Kitchen design

[Toddler101]

So having kitchen refit and going through the design process.

It's a small space, not big enough for an island or peninsular. Footprint isn't changing so we have a u-shape to work with, however 2 walls are taken with windows and the boiler.

DH wants to brick up one window (west facing, into side passage dead space (terraced house) but it allows in a lot of light. I think it will make the room feel smaller because you can't see so far/eye won't be drawn out beyond the walls, if that makes sense? And we wouldn't really gain much in terms of storage - one double cupboard essentially, but the other fittings DH wants mean we lose a lot of space else where...(e.g. 1.5 sized oven, a double sink, a hot water tap and a bin in a cupboard to name a few). Something has to give!

We don't have the space for eye-level built in oven apparently which is what I'd like!

WWYD?

Are you able to show a floor plan if possible? Our kitchen is wasn’t massive , we knocked down a wall which led into a utility room. We also bricked up a small side window and put a tall larder cupboard in its place which houses our intergrated fridge. It is much more open now and family friendly . We have a dining table down the bottom to the kitchen table which is ideal for our kids .

xxx

Personally would not brick up a window or do anything that would make it darker. 1.5 sized ovens I love but does depend on size of kitchen, would do something proportional to kitchen but I do think the cooker is a focal point and worth having a nice one. Double sink I wouldn't bother if space is an issue. I wouldn't have hot water tap but have a SN child, if I didn't and no-one visiting who might be an issue for might do. Bins in cupboards I don't like but they have to go somewhere and lots of bins out doesn't look good. But a lot of this is personal taste but it should be a balance of yours and your DHs with maybe priority given to person who cooks / spends most time in kitchen.

We have been granted planning permission to extend into the dead area side bit but it's just not economical as costs exceed the ceiling value of our house.

We also talked about knocking down a wall, or part of a wall anyway, into our dining area to open it up a teeny bit, but builder and kitchen design company both advised against it...so footprint is staying the same sadly.

I've marked on the boiler and stand alone fridge freezer in red which are also staying.

If you can share a floor plan that would be great.

If you have an eye height oven it only takes up width of a unit, I have one with a grill/2nd oven on top. Going vertical really helps I'm small spaces.

I'm not a fan of corner cupboards, they are just wasted space in my opinion, bit I am a fan of using drawers at base level. It means you can easily access everything.

Our recycling boxes (ikea stacking ones) are hidden beneath our boiler in a cupboard and a small general waste one under the sink.

In a small space you really don't need a double sink, especially with a dishwasher. Think deep (to hide pots in) rather than double.

Hadn't thought of the cooker as a focal point but you're absolutely right.

Hot water tap wouldn't be an issue for us but would be for my parents (although they never visit as our house isn't accessible for their needs now so I suppose that is moot also).

Our current bin blocks the back door and has to be moved every time to exit, here really isn't a space to tuck it away!

When we had our previous kitchen done DH and I went into a kitchen shop were they mocked up our kitchen designs for free and it became obvious DHs design wasn't viable at all, infact the manager told him it was the worst design he had ever seen and didn't meet any fire regulations. It might be worth doing a design for your DHs and sometimes it becomes obvious then certain things won't work.

Thanks for your floor plan. I've attached some pics of mine. They're when kitchen was a work in progress, but, I think it's a very similar size to yours.

We extended the window at the end, the sink was originally there. The boiler/ recycling is now in the tall cupboard to the right of long window.

No wall cabinets, but the tall ones go rught to the ceiling (victorian), we used drawers, and on the other side of the hob I have a drink making station.

With yours, can you build the boiler in to give cupboard space? If you go for straight runs, rather than corners, you can put fridge anywhere.

I don't know what you mean about straight runs and then putting the fridge anywhere? Can you draw it for me?

Not sure what the purpose of bricking up a window would achieve unless it's giving you more workspace or space on the wall for shelves etx, in which case can you part block the window, leave a small window in above eye level or the top of the original window & use the space underneath? Might look nice with some nice glass in

Yes this is the intention to brick up the window, but as I said originally the additional space gained is negated by loss of storage elsewhere

We've recently renovated and had 2 windows. 1 of them was 3 panels and we reduced it to just 2 panels. Could you halve the window size if it means you'd have additional wall cupboards? We also put in floor to ceiling cupboards on 1 wall. The additional storage space at the top is great for lesser used items. Think about the lighting too, because it can make a massive difference. We added spotlights, but have them zoned, so can just have the ones over the cooker on, or the lot on etc. Previously, we had a light in the centre of the room, but this then caused a shadow if I was cooking or washing up, so get more lights than you think you'd need.

If you floors are flat, these under cupboard drawers might work, as additional storage for tins etc.
Plinth Pods | Under Cabinet Storage Solution | Retrofit (drawerboxes.co.uk)

Don't you lose significant worktop space with floor to ceiling cupboards? I'm not sure where we'd put them either in our layout?

Reducing the window size might be a good shout.

I'll have a look into plinth pods, never knew these existed!

Can you give exact measurements of the U shape plus the size of gap it leaves where you say the freestanding fridge freezer is going? Which wall is the boiler on? I spent a huge amount of time in the summer working out how to get more storage and work top space. If you have the ceiling height go for taller height wall units/double up with top boxes. There are always things you can store higher not needing daily access. Drawers are much more efficient in terms of space than base units. It's unlikely you'll be able to fit but a double larder unit in terms of volume if well organised is the equivalent of many base & wall cupboards.

@kitchenhelprequired no ceiling height unfortunately and the freestanding space for fridge freezer is large to allow for opening he fridge freezer door, even Howdens said it can be any smaller than it is.

Boiler in a wall unit/top cupboard in the back left/outermost corner of kitchen as I indicated in red on the floorplan above.

*can't be any smaller

What are the measurements where your units will be and your fridge? I'll try and draw what I mean.

Also, I still can't work out why you can't have an eye level oven?

@Seaside3
I love you kitchen. It is beautiful. I also agree about the floor to ceiling cabinets if you need the space. Alternatively could you have a sideboard or dresser in the dining room for crockery? It would make more kitchen space.

Do you need to have the washing machine in there? We have ours upstairs in a cupboard and it is great.

Block up the back door, leave the window as west light is important and put French doors or a glazed single door where your sink currently is. Then you get two straight runs, more light, more storage and counter top potentially and space for full height cupboards at the back where the door was. I think it would make the most of the space.

We already have a small cabinet dining room for this. And the washing machine is in our upstairs utility already. Good suggestions though thank you!

I think I was hoping that the kitchen planner we engaged would have a bit more creative space making vision than they did.

We have considered doing this but we'd lose the garden space by doing this unfortunately, the doors would open to a wall and we might have space for a couple of plant pots but that would be it! It is a tiny yard. Door on the west side opens up into a dead space so we retain full use of the tiny yard square at the back of the house.

Is it going to be a case of more useable space in the garden or more useable space in the kitchen?!

Exactly what I was going to say!

Oh cross posted, so your main garden is to the side of the kitchen rather than behind it? Is there a door to the garden from your dining room, floorplan doesn’t show one but I’d have thought there must be a window or door there?

I’d definitely try to get an eye level oven in. We have an eye level double oven with masses of storage above and below. I also agree with the suggestion of two straight runs (ie a door at the end where the sink is and a straight row of units on each long wall) as it would eliminate the need for corner cupboards and make worktop space easier to access.

Don't block up a window.
Move the cooker under one of the window which means you can then have more overhead cupboards and potentially a full height cupboard along where the cooker is at present.
Max out space - plinth drawers and top cupboards which go right to the ceiling.

Apologies if this comes across as patronising ( it isn't intended to be) but have you had a good clear out? New kitchen means an excuse to buy cookware that you love and use lots and gives you an excuse to charity shop the random trifle bowl and aunty Pam's passed down cutlery. I bet you could free up at least a cupboard by doing that?