Is a kitchen diner a must have?

[Orangeinmybluelightcup]

Just that! If you were buying a house, would a kitchen diner be a must have? I'm considering alterations on my house. The existing layout has a kitchen diner but the dining end is dark and cramped. I could fix this a couple of ways. I could turn the dark cramped dining end into a wc and utility and put the dining table in the adjacent room, accessed through a doorway in the kitchen. If I put a steel in I could open up from the kitchen into the adjacent room, so they're better connected, in kind of an L type shape. But would not having a kitchen diner put people off, when I sell in 10yrs?

I'm not that keen. I like separate rooms. I'd rather a kitchen just big enough to fit a small table in.

I think I'm an anomaly though, most houses seem to be knocked through these days.

I wouldn't be without a table in the kitchen and discounted properties without it (if top end of our budget as would want to do straight away)

One house we were considering had been on the market a long time and ended up knocking through to the dining room after feedback from viewers, and sold very quickly after that, we had found a property by that point or would have considered ourselves.

@steppemum

I don't like open plan, but I can't bear kitchens with no table.

In an ideal world, kitchen with decent table, enough for daily family food.
plus dining room, which is probably used for craft/homework/etc and then special occasion food or visitors.

I don't mind a layout where the kitchen table can also be a full dining table, but then lounge must be separate

This

I like plan C out of them all. Is there any way to put the utility where the kitchen is and have the kitchen open to dining/living at the left hand side? I hope that makes sense!

Perfect sense to me too! I would do exactly that.

I’m assuming the play area isn’t the only lounge! The removing of the utility and loo (you would go through the utility to the loo) to the bottom right-hand space where the kitchen is means you don’t have to squeeze past a loo or utility. Or a table and chairs. The loo wouldn’t be in the dining area. The hard work area (utility and loo) need to be near each other but separated from other utilisation of space. You could have an outside door and boot area too. You already have plumbing in this area so It’s a decent shout to move it.

Then you have clear run to zone from the kitchen, through dining to play zone. Alternatively have the play area next to the kitchen and have dining at the end. Depends on light and how you see yourself using the space. You might have space for anniskdnc to break up the length. It would give you decent storage (for toys). However I don’t know the dimensions of the rooms.

Don’t forget you can put up built-in storage in a dining area. Build storage into the utility and boot room too. Use every inch!

I think this would work best and would be attractive.

An island to break up the space....

Ahhh see you're not the only people to suggest that and it just gives me the fear and face palm action, because the kitchen is only 4yrs old. Getting the gas in was an absolute mare. And that's the only window. Obviously it would be open so not an issue. But I honestly don't know if I could face it.

Did you put the kirchen in? Or buy at a high price because of the kitchen?

As long as on the floorplan I could see that it could be knocked through to create a kitchen diner it wouldn't put me off at all

@PresentingPercy

Did you put the kirchen in? Or buy at a high price because of the kitchen?

We put the kitchen in.

Having lived in an open plan kitchen diner, I wouldnt ever have one again. The "wanting to see the kids thing" is such an overused statement. I LOVE my new house with separate kitchen, dining and lounge. We can all be within earshot of each other but do our own things and the kitchen has the food smells, no-where else. For me separate is far more appealing and is why many walls are being put back up!

The presence of a kitchen diner would be a deal breaker for me. Much prefer a separate dining room.

I would do it how you want as what people want in 10 years will be different to now. My pil bought a new build 10 years ago with a separate kitchen and dining room and that was what everyone wanted then whereas now everyone wants a kitchen diner.

Thing is it's more than fashion, eating spaces in kitchens are quite logical, kitchens have had spaces for kitchen tables for decades it's not a trend. I understand the dislike for completely open plan as that's not for me also, separate living room absolutely. But it just doesn't seem to make sense to me to carry plates of food, drinks, serving dishes and what ever else into another room (that's often carpeted), for practical every day living being able to eat next to where the food is being made makes like much easier! I guess it depends on proximity to the kitchen. We have a kitchen diner and a separate dining room but we have the room set up as a snug as we make much more use out of that than a formal eating space a few times a year.

On that case, if you put the kitchen in, you are a bit stuck! You cannot really do much in a sensible way.

Sorry I haven’t rtft but Is there a wall next to the table at the far end? Is there any opportunity to install a window? Even if it looks out onto a fence it would give you the opportunity to introduce some natural light at the dark end of the kitchen..

@PerfectlyImperfectx

Sorry I haven’t rtft but Is there a wall next to the table at the far end? Is there any opportunity to install a window? Even if it looks out onto a fence it would give you the opportunity to introduce some natural light at the dark end of the kitchen..

Mid terrace so probably wouldn't go down well 😁

@folloyourarro

Thing is it's more than fashion, eating spaces in kitchens are quite logical, kitchens have had spaces for kitchen tables for decades it's not a trend. I understand the dislike for completely open plan as that's not for me also, separate living room absolutely. But it just doesn't seem to make sense to me to carry plates of food, drinks, serving dishes and what ever else into another room (that's often carpeted), for practical every day living being able to eat next to where the food is being made makes like much easier! I guess it depends on proximity to the kitchen. We have a kitchen diner and a separate dining room but we have the room set up as a snug as we make much more use out of that than a formal eating space a few times a year.

Our neighbours are paying 70k to knock through kitchen into dining room and extend to make a big kitchen diner because, I kid you not.... "we have carpet in the dining room and thats no good when you feed the kids pasta" - 70k! How much would a solid oak floor be? Hilarious!