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?

Not patronising at all, but yes we have had a clear out. We have a big damp problem (reason for ripping the kitchen out) so had to take things out of a lot of cupboards entirely which prompted a big clear out. Of the pots/pans/plastic tubs/bakeware/gadgets/mugs and also food cupboards!

DH really didn't rate my approach to clearing it all out 😂 I emptied entire cupboards/drawers at a time into black bags and hiding them away - what we missed/needed went back in the kitchen. If it didn't get asked for within a couple of months (or was out of date re: food packets), it left the building!

DH also wanted a large cooker for our kitchen, but the reality meant losing too much worktop space. Think honestly about how much it's really needed. We got a slot in rather than built in cooker. This meant we could get a double oven so the grill is separate. This gives loads of cooking space. And also, how often would you really need more than 4 hob rings?

Why do you need to keep the standalone F/F? I’m sure it’s lovely but you are really limiting your options I think!

If you could brick up the left door and then replace left window with door you could have ff where left door is, gap, then L shaped run from boiler to where ff is currently. Put full height cupboards where ff is currently and build around new ff location to gain storage above. Still freestanding but within a surround.

Depending on ff size you might be able to get a pull out larder into the surround too

Brick up the back door and put French windows out from the dining room into the garden.

Also 1.5 sink, no drainer, just a mat I bring out as I have a small dishwasher.

I think I have a similar sized kitchen, perhaps smaller. Renovation starts soon and here's a few things we've done to help make the most of the space:

• single sink - well put a tray/drainer that is moveable
• integrated above counter microwave to give more worktop space

-all appliances integrated for a cleaner, streamlined look.

• drawer under the cooker
• full height larder cupboard for extra storage.

We thought about a raised oven but when we went to plan it was going to cost us too much worktop space, which is important to us to make the kitchen as workable as possible.

Our boiler and back door are not in the kitchen.
We don't have a utility so we have washing machine, dishwasher and fridge freezer in the kitchen.

Well the budget option - you want to keep the fridge/freezer, but keeping that to save say £400 relative to the cost of the other renovations makes no sense to me.

I would get a side by side fridge freezer that would fit under a new worktop next to the cooker. Then and add extra cupboards on top. You'll get more worksurface and more cupboards for a very low spend that way.

Cost

Thought about this but we have a shed there so can't do that without losing the shed! And there isn't anywhere else we can see to squeeze it in 🙈

@Invisimamma that's helpful, thank you for sharing. Is that with Howdens?

That's an interesting idea....thanks.

Yes, it's Howdens.

Meant to say that our bins are getting integrated too which means we're losing a bit of storage space but we had nowhere for them to go otherwise and have never found a workable solution.

@Geneticsbunny thank you. Good old ikea. And a whole lot of planning. Took me 3 years to come up with the plan, but it was worth not rushing as its exactly tly how I want it.

@Toddler101 I notice lots of people have also suggested two straight runs of cupboards rather than a u shape too. Did you manage to get the actual measurements, the fridge measurements and which wall the boiler is on?

@Seaside3 I haven't had a chance to measure myself yet, will do tomorrow. Boiler I marked on the plan above, it's on the west wall most external corner.

I noticed lots of suggestions of having it a galley style kitchen, the Howdens design person said that would give us less space and we'd better off stick to the u-shape. I'm so confused.

*measure it up myself, that is 😂

I know a new ff is expensive but I’ve learned the hard way that designing round a specific thing (that in the grand scheme of things will be a small part of the refurb cost) is a bad plan…if you can get a much better kitchen at the cost of a new ff then maybe it’s worth it?

OK, so, be prepared to be wowed with amazing drawing...

Here's what I would consider doing.

1. Move access to yard to lounge
2. Replace back door with window
3. Put hob in counter under new window
4. Move sink to under existing window
5. Build your boiler into a tall cupboard
6. Put a nice big window in end of kitchen. As you said this can't be doors l, but don't put units in
7. Move fridge to far right end
8. Put a tall unit where your current fridge is, with built in eye level oven
9. Avoid wall units, add open shelves, or another tall unit

10. Have drawer units (we have inset drawers inside too) 11. Ignore the howdens guy. Corner units are useless Hope it all makes sense.

Maybe a stupid question but what lives in your shed? Usually it’s garden stuff but you have a tiny garden (as do we) so would have thought not much garden stuff?

Also does that mean your dining room has no natural light??

3 bikes, a scooter and a balance bike, rugby balls and foot ball, skittles, portable golf game, golf clubs, kettlebells, the BBQ and the gas cannister and a teeny tiny paddling pool. We have a plethora of outdoor green spaces near us, noone has big gardens here! DH is sentimental over one of his bikes, I've no idea why, he hasn't used it since 2012!! The window in dining area is a big sash window so let's in a lot of light, the shed blocks a tiny portion of it. Most of the natural light comes from the south facing windows on the front of the house (knocked through living/dining room).

See I asked the Howdens person for drawers in the base units specifically, the plan they gave had 2 drawers, just 2!! Reflecting on it I don't really think they were paying too much attention. 🤔

Thanks for your sketch and explanation, makes sense. Love the idea of a big window at the end of the kitchen - I can envisage a full height tall window!

It's what we did, and thereafter literally a rock face out there, but look at this. Worth it.

Drawers are more expensive, but again, worth it. Easy to see everything, easy to keep clean

I’d start by going to other suppliers for different plans and also do my own! You could put a built in eye level oven on the same wall as the fridge freezer - personally I’d get a housing made for fridge freezer and have a tall cupboard next to it and then the built in eye level oven with storage drawers underneath and cupboards above.

I’d have full height storage incorporating eye level oven and FF along the windowless wall, move hob to other side, brick up back door and move it to the dining area as PP suggested.