't put an american FF flush against the wall as it needs to have air to circulate. It doesn't look as though you've allowed for that. Your table and chairs looks small too - didn't you say you're a family of 5? Just make sure it's all to scale.

We already have the American fridge freezer, we have for 3 years and it's right up against the wall

I'd do as Bax suggests, with the wall side seating being a bench, so you can move the table up against the wall when not needed (but that might not be necessary anyway) and squeeze extra kids on there for the odd tea time at a play date.

I don't like the cabinets going the whole length of the room really, it's a long room. The entire side of the house. I want to keep it as a kitchen/diner with half-ish to each really. Thank you for the suggestion though

@KitchenLayoutHelp

I don't like the cabinets going the whole length of the room really, it's a long room. The entire side of the house. I want to keep it as a kitchen/diner with half-ish to each really. Thank you for the suggestion though

I think you're right OP and the room is not wide enough to have units down one side and also a table across the same width. The half half is better. The more I think about it though the more I think you might be best off getting rid of the peninsula entirely.