Help me answer the kitchen designer's questions

[pantalo]

We're getting a new kitchen, and planning to use a recommended local company. They came for an initial visit and asked lots of questions, to get more information for the design. Trouble is, we haven't put in a kitchen for 20 years, so we haven't got a clue! For background, it's a fairly small kitchen which will be very well used - we cook a lot and we're not the sort to be wanting to worry about lots of special maintenance. We're looking for modern style (probably flat front grey/black/brown/cream) and want to maximise work surface and storage (it's for cooking in, no space for dining table). Money certainly isn't 'no object', but we're not on a tight budget either - we're prepared to spend a bit more than standard Wickes etc. It needs absolutely everything doing to it (though nothing structural), and we don't want to have to manage any of it ourselves.

So, I'd love some MN help on the pros and cons of the following.

Worktop - do I want laminate, quartz, corian (apparently that's a real thing) or granite?

Do I want integrated appliances?

I definitely want a double oven, but do I want the top oven to be a combi microwave?

Hob - will definitely be induction (no gas supply) but how big - standard or bigger? What kind of splashback behind?

Do I want drawers? A larder unit? Whirly corner cupboard things?

Do I want an exposed extractor fan or one in a cupboard?

Do I want a boiling water tap? (I rarely boil a kettle, but I do often boil pans of water.)

What kind of fridge do I want? I have space for a freezer in the garage - but do i still want an icebox?

So I want tiles or luxury vinyl flooring?

I would really welcome any MN wisdom on all of this - and on any other likely questions that I don't even know that I don't know how to answer yet!!

Will come back on other bits, but we definitely didn't tell the kitchen designer we had no limit - we just didn't give him one yet. We don't live on a posh road at all (terraced house, not fancy), and it was a bit of a tip when he visited (we had workmen in), so maybe that will work in our favour!

NB what's the difference between a boiling water tap and a pot filler tap?

Make sure that if sockets are moved. That they are replaced. I learned the hard way when it was too late.

Where did you get yours from? And is it shiny like quartz?

It’s not shiny at all. It’s slightly textured, though there were smoother versions (none shiny though from what I saw)
Our entire kitchen was from a small independent place and they sourced/fitted the worktop.

Quartz with upstands so no need to tile. Hot tap, eye level oven with slide away door, combo microwave and hot drawer all brilliant gadgets- really useful - also if having a large island use the space under where stools go for extra cupboards

I would definitely have a dishwasher if you have space! There are only 2 of us but I wouldn't be without it!
Pan drawers are the way forward ours is all drawers with 1 tall larder cupboard with pull out drawers in the bottom half, fixed shelves in the top!
We have no wall cupboards other than the tall one, we have some open shelves over the sink & s stainless steel wall mounted dresser type thing over the dishwasher for plates, bowls etc. you can upload the dishwasher without moving!
We got our kitchen from DIY kitchens before they had the online planner & basically had some graph paper & cut out units, we spent hours playing with that but we have a perfect layout for us!
We have an integrated dishwasher but free standing large fridge freezer similar to ones posted already!

Pot filler is normally at the cooktop so you would have to plumb one in

https://www.harveyjones.com/blog/planning/pros-and-cons-of-pot-filler-taps

Pull out double drawers - I have 2 x 60cm for plates and other bits. Then 1 x 90cm. Bottom half for pans top half for general kitchen equipment with a secret pull out cutlery drawer. I bought the cutlery drawer inners from b&q - a fraction of the price of the kitchen shop yet fit so perfectly they may be built in!

I also love my pull out larders and bin.

I have a 100cm range cooker - love the look and it's a 5 burner which really makes a difference in pan space.

If you go for stone worktops - much more durable - get a snark nose finish on the edges. It's stunning and more modern.

I love out pull out larder cupboard, our deep drawers, spice drawers, veg and bread storage, a tray store. We have granite around the sink area and wood everywhere else. Think carefully about corners. Hate the corner shelf thing that pulls out.

The bit we got wrong was floor tiles. I'm changing it all for lvt. Couldn't keep them clean and they were cold.

Drawers as many as possible, pull them open and see everything and be able to reach everything. Cupboards are horrible, I have 3 corner cupboards and they are useless nothing is ever used in them they are wasted space! If you can avoid cramping your worktop with cupboards all the way round the top then do. Also if you’re tall your cupboards could hang from ceiling so there isn’t a gap at top that gets dusty and yucky and isn’t used.

I use my combi microwave/oven all the time, but there are only 2 of us, so rarely need to put lots in there.
We have an induction hob with integrated extraction which saves space.
Agree with no tiles but have worktop/splashback the same.
There are many more interesting colours of quartz worktops available than the usual white/grey/brown/beige if you look on-line. They will send samples, so don't be limited if you have something a bit out of the ordinary in mind.

Quartz tops (I'm doing mine recycled glass bits)
Integrated
Oven when I redo my oven will be air fryer induction not micro wave included
Biggest hob - glass tile or solid quartz back splash
Drawers and pantry no blind corners
Enclosed quiet fan
If you carry around large pans of boiling water tap placement
Just me I have frig freezer and Sep freezer
Tile floor

Worktop - do I want laminate, quartz, corian (apparently that's a real thing) or granite? Quartz like maybe SILESTONE

Do I want integrated appliances? Yes as looks much better but can be a pain to replace i years to come.

I definitely want a double oven, but do I want the top oven to be a combi microwave? Yes I have 2 Siemens built in ovens one above the other which are also microwaves and I also have a freestanding microwave on a work surface.

Hob - will definitely be induction (no gas supply) but how big - standard or bigger? What kind of splashback behind?
Bigger. Whatever matches your worktop surface?

Do I want drawers? A larder unit? Whirly corner cupboard things? Deep storage Drawers are wonderfully flexible. Pull out larder units are also brilliant but you probably only need one of those. I don't have the whirly corner cupboard but could be good if space an issue.

Do I want an exposed extractor fan or one in a cupboard?
The less it needs dusting the better.

Do I want a boiling water tap? (I rarely boil a kettle, but I do often boil pans of water.) Personally too worried about scalding accidents to have one. I do use a kettle though.

What kind of fridge do I want? I have space for a freezer in the garage - but do i still want an icebox?
Yes fridge freezer in kitchen and also fridge freezer in garage is best

So I want tiles or luxury vinyl flooring?
I have tiles but have had vinyl in other houses.

Two things I thought would be good and which were included in the specification, I have found useless are a Siemens warming drawer and a wine cooler (beyond useless).

Personally I don't recommend the boiling tap, seems easier to boil the kettle and pan of water plus less expensive

Integrated bin cupboard is a must, do think about how many different waste/recycling bins you have - we have 4 in our county so ours has four sections.
Do you have a separate utility room? If so, keep all the recycling in there rather than the kitchen.
I also don't like the idea of built in bins in kitchens as I think it is more work to keep them clean and they would soon fill up. So even in a large kitchen I opted to still have a free-standing circular brabantia bin. Food scraps bin goes under the kitchen sink and is emptied daily.

I have a shiny quartz worktop with sparkly bits lol but you can get Silestone with surfaces which are not shiny. There are a lot of variations.
I have just looked and they do some lovely marble effect ones now but mine was called Blanco Stellar. I dislike dark black worktops.

We have one. I don’t use it (except to put tea towels on). I think it’s a waste but my youngest loves it.

I love my quooker and integrated bin. I have a walk in larder and lots of drawers. Cupboards only where they have to be in corners with s shape pull out things.

Best thing I have are my 2 dishwashers. One standard and one small.

I'd recommend a trip to IKEA. They tend to have lots of kitchen displays but no prowling sales staff. So you can take your time messing about pretending to cook dinner in the various kitchens to get a feel for what you do or don't like. Our kitchen is narrow so IKEA was invaluable for figuring out how much space we needed for someone to easily walk past someone chopping at the worktop.

Also get some of those '50 stunning kitchens' style magazines so you can get a better idea of the type of look you'd like.

Who are you looking to do it? I need mine done but have no idea where to start.

Again, thank you! So helpful.

We had a couple of hours to kill right next to a huge Wren yesterday, so spent ages opening every cupboard (and fending off sales staff!). Interestingly we only found one larder cupboard with drawers attached to the door - are they more premium, or is it an issue with the weight on the door, as a PP said?

We're not sure about opening mechanisms yet. I thought we might want 'J pull', but having opened loads of them yesterday, I found them a bit fiddly. I think maybe 'profile' instead (is that the right word? the ones with a gap above the door). Or maybe a rail handle on top.

Magazines are a good idea, I'll get some. May manage an IKEA trip, but it's a bit of a trek.

@Writingonthewalls we just went to the showroom of a local kitchen designer who's recommended (online and by people I know). They're full service, which is what we need (I don't have local builders and trades that I know, and I don't have time to manage it myself anyway).

So,where to hang tea towels, I've been in some amazing kitchens and there's never anywhere to put a tea towel!

Dishwasher a definite for me

Pull out bin cupboard

Good extraction