Kitchen layout ideas - anyone fancy a REAL challenge?

[crazyhouserevamp]

Do we need an architect/a kitchen designer/a good builder or a psychiatrist? I have no idea what to say to kitchen designers. I am not sure they will believe me how bonkers the room is.

We're not in a massive rush. Lived with it for 17 years already but it is really starting to grate on me know and not looking forward to another cold winter in there

No idea why we bought it but here we are 17 years later with good schools and transport links and all the amenities we could ask for but a truly nightmare kitchen. Moving isn't a realistic option. Over the 17 years we have sorted the rest of the house but the idea of doing the kitchen and getting it wrong and wasting loads of money terrrifies me. As well as all the disruption.

This will read like an exam for design students. But I promise it is real. Our house is an old end terrace (no foundations as such) with a 100% north facing kitchen.

We've done a few things.
At some stage (before us) the owners put on a small extension across the back of the house. They knocked out the back wall. Leaving a very dark original sitting room more or less enclosed. The extension can't be any larger due to a mains drain running across the back of the house. The kitchen is now about 40metres square but as with old houses nothing is square. The picture attached shows that the room tapers towards the back of the house.

We have since knocked the original wall between the original kitchen and sitting room to open all 3 sections up properly. As a result we lost most of our heat sources. So we put in a log burner in the chimney breast (probably a mistake). In winter the kitchen is freezing unless it is lit. We levelled up the floors and put down cheap vinyl as a temporary measure.

We've booked a few kitchen design appointments for the next few weeks. I'm hoping they will suggest things but I think they will want me to have some ideas.

The little utility room needs to stay but I want to get the washing machine/tumble dryer and boiler out of there to put in a shower. There is no room upstairs for one. I don't mind them being noisy in the kitchen

We need heat - I am willing to take out the log burner. But I don't really fancy a range cooker in that space and I have a feeling that will be suggested.

We don't want to lose any light. We would like to put Veluxes in the extension (single storey) but there is a beam across the back which will steal some of the light we gain from them.

I think we need to keep the 2 doors into the space or else the hall will look weird.

We realise we need some building work done before we get the kitchen installed but I need to know where the kitchen will be going so that I can book a builder.

an architect? Would they take it on?

Are you thinking of any structural work? I know we will need scructural engineers drawings. I assumed an architect wouldn't be interested its a "small" job

Why not book a consultation with an interior designer who will have lots of experiences sorting out tricky layouts.

Are you on Instagram? It’s a great way to find creative problem solving people. Try looking up:

goodbones
Cotedefolk

there are plenty more who offer affordable one off consultation services

Why wouldn’t they? No harm in ringing around and asking. Even if you think it’s only a small job, everyone needs work!
im only recommending a professional as when we bought our house the previous owners did a lot on their own. When our surveyor went round he found that the changes they’d made weren’t up to building or fire regulations. They had to drop a lot on their asking price ( more than it would have cost then to do the job properly, we pulled out of the sale) it was a shame as they were lovely people who’d just been given the wrong advice

Thanks I will. We have the engineer reports and building regs for knocking the wall and the beam at the back of the house.We definitely won't do anything without building regs approval. We thought that knocking the wall would solve it but it didn't - made it brighter but freezing

The problem with knocking rooms together/walls of patio doors is you lose your useful wall space and then end up using island units.

I would get the space sorted first - block up the unused door, insulation all round (inc floor) LED lighting and rooflights, underfloor heating or something future proof.

Have a basic idea of the shape of the kitchen and how the zones in the room will work, so you don't inadvertently put a door or window in an unhelpful place.

Where we are now, I would be planning for efficient, electric appliances and heating that does not need a gas boiler. Likewise keep your woodburner (assuming you aren't in a smoke control area) but aim to use it only in the worst weather.

You could do loads of structural work/reconfigure drains for the price of a power guzzling range cooker.

anyone got any idea how much an architect would charge? not London or SE.

thank you - so much to think about

Do you a full plan of the whole downstairs?

Also are you terraced/ semi/ detached

You can move the toilet more internal.

For added light put in glass internal doors etc

This is what I’d work towards

purple - run of units and island. Make the window along the run in the old kitchen area as big as possible to let light into that area. Add radiator on side of island (I’ve seen this before and it looks fine)
red - big comfy chair/ seating
green - dining table
yellow - move w/c door and put in massive radiator there. Make other door a sliding pocket door. Much nicer to have door coming off a seating rather then dining area

I recommend Karen from Oneplan. She designed our kitchen but also proposed usage of space and reorganisation of our downstairs

End terrace - already have glass in kitchen door to will help to bring in light from the hallway

As above - We've considered building wall along the from fireplace to original sitting room door to create a long narrow room with a toilet and utility in there somehow but ventilation would be impossible wouldn't it? If that is possible then we'd take the utility out of the extension.

We really need the downstairs WC and a shower

this - www.oneplan-design.co.uk/contact/

roughly how much if you don't mind me asking?

Keep the w/c and shower room - just change door position

Yes you can do it, the ventilation would go through the ceiling.

Currently in a terrace house and about to have a loo put in under the stairs which are in the middle of the house.

Basically anything can be done but just depends how much you want to spend to achieve it.

Whatever the Architect charges, will be worth it! Maybe send an email to one with all your questions and ask for a “ball-park” figure to come out and meet you to discuss further and provide drawings. You will need “working” drawings for builders as well as basic drawings.

We have used one in the past (a few times) and it prevented a lot of agonising - they seem to be able to come up with solutions really easily.

ignore me just looked at the details

through the ceiling to where?

that's a massive (thick )original wall was the back of the original house. If that could be done would be much better though

Take the chimney breast out.

Put a wall from the left to right side along to hall door. Separate it, so half is a wc and one is utility which can then open to the kitchen

Vents out to the back. They just run ducting or whatever it's called out to the back between the 2 floors.

have considered that - is taking out a chimney a huge thing?

lowering ceilings?

Be careful with taking chimney breasts out, they can be load bearing