I invite your comments on my kitchen plan (with photo)

[kitchenplanner]

I'm planning our new kitchen atm - it's going to have IKEA carcasses and Naked Doors fronts. This is the plan. It's not a big kitchen, made worse by the fact that we want a range (90cm) and double Belfast sink (80cm). I'd say these two things are non-negotiable.

I find wall cabinets quite oppressive. I'd probably rather not have any at all, but have been persuaded to have some in the left corner. Storage is hopefully not an issue, as we also have a separate pantry, and a utility room.

The thing that worries me is prep space. Is there enough? Should the sink swap with the dishwasher to create a bigger prep space?

Please do let me have your comments!

I couldn't cope with that little prep space, but is there room for a butcher block trolley type thing to use? You won't be able to use any of that space to the left of the cooker.
If you have a dishwasher, why a huge double sink?

I have a kitchen with limited prep space and it’s a nightmare especially dishing up! I’d reconfigure it so you have a better run of worktop, definitely move the sink

Aren't you going to feel like you're stuck in a corner while you're cooking?

We have a double atm, as well as a dishwasher. We wash pots and pans by hand, and pop them in the left side hand sink to dry. If we only had one sink, we'd have to dry immediately and put away. Is that what people do?

Do you mean I should swap the sink with the dishwasher? My husband thought you'd end up washing the vegetables and having to carry them all the way over to the cooker. Or is that not a problem?

You have a draining board next to the sink. If you have it with grooves in the worktop that slope down slightly to the sink you can easily put chopping boards on it and use it for prep as well.

It's going to be the IKEA quartz top and they don't do the groove thing, I asked

A PP asked about a trolley thing. I thought we'd have this - see photo.

I’d like more prep space by the oven. So I’d lose a sink (pots in dishwasher) have draining grooves, and swap sink and dishwasher. Our sink is opposite side of kitchen to the hob, not been an issue with us.

www.tapsuk.com/astini-grooved-ceramic-gloss-white-belfast-butler-kitchen-sink-worktop-drainer-p34757

You don’t need grooves. We just put the pots and pans on a teacloth on the worksurface to dry. I do think a second sink is useful but wouldn’t have one just for drying pots if I had very limited workspace.

I agree with pp, that’s very little prep space. You won’t use the corner unit at all. I also have to ask when the double sink? I leave my pans to drain next to the sink and then dry and put away after a few minutes.

Have you thought about how you use your current kitchen? I guess if you’re not into cooking / baking in a big way then your design might work. But if you enjoy meal prep and or baking you’re just not going to have the space.

Also what are you planning on storing on the shelves? Will they be decorative or needed for storage because they will be grease magnets in a kitchen…

If I swapped the sink and the dw, is that enough? Or are you all saying I'll need to do that AND swap for a single?

Thank you barking for that worktop drainer! I didn't know they existed.

That corner to the left of the sink will be useless. I would swap the dishwasher and the sink, but also the cooker and the drawers, so then you have a decent bit of worktop either side of the cooker.

The shelves will be for kilner jars. We currently have a small shelf with this set-up and it works well and looks pretty. I admit the aesthetic is a big part of this. I'm braced for dust and grease!

IKEA do have single sinks with draining boards. Perhaps not a Belfast with draining board.

I get there are non negotiable, but with small kitchen, I wouldn't be taking more room up with a double Belfast and range.

Its hard to comment because that kitchen would not be for me, but you really want the 2 things I would change.

I'm starting to wonder about a single Belfast sink. I've got so used to putting pans in the second sink to dry and being lazy about putting it away. It'll take discipline to put away immediately!

The range is because we like cooking and want to be able to host family Christmases. I find cooking for family with a standard oven limiting.

If you have a pantry, would you consider an under counter fridge and freezer (one of each)? Our integrated under counter freezer holds way more than the tall one ever did. Just shop around for fridge as what they hold varies greatly depending on design.
We did this to keep worktop space. Then, depending on plumbing, could put the sink and dishwasher where the tall end currently is and have a lovely straight run of work surface the other side with fridge and freezer underneath so ideal for cooking, as long as bending isn't an issue. You could have open shelves above so everything is easily accessible and keep opposite end free of overhead storage

By the way, I also love Kilner Jars and I’m going for open shelves to replace the wall unit close to the window in my own kitchen. I was warned about the grease bomb so it’s just something I thought I’d share!

I like the open shelves & kilner jars and the general layout. But I'd make a few tweaks.

reading around the room clockwise, I would have

• tall fridge freezer
• corner unit
• drawer unit (this has swapped location with hob from your original plan)
• hob / range

- one more drawer unit

• single sink
• dishwasher with drainer over.

That way, you will have corner unit + extra unit located between fridge & hob as you major worksurface space. Then you have hob, then a bit of space for dirty pans, then sink, then space for clean pans etc. it all works as a production line: fridge -> hob -> sink -> clean

If the range is just for Christmas and the odd big gathering I would change it.

You can manage for one or two days a year. But it really is personal choice.

I just couldnt cook a big meal for lots in kitchen that had so little worktop space.

That's not to say, you shouldn't go for it if you really feel it will work for you.

Parietal I like your plan. I'll mock it up later this week.

Do you get 1.5 Belfast sinks? I don’t know... but I love my 1.5 sink the .5 is messy and the sink proper is clean...and it doesn’t take up as much space as a full double?

I read an article recently that said the grooves don’t really do anything anyway. Although DH still wants them.
We have them atm and they just collect limescale imo.

We put everything in the dishwasher, if it doesn’t survive in there, we’re not keeping it!

We have a double sink like that currently, but looking to replace it as we move the kitchen into the extension. I’m not set on getting an exact replacement, DH needs convince though. I think the surface is far more useful.

I might put a bigger sink in the utility for ‘random as yet unknown large washing in a sink opportunities’ to keep him happy 😃

So, I’d compromise on the double sink for a start.

I’m also getting rid of our range style cooker for inbuilt Neff slide and hide ovens & a gas hob (DH insists on gas and he’s the cook) on the island.

Sorry waffling, but in essence, I came on MN with ideas months ago that I thought I was set on. Got loads of helpful advice which I resisted at first 🙄 but have actually changed floor plans following a change of heart.

Calmdown that's a nice idea but I don't think bending down for the fridge is for me anymore. I had that in my 20s and remember squatting in front of an open fridge wondering what to eat and feeling achey.