Kitchen Layout Ideas

[Laurence737]

Hi Everyone, 

 

We are looking at a rear extension for our property with internal dimensions of 3mx8m.  We have a 4x3m area set aside for the kitchen, but we are unsure what layout to go for.  Does anyone have any images of their projects in similar sized spaces to give us inspiration? I guess due to the nature of the space we will be limited to either a U or G shaped kitchen?

 

Thanks

[RandAbuild]

You need to provide details of the door and window positions

[Ferdinand]

I think you also need to list your requirements, and how you will use it.

 

What is it for? What are your priorities?

 

Really this is a subquestion of "how shall we live?". I would suggest start with a plan if you have a defined space already and a half page Statement of Needs, including a list of stuff that needs to be in there.

 

Just on the size, there is space for almost anything normal, probably including a breakfast bar plus perhaps a dining table. In normal house terms, that is a medium large sized reception room.

 

 

Edited June 28, 2020 by Ferdinand

[Laurence737]

Sorry totally my fault for lack of detail in my OP, I have put a picture of the space with this post.  Ideally we would like either space for an american FF or integrated full height fridge and separate full height freezer. 

 

We need the space to be social and family friendly.  Plumbing and electrics can be configured however we want and all walls on the right hand side are bare walls with the exception of the window on the front wall.

 

Lifestyle wise we want this to be the hub of the house so a stylish good use of space is what we are trying to achieve.  We are intending to use our existing integrated microwave, integrated dishwasher and Gas Hob, however we will be looking to replace our oven with an integrated unit and we will need a new sink/tap and fridge/freezer.

Edited June 28, 2020 by Laurence737

[Ferdinand]

Where's North, your best view, and any closeby neighbour houses?

 

Am I correct the kitchen is the RHS of the diagram?

Edited June 28, 2020 by Ferdinand

[Laurence737]

The garden is West Facing so North is towards the left of the house, the whole extension overlooks the garden so views are pretty much the same all the way across.  Our neighbours drive is to the right hand side of the plan and there brick garage will almost corner onto the bottom right of the diagram, our garden access and garage are on the left of the garden.  And yes we are intending to used the right hand side of the extension to house the kitchen as there are probably way too many entrances on the left to have usable wall space?

[ProDave]

I am trying to relate this to your rear extension thread

 

So is this replacing the existing kitchen?  What is to become of that?

 

There appear to be 3 doors / windows in the back of the existing house but I only see 2 connections from the extension to the existing house, so is the existing kitchen rear window being bricked up?

 

[Laurence737]

Thanks for your help Dave, the plan for the existing kitchen is to split it into a playroom and move the WC and utility in there to create a hallway to the new kitchen.  Floorplans below.

 

The plan is as you said to brick up the original kitchen window, and open up the utility wall and remove the patio doors from the lounge to have an open flow between the new diner and the lounge.  We are trying to avoid expensive structural work to the rear wall, with this design we would only need one relatively small steel to go across the utility wall? as the lounge opening is an existing opening.

 

Edited June 28, 2020 by Laurence737

[Ferdinand]

My first thought to improve that plan and make it a little more flexible would be:

 

1 - Move your patio doors slightly to the right - enough such that there is room at the LHS to put a sofa or a desk along the side wall should you wish to do so without blocking the window - say to give you 800-900 mm of wall between the window and the corner.

 

2 - The same move should give people coming into your front door a peep-view of the back garden, which is always a good thing architecturally, and a straight path through when needed - also good.

 

3 - I would turn the bottom arm of the G into a worktop perhaps 300 longer and 850 to 900 wide, so that the end and the back can be a breakfast bar with approx  2.2m run of seating which would be enough for 4-5 people if you need and 6 at a squeeze with one on the other size. That should still leave a comfortable access gap. Barstools will add almost nothing when under a 250-300mm overhang. If wanted you could extend the "G" to the LHS to align with the stair wall; that would be neater but would need a detailed workthrough. 

 

4  - Then the LHS can become more than  a formal dining space, and you could treat it as more a multifunctional with eg a table against the wall. I have a desk that folds in half  lengthways  and becomes a shelf against the wall, for example.

 

5 - Many people put their  hob in such a location for socialising whilst cooking.

 

Ferdinand

 

[Laurence737]

4 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

My first thought to improve that plan and make it a little more flexible would be:

 

1 - Move your patio doors slightly to the right - enough such that there is room at the LHS to put a sofa or a desk along the side wall should you wish to do so without blocking the window - say to give you 800-900 mm of wall between the window and the corner.

 

2 - The same move should give people coming into your front door a peep-view of the back garden, which is always a good thing architecturally, and a straight path through when needed - also good.

 

3 - I would turn the bottom arm of the G into a worktop perhaps 300 longer and 850 to 900 wide, so that the end and the back can be a breakfast bar with approx  2.2m run of seating which would be enough for 4-5 people if you need and 6 at a squeeze with one on the other size. That should still leave a comfortable access gap. Barstools will add almost nothing when under a 250-300mm overhang. If wanted you could extend the "G" to the LHS to align with the stair wall; that would be neater but would need a detailed workthrough. 

 

4  - Then the LHS can become more than  a formal dining space, and you could treat it as more a multifunctional with eg a table against the wall. I have a desk that folds in half  lengthways  and becomes a shelf against the wall, for example.

 

5 - Many people put their  hob in such a location for socialising whilst cooking.

 

Ferdinand

 

 

That' some fantastic input Ferdinand, tbh I didn't really think about making it a more flexible space and the view through the corridor is a great design feature.  I think I will add all of those suggestions to the plan, thanks a lot for the input

 

Just to clarify were you suggesting to put the hob on the outcrop of the G?

[Ferdinand]

35 minutes ago, Laurence737 said:

 

That' some fantastic input Ferdinand, tbh I didn't really think about making it a more flexible space and the view through the corridor is a great design feature.  I think I will add all of those suggestions to the plan, thanks a lot for the input

 

Just to clarify were you suggesting to put the hob on the outcrop of the G?

 

Depending on how the detail works, your "view through" could be a tall, thin window instead next to the patio door instead of the door yourself; it is working out what is best by sweating the detail as your design develops. Below I will add a piccie of the one I have in my 'fat at the back' extension. It just has a tall flower arrangement there.

 

This is the concept I am talking about, with the hob in black. Having drawn it, the space is compact so you need to take care and get it exactly right. To have the hob there ideally the peninsula would be somewhat larger. Even without a hob a BB is a good thing there, as you get the kitchen-diner through sweating the space.

 

 

Edited June 28, 2020 by Ferdinand

[Ferdinand]

I think you are also better with the utility and WC being combined, and the entrance to the utility off the hall, with the WC at the end, ideally with a shower in it as well ... dogs and guests who cannot climb stairs.

 

F

[Laurence737]

3 hours ago, Ferdinand said:

I think you are also better with the utility and WC being combined, and the entrance to the utility off the hall, with the WC at the end, ideally with a shower in it as well ... dogs and guests who cannot climb stairs.

 

F

 

Thats not a bad idea, are these popular tho? as most builds tend to have them seperated? also how easy is it to run the soil pipe from the WC? I'm guessing most new builds are concrete slab under floor?  Sorry for all the questions but I'm really trying to learn!

[Ferdinand]

1 hour ago, Laurence737 said:

 

Thats not a bad idea, are these popular tho? as most builds tend to have them seperated? also how easy is it to run the soil pipe from the WC? I'm guessing most new builds are concrete slab under floor?  Sorry for all the questions but I'm really trying to learn!

 

We have all sorts on BH -  and at least a couple with the downstairs loo  in the utility.

 

Or you could just treat the utility as a sort of lobby with 600 cupboards one side and say floor to ceiling shelves the other, and a door at the end into the loo. So  you get to the loo from the hall through the utility. A loo linked onto the end of the utility is more logical than access via the playroom - visitors can get to it without going "wey hey hey" on an errant skateboard.

 

F

 

[ProDave]

Yes we have the downstairs loo in the utility.  I admit it is not to everyones taste but it works. In our case I could not see an easy way to make them separate rooms with separate entrances without taking up a lot more space.

 

A future option should we need it would be divide the room in two make one half a downstairs bathroom.  If we did that, you would pass through the utility room to get to that bathroom.