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Original poster

Help - French doors or window in kitchen???

30 replies

redshoes · 11/01/2009 00:42

Please help, I am driving myself (and everyone around me insane)...this may ramble but please bear with me. We are having an extension at the back of our house to fill in the current 'l' shape (Victorian semi). You will walk through a sitting room into the extension (dining room) which will have French doors and alongside the extension/dining room (open plan) will be the kitchen. Should we put another set of French doors in the kitchen part or have a window with units under? This is on the back (North) wall. There is a window already on the side wall (only looks onto alleyway) and the South wall adjoining house will have tall units. If we have Fench doors we would have an L-shaped kitchen with an island unit (albeit a small one). If we have a window we would have a u-shaped kitchen probably with a peninsular unit to separate the dining area... Does anyone have any ideas on which is best???

OP posts:
SoLongMarianne · 11/01/2009 00:47

Would it be easier to carry food through to the garden for al fresco eating with doors from the kitchen?

Quattrocento · 11/01/2009 00:51

Doors on the kitchen definitely. You can't have too many french windows IMO. Also, if you have several sets of windows your patio magically becomes a terrace. So my cousins tell me.

Seriously though - I love lots of light in a house and french windows let in a lot more light and give a room a real feeling of space

expatinscotland · 11/01/2009 00:54

Ach, you can never have too many French windows!

My folks have them between the open-plan dining area opening onto the patio and they work a treat.

Put French doors on the kitchen.

kickassangel · 11/01/2009 01:19

do you need the cupboard space under the windows? can never have too many cupboards wither.

will you be driven mad by people walking through the kitchen to get in & out?

Original poster
redshoes · 11/01/2009 01:32

Thanks for the replies. Glad they are pro extra French doors as I agree can never have too many but have allowed dh (who is of the can-never-have-too-many-cupboards school) to dissuade me. Not sure about the walking through aspect - have to consider that. I guess we would really only use one set and keep the other set locked otherwise the kids would start going round and round and that really would annoy me!

OP posts:
ohdearwhatamess · 11/01/2009 14:35

French doors in kitchen are fab - lots of light, feeling of space, and perfect for watching dcs playing in the garden.

Original poster
redshoes · 11/01/2009 21:54

so it won't look weird to have two sets next to each other divided by a column of wall?

OP posts:
Goober · 11/01/2009 22:03

We have french doors in our kitchen. Tis lovely in the summer, we open them both right up and it like the house and deck are all one room.

Quattrocento · 11/01/2009 22:05

I've got two sets of french windows opening up onto the patio - it's loverly. Other people think it's really nice too ...

Go for more light - you know you want to

Original poster
redshoes · 12/01/2009 19:47

Quattro, thank you - that's what I needed to hear. I'm going to go with the two sets of doors. Thanks everyone for replying

OP posts:
pgwithnumber3 · 12/01/2009 22:50

We also have two sets of french doors in our kitchen. So much nicer than a window.

Frizbe · 12/01/2009 22:50

french doors of course

cece · 12/01/2009 22:53

Will you still be able to open a fan light or window though in the winter? Say you were cooking on a cold day but needed some ventilation?

wombleprincess · 13/01/2009 14:14

french doors preferably but having lived in a victorian semi myself...storage is always very very useful, particulary if your family is growing!

brimfull · 13/01/2009 14:20

I would put a window,by putting french doors you will make your kitchne a walk through.
You already have french doors by the table...have I got that right.

brimfull · 13/01/2009 14:22

That architect George did a programme about just this the other week..he reverted the doros back to a window to make the room work better.

Original poster
redshoes · 13/01/2009 20:35

What, on the Home Show? I thought that had finished. Oh God when was it on?!
The kitchen wouldn't be a walk-through, it and the dining room would be across the back of the house. The sitting room is walked through, you arrive in the dining room/extension (back left of the house) and the kitchen is back right. Storage is the reason dh wants more cupboards. We have 4 kids. Aaaaah!

OP posts:
Original poster
redshoes · 13/01/2009 20:35

What, on the Home Show? I thought that had finished. Oh God when was it on?!
The kitchen wouldn't be a walk-through, it and the dining room would be across the back of the house. The sitting room is walked through, you arrive in the dining room/extension (back left of the house) and the kitchen is back right. Storage is the reason dh wants more cupboards. We have 4 kids. Aaaaah!

OP posts:
Original poster
redshoes · 13/01/2009 20:36

So stressed I've posted twice

OP posts:
JulesJules · 13/01/2009 20:38

Definitely go for the French doors. IMO.

brimfull · 13/01/2009 20:52

I'm a bit confused about your layout but you can watch the
shows here I think.

brimfull · 13/01/2009 21:00

here it was the Kew project

hth

Original poster
redshoes · 13/01/2009 21:33

Thanks Ggirl. What I really need is George. Ours is similar to but slightly different to that Kew one. We have basically 4 rooms at the rear of the house. The sitting room alongside the utility then behind them the dining room and the kitchen. Like this

dining room kitchen

sitting room utility

The utility will be closed off, the other 3 in an L shape. The way George did that Kew kitchen is EXACTLY how my dh wants ours.

OP posts:
annieshaf · 13/01/2009 23:37

We had a new kitchen last year and had exactly the same dilemma. Went for the L shaped kitchen with a larger island and storage under the island compensated for the loss of cupboards under the window which was changed to french doors. We now have 2 sets of french doors in the same room and it doesnt look odd at all.

dippica · 14/01/2009 09:35

I love my French doors in my kitchem, but I would also ideally like to have the sink so that you can look out into the garden while washing up, rather than at a blank wall.
But then the location of the sink is probably already fixed, so that doesn't come into it.