Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

could you live with a small kitchen?

28 replies

tailormade · 18/07/2009 21:16

Ok, found a nice house that ticks most of the boxes for me - fab location, lovely garden, garage, 3 bedrooms, very good sized living area, priced reasonably. The only downside is that the kitchen is very small (about 10 by 9 foot). Please give me your pespective! (by the way, there is a separate dining area).

OP posts:
FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 18/07/2009 21:17

My kitchen's titchy. It drives me nuts. If I leave a couple of plates out it looks cluttered. I really hate it. You could extend it if you get pissed off with it though.

southeastastra · 18/07/2009 21:18

yes he's very friendly

Doodle2u · 18/07/2009 21:20

No - would send me insane.

What's the possibilities in terms of knocking through and creating a kitchen/diner?

EllieG · 18/07/2009 21:20

I hate my small kitchen, but if I found a place that ticked all the boxes otherwise I would chose that despite the small kitchen as would be worth the downside. The trouble with mine is that it is small and badly organised, and I cannot change it because I rent. A small kitchen can be made OK with good design, just think carefully about what you want and come up with a good space-saving design.

Doodle2u · 18/07/2009 21:21

Or even knocking out sideways and adding to the kitchen with an extension?

tailormade · 18/07/2009 21:23

Not really, we have considered this. Its just so annoying because the house is fantastic regarding everything else! I know that compromises have to be made, but the kitchen is a major one.

OP posts:
ABetaDad · 18/07/2009 21:24

If it was incredibly well organised with super appliances and cupboards all the way to the ceiling as well as maximising work surface I could - but it is only a galley kitchen. If I was the only person allowed in it - then it might work for me.

However, the reason the house is cheap may well be the kitchen. It is said that kitchens and bathrooms sell houses. Would it become a problem if you needed to resell and do you have money to spend on the kitchen to make it really work for you?

PeppermintPatty · 18/07/2009 21:25

I could and I do.
It really annoys me though. My dream house has a massive kitchen, but no dining room (opposite to now)

duckyfuzz · 18/07/2009 21:25

no, we have for 5 years and it has become unbearable, the walls came down a couple of weeks ago and the new units go in next week, can't wait for my nice new big kitchen

tailormade · 18/07/2009 21:27

We have money to spend on the kitchen, but the reselling is a factor.

OP posts:
Yurtgirl · 18/07/2009 21:31

I could and do have a small kitchen
My mum has lived in a house with a small galley kitchen for the last 35+ years!
If you like the house, you will 'cope' with the kitchen

10ft by 9ft is larger than ours
So I would say that is big

YcLaT · 18/07/2009 21:34

I have a small kitchen at the moment, have been here nearly three years and cannot stand it any more! I have just sold my house, the small kitchen was a negative for some of my viewers. I'm not much of a cook so it wasn't an issue for me to begin with.
Now i need more space.
HTH

Doodle2u · 18/07/2009 21:37

Is there any mileage in the idea of making the dining room the kitchen and making the tiny kitchen a small dining/breakfast room?

CMOTdibbler · 18/07/2009 21:43

I've had two houses with tiny kitchens - one where there was only space for floor units on one side, and room for one person strictly, and the other where it was a little wider and longer. Both drove me nuts tbh. This time, a decent kitchen was a must

scribblehead · 18/07/2009 21:45

We have a small kitchen but I don't really like cooking anyway. I'm not a dream kitchen kind of person. Dream bathroom that's a whole different kettle of fish. I quite like that I can stand on one spot in my kitchen and pivot to reach anything and everthing. Energy saving!

galletti · 18/07/2009 21:48

I have a small well designed kitchen, and it still drives me mad sometimes, fine for everyday cooking but a nightmare when entertaining - also, you have to think about the appliances you want in it, and storage - I am lucky that we have an old conservatory which adds extra space for tumble drier, laundry etc, and is the saving grace for workspace when needed. If you really love the house, as suggested further up, could you open up the kitchen/dining room area and create a lovely family kitchen - My dream and IT WILL HAPPEN!

IotasCat · 18/07/2009 21:51

10 by 9 isn't that small.

My first kitchen was only 5' wide

proverbial · 18/07/2009 21:53

Thats twice the size of my kitchen!

LovingTheSunshine · 18/07/2009 21:54

I wouldn't say that kitchen is small, particularly if you do not need to put a kitchen table in it. Is there a dining room?

Meglet · 18/07/2009 22:03

Mine is 8 x 7 and it drives me mad. There is no space to bulk buy & store anything, which makes life even harder with 2 small dc's. I can't stock up on bread, milk etc once a week because I can't put it anywhere as I only have a small fridge / freezer. I have a slimline cooker, slimline dishwasher + normal size washing machine. I love food + cooking but the kitchen is so small it's a PITA to prepare anything.

HerHonesty · 19/07/2009 09:19

no.

LovingTheSunshine · 19/07/2009 09:26

Oh I have just seen you have a seperate dining room so you won't 'need' to have a table in the kitchen. In that case I am baffled as to why 10'x9' is to small for a kitchen - I would have considered a galley kitchen a small kitchen. What size should a kitchen be for it not to be classed as small?

elliepac · 19/07/2009 09:28

i have a tiny galley kitchen and it drives me mad. The dream is to knock into the dining room next door but DH is a builder so that will never happen . I am lucky in that I do have a cupboard under stairs pantry so can store stuff in there including my tumble drier but only have 2 double and 2 single units in kitchen itself. Have managed to squeeze in fridge freezer, normal cooker, washing machine and slimline dishwasher but, as someone else says, even if just the breakfast pots are left out it looks a mess.

claireybee · 19/07/2009 09:30

10 by 9 isn't all that small. If it has good light and good storage then I could easily live with that.

tailormade · 19/07/2009 11:29

thanks for all of your replies. I know that 10 by 8 isn't that small, but it would mean having a slimline dishwasher, keeping our freezer outside, (the owner had already made quite good use of the space so it was easy to see how it would work). We did have a small kitchen in a previous house, and it just seemed that any more than 1 person in it was so crowded!

OP posts: