kitchen design help!

10 years ago

Hi,

We are building a new house and are at the first fix electrical stage. I would love some feedback on the layout of the kitchen. We are going for handless matt cabinets. Colours to be decided but I'm thinking maybe a dark blue or grey on island and lighter on the wall cabinets, we'll have wooden open shelves and are considering having the seating area on the island in wood at the same level as the quartz worktop . In particular, is there anything in the kitchen design that doesn't make sense? could work better?

My main concern is the size of the island, is this too big?? Is there enough clearance between the door and island? I did want a big island but not at the expense of making the walkway into the kitchen feel too small / cramped.... Also we have 2 single ovens in the back wall of units and the induction hob is on the island, are there any concerns here? I'm thinking of when I'm taking something out of the oven and turn to island, i'll be facing the hob...

Thanks in advance for any advice / thoughts.

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Comments (6)

PRO
Norwood Architects
10 years ago
In our designs we have found that 4'-0' clear between cabinets is sufficient for easy passage. If you are going for a super slick and modern look in your kitchen I'd say you will achieve that with the back of upper and lower cabinets. You shouldn't be short on work surface as the island provides a fair amount of working area. Our interior designer is a big fan of open shelves. They are great for displaying good looking crockery, etc. I am not a fan of the shelving incorporated into the run of cabinets (the cabinets with the sink) especially since the corner is clipped. That detail is outdated. Where is your refrigerator? Will there be a vented hood over the cooktop?
magnet123
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks for the feedback Norwood. The fridge and freezer are on the back wall of units on the left hand side. Yes we will have a hood over the cooktop, hopefully one flush with the ceiling, it'll be one with a carbon filter. Agree with you on those open shelves!
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I agree with 'Kitchens and Baths', you are leaving yourself precious little counterspace to accommodate 2 side-by-side wall ovens? Can't you stack them if you need 2? Also, a warning, I wouldn't be taking anything out of those ovens and "turning to the island" with them...not with a quartz countertop!! You'll have that whole end all scorched...unless you are quick and accurate with lots of trivets! But your "open shelving" is going to look like a pinched-in forgotten corner pantry...you really need more space for them too , if it is going to look right. Right now as it is, 2 feet of them are all but beyond reach (over the lower countertop) and then a mere 2 feet worth of actually OPEN, available space you can reach, then the monster of the floor to ceiling cabinet will be in the way. It will be like reaching around into a closet. I would seriously reconsider this design BEFORE your electrician shows up--and before you order all those (expensive!) cabinets. But as for the island 'crowding' the walkway--it looks as if your drawing says 1.2 meters? That's plenty and more than enough, even for running boisterous kiddos, you're fine there. Best of Luck.
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I love the tall units but you need to go straight to the ceiling to prevent dust and dirt settling on the top. I would put a row of small up and over cupboards along the very top as an option. Very handy for unsightly bulky items. I don't like the end open shelves by sink very dated but what you could do is a long double shelf all the way along the island with a wine racking either side for balance vertically. I think shelving each side of the sink would be better. You have a lot of cupboards but no deep drawers which are highly valued these days. Good selling point. I Like your colour suggestions... The little Greene paint company have a lovely grey so does farrow and ball. Where are you sourcing your Quartz and what flooring? Do your ovens have easy open shelf doors ..handy as they retract so don't get in the way as you take food out..Neff offer best ones. If you want a better balance of tall you could always do fridge freezer one side and pull out pantry on the other with racking. Then on sink side don't go all the way along the wall just have it as centred space so you can pull out larder doors. On your island you will need your bin as this'll be prep area? What is the room opposite tall cupboards? Need the island to look good from that side as that is what you will see. Hope of help. I'm embarking on the same thing and have spent hours and hours researching!
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Kitchen is actually not a bad size, considering that you have the dining room and that it is the size of some modern kitchen diners. I think some of your cabinets are retro in a good way, maybe not the three quarter height one but the uppers and sliders under the sink are interesting. Could you see them in 50s retro mint green with olive walls or say duck egg blue units and walls and hints of pink or red here and there in the kitchen? You could have them resurfaced by an auto paint company in any colour you like. At the very least don't rip them out and skip them, somebody will love them, they are very in in certain circles.
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PRO
User
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
@Norwood Architects took the words right out of my mouth. I too would not do the open shelves on the base cabinets with the clipped corner. Looks like you are going for a more modern kitchen and those don't fit the updated style I see here.

As far as the double ovens, I would move them to the left one spot so they sit next to the first set of cabinets. I would also remove the last upper cabinet (on the right) and extend the open shelving. The shelves look dwarfed as they are now by the large wall of cabinets. Hopefully, removing a bank of upper cabinet and extending the shelves will help balance the proportions.

I would also eliminate the shelves on the island too, but that's just more of a personal preference ;)

Looks like it's going to be a gorgeous kitchen!
magnet123
Original Author
10 years ago
Many thanks for taking the time to reply. I hadn't thought of moving the ovens to the left, i'll definitely look at that option. thanks again
auntthelma
10 years ago
Looks like a great kitchen to work in and hang out in. AND store things in. Good design.

About the cabinet shelves, I like them for cookbooks. If you don't know what you are going to put there, I agree that they disturb the clean lines of the rest of the design. If you need them for cookbooks or your pottery collection or another reason that you already know, do what you need. It's your kitchen.
magnet123
Original Author
10 years ago
thanks auntthelma, I plan on putting cookery books there, but maybe I don't need as many shelves, i'll have a think about it!!! thanks for taking the time to reply.

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