Please help me design my kitchen/extension layout!

BoardsMember

Hi. We're at the planning stage of a build and I have read so many articles & posts on the internet, I'm now quite dizzy with ideas on whot to do kitchen wise.

Basically, I want to avail of other opinions on how to lay out what is effectively a blank canvas that our extension will give us. If anyone has any suggestions I would really welcome them.

To give a slight overview (see image attached below):

• the fire is currently where the gable end of the house is, we intend knocking this, and building an extension approx 5m x 9.5m (as u might be able to see from my rough sketch)
• the back garden is at the top of the pic, we'd put in sliding doors/concertina doors to a patio/garden here
• the one blob in the middle is a support pillar, other than that it is a blank canvas
• ceiling height is about 11-12 ft in extension, 10ft in existing room at back
• we want to achieve a bright & spacious kitchen / dining / family area in what is effectively an L shaped space
• there may be a sloped roof on south end of extension from 10ft at a 45 degree angle with velux for more light

So the plan would be to have the kitchen part at the South end of the extension. Not sure about anything else. I'd like a utility but don't know where to fit it except as an extension behind the play room.


Anyone any bright ideas on how to lay out the kitchen? We'd like an island or a counter with either the hob or the sink - not sure which, welcome any reasons/thoughts.



The other consideration is putting the dining table in the darker existing back room, or the north end of the extension. I think the new space will be bright, so might be nice to have a couch etc there, and put the lesser used dining area in the existing back room. Though a sitting room might be more suited to the traditional part of the house.

The sun floods into the house from the front, so that's the reason we will put the kitchen part in the front. Anything else we are open minded on. We'd like a utility adjoining the kitchen but realistically this is going to have to be appended to the back of the play room.

Appreciate any opinions on anything!!

DOCARCH

BoardsMember wrote: »

If anyone has any suggestions I would really welcome them....

Appreciate any opinions on anything!!

Get an architect!

Honestly...even just to come up with a (considered) plan for you. As you say, you are pretty much starting with a blank canvas. Spend a little money on an architect to get the right plan (for you and your needs)...the investment will probably/most likely save you money in the long run.

the keen edge

You could run your sketches by a few kitchen suppliers.

They will happily give you a outline of what they envision for your blank canvas. It wont be too specific to what only they can supply. Avail of this from a few different company and it will give you a better idea of what is possible.

It's non-committal and best of all it is almost always free!

BoardsMember

DOCARCH wrote: »

Get an architect!

Honestly...even just to come up with a (considered) plan for you. As you say, you are pretty much starting with a blank canvas. Spend a little money on an architect to get the right plan (for you and your needs)...the investment will probably/most likely save you money in the long run.

Thanks. We have architect drawings, that's how we have plans and dimensions for what the new footprint will be. It's ideas on, for example, where to put island or if the dimensions allow for one, how to lay out the kitchen units etc.

DOCARCH

BoardsMember wrote: »

Thanks. We have architect drawings, that's how we have plans and dimensions for what the new footprint will be.

Why not put up those drawings/that plan? Might be clearer than the sketch plan you attached in your original post. Your sketch may be clear enough to you...but maybe not so clear to others.

BoardsMember wrote: »

It's ideas on, for example, where to put island or if the dimensions allow for one, how to lay out the kitchen units etc.

I would suggest your architect should be looking at this? Not necessarily the finer details but the general/overall layout. No point in an architect designing an extension/new layout for a kitchen without having an idea how that kitchen might work?

BoardsMember

DOCARCH wrote: »

Why not put up those drawings/that plan? Might be clearer than the sketch plan you attached in your original post. Your sketch may be clear enough to you...but maybe not so clear to others.

I can guarantee that!! I'm not sure about that as I dont know for sure the ownership/IPR on them. I paid the architect for the drawings jut for ideas, there was no intention to proceed with a build.

DOCARCH wrote: »

I would suggest your architect should be looking at this? Not necessarily the finer details but the general/overall layout. No point in an architect designing an extension/new layout for a kitchen without having an idea how that kitchen might work?

You're right but we haven't assigned an architect yet. His drawings did have the layout he suggested: storage all along the west wall, a bar on the south west up to the support pillar, counters on the south and south, so effectively a U shape; the dining table at the north end of the extension, with sitting room in the existing back room.

I suppose I was just trying to get some good ideas so that when we talk to an architect we might have something to bring to the table, informed by people who have been through this, and maybe some second guessing of the above. I'd like to have an island so that while at the cooker I'd be facing down the kitchen, for example, but I cant see how that might be incorporated.

Anyhow, I think the suggestion for going to kitchen designers is a good place to start, thanks.

Citizenpain

as a starting point for yourself google Kitchen golden triangle

grazeaway

There is a very good kitchen planner software package on the ikea website.

kieran.

Citizenpain wrote: »

as a starting point for yourself google Kitchen golden triangle

General Rule of Thumb
Direct distance (Triangle) from Fridge/Hob/Sink not to exceed 7.9m and not less than 4.3m.

Also avoid any obstacles in this path such as islands/breakfast bars etc

angelfire9

I know NOTHING about the physical building of the kitchen but when our kitchen went up in smoke I was working off a blank canvas so to speak (had walls windows & doors and nothing else) and used the kitchen designer on b&q website to design the new layout including a peninsula (looked at an island but decided against it)