Help with kitchen layout required

8 years ago

Hello we are having great difficulty designing a kitchen layout! Am seeking advice on the current draft which was roughly drawn up. Please delete that desk at the end of the bench. The fridge is larger than the draftsman allowed. I do have another fridge but if that can't fit into this design or space it will end up in the garage. That pantry doesn't look fancy to me; two double doors seems like an 'old fashioned' design to me .. if that makes sense. I have recently visited display homes that all seem to include butlers pantry/scullery and I'm not sure if I really need one. I don't particularly want a sink to do any cleaning up in a pantry .. can anyone highly recommend one? I had a huge pantry, basically a small room in my last house but felt the space was not well utilised and seemed a lot of wasted floor area. I am also undecided on an oven. I think I'd love induction cooktop but haven't read enough reviews to be convinced. My back is starting to give me grief so now thinking an oven wall would be easier for my back. Where would be the best placement if I was to have an induction cook top and then a wall oven? Hope that isn't all too vague!

Featured Answer

heeral_dave

8 years ago

HI,

First of all, i would move sink from the island bench. I am in process of wrapping up my custom house project and i have my kitchen sink 2 steps away from my cooktop.

I intend to use my floating island bench as a breakfast bar/ dining table. (i still have a 8 seater dining table for occasions). I did lot of research and everyone who has an island bench loves it. putting a sink there would reduce the use of space as it might have dishes etc in it. plus does not look awesome.

I have walk in/ butlers pantry with sink and another dishwasher as we entertain a lot.

Oven tower is a great idea. we are in love with out steam oven right now. going for microwave + conventional oven combo along with my steam one. both going in the tower next to the fridge.

If you decide to have pantry, go for sliding or bi-fold doors. It would give you space plus no messy handles popping out.

Adding overhead cupboards across the kitchen island bench will also increase the storage.

Another idea is to add window as a splashback. Natural light will make the space look bigger. See my suggestion in attached.

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Comments (20)

Vy
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
from the plan is that a door to the alfresco area? or a bifold ? I would get rid of the pantry doors it's taking up all the space.

my butler's pantry is only 2350mm by 1200mm including the adjoining wall.

you could slice off 1200mm easy which still leaves you 3000mm for your kitchen.

if you're not wanting a butler's I would just have floor to ceiling wall of cupboards and don't have a pantry at all?

That way you don't have to worry about the double doors..and since it looks like you're only getting 600mm deep? pantry ? it's just like a normal cupboard ? or alternatively a big external sliding door on beautiful rails ? see below ..

if you're having a butler's you might have to get rid of your island bench have the door to your alfresco area to the far end with a servery /sink bench facing the alfresco.

then the wall with the cook top have floor to ceiling cupboards incorporating your wall oven fridge there.

? the far side is it a wall ? or an opening to another room? living area ?
oneofthesedayz thanked Vy
Vy
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
below is my butler's I've only got a small kitchen as in an apartment and since I used up all my bench space by having a double sink double drainer a big cook top the butler is where I do my food prep.

as you can see I made sure I had heaps of power points my appliances stays out microwave in corner..

I love my pantry
oneofthesedayz thanked Vy
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oneofthesedayz
Original Author
8 years ago
Uyenvy Le thank you for your suggestions I am looking at them with great interest. I do love your pantry. My last pantry I also had a bench with all the appliances right there but my shelves were too deep. Yes they are sliding stacker doors onto the alfresco. We like to be able to sit at an island so would ideally like to keep the island there. You are correct it is not deep however our fridge is 850 deep therefore I am going to make that pantry deeper. I will definitely get rid of those doors and probably make it just a step in pantry because if I make them ceiling to floor cupboards I then can't put my appliances on the bench which I prefer. The far wall opens to the dining area. Thanks again for your input.
oneofthesedayz
Original Author
8 years ago
Does anyone else have any suggestions please?
longbeachgrannyflat
8 years ago
Have you thought about those pull out pantries, you could have a couple of them, which might give you better space utilisation. You would then have wall space to put in a wall oven.

I love my sideways opening oven. You don't have to lean over a door to get food out. Put the oven at bench height, so you can see into it without bending. Couple that with telescoping tray arms, and getting hot things in and out is a breeze.

I would get an induction cooktop. You do need to have a larger amp connection. If possible see if you can run two 15 amp lines for the cooktop.
oneofthesedayz thanked longbeachgrannyflat
oneofthesedayz
Original Author
8 years ago
thank you longbeachgrannyflat & heeral_dave for your input and ideas.

I quite like those pull out pantries but I wanted some type of pantry for my appliances to be sitting on the bench to be used conveniently instead of tucked away in drawers/cupboards. Do you have induction and can you recommend your appliances as there are many reviews out there which makes things extra confusing!

I am definitely considering removing the sink & dishwasher from the island and moving it to the wall but find it hard to imagine washing/drying dishes looking at a wall. The reason we do not want a window there is because thats where the sun is the strongest and its too late now to put a window there as the plans have been drawn and I can only change the layout of the kitchen. So true dirty dishes banked up on an island will not look good at all. I'm not quite sure about overheads over the island as it is in the middle of the room. I 100% prefer the idea of sliding doors into the pantry.

Thanks again for all your ideas.
marcros2
8 years ago
The relationship between the 3 most used elements in this kitchen sink, fridge and cooktop, seem to be quite a distance apart. issue one

It is becoming more popular not to put the sink on the island bench but placed on the edge, where you have a window to the yard. If the island bench is long enough some place a hand wash small basin here.

I myself have a wall of pantry doors, a balanced arrangement, 400 mm deep and if i am looking for say spices, i know which cupboard door to look into, for this to work all family members need to be organised. The space to circulate around a pantry can therefor go into the kitchen.

Aging is an important to consider when designing a home. Yes the oven located higher up is important, and make sure the oven door when open is at the same height as the benchtops, for safety. Place the built in microwave oven same location, and you can install a pull out shelf under this, so if you want to pull the food out to look or stir without having to take it to a bench.

I would also consider placing the dishwasher just that bit higher up the wall as well, same thing, aging the back tends to give way. Drawers instead of doors always, if the budget allows. The island benchtop looks a bit wide so hopefully you are tall. cabinets up to the ceiling or place a bulkhead over to prevent dust settling on the tops.

I would put a wall of appliances and pantry on the wall with no windows, (where the cooktop is now), or on the bed 4 wall, my choice is the outside wall. make sure you do look at the elevation (vertical look) as well as the floor plan, and a skilled designer can make that happen. I would put the fridge near the benchtop on the other wall near the sink for plumbing reasons, and the cooktop next to the sink, leaving the island bench for preparation.

Types of cooktops, go see a few good stores, consider the long arrangement of cooktop elements instead of ones that sit behind the other in the standard arrangement, as reaching over hot food is not ideal. Gas still seems to be popular, but there are a lot to chose from so buy the appliance to match the type of cooking you normally do.
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longbeachgrannyflat
8 years ago
I currently have all of my appliances on my bench top, but with the clutter hidden by a lift and slide door. The only issue is the geometry. To slide the door out of the way, the cupboard above needs to be wide. I am toying with making a change but putting in a tall cupboard with an open and slide back door. The cupboard would then have fully slide out shelves, wi a power point at the back of each shelf. Each shelf would only just be high enough to store the appliance because once you slide the shelf out, you would have enough room to use it. So for example- the shelf above the toaster would be 280mm. The toaster shelf slides fully out, and I can toast without worrying about heat build up. I just need to find ball bearer sliders that can take the cantilever weight of a kitchen aid with a full glass bowl!
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marcros2
8 years ago
An appliance cupboard they are called, and if you have no butler's pantry these are good, as long as you have the room. lift up slide back doors work, tambor doors work, (roll top) bigger doors that slide back into a recess work, but the width of the appliance cupboard needs to be designed on the doors disappearing into the cabinetry, and with any slide out shelf, locking them into position is critical for safety. Safety is the fist consideration, always. ball bearing sliders can take quite a bit of weight so that should be a simple matter to find.
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scottevie
8 years ago
Rather than completely eliminate the doors, what about if the doors to the pantry were the full width and retracted back into the cabinetry so that they can be tucked out of the way while you are prepping/cooking/using small appliances and then closed over to eliminate/hide pantry clutter at other times. I love my huge bifold doors that hide away my laundry but I think it would be annoying for pantry as they still take up space and create obstacles. For a short time we had a pull out pantry and it was quite heavy when fully stocked to pull out (mind you it was 300-400mm wide and the ONLY space to put food for a family of 4 so I had a lot crammed in). If you could fit it a slim pull-out for spices, cans, jars could be a good option to avoid having to stoop down and search in the back of lower pantry shelves.
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antquadebigpond
8 years ago
- Do you have a butler - if so give them a pantry - if not an appliance cupboard and a pull out pantry would do the trick. Don't dismiss the value of a bank of narrow cupboards. They make good use of your floor space and are a cost effective option.
- Get a wall oven
- Think about the sink in the island. I have one and most of the time I like it, but it brings a lot of clutter to the island and when I am chatting to my family and friends we are always standing around a dirty sink.
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marcros2
8 years ago
If you are having full length doors they have to pull out open 90 degrees and then they slide back beside the appliance cupboard, and if having a 600 mm wide benches, those doors can only be say 550 mm or less so they don't protrude when in the open position. Hence the comment on width of appliance cupboard, 1000 mm is about the full width if using full length doors. If it needs to be wider, than other types of doors need to be considered.

I think the comment of clutter on the sink above and island bench is why most people are opting out of having a sink on the island bench.

Pull out pantries if built to take the load of what is going to be in one, they should be fine. A good cabinet maker will know what that entails. You get what you pay for in most cases.
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Lillien Curtis
8 years ago
Hello. All ideas practical and an appliance cupboard is a must if you had in your previous house as demonstrated by previous comments. Microwave and mixers all away. A sliding door to pantry easy solution. Even one with timber frame (raw or painted depending on your finishes) and opaque glass is great as well. Not compromising on island bench is good. It is best to have drawers on both sides. Depending on your seating or not you can also re configure drawer at end but also keeping in mind power points are a must with an island bench. If you are of average height wall ovens great but not always suitable for someone who is below average height. I have an island bench without a sink which works really well, drawers each side and 2 stools at one end for my needs. The rubbish/recycle bin is a pull out dedicated drawer which is also practical. Sink and stove at the back. Make sure you get a good cabinet maker as well and decide everything beforehand.
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kooky_karen
8 years ago
Here are my thoughts.

1. Do away with pantry and have floor to ceiling cupboards with pull-out shelves.

2. Forget about a wall oven and go with under the bench.

3. The fridge is out of the kitchen area and I would look at swapping it with the desk.

4. Or alternately, here is my attempt at re-drawing -
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rahnch
8 years ago
Hi,

My suggestions

1. Not necessary to a have a pantry.

2.Put the fridge where the "desk" area is. And you can use the island bench for desk space with perhaps a built in bookshelf and drawer for your cookbooks on one of the ends.

3. Ideally a triangle formation for the fridge, sink and stove/oven. This creates easy access to all areas. (It's true - believe me).

4. So along the external wall of the kitchen- refrigerator, wall oven and cook top. Along the wall that adjoins bedroom 4,- floor to ceiling cupboards drawers. & the island bench - sink and writing/meal planning space.

Good Luck!
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sallyd 028
8 years ago
My butlers pantry was previously a walk in pantry with shelves. The space was so under-utilised. I redesigned it to add Caesar stone bench tops and Blum drawers plus over head shelving and glass splash backs. There is a sliding door to close it off but I never do. Plenty of power points for all my appliances as well. Personally I didn't see the use of a sink in there, which is common in a lot of display homes. This is perhaps my favourite feature of my kitchen. My kitchen guy was fantastic with suggestions and options to transform my old kitchen - a good kitchen designer will give you options based on how you use your space.
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Debbie Henton
8 years ago
These are the ideas I am looking at which may help you. https://www.pinterest.com/debbiehenton1/actual-kitchen/
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PRO
Design Fusion
8 years ago
Hello. My suggestion, starting from the current fridge alcove. Leave the fridge where it is. Wall oven beside the fridge, return pantry in the corner with another pantry filling the space between the wall oven & return pantry. I suggest to have the sink and cooktop along the long wall with the island free from the sink. Good luck, Sarah
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Narelle Mckay
8 years ago
Visual ideas for options?
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