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.