What you love most in your kitchen?

[Celeste777]

Hi :)
I'm now designing a new kitchen. It's a decent space (was the kitchen and diner originally) but we are certainly not on a luxury budget so boiling water taps for 1k are not on the radar.
But I would LOVE to know what you love in your kitchen that it's worth me thinking about, I've never before had the opportunity to design a kitchen and so I'd like to get it right but would really appreciate advice of those who have been there and done that,
Thanks so much for your time :)

Can I ask where you got your kitchen from, I'm having a new one fitted in January and wish I could have done it for 10k !

I got a new kitchen this year - my favourite bit by far is the quartz worktop, it was worth splashing out on.

When the fitters initially put the sink in it looked huge and I thought I’d made a mistake but once everything was put together it looked good and now I really appreciate the large sink.

I also find my narrow under-counter pull out really handy for spices, oils etc. Also like my corner pull out for my tins. Most of all I love my worktop.

He's put two single ovens one above the other as won't have room to do them side by side, but that would have been my preference

Our kitchen island. It has USB ports and an integral wine fridge. Pretty much any hour of the day, one of us will be sitting at it, eating, gaming, reading, drinking wine, generally chilling. It's transformed it from a kitchen to a place to hang out.

We are having an island yippee, will be so nice to have a decent food prep area, bins going in island so we can chop chop chop slide into bin. Usb plugs excellent idea

My kitchen is really old so we don’t have any new gadgets, but the things I like most are: range cooker with 2 full size ovens, granite worktop so I can just plonk hot things down without worrying about damaging the surface, and the dishwasher!

We've got a bendy tap in our new kitchen and I love it. You can direct it wherever you need. Not seen anyone else with one in UK but we stayed in a French cottage that had one and we vowed we'd get one.

www.tapwarehouse.com/p/clearwater-morpho-chrome-mono-kitchen-mixers

We've got two fridge freezers side by side. Have the handles next to each other as it gives that French door look and all fridge stuff is at an easy height to reach. Having said that, go for 50/50 not 60/40 as, otherwise, you'll have tiny freezer space.

I also did a tall larder cupboard with drawers for tins, packets etc which is so so much better than everything stacked on a shelf

Definitely a larder/pantry cupboard, will be a must in my next kitchen.

Mine is granite worktop as with teens cooking etc it's still perfect and really looks well at all times. It never changes.
A good view of the garden which is pleasant while you're chopping.
And the deep drawers for pans etc.
What l don't like is the floor is too dark..dark tiles. Even though it's a very bright room with big windows the dark floor soaks up light.

Imo don’t get a cheap hot water tap. Waste of time and money. It won’t go the distance and you’ll regret it. Spend on one or don’t bother. They’re an investment. Do you have appliances in your island or a sink or just entertainment/prep space?

We've recently moved and there's nothing to love in our kitchen apart from a large pullout larder cupboard. But in our old kitchen I loved my underfloor heating, pan drawers and Belfast sink.

Oh, and a pullout bin with separate recycling/general waste.

My first kitchen had a double draining board, one each side of the sink. Unbelievably useful and never had it in any kitchen since.

A walk-in larder is lovely. Everything on shelves so I can instantly see what I have.

Layout is everything. I think the Blum "dynamic space" zones works well so everything in a logical flow.
One good big prep area next to the hob.
Separate tea/coffee area.
Really good storage, double door larder with custom shelves and pullout drawers/inner drawers in all the base units.
Big pullout bins (see Binopolis)
I can take or leave different sinks and ovens but I'd put an induction hob in a new kitchen now.

My lovely khaki backboard! (well technically olive, but it is khaki!)

All one piece, no seams so sleek and easy to clean. Plus it gives an lovely warm feeling in the dark mornings with the white under-unit lights.

We've got one of those kidney bean shaped pull outs in our corner and I love it

Our new kitchen was finished this week! Didn't go for gadgets or an island. Needed loads of the budget for new ceiling, walls back to brick and start again, knocking chimney breast back to brick and restoring and raising the stone lintel. So the kitchen itself it quite basic. But I love:

White quartz worktop with subtle sandy coloured grain through it. So calming. Also did the window sill and splash backs. Looks bigger.

Hot drinks making area away from other busy areas. Stops everyone being in each others way.

Integrated full height larder fridge. Big freezer in cellar instead.

Pull out bins- so neat when put away.

Integrated dishwasher. Just looks neat. (Previously all appliances were stand alone and mismatching)

Butler sink with big fat satisfying brass tap.

The really wide big drawers. Would have more of them if more space.

Rangemaster cooker. Unnecessary but a massive luxury and treat for DP who does most cooking.

Warm lights/ daylight lighting. I hate cold white light in houses.

If you are in a budget, a wall mounted Xpelair type fan will do the same job as a cooker hood or £££ vented hob.

We got our kitchen from DIY Kitchens and then had our own fitter. We did have plastering etc..... new flooring and electrical work done in with our price. We do have a very small 2.9m x 2.3m size kitchen though.

An appliance pantry. Home for the toaster, blender, microwave, slow cooker, etc - all usable in the pantry. Means the countertops are clear (or at least, have clear space for all the kids crap!)

I love our full length pull-out larder cupboard and deep drawers.

Our kitchen is very small so we went for a 1 1/2 sized sink and it is really not practical. I wish we had been able to fita bigger one in.

I also love the fact that we got rid of the dark grey floor installed by the previous owners which showed every.single.crumb and speck of dust. Now my slatternly ways are less obvious. 😁

If you have a hot drinks area away from other busy areas of the kitchen, where does the kettle go? How does it work if needing boiling water for cooking pasta etc?

To those with a hot tap, do you have a problem with hard water? I live in london and the calcium is obvious in my normal kettle, but I can pour it down the sink. Why doesn’t it block up the boiling water cylinder? That’s what’s stopped me getting one!