If you were planning a new kitchen...

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...and you had a reasonable budget, which are the things you would now do differently or include?

For example, I know some friends who opted for two dishwashers, reasoning that you typically only use a small number of items daily and so it makes sense of literally moving these from a clean dishwasher to table and then back to be washed in the 'dirty' dishwasher. Makes sense to me. Plus you would never have to have dirty dishes building up after family gatherings.

Also know some people who opted to have an extractor fan near the hob (i.e. on the same level as the hob rather than above), and they swear by it.

Another family had a cupboard they kitted out as a small bar area.

What would be the things you would change or include if you created a new large kitchen/diner/open area?

Extra deep worktops is heaven. As many draws as possible, lots of nice deep ones.

Ah, good one, thanks @OwlBasket

Storage storage storage. You always need more.

Next time I'm doing loads differently.

I want a decent pantry / big cupboard for food that I can easily see what I have.

I'd also like drawers for my pans as I love them for my plates etc.

Those corner pull out cupboards (if I had to have them) would be for things I don't use that often.

Definitely an extractor

Loads of worktop for prep

I'll probably think of loads more once I hit post! Basically make it the most practical space possible and work out how to make it look good. I got so side tracked with the design that I made compromises I really shouldn't have.

Yes to mostly drawers instead of cupboards.
Larder (have this, it's great)
Not oak worksurface! Bloody wood.
A wide cupboard at worksurface level to hide ugly kitchen gadgets like air fryer and coffee machine.
Mood lighting, not just spotlights
Range size oven (have, really like it)

Side by side 2 tall fridge freezers, no longer have to go in the garage for replenishing!
Warming drawer.
Boiling water tap
Built in bin
Drawers instead of cupboards
Larder cupboard

Boiling tap
Stove filling tap (behind the hob on the wall so you can fill up pots on the hob!) it's a life changer
Drawers only below counters (no wasted space in corner cupboards)
Giant larder cupboard
Drawers with pre drilled holes in, you put dowels in and then can fill with plates etc and they don't move about

Two ovens, warming drawer, built in microwave and coffee machine.
Cupboards to the ceiling and large top shelves for rarely used items.
Larder cupboard.
Fridge freezer with accessible top shelves, without standing on a stool to see what’s in there. I realise this is niche.
Quartz worktop.
Built in recycling and waste bins.
Nothing that gathers dust.

Lower worktops and lower wall hung cupboards. I'm short and I need a stool to get to the top shelves.

Plinth drawers.

Larder cupboard planned properly so that you can walk in and see everything, and shelf heights are perfect for what is to live on each shelf (eg jars vs boxes of cereal).

A pull out extra bit of worktop would be fabulous to cut off the short cut through the kitchen when I'm busy. Doesn't annoy me so much now kids are older.

Just marking this as am currently planning new kitchen.

I had a new kitchen last year and my must haves were
Larder
Lots of draws
Hot water tap
2 ovens
Full size fridge and freezer
I have no top cupboards so saved loads of money on them and spent it on other parts.

one of my main aims was to have "clearer worksurfaces", so

as much storage as possible - ideally pan drawers
two sinks. we wash up in one and use the other for drainage. it's lovely not to have stuff on the worksurface draining
cupboard to hide toaster and coffee maker.

As we have no utility room, 60cm deep tall but narrow cuboard (28 cm wide, bespoke) for ironing board and cleaning stuff -brooms and dustpans. doesn't get used much (minimal ironing!) but saves it from cluttering other parts of the house up as no where else to hide the ironing board.

Following with interest!

I am actually currently waiting for my new kitchen to be installed, 3 more weeks! So it's a bit late for me but what I've chosen may help give some ideas! My kitchen layout is actually quite basic, it consists of a straight wall approx 4.5m and a large island 3.5m by 1.5m. My must haves were:

Two ovens
Two slimline dishwashers
Double sink as I didn't want drainer grooves, this is on the straight wall
Bora hob on island
Boiling water tap
Soap dispenser
Insinkerator
Leathered granite worktops, waterfall edges on island

What I wanted but couldn't make work without compromising too much on other things: a large breakfast cupboard for housing a toaster etc. And instead of a slide and swing larder I've had to have a tall unit with drawers and shelves. But this will have a socket in for the toaster 😁 we will also have an adjoining utility room (existing kitchen), and plenty of drawers in the island and pop up sockets, so if needs be we can use those for the air fryer and slow cooker etc.

Love the idea of a tap at the back of the hob!

Oh, we're also having lighting under the wall units (above the sink) and warm white LED strip rebated under the worktops, plus smoked glass splashback behind the sink (units and worktop are black). It is in a large open plan room with large sliding doors and will have sofas/woodburner at the other end 😁

Dishwasher positioned off ground level, with deep drawer underneath. Easier for loading and unloading. Works well at the end of the run of units. Work surface on top for bread bin/ putting stuff out of the reach of young children / dumping ground for tat.

Our new kitchen was fitted in November and this is a summary of what we’ve got. We also have a full height cupboard with a shelf near the top that houses all the cleaning stuff, including the mop, the vacuum cleaner and the ironing board. We keep the toaster in a cupboard. We have a range cooker which is utterly brilliant, having four ovens at Christmas took so much stress away.

And we have a clear worktop policy, nothing is allowed to be out of place. We even have a very narrow cupboard with a shelf for the dog’s paraphernalia.

I would have done it differently at the build stage (we extended the house)!

I wouldn't have had a glass fronted cupboard. We don't display anything.
I would have had a tall fridge. We have an under the counter one which was fine 20 years ago, but now we have to bend to look inside it's not so convenient.

Some great suggestions here, thank you. Seems drawers are useful and some really great, practical tips, and I'm very much one for wanting to have lots of paraphernalia hidden away. Probably also going for mainly bottom cabinetry apart from perhaps one larger larder (which can have the toaster, kettle etc).

Keep 'em coming!

Lots of lighting and twice as many sockets as you think you need. Ceiling high cupboards and a place for a small ladder to reach them. Tall fridge and separate tall freezer. Double or at least one and a half sink.

Yes, definitely double or 1.5 sink. We have just one large ceramic sink and I think we made a mistake. Do make it ceramic though, they’re so much easier to keep clean and don’t show every water mark if you have hard water, I’d never have a stainless steel sink again.

I like the now old-fashioned idea of having a row of single drawers all the way round the kitchen. So not having base sinus which are just a cupboard, but always having a dresser above every base unit cupboard. That way you can keep the tools you need for the job you do in that area. This is my food prep area, so the drawer beneath has knife, peeler, garlic press etc. This is where the kettle, bread bin and toaster live, so the drawer beneath has teaspoons, butter knives etc. The drawer next to (or beneath) the hob has wooden spoons etc. My old, 1980s kitchen was laid out like this, and it was so comfortable and efficient. My current kitchen has one stack of drawers, on the opposite side of the kitchen to where all the work takes place. Argh!

Bloody autocarrot. always having a drawer above every base unit cupboard

Twice as many sockets as you think you will need. I think we had 21 fitted. The only mistake was the ones nearest the hob are a fraction too far to make blitzing soup easy.

Two separate sinks. One for washing up, the other smaller sink for prep and hand washing.