Kitchen help - please critique these design ideas.

[GianinaC]

Hello,

We are designing a new kitchen for our late Victorian property, it's not a massive space but has 9ft tall ceiling.

After going to all the usual kitchen places we thought we would try and design our own on DIY Kitchens. The colour would likely be a light blue or maybe linen. We are still not sure between shaker vs slab.

There will be a Neff range cooker (900mm), dishwasher, Fridge/Freezer and Quooker tap.

In terms of the kitchen, the door on the right goes into a small pantry.

The DIY Kitchens design tool is basic, so doesn't allow us to dress it very well. We want open shelving etc. We would also add a bakers table or rugged looking slim wooden table.

Any thoughts would be great, be as brutal as you please 😁

If you have high ceilings, I’d go for wall cupboards rather than ones sitting on the base units that youve selected. You’ve not got much worktop, cupboards on worktops are a pain because as I said they take up all the worktop space.

I would put the sink directly under the window. The dishwasher just right of it. And move the cooker and vent hood closer to the window too. This will also leave more space on the counter in one big section .
I assume the fridge is next to the pantry door?

Open shelves on the left, wall cupboards facing (with boxed in cooker hood), wide drawers to right of cooker - so much better for pans and crockery than smaller drawers. And make sure the fridge freezer opens on the right side, not left as you’ve got it.

The sink cant go under the window because there isnt enough depth at the corner due to the doorway.

I wouldn't put the sink right under the window as I think the wall would make it awkward. I think it's useful to have worktop on both sides.

I agree that wall units above the worktop is a better bet in a smallish kitchen without much work surface.

is that an island on one of the pictures? Why is is so far away from everything else or does it just look that way?

I would have wall cupboards (or shelves) rather than countertop and I’d have them on both walls. Agree with PP about worktops.

Do you not want a double sink?

Move the sink to the other wall, or else put the cooker there and the sink where the cooker is. At the moment it looks like you’ve tried to put it under the window and missed.

Where is your bin?

I would have the dishwasher near the sink so that you can rinse plates easily,
agree about wall cupboards to give more worktop space. I find that the sink under the window makes it very hard to clean window.

Definitely do not put the sink on the short wall. I prefer the first design. You want decent room either side of stove, though I notice I use the right design de more often (I'm right handed).
I'd have integrated waste bins.
Is that really the size of the window? Could you enlarge it?
I'd have the fridge open the other way. And not sure an out that stepped counter - why not have it flush? What's all that drawer space for? I'd have it as a large pantry unit with breakfast things (toaster, coffee machine) inside. You don't have the counter space for them anyway.
Not sure about the veg drawers being to the left of the oven - heat? Also do people really use those? I keep all veg other than potatoes and tomatoes in the fridge.

Seems unusual to have such a small window. Has the room been tinkered with before? (divided up maybe, or extended from a 'scullery' room?). It feels quite oppressive to me (because of the lack of any meaningful view to the outside).

I wouldn't have wall cupboards if you can get away without them. I think it will feel even more closed in. Depending on how big your pantry is, you look to have a good amount of storage. Do you have a separate dining room? And if so, do you have storage in there (for things like serving bowls/plates that are infrequently used, 'special' crockery/glasses etc)
As per a PP, I'd go for more deep drawers if you can. And make sure you know where you're going to put your tea towels (the one in use, not clean ones) and bins!

Hi,

That is the window, it's the original one, it is 118cm high and 47cm in width. I believe it was part of the original kitchen, as there is bricked up door where apparently the maid would enter. Which is now me :) I quite like it's the original window so don't want to change it.

We want to try and bring back a bit of it's Victorian/Edwardian vibe.

There is a dining room, so space to put other things and the pantry will be kitted out too. It's about 1000mm x 1000mm.

Wall units were something we did want to avoid, but at the same time some can look quite nice if they can be tall.

I was trying to fit in a bin unit but it's difficult.

DH would say there's not enough cupboard space and he likes wall cupboards. Is there a reason you're only doing 2 walls.

You are likely right about the basket drawers, I only added them because I thought it gave the vibe I was after, as in a little bit of a mix of old and new. Some places do those exposed wooden looking drawers, like in this pic (just the drawers not the whole pantry unit) but they don't do them at DIY Kitchens.

Yes the sink too, it would likely be better if it was on the stretch of the cabinets on the back wall.

Thanks, the reason was so we could ensure we get a table in, which is more for an added work surface than a place to sit and eat as we have a dining room.

Also was trying to not make it too busy, there is scope that side to have 300-400mm depth units for a breakfast station. But we thought we could add that later if it was a struggle.

Have you joined the DIY kitchens Facebook group? People on there have been invaluable with design advice for me (waiting on my delivery any week now!)

Generally speaking, wall units are a bit dated now, so I'd go for a tall larder unit somewhere for storage. I'd also aim for a bit more symmetry as it is looking a little lopsided. It's good fun planning! There are also the corner units - we have a Le Mans

Are you not going to have an island?

Sorry, I saw that you mentioned having a table for a work surface. Personally, I would put in an island and not a low table. You can also incorporate a ton of storage/dishwasher/microwave/bins, etc into the island.

In my kitchen we changed the positioning of three of the door handles in order to create a consistent look - otherwise it can look very higgledy (unless that is the look you are going for!)

I made all my kitchen counters an extra 10 cm deeper for added counter space. So 70cm deep instead of the normal 60. It does make a difference.

Also might consider raising counter height by 10-15 cm if you are tall. DP appreciates this too!

You'll get lots of advice in the diy kitchens Facebook group. It's not run by them, but it's a great resource. https://www.facebook.com/groups/381845813632207/?ref=share

Go for an island rather than a table, that will give you more storage. You definitely need more worktop. I have more than you and I often moan about the lack of worktops.

I'd greatly increase the size of the window, bringing it almost all the way over to the extractor.

Personally I hate kitchen islands, and prefer space for dining table & chairs. I would have more wall cupboards to maximise storage. To me a kitchen doesn’t look finished without wall cupboards. Take out the unit that takes most of the worktop space, have wall cupboards about they you have more food prep space. Also put in more sockets than you think you need, always useful in a kitchen.

I agree with moving the wall cabinets up a bit to give you worktop space.

I'm redoing my kitchen now and had my heart set on a larder cabinet to use as a breakfast station, a bit like the one you showed. To me it just seems so useful. Unfortunately I have 4 doors and one (tiny) window in my smallish kitchen so can't fit it in.

We got a quote done at IKEA which was really useful, the designer suggested some things we hadn't thought of. You're not under any obligation to buy.

Thanks, I have booked in an online session with IKEA for Monday, so I will see what they come up with.

We have a potential larder, it used to be an outside loo attached to the house but now has a doorway from the inside. So we will strip it out and make it into a walk in pantry.

I don't wish to widen the window really. It looks onto a wall, plus I quite like it's been the same window since 1904.

I am basically trying to put the house back to how it was as much as possible but I am now questioning the range cooker.

I went into John Lewis and the ones I saw are so low to the floor, unless they can be raised slightly or there other options where the ovens are higher up.

I discovered one by Bertazzoni where the hob has a built in extractor but can't find any reviews. The brand doesn't seem to have the greatest reviews on their later models.

I'll not a fan of islands unless you have a big open plan space. I feel many people crowbar them in when their space doesn't really work with one.

I would rather have one that is freestanding I can use as a work surface.