Follow-up: I invite your comments on my NEW kitchen plan (with photo)

[kitchenplanner]

Thanks so much to everyone who contributed to my last thread. I took on board your comments, and have created two new plans for comments.

1. FF on the right
2. FF on the left

Option 1. I moved FF to the right to free up that dark corner, but there's now less worktop space as a result. The sink cannot go right next to the FF (right?) so I can't swap it with the 30cm cabinet. There's a lot more worktop to the left, but I don't think I'd use that as food prep space.

Option 2. I kept FF on the left. I replaced the double sink with a single, and swapped its location with DW. Now there's a good stretch of prep space. This is my preferred design. Here's a link if anyone is inclined to have a tinker! kitchen.planner.ikea.com/planner/#/gb/en/planner?projectId=DD36F728-4686-4C61-AA8E-F4FE829F8A23&ref=share

I really must keep the range. Those who remember my floor plan, I also want to keep both doors in the kitchen (into hallway and into conservatory). I am ok to lose the window, but I don't think that gives me much to play with.

Please let me have your comments?

It looks like you've squeezed a kitchen into a corner because you don't have much space.

Notme - I get your point re dw but if I swap it with the sink I'm back to my original pretty much!

The island (or peninsula, rather) idea is good but the pantry that it would attach to has a curved wall 🤦🏻‍♀️ I know...

User - that is correct

Like this, I meant, not on the curved side. The back door isn't quite where they've drawn it.
Anyway with small kitchens you do have to plan down to the last 50mm and you always end up with a few compromises, I'm sure there's a solution in there somewhere - keep tinkering.

Ah I see. Do you think I'd use it though? It seems a bit separate from the L. Good for storage, but I worry the surface would just be used as dumping ground by the children (and husband 😒).

A friend said to move in and put masking tape down to mark out the outline and see how it feels. I think that's a good idea.

Notme I could put that IKEA trolley I linked before in the spot you mentioned?

@kitchenplanner

Twizbe we're considering a freestanding FF actually. A Smeg style one (I find the Smeg handles too massive... if that's a valid reason to decide against!). But the problem is that the wall cabinets would have to come down lower to align their top with the top of the FF. I'd rather have them higher up.

Wine rack above the fridge. That's what we have at the moment. In our last kitchen we had a small cupboard there instead.

I prefer option 1 & would be happy to cook in that kitchen.
Which side of the sink would you drain/dry pots? In option 2 if on the right i can see things falling off the end (slippy/wet). If on the left you lose a chunk of your main worktop prep space.
Option 1 I’d have kettle/tea prep area near the sink & fridge = handy (I’d go for tea making area to the right between them), draining/drying on the left of sink + space for placing cooking oils/spices etc or serving up.
Then you have a big stretch of worktop for prep & serving to the left of the cooker. I know it’s darker but it’s a much better big stretch.

Twizbe do you mean a cupboard or rack above a freestanding FF? Does that work? What if the cupboard or rack falls off or doesn't that happen? I think we might just stick with an inbuilt - at least it'll match the other units. I'm going for a white tone, and can't bear the thought of a cream fridge (the retro style ones I like look best when cream).

@kitchenplanner

Twizbe do you mean a cupboard or rack above a freestanding FF? Does that work? What if the cupboard or rack falls off or doesn't that happen? I think we might just stick with an inbuilt - at least it'll match the other units. I'm going for a white tone, and can't bear the thought of a cream fridge (the retro style ones I like look best when cream).

So you have an end panel and that supports a wall mounted box above the fridge.

We have a white kitchen with a silver fridge. same in our old kitchen.

We inherited a kitchen with an integrated fridge feezer. It was such a pain so I vowed never again

I haven't read everything. But Ff on the left. Then swap the range and the drawer unit so there is more workable space on the left of the cooker and easier access to the corner where you can put microwave etc

Mumdiva hmm you don't think it's better to have that good stretch of space to the right of the range?

Just a word about open shelving near extractor hood, my experience has been oily residue blown onto any items kept there.

How big is the rest of the house? Any bigger than a two bed and the kitchen is unbalanced. I'd get some old wallpaper, measure it to your worksurface size and see if you can easily place four plates on it and have somewhere to rest a baking tray or whatever you have taken out of the oven.
I know you don't want major work and I can see why you don't want to lose easy access to the utility but two doors makes the space awkward. One door directly opposite the utility would give you more useable wall space in the dining part and give a much bigger corner for the kitchen.
I wouldn't commit to anything without getting a joiner to price it up as it may only be plasterboard. Could be done is a day or two

Otherwise, is there a sink in the utility? If so it should be easy enough to put the sink and dishwasher on the small wall then at least the biggest worktop is between sink and cooker where you use it most

I've been looking forward to this thread.

You clearly love the layout with FF on the left so I think you should go with that.

What I don't understand, sorry if I've missed the reason, is why you aren't just wrapping the kitchen back around into a U shape under the window looking into the conservatory. This would solve your worktop issue and gain enough space for your beloved double Belfast.

With toaster kettle etc on the worktop it is going to be quite congested but an induction hob will earn you a bit of space back as you can use this surface in your food prep.

IKEA also do those high cupboards so you can add extra ones on top of the usual wall units if you have enough ceiling height and max out the space.

This is a small kitchen with a lot of wasted floor space but I think the best route is to embrace that and pack in the space utilising units and not to pretend it's a spacious kitchen. It will have its own charm but it also needs to be functional, and a lack of counter top is really not functional.

If you want an island I would suggest a free standing one that can be moved and that is not too large or it will become and island of abandoned stuff floating around and blocking all your walkways.

Love the Tom howley pic, although there is a lot more distance between that corner and the cooker than there will be in your layout so don't fall for it on that basis!

Sorry, final question. Are you not having a draining board? Where will you put pans you've washed?
I think both layouts are better but it still feels like a kitchen for a flat rather than a family home

Agree with PPs who suggest that you make better use of the space below the conservatory window. How about using the space on this wall for your sink & some draining space? Not sure about height of window - maybe raise it if it comes down too low. Not suggesting you close up the door as you'll need space to open your pantry door into kitchen. This way you'd get a nice worktop run from cooker all the way to conservatory wall and a more interesting view when washing the pots.
Also, is the lighting/shadowing in your plans misleading? I imagine natural light will be coming from conservatory side so will the 'dark' corner really be as dark as the plans indicate?

Ok both are better - I like option 1 more definitely.
I know You said no more random
Ideas (spoilsport!) but how big is that cupboard in between kitchen and dining room? I would try and find a solution for putting the fridge freezer in there which stops the problem of it being imposing on the rest of the kitchen, Fred's up more space for worktop and also gives you a better triangle. I'd also be putting the sink under the window to the conservatory just to give a bit more space overall and stop it feeling too cramped.
Whatever anyone else is saying (including me of course!) you have to be happy with it so if you want your range and Belfast and not to go into the utility etc then that's what you'll be happy with.

The worktop in front of conservatory window makes a lovely spacious kitchen out of the whole half of the room.

@SoundBar

The worktop in front of conservatory window makes a lovely spacious kitchen out of the whole half of the room.

Do this, or something similar. Money spent on an undersized kitchen will just be money wasted, as it will only be a stopgap until you sort the place out properly. If you can't do this now for some reason, just buy a cheap dishwasher and live with the kitchen you have for a couple of years.

Putting base units and worktop in front of the conservatory won't make the kitchen dark, because you'll replace the door and small window with a big window above the worktop.

This isn't a big piece of work, so don't worry about that. A bit of studwork and a new window is no more significant than replacing a kitchen.

I would go for option two but switch the range with the drawers, so there is a little more flowing worktop space in the corner, then switch the wall units for open shelves running between the fridge and wall. Perhaps introduce wall units at the other end near the sink and dishwasher.

Just buy a new dishwasher and live with the existing kitchen for a while! I guarantee you will decide to do structural work which means any new kitchen now is wasted.

If you go ahead with the new kitchen now plan then do what SoundBar suggests.

Haven't read the other comments but Option 1 because it means you don't have as much open shelving. I hate open-shelving because of how dusty it can get. I also think the nook is a bit odd next to the FF in Option 2.