Help with kitchen layout

[HulaHoop18]

Hi all,

First time buyers here who have just completed on Friday 11th Feb, hoping for a bit of help on our kitchen layout. FYI we are in a fortunate position of living with family right now so are able to do a bit of work without having to move in straight away. The house isn't very large, it's a 1960s semi detached. The kitchen diner dimensions are 5.3m x 2.85m.

My main concern with our kitchen is that there's not a lot of cabinets and the washing machine and dryer will also need to go in there, and I would also like a dishwasher (not a lot then!) The carcasses that we do have on the top are the longer ones though. We don't have children yet but have been trying, thus I think we should try and futureproof. My husband and I are disagreeing a bit on the layout because he doesn't think we need more storage.

His suggestion:
Keep as is, and make the peninsula slightly longer to have more cabinets underneath and then use the back wall for dining table area. The conservatory can be kept as another seating area (we have a living room separate)

My suggestion:
Remove peninsula, include a kitchen island across the length of the kitchen with seating. On the back wall, I would like floor to ceiling kitchen tower units. I would like to put the oven there because I really hate having to bend down to use the oven. The conservatory can be the dining area.

I guess our other options are:

1. Do nothing and live with it for a bit to decide. I just didnt want to buy appliances that may not fit with layout in the future

1. Put in an island, use back wall for dining table and if we need storage, add tower storage and reconfigure down the line?

let me know what you think :)

Definitely live with it for a bit. It will give you a much better idea of what works and what doesn’t. We made the mistake of doing too much when we moved in, only to want to change it a few years later. Islands with seating (if it’s your main seating) aren’t very comfortable or child friendly as they’re so high. As there is not that much room, I would avoid an island and have a big table that can be used for eating (and eventual homework, crafts with children etc.).

Also islands are difficult to reconfigure the space. A kitchen table can be changed, you can go for a fold up one and have a big open space for playtimes/playpen etc.

Definitely live with it for a bit, you'd be surprised how much a child changes your perspective on what you need and don't need in a kitchen!

Where does that white door lead to? If it's a garage, would there be the possibility of creating a utility area in there?

It’s a shame that the conservatory can’t be knocked through and become part of the kitchen.

@Stephisaur

Definitely live with it for a bit, you'd be surprised how much a child changes your perspective on what you need and don't need in a kitchen!

Where does that white door lead to? If it's a garage, would there be the possibility of creating a utility area in there?

The white door goes through to the hallway! We don't have a garage attached unfortunately, its in a block at the back of the houses. There really isn't anywhere to have a utility area.

@Qwill

Definitely live with it for a bit. It will give you a much better idea of what works and what doesn’t. We made the mistake of doing too much when we moved in, only to want to change it a few years later. Islands with seating (if it’s your main seating) aren’t very comfortable or child friendly as they’re so high. As there is not that much room, I would avoid an island and have a big table that can be used for eating (and eventual homework, crafts with children etc.).

Thank you. Yes that makes sense. I did only want a small island and we can still have a table along the back wall as additional seating or have our dining table in the conservatory. But you're right, its hard to know right now! The only thing is we want new flooring put down and our builder recommended putting it down under the kitchen just in case we want a new one in the future.

A floor plan would also probably help

The conservatory is open to the rest of the house? That room will be very cold/hot and does not comply to building regulations. Might be worth getting checked out if you haven't completed yet.

@Chasingsquirrels

Attached - I wasnt sure if it would helpful because it doesn't have the measurements on

@Geneticsbunny

The conservatory is open to the rest of the house? That room will be very cold/hot and does not comply to building regulations. Might be worth getting checked out if you haven't completed yet.

Hi, yes it is. It is covered by indemnity insurance. I think we will look at putting doors on in the future.

Whoops. Should have read the whole post! Definitely live with it for a bit.

Live with it for a bit, ideally for a year. By then you will have worked out how light and shade comes into the house.
Is there a door between the lounge and the kitchen-diner? If there is then I would close that off . The lounge doesn't need 2 entrances and would mean that you could run units or place sofas against what was the opening.

@MrsMoastyToasty

Live with it for a bit, ideally for a year. By then you will have worked out how light and shade comes into the house. Is there a door between the lounge and the kitchen-diner? If there is then I would close that off . The lounge doesn't need 2 entrances and would mean that you could run units or place sofas against what was the opening.

Thanks, that is something I had not considered at all really. There is a large sliding patio door connecting lounge and kitchen- diner that we were going to get reduced to put some nicer french doors in but maybe we will hold off on that. Getting the opening reduced should give us back some unit space for the kitchen. Perhaps we will see how much we use that door over time and decide at a later date if we still need it.

I would get a large sideboard or Welsh dresser type thing to go in the dining area to take some of the stuff you might otherwise store in the kitchen

@Classicblunder

I would get a large sideboard or Welsh dresser type thing to go in the dining area to take some of the stuff you might otherwise store in the kitchen

Yes my mom suggested that, we can store plates and things in that instead of in the kitchen :)

@Classicblunder

I would get a large sideboard or Welsh dresser type thing to go in the dining area to take some of the stuff you might otherwise store in the kitchen

I was going to suggest the same Crockery, cutlery, maybe Tupperware, occasional use pots/pan, small applicances can all be stored there

Thanks all, that seem like a good trade off for now!

I'd also live with it for a bit but as another poster said I'd also be tempted with blocking up the patio doors between the lounge and kitchen unless you find that you particularly like it more open plan and don't often close them but that's something you'll only discover through living in the house.

Could you just put the table in the conservatory and then put tall units (possibly shallow depth) down that other wall?
I wouldn't spend a lot yet. Just pick up some IKEA cabinets maybe in a darker colour of similar style.
I don't think you'd want an oven anywhere people are walking through especially if you have kids.
I think you either redo the whole thing properly or do something very low cost like the dresser..
Getting to know your space first will improve the end result

Sorry I misunderstood from the pictures, I thought there was more conservatory outside the kitchen window!

I would agree with the people that said put units or a large dresser on the other side until you decide whether you need the patio doors to the living room. I would have the table at the kitchen end and seats near the conservatory doors. Somewhere to sit on a sunny winters day..