Anyone up for an impossible kitchen design challenge?

[AwkwardSpace]

Apologies for the long post, I didn’t want to drip feed all the design constraints.

This is my impossibly awkward kitchen space - after we knock through several tiny rooms to create it and extend to add on the dining space. Trying to design something that both looks nice and is functional is driving me round the bend. (Although we currently have one double cupboard, half of which is alongside the cooker and impossible to access and the other half has the sink on it and one three drawer unit. So anything will be an improvement!)

Hilariously, Ikea’s kitchen planner said it was unable to make any suggestions and I needed to ‘redefine my space’! 😂

If anyone is up for a challenge, here are the points to consider:

• We can’t do anything with the rooms to the left of the dining room as they make up a ground floor annexe for a family member with mobility issues.
• The two windows on the external wall overlook the side access to the garden, so I would prefer the dining room to overlook the garden via the french doors if possible.
• If we put units where I have drawn them in blue we can retain the under-stairs cupboard. We already use this as a pantry/store and it’s useful for storing the vacuum and ironing board as well. Seems a shame to just block it up and waste storage space.
• BUT if we block it off we get a more balanced galley L or u-shaped kitchen.
• If we go for the u-shape it means I can centre a lovely butler/belfast sink on the external wall between the windows, which gives a much nicer look to the whole kitchen, but also requires two corner units.
• If we go for slim base units on the long wall the central aisle of the galley would be 1711 mm.
• The ceiling height in the corner where the pantry is is only 2000 mm due to stair winders above, but I was only thinking of wall units to the left of the chimney breast anyway.
• We have a Stoves Richmond Mini Range which is going in the chimney breast.
• The room to the left is our living room, so I have tried to avoid noisy appliances on that wall.
• I don’t mind quirky interiors, the house was built in 1930 and although not a chocolate-box cottage, is still cottage-like in design and style. I am planning on a light blue, in-frame shaker style with oak work-tops.
• One last thing is, I would really like to fit my tumble dryer somewhere, but appliances opposite each other reduce the galley/walkway space, so I haven’t managed to get it in anywhere. It could possibly go under the stairs at a push.

What do you think? Is this anyone up for the challenge or do you think what I have drawn is probably the best option?

Very different but how about nothing on the side walls and have it all in the middle?

You can have slim "sideboard" in the dining room for some stuff.

I would have a U- lose the under stairs cupboard but gain lots of more useful space inc room for your dryer.

Is there room for a free standing dresser in the dining area?

Like one island with a walkway around it? That’s really thinking outside the box, which is what I’m after. I love the idea, but think it would cause issues with floor space, as there’s 5 of us, one with mobility issues.

It would be easier if you posted a floorplan of the whole ground floor so we could see where all those doors go to.

Can you change the access to the storage cupboard to the other side?
I think it has to be a u shape and lose the door

I like the look of an L or U-shape best, but the width is an issue if we have appliances facing each other. It would only be 1461 mm inside the ‘U’ which a kitchen planner insisted was too narrow to be practical.

I already have a larder cupboard, but don’t think it will fit in the dining room. I think we will have to use the wall between the two annexe doors for a radiator and we need a decent table for a family of 5. I have been looking at longer, narrower designs, possibly with a banquette to help the width wise, but then there’s no free wall space.

It’s so frustrating, every time I think I’ve decided what I want, I think of something I’ve missed and have to start again. I can see the potential for a lovely, quirky, cottage-style kitchen, but now the appeal of a modern, convenient fitted kitchen has started to lure me in the other direction.

There’s no point because I can’t move/change the rooms behind the dining area in any way and there’s no scope to move the doorways either.

To the left of the floorplan is just our very snug living room.

Unfortunately not, that wall is the only one long enough for a sofa in our living room and also has the radiator on it. It’s a tiny house. Builder has said he can make the cupboard accessible from outdoors for wellies, buckets, etc.

If we go for U or L shaped, I was mulling over whether I could potentially cut the under stairs cupboard in half at worktop level and have the top half as a recessed cupboard with pull out drawers or a pull out appliance garage.

Or could you incorporate the cupboard as part of the kitchen then add a tall unit next to the oven for hoover etc?

Replace the French doors with a single width door as that space looks like a corridor anyway the you can use the wall up to the door and opposite the other doors for units / storage : tumble dryer?

This is excellent.

Can you put a tumble dryer in the larder cupboard? If you get get the plumbing sorted, maybe have the washing machine in as well and then that's your laundry cupboard. Frees up space for another unit where the washing machine is now.

Or stack your tumble dryer in top of where you've put the dishwasher already to make a laundry cupboard.

Can you lose one of the windows at the top?

L shape going into the under stair storage plus make it longer than it currently is at the other end.

You could have a larger butchers block on wheels that can be moved out the water when not actively cooking

U shape gives 2 corners and they are crap for storage

Corners work well if you get corner unit things that pull out - lots of storage that way

@Baxdream I really want to have a decent work space alongside the cooker if I can. My initial design had worktops either side, but our fridge freezer is quite noisy so I have left it where it is now, to the right of the cooker/chimney.

I did try this initially with stacked washer and dryer in the corner on that wall, but on the 3D plan it didn’t feel right.

Also, I’m sure I would want to reduce the door width, as they give us a more open feeling and more light.

We have considered just the tumble dryer in there, but I wasn’t sure if it would then limit what food we could store. It’s a brand new heat pump one though, so doesn’t get too hot or produce condensation and we could have the waste plumbed in.

Not enough room for both washer and dryer in there unfortunately.

My very first attempt had the washer and dryer stacked to the left of the living room door, but dh was dead set against stacking. We used to have them stacked in what was our original pantry and he did his back in lifting the tumble dryer down. The new one has been stuck awkwardly in the middle ofmthe kitchen ever since!

I'd just do a low run perhaps - so you can keep a windows next to the new door ?

Agreed, I like the balanced look, but hate corner cupboards, although would have pull out units.

L-shaped looks and feels nicest on the 3D plan in terms of both space and balance. More floor space for multiple people using kitchen too.

Now wondering about double or Z doors on under-stairs recessed cupboard. Then, as per your suggestion, a decent wheeled butchers block to match units that can be rolled in front when kitchen isn’t in full swing. OR stable a style door on the recessed cupboard, so top half can be accessed even with butchers block in place and we only need to fully open it to access the vacuum/ironing board. Would mean no tumble dryer in there though, as that would be too much faff.

Need to have a play with a 3d planner to see how that would work.

Unfortunately I think we will have to go back to planning if we change the doors now though and planning has already held us up for months.

Also just realised all the plumbing is at the other end.