DIY Kitchens layout - too busy?

[AstroPete]

I can't decide if I love or hate this run of base and wall units next to the double door larder unit. It's pretty busy, is it too much? I've gone for some open wall units because I'm not keen on a run of similar door styles.

I really like it - although I’m not a fan of islands or peninsulas (if that’s what that jutty-out bit bottom right is). Prefer a nice open kitchen.

@AstroPete
Please can I just mention something........
the house we used to rent had those open units with plate racks etc and they were a nightmare with dust and grease and I spent my life cleaning them and so I'd never pick them out of choice - I'd have some clear glass doors on some nice cupboards for glass that would break it up but minus dust and grease
Love the big ladder cupboard tho

Lovely- not sure about the two little cupboards on the same wall as the cooker hood is- I think I would lose them

@MumOf2workOptions ah good point, I did wonder if dust might be an issue. I've got enough to do without adding dusting crockery to the list! Thanks, will have a look at some glass fronted units

@PauliesWalnuts yes it's an island, I'm trying to save cash by avoiding re-plumbing or moving appliances. The sink, dishwasher and garden stopcock (!) are in the existing island. It has limited things a bit.

Yes I was thinking that @2021mumma they look a bit lost. I have copied those from the existing kitchen layout but they're not quite right

I think it looks great. But would agree the open front units are a magnet for grease and dust. I would change these. They look great in home style magazines but practically they are hopeless.

All together I agree but i would rather keep the 2 little cupboards and lose the open shelf thing ones

I would prefer if the kitchen had a warmer colour

I'm not sure if this will help at all but we're nearly finished our kitchen and we have a similar layout

I like it, presumably there will be little clutter on the counters with that much cupboard space. But it’s a big fat no to the plate racks or open cupboards, the plates will get covered in all sorts.

Looks lovely @Crispynoodle ! Is your extractor hood under the shorter wall units? I am considering doing the same thing, swapping out the existing extractor isn't going to break the bank and would hopefully be simple enough. I am getting warnings about wall unit mismatch and from what I can see they all look fine, I'm assuming DIY kitchens check things like that after you submit the plan.

Thanks for the input everyone, sounds like open units are a nightmare! I'll be taking those out

I like it but agree with PPs to lose the open shelves and replace with glass and hide the extractor in a cupboard thingy like the photo - you can have short cupboards rather than full length ones with the extractor so it looks less enclosed. I will see if I can find a pic

Here you go

Are you changing the existing floor? If so it’s very easy and cheap to move the plumbing. I also agree to get rid of the island if possible, it will make it look a lot less cluttered.

Thanks @iwantabreakfastpantry those are lovely, much more subtle than the metal chimney!

@jacult I am hoping to keep the floor, the previous owner laid amtico tiles in a continuous run from the kitchen through the utility room and into the hallway so I think it would create a bit of a headache if we lifted it. My understanding is they can't be replaced once you've pulled them up

I agree with others, I think it looks great once the two small cupboards are gone.
what helped me when I was replanning my kitchen, is visualising where my current stuff would go in the new layout. I looked around my existing kitchen and mentally put all my appliances / things I use often in the new kitchen plan.
Where would the kettle go, and is tea/coffee/etc within easy reach? Silly things like that really - I wouldn’t want to go across the kitchen to get the sugar each time I wanted a drink.

You can't reuse the tiles, I think, but you can definitely patch up gaps with new tiles if you could match them.

From my parents' experience, there's quite a colour difference between new ones and old ones, it took about 5 years before we didn't notice the replacement tiles much.

The narrow in-frame units lose too much width to the fake frame, they will be too narrow to get anything useful in, especially with the drawers. Larger units would make better use of the space as well as being less visually cluttered.

I would get rid of all the top cupboards. It'll look alot cleaner, smarter and open. Keep the island lose the top cupboards.

It looks great and very similar layout to ours (also DIY kitchens :) ).