Kitchen layout options - an island too far?

[Moonshine]

Moving on from planning and the indicative house layouts from there, i am trying to come with some decent kitchen layouts and fit in an island if possible, one big enough that people can sit at it.

 

Option 1 - the planning layout

Option 2 - ditch the joining stairs from the right to increase usable floor area (stairs don't comply with building regs with the door anyway), though with the island seems too cramped.

Option 3 - as above but with some floor space borrowed from the bedroom beneath to make it less cramped, this could work if i could make the island slightly narrower (600mm)

Option 4 - switch the cabinet walls around, and change the kitchen entrance door, this needs some tweaking but not a massive fan of it.

 

I would be interested in peoples thoughts on my ideas and any other input, or is it an island too far?

 

 

kitchen layouts 1-2.pdf

kitchen layouts 3-4.pdf

[Big Jimbo]

If i could'nt get a clearance of 1200mm to an island, i would dump it. Just me. I always find that if two people cant pass easily, it's a pain in the butt

[ProDave]

All of the island options would fail Scottish building regs.....

 

I just don't see that kitchen as large enough for an island.

[MJNewton]

20 minutes ago, Big Jimbo said:

If i could'nt get a clearance of 1200mm to an island, i would dump it. Just me. I always find that if two people cant pass easily, it's a pain in the butt

 

I often hear 1000mm as a commonly quoted minimum acceptable distance (with the likes of online planners that warn of issues configured this way too), but then I guess you're not call Big Jimbo for nothing! ?

[Big Jimbo]

I ran my own Kitchen Company for 20+ years. 1000mm would be absolute minimum, and still a pain in the butt. I would normally design 1400mm for back to back working. 1200mm as a minimum. You might just get away with 1000, but you will find it a pain, and may well end up with a kitchen that looks cramped.

[Mr Punter]

Is this the only eating area?  As others have said, you would need min 1000mm between the island and other run.  You will be hurdling the dishwasher door as you have it.  Options 2, 3 and 4 you cannot get to the folding doors unless you reverse them.

 

This is worth a lot more fiddling with to make it work.  Is the sink waste catered for?

[Onoff]

We've currently an impromptu island in our kitchen in the form of a brand new washing machine we borrowed for a week when ours went wrong. The owner is in no rush to collect it. Amazing how much use this 600×600 area is getting used. Sanitised, phone, keys, wallet, shopping etc goes from being cleaned at the sink to the top of the wm before being redistributed. The FiL leans on it when he totters in. The best bit is it acts as a sort of roundabout in the kitchen to stop SWMBO and I getting in each other's way and cursing.

 

If it doesn't go soon it might be getting a piece of worktop stuck on top!

[Moonshine]

12 hours ago, Mr Punter said:

Is this the only eating area?  As others have said, you would need min 1000mm between the island and other run.  You will be hurdling the dishwasher door as you have it.  Options 2, 3 and 4 you cannot get to the folding doors unless you reverse them.

 

This is worth a lot more fiddling with to make it work.  Is the sink waste catered for?

 

yes its the only eating area, and a lot more fiddling needed to make it work. What do you mean by the sink waste? i am not sure what you mean catered for? i was just looking to pipe it out of an external wall, or does it need a bigger service void to run to the rear of the cabinets?  

 

Thanks for the input and it is fair to say that the island is a step to far, next up looking at putting a breakfast bar in and curling the kitchen round,  some floor space borrowed from the bedroom beneath and breakfast bar (300mm) to the back of base units. This seems to work a bit better.

 

 

Further feedback would be welcome

Edited September 28, 2020 by Moonshine

[Ferdinand]

Not solutions, but grist to the mill.

 

- Think about a (perhaps even a larger 8 person one?) table oriented in a landscape format, and treating it as what is known as a "farmhouse layout" where your table gets used for some food prep etc.

- Look into peninsulas as you are doing.

- Compile a list of the cupboards etc that you actually need from your current usage, and dividing up into kitchen / utility in the new house if you have both. See what that means for length of unit runs etc you need.

- Can you use one of those mobile trollies as produced by eg Ikea as a movable island? eg Bror or Forholobalobalob.

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/foerhoeja-kitchen-trolley-birch-80035920/

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/cat/kitchen-islands-trolleys-10471/

- Alternatively, can you consider a smaller table against the wall with traditional leaves or drop down sections?

 

F

Edited September 28, 2020 by Ferdinand

[joe90]

My other half wanted an island but like @Big Jimbo I hate cramped spaces (and I have been fitting kitchens for years). I came to a compromise with a peninsula That can be sat at, but a proper dining table behind.

[AliG]

I think Option 5 works the best.

 

With this design, I would make the wall with the fridge/freezer on it a solid wall of cabinets(at least as far as the sink), put the sink where the hob is and put the hob facing the breakfast bar so you can look out of the window as you cook.

 

This way you can have high mounted oven and microwave and a row of tall cabinets always looks more impressive. It does depend a little on how much worktop you would like.

 

I would maybe go for three seats on each side of the table, it is more efficient with space than having a seat at the ends. Then you could turn the table through 90 degrees and maybe add an extra cabinet or half cabinet to the peninsula.

 

Edited September 28, 2020 by AliG

[Mr Punter]

Another vote for option 5 rev A.  Perhaps replace the door with a pocket door if it will mostly be left open.  Replace the table and chairs with a fixed banquette 1800 long back to the wall 500 in from the end wall.  You could do the smaller room size like option 2 if you wanted.  You may get the sink on the same run as the hob with the larger room option, then you could try @AliG's run of tall units.

 

Keep the peninsula but move it towards the folding doors so there is 1000 between end of worktop an end wall.  Keep the worktop all the same height.

[Moonshine]

thanks @AliG and @Mr Punter, nice ideas and have revised as below, though I think that the 5A with the sink and hob on the same run is too cluttered, and i think that the hob is best on the back wall with work top to the left and right of it. Though i do like the idea of the tall cupboard having a high oven in it like 5C (maybe a bit cluttered).

 

 

 

Edited September 28, 2020 by Moonshine

[AliG]

5C would work well, that is not too cluttered.

 

I was hoping to get the hob round to face the breakfast bar, but it would need to be 3-600mm longer and there just isn't room.

 

A 1.8m table with three chairs on each side would probably be a bit more space efficient. You could push one end against the wall to give more room between the peninsular and the table.

 

 

[PeterW]

Right side wall is wasted ... make it a full length banquette seat with the table against it. 

[Iceverge]

Option 1 for me. Given that the days of domestic labour are long gone I can't fathom the continuing trend of separating dining areas from kitchens. Very few of us bother to trundle off to the dining table is a closer seat is available to chow down on our morning toast or super sugar flakes.

 

As @Ferdinand alluded to the kitchen table is the original Island, a prep space and dining area. 

 

Romantically I see it as the heart of a home, a place where relationships are mended through food and interaction. It's about the only place in the house I seem to converse with my wife any more!  With that in mind in our new build I vetoed any thoughts of acquiring an island given its role of diminishing the importance of the kitchen table and my mrs vetoed any TV connection points in our kitchen living area. 

 

I had an interesting idea of a height adjustable desk to use as a standing worktop for prep and a sitting table for grubbing!

[Moonshine]

44 minutes ago, PeterW said:

make it a full length banquette seat with the table against it. 

 

i agree the right wall is not well used, but I don't see the appeal of them, it would makes me feel like i was in a cafe or curry house, and hate the fact i couldn't adjust my seating arrangement without moving the table.

 

Though this caught my eye in google images.

 

 

[Ferdinand]

//

Edited September 28, 2020 by Ferdinand
Just realised I said that out loud.

[Temp]

I recommend creating a mock up. Find a table or sheet of cardboard and stools the right size and arrange them somewhere. Actually sit on the stools and adjust the position so you are comfortable. Then get off without moving them so you can walk around and see if there will be enough space to work.  Some Architects CAD models of tables, chairs and sofas tend to be on the small side compared to what you actually need. I think they were designed for estate agents to make rooms look bigger  on plans :-).

 

[Jenni]

On 28/09/2020 at 17:58, AliG said:

I was hoping to get the hob round to face the breakfast bar, but it would need to be 3-600mm longer and there just isn't room.

 

Just a thought. Lose the corner cupboards and have more of a galley. Hob on wide peninsula, sink on wall.