Kitchen layout help

[Susieblue18]

Really need some advice re kitchen layout. About to knock down wall to make kitchen/family room and been to a few kitchen shops but getting conflicting advice. Would you go for design 1, 2, 3 or 4? Thanks

What bits of house do the other doors connect to? I'd probably do 4 but maybe with a dresser on the wall instead of the island

Number 3 to maximise the surface/cupboard space. Does 3 give you the option of having bar stools to sit at the surface that separated the kitchen area from a dining area?

I've been looking at a lot of show homes recently and most of the kitchens were laid out like this which I liked because it felt like a really nice family space.

Not option 2. Would be a pain having to navigate round both the table and breakfast bar with bags of shopping (assuming you enter through that door on the left)

I have similar layout to 2 & 3 which I'm really happy with. It defines the kitchen area and you can chat to people while prepping.

I suggest not leaving a big gap at end of counter. You only need enough to allow machines through should any need replacement. I tried a shorter counter, given bad advice. It looked mean. Had to replace it with longer.
Drawers under counter give a lot of useful storage.

4 gives the best everything

The green one.

Absolutely not the grey one.

Not one of the island designs. I don't think you have enough room for a large island, and not enough prep space and storage space with a small island.

Green gives you the most storage and prep space, but also internal corners, which I dislike for the dead space. May also be cramped if you tend to have more than one person working in the kitchen at a time.

Grey 2 is the best compromise IMO between these two challenges, though I would flip it so that the opening is on the door side, as green design.

The green one, but without the jutting out bit. Just a c type shape along the walls. Sticking out bits would get in the way. Do you have your washing machine in the kitchen? Would get noisy for anyone trying to watch tv on the sofa.

I dislike the bottle neck/cul de sac effect of 2&3, though I know it would give more counter top etc.
I think the red one (4?) Is the best of both worlds, the island gives more cupboard/worktop space etc and the space flows better.
You could have an overhang on the island for stools and chatting over food prep if you want.

My current kitchen is no. 3 and doesn't work at all. The bar in the middle has become a dumping ground for the kids, and there just isn't enough actually usable working surface (the bit on the left is all high units).

I think I'd personally go for 1 out of the ones you've laid out.

None of them look great to me.
Just to check, is there just that 1 door into the room? And the windows are just on 1 wall?
The sofa - is it fie TV watching (hence why it's facing the wall) or for socialising?
Only asking so we can see if there are better options!

Thanks all. This is how the room currently looks. The walls aren’t down yet which is why it’s so hard to visualise. There is a bay window at the front and built in units which I am planning to make into a media wall opposite the sofa. The current outside door at the side will be removed and patio doors put in a bit further down. There are currently two doors both going to the hall but I thought that might be too much so was going to remove kitchen one? Any ideas greatly appreciated. The washing machine and tumble dryer will be going upstairs and we have a separate lounge.

Will you relocate the loo/have a downstairs one?

I'd go for No. 4, but keep the door from the kitchen to the hallway to create more of a free flow and allow some light into the hallway. Otherwise the kitchen is a bit of a cul de sac.

Yeah, there’s a separate downstairs bathroom

If you have a separate lounge, I'd have less space for sofa and more for a big dining table and good storage

OK, so I'm going against the grain here and I like numerous 1. It could look amazing. I'd have 1 wall with as much as possible on it (oven/fridge/sink/pantry) and I'd have a beautiful island, maybe with your hob in so you can cook whilst chatting to people. The flow is better on 1, I'd be tempted to stretch your island or maybe even peninsula it.

I'd also forget a media wall as you have a separate lounge, and turn your sofa to face into the room, make it more of a coffee/cocktail area.

I love this design.

Is there a window on the wall at the top of the pictures? Just so I can visualise, is the width enough for 6 x 60cm units?

I think A is maybe better to stop you having your back to the room so much. But make the island less deep.

Edges of kitchen units where people walk into rooms always become dumping grounds.

I think you really need to plan where things will fit in the kitchen to decide - and how you want to use it.

Design one allows for a tall fridge/freezer at one end of the run and larder tall cupboard a stacked oven other end with work surface in between.

But you then need to decide where you have hob and sink. One of the two would probably need to go on the island.

Some people love this, others don't. You might also want additional seating round the island.

But it is less cupboard space overall and tricky if there's not a separate utility. Is there?

If you like to socialise while cooking option one is nice. If you are a keen baker with a love of kitchen gadgets and 102 baking tins then three or four might be better. Although anything going round a corner can limit where you have full height units so may be more bending to lower cupboards.

DIY Kitchens has a good planning tool. It might help you to decide to visualise with everything you need slotted in.

Definitely not No 2 or No 4.
No 3 (Green) I would make into a U shape sometimes known as a C shape so get rid of the jutting out bit.
Or No 1 with the island facing towards the dinning table. You could use the island for people to serve dishes up from and use as a buffet area too. Probably my favourite.

Thanks for all the opinions. Yeah there’s a bay window in the living area. The width is 3815 so would fit 6 x 600 mm units.

We currently have number 4 more or less exactly, very similar measurements. There's not enough worktop and cupboard space.

I would go for number 3 but without the bit that juts out. Number 1 is the most modern looking but, for me, lacks storage space plus I don’t see the point of an island and a table - one will end becoming a dumping place for stuff

What does everyone think of something like this? I guess it would be option 1 but building in a bench and then table and chairs? I’m quite liking it!

Or this type of bench joining the island?