2 kitchen extension layouts - another for critique please!

[Flymeaway4]

Went to an independent kitchen designer, as just couldn’t not get a design we liked on our own. Whilst he was working on something, we came up with a design that could work (typical!). So now we have 2 options and wondered if you could help us decide….

Option 1) would mean moving an existing doorway (one at the bottom through to the dining room. Costly, but the planners have indicated the’d allow it)

Option 2) we don’t need to move that door, but we’d need to get permission to put the french doors closer to the sliding doors (part of extension, so not built yet and can’t see why we wouldn’t get permission for it)

Total size is about 8x5m and we have young children, if that makes any difference. Thoughts?

Firstly, if you have small children, I think a sink is better on the island than the hob.

Design 2 Lacks worktop space. I'm assuming you really want the table island thing? So on that basis, layout one works better overall.
However the pantry seems a total waste of space. I'd put the sofa under what I am assuming to be a window and have a sitting/ play corner.
Then put tall units as a pantry or just low units and open shelves more dresser style where you have the sofa.

But I think the sitting area might be nicer by the doors so in that case option two has some potential if you flip the island 90 degrees but this probably wouldn't accommodate the bench as well

I like number 2 much more than 1, but I'd make a few changes.

Fridge at F so it is near the chef
Freezer at Z
C should be a worktop / cupboard for kettle / toaster / tea & coffee things. To keep those off your main worktop.

I personally prefer number one. The worktops you would prepare/do most of the cooking on are relatively close by. It also looks like you have much more worktop space in layout 1, or at least makes the kitchen feel bigger laid out that way. I think in plan 2 a lot of the kitchen area is cramped together

Don't like either I'm afraid. Why are you trying to have so many doors? It really compromises the space. I'd rotate the island 90 degrees, it would fit widthways if you didn't have a table attached to it.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. Been speaking to my family all night about it too, so my head is a bit of a jumble!

@Calmdown14 we really wanted to avoid the sink on the island. I worry that dirty pans would collect there, right in the focal point of the kitchen and just look a mess all the time. In an ideal world we’d have neither on the island, but we can’t fit it all in otherwise. Agreed about swapping the pantry and sofa, that makes more sense space wise. I think the sofa would work either end anyway, as the opposite end to the sliding doors would be more ‘snug’ like, which would be nice too.

@parietal, partner likes option B more too, but I worry it’s a bit disjointed. Also that the hob would just look wonky and a bit too quirky for my taste. I see what you mean about keeping those appliances off the main worktop (I quite like the space too), but should they be near the fridge for access to milk?

@daviesbrownsmithgreen I think it feels a bit cramped too. I definitely want this to be more kitchen space than anything else (we have separate dining and living rooms anyway)

@Africa2go which door(s) would you get rid of and what would you replace with? Due to the layout of the garden, I think our main patio will be out of the french doors not the sliding (although there will be some patio there), which is why they’re there, although I think my partner would be happy to get rid of them. Might it not feel a bit dark and enclosed without them though? You’d need a window at least, no?

I would zone up your room more by having more of a peninsula to create a kitchen area - the room is big enough it won't feel crowded, and will be much better to work in. Have "storage" like your fridge, larder, etc on the utility side but keep all the cooking and prep to the side with the window.
then you have a clear zone for a proper dining table and your sofa bit, and maybe a dresser/sideboard/bookcases on one of the walls.

@NotMeNoNo that was another of the options our designer suggested, but we really wanted more focus on kitchen space than living space. We have separate living, dining and play rooms as well, so we want at least two thirds of this room to be kitchen.

You don’t seem to have much worktop space in either plan and I would hate that corner hob idea - looks crowded and odd. I prefer @NotMeNoNo ‘s plan.

I do see what you mean about worktop space and about the angled hob possibly looking odd, the more I think about it the less keen I am on it.

We don’t currently have an island, would that not be used as worktop space too?

Hi, in that case I'd move the French doors or replace with a "normal" backdoor and push the peninsula across to open out the kitchen zone.
It is possible to have a room that's too big though. It will just be a PITA walking everywhere. And if you've knocked out loads of walls, you are limited in space to put tall oven units or storage..

Okay, with your updates I'd ditch the bifold doors. What's the point if they don't open to patio? Maybe have a single or double french door in the corner near the other then you can throw them both open on good days.

That gives you decent space for an l shape with sink under the left hand window (currently shown as sliding doors) wrapped right round the wall with utility door.
If you could move the utility door nearer dining room then the stepped back bit could be used for a deep American style fridge freezer so it doesn't stick out into the room. Then your tall cupboards and oven can all be against that end of the wall leaving low units around the rest for an airy feel.you could put the hob in the run with the ovens with space either side. Have a huge island for eating and storage and still put sofa on the opposite wall.

It's a big room in a big house, if you have to squash things in something is wrong!

I am a total novice at this (as shown my thread on the same subject) but my top tip, which you may have already done, is to get design plan with measurements. Otherwise, it’s difficult to know whether your idea will work in the space, the number of units you have, counter space etc.

Pics attached

Had some 3D drawings done to get a better idea, posted above (yes @iwantabreakfastpantry, it’s all been measured)

Ditching the sliding doors isn’t really an option: the apex extension design requires the glass there really, plus we love that element of the design. They will open onto some patio and in fact, now the foundations are done we can visualise the outside space a bit better and we think we could fit a decent sized patio out there, as well as at the side, where the french doors are.

My question now is, from the drawings, do you think the angled hob will be weird? Fiancé has pointed out that it actually opens up the work space a bit and will make darting between fridge/hob/ovens easier than if it were squared off, which is a good point. Still not sure if it’s a bit quirky?!

This still isn’t finalised though, we are thinking the following:

• The fridge is currently next to the ovens, which I think is a bad idea (energy efficiency wise), so I think that needs to be moved to the left of the sink, with tall units where the flowers are
• The fridge can then be replaced with either a tall pull out unit, or tall, narrow shelving, so the ovens will move towards the door slightly, generating a bit more worktop space there
• The island will be slightly longer for more worktop space on the ‘kitchen’ side and an extra stool on the opposite side
• we won’t have a coffee table, it’ll be a 4 person dining table with a could of chairs
• The tall units will have an additional unit next to the sofa for further storage

Personally i like lots of space to stand at the island whereas on your design there is no clear run to work at as their is seating on both clear runs. I wouldnt want the seating fixed facing away from the island.

Will the sofa have the dining table and chairs between the tv? It doesnt seem a great position for the sofa to me.

How would the drawers/cupboards work in the island as they couldnt be fully usable in depth due to the shape.

Will the fridge be near your breakfast cupboard if that is what it is?

@tilesntilers I’m hoping that by lengthening the island there will be more of a ‘clear run’ on the kitchen side. Or do you think it’s still not enough?

I do a lot of baking and I’m hoping to bake with my children a lot as they grow up. I always remember when I was little dragging a stool over to the mixing bowl to help. So, the idea behind the bench seat is that it’s sturdier and a bit safer for them to kneel on to help make cakes. The dining table will be up against the bench seat with the 2 chairs the other side, so forming a 4 seat dining table.

Yes, I’m not convinced it’s the best use of space for drawers either, but I do agree with my fiancé that it opens the space up more to get between everything more easily.

I think the fridge would be best to the left of the sink, so you don’t need to cross the doorway whilst cooking. The freezer would be on the other side of the doorway though. Or perhaps the fridge would be better over there too, so nobody raiding it will get in the cooks way?!

It wouldnt be enough space for me to bake with my kids. If it is much longer there wont be room for a separate dining table. The fixed bench may work when they are a certain height but in my opinion not flexible enough as they grow as there is only one height and presumably you wont have soft coverings on it if they are baking at it.

Did a kitchen company draw the island as I cant imagine who could make the drawers as even the most bespoke companies I have tried are reluctant or wont do unusual drawers. Have you tried planning out what shape cupboards and drawers that would give you.

Could you turn your island to a peninsula, attaching at the bottom end?
The get rid of the bench and lengthen the peninsula to give more worktop & storage.

Your kids could kneel on the bar stool/chair or you could get them a step to stand on.

You may need to mount the tv on the wall so the table is not in the way. I would suggest the wall opposite to where you have it now so you can see it from the kitchen

I think it looks lovely BUT there is not enough worktop space in the right place for me. The hob on an angle doesn’t work for the way I cook, chopping veg etc right next to the hob and then tipping into the pans etc would be really awkward.

My kitchen is much smaller but very very functional (Unless I cover the peninsula in crap).

There is also plenty of space to bake! And not very much walking distance between appliances. I'll see if I can attach some pictures.

I also hate breakfast bars so don't have one. But I do have a big 8 seater table (that extends to seat 12) immediately behind my peninsula.

In my experience of baking with kids I normally get them to stand on a chair/ ikea step stool and I then stand behind them to make sure they don't fall off.

If you are going to stick with this layout you need some power sockets for the island so you can use appliances e.g your mixer up there.

Do you currently live in this house - realistically do you think you will still eat in a separate dining room? Virtually every household I know that has a big open plan kitchen space with a table use that for all their meals except perhaps Christmas dinner.

Quite a few have ditched the formal dining space altogether during lockdown for use as a second home office etc.

Hi. Pics as promised.

@tilesntilers that’s a good point. No, it wasn’t a kitchen company but an independent kitchen designer. He does work alongside some kitchen companies, but I worry this design would pigeonhole us into using them.

@MauveMavis no, we don’t currently live in the house and won’t til the refurb is complete. I imagine we will eat in the kitchen day to day and the dining room for bigger family meals, as you say. How might that affect the design though? Neither of us have any use for a home office,

@Flymeaway4 well if you think you will eat in the kitchen a lot I would ensure you make it a functional space e.g kids grow. Play dates etc happen. Depending on your family plans a four seater table might not cut it!!

There were 5 in my family(inc. parents) our kitchen table sat 6 usually & extended to 8.