It’s another kitchen layout one!

[MyCatIsNotFittingMyKitchen]

So after every possible permutation, we are now back at square 1 after the architect confirmed the ceiling height means we can’t get any tall units near the window.

Will this U shape layout work? I feel like the need for two corner units doesn’t maximise storage, and I want to see if we can extend the breakfast bar slightly. The positions of the fridge-freezer and built in ovens can’t be changed due to ceiling height. And this seems to be the only way we can squeeze a larder in (it’s in a nook against the wall rather than in the middle of the room)…

Any thoughts? The dishwasher is on the breakfast bar to keep the sink centred.

The only other option I can think of where we still get a larder is to put in an island but we don’t have quite enough clearance. Or to forego the larder and go with an L shape and peninsula to maximise storage (but I really want a larder and the U shape does mean people can make drinks while I’m cooking)…

I like it. With your constraints it's probably down to getting the small details right.
I love my corner cupboard. It holds the slow cooker and all the other big gadgets, pyrex etc. It's double hinged so can get right in it.
Really think about what goes where. If your lader is for food you may be better with a big accessible space rather than a fancy pull out. I'm not keen on those personally but if it's the place you put food then I can see why you'd pick it.

Also stand and imagine opening each cupboard so they hinge the right way. You don't want to create narrow gaps you have to squeeze into! Are you having a draining board?

Is there any scope to extend the width of the breakfast bar? A wider worktop with a couple of stools the other side might give more flexibility and improve the overall look.

Also, do you have a cutlery draw? They all look deep but maybe it's internal. I do know people who forgot this in the planning so thought I'd check!

It looks pretty good and I think the best you will do, unless you make a major change like putting the kitchen on the other side of the room.

I agree about adding a 30cm overhang to the breakfast bar so you can have stools.

I wouldn’t worry too much about centering the sink - you don’t notice symmetry nearly as much IRL as on plans. If it will work better to have the sink off centre and the dw next to it then do that.

Could you put a row of tall slim cupboards on the wall next to the patio doors?

would it work to push the whole peninsula another 30cm towards the patio doors? I think you might then get a better corner cupboard low down on your right hand side when you stand at the sink (at the moment, there seems to be a gap there on picture 1).

I can't see where the larder is. can you post a floorplan or overhead view?

Thank you so much for your comments. I’m reassured you think this may be as good as it gets.

@minipie and anyone else who asked - yes, the breakfast bar will have an overhang with stools. The kitchen planner is just a pain on my iPad so they’re not on there and it won’t remove the bloody upstand from the back of the breakfast bar!

We put the kitchen on this side for the ease of extending existing pipe work and the fact that it’s the longer wall - almost a metre longer. We want a table in front of the patio doors.

Interesting you don’t think centre-ing the sink is a big deal. I’d like a Belfast sink and feedback on an earlier version on the DIY Kitchens Facebook page suggested it really needed to be centred as a feature. Will bear that in mind. I was thinking of not having drainer grooves as we’d like quartz. Not sure if that’s a mistake?

@Calmdown14 , thank you - some hugely helpful points there. One of the big pan drawers will have a cutlery drawer (prob on breakfast bar) as an insert into the top drawer. The larder is shelved - I’d love a full size swing-out one but we just can’t get it in. It is indeed for food storage as I’m sick of having food spread over three cupboards and under the stairs….

@ChonkyDonkey , do you mean on the wall opposite where the oven is? That is literally the one thing I haven’t tried. I did wonder about having a row of tall units there but they couldn’t go the whole way across due to ceiling height near the doors, and I thought it might look weird and be irritating to have to keep walking across the room for stuff. (I also have plans for bookshelves there as well as the radiator). We would also then have to get rid of the breakfast bar to get a table in - as this is the only place we can really have a table to eat. So I’m not sure it’s realistic. But I may take another look.

We put the kitchen on this side for the ease of extending existing pipe work and the fact that it’s the longer wall - almost a metre longer. We want a table in front of the patio doors

If you swapped it to the other side you could have a wall run plus a parallel island (possibly an island with units both sides) This would lose the corners and also means the kitchen isn’t a thoroughfare from the hall. However appreciate this is more work. Also you’d need to put dining table on the proposed kitchen side, which means you’d want to change the window to double doors or a bigger window.

Pros and cons both ways! But probably easier to keep as is.