Kitchen designs - best things in yours

[MeganM3]

In my old house we had a wine fridge. And I loved it. Also all the lower units were drawers, really helpful. In my mum’s house she has a normal dishwasher and then a slim/small dishwasher as well, so that there’s never plates on the side.

I’m about to have a new kitchen and although I’d love lots of fancy things I doubt we’d be able to afford all the higher end bits. But it’s interesting to know what people find really helpful or love in their kitchen. Something that elevates it a little. So if anyone has any tips, things that are really great?

I’ve got two of these either side of the hob - they’re fantastic!

Extra row of cupboards on top, we have high ceilings, it's extra storage and brand there's no dust on top! I do need steps to reach them though.
Also tap with the hose thing that pulls out , big pantry cupboard and built in bins

I can tell you what not to get 😂 (ok, I love the look of my kitchen but man, talk about style over substance) Don't get wooden work surface, frame shaker doors/narrow cupboards, difficult to clean handles, under counter fridge freezers, Belfast sink (this is ok as long as I have my cheap white plastic plate drainer from ikea in to protect the sink and the plates)
Hey ho, we live and learn….

A light inside my corner cabinets. No more hunting in the recesses of a dark cupboard to find what I need.
Breakfast nook with a built in storage bench seat.
Cabinets that go all the way to the ceiling.
Had my window sill removed and ran the workspace into that space to butt up directly to the window frame, so my workspace is deeper in front of the window.

Warming drawer, would never be without one now.

Lots of things here which I won’t repeat but also…..
dropped windowsills behind sink
Nice big walkway between sink and island

Another vote for double dishwashers. Game changer but admittedly ridiculous.

Howdens kitchen has a shallower drawer within the drawer. Doubles space. Its fantastic. Also shaped drawer which sits around the sink, and uses space otherwise void.

When our designer first drew up a plan, the induction hob was on the island. When I said I didn’t want it there, she put the sink there instead. I said no to that as well. I now have a lovely clear workspace area. The hob is on the wall with an extractor to outside and the sink is on another wall, with easy plumbing.

So if you’re having an island or breakfast bar, leave it clear. You won’t regret it.

Not in our house. No one wants to cook with their back to the room. The hob (gas) is on the island.

Interested in the screened off prep area, how do you manage to have that? Is it still within an open plan space? Thanks

This is so interesting. Thanks everyone.

This! 💯

I'm short.

I have "pull out and down" shelves in all the wall cupboards. Otherwise I can only reach the bottom shelf.

They are easy to pull down and work well.

I don't need to climb on anything to access my kitchen.

Walk in pantry. Game changer.

Love my one large single bowl sink that can fit oven racks. I also have accessories for it like a small sink and drainer that sits in it.

I have an oven and a half with microwave over. I love the half size as it’s so quick to heat up. Also, I was adamant about having side opening doors (hide and slide was out of my budget back then) rather than drop down. Love the side opening. Ergonomically, it’s so much more convenient.

My DM had a double door pantry put in but she had most of the shelves made in a U shape with a cut out in the middle. Just the lower shelf is all flat. That’s amazing how convenient it is - even the back of the shelf is seen and reached. So good.

I have a narrow galley kitchen. The dishwasher is opposite the pan drawers. Open the drawers, open the dishwasher and unload.

Yes similarly I have the dishwasher next to the crockery and cutlery drawers. Pans and glasses and mugs have to be carried a whole two steps past the sink to be put away :)

Layout is crucial!

Other layout tips:

Built in bin below your main prep area, for easy scraping of peelings crumbs etc.

Kettle/coffee machine near your mugs.

Have a flat surface that’s easy to reach when the fridge is open- for putting away groceries and for getting out ingredients.

Flat surface near the oven for hot dishes.

Sink near hob for draining cooking water and dumping pans.

Bin near dishwasher for scraping plates.

Larder near fridge so you can gather all your ingredients at once

Fridge easily accessible from dining table/eating area, same for cutlery and crockery and glasses

Chef

unfortunately not, but one that just lives in there would be ideal.

Pan drawers
Boiling hot water tap
Neff hide & slide oven
Separate full size fridge & full size freezer next to each other
Induction hob

I wouldn't bother with usb sockets. It's such a moving piece of technology. You'll probably end up with basic 5v usb a, or something, and it won't charge your phones that well. Modern chargers talk to the phone, and vary power requirements on demand. So don't bother, these age. You'd be better with a charging cupboard or something where you can hire the spaghetti of wires.

I'd be interested if anyone has added things like foot controlled taps, or sensor taps. Separate hand washing basins. Floor drainage so you can shower the floor liberally and just have it all drain away without mopping it all back up.

For me I can never figure out where to put the microwave or toaster or other side filling annoying items. So the microwave oven combi, sounds intriguing.

I don't really want to get appliances out and put them away on each use, unless this is very easy. I would prefer to be in the position of having nothing on the sides at all, with the exception of a kettle. As cleaning would be much much easier.

In terms of tops, does anyone here make bread and if so what's your favourite surface for this? How do you deal with cleaning etc? Is quartz/marble/granite a pain to keep clean? Does it stain? Can you injure it easily with acids?

I personally would like a laundry sink. And or a large ceramic sink that is flush with the back wall. And I've been flirting with the idea of wall taps. These don't seem that common in the UK.

Anyone got underfloor heating? Does this make mop and dry simple? What's the best floor tile surface and colour? How do you keep grout clean?

A plinth vacuum

@minipie why the fridge near the dining area?