new kitchen..hints from the learned

My brother and SIL have just finished their kitchen and I would really second the pantry idea....they don't need as many kitchen units as they have a seperate larder, it is a brilliant idea and looks really well.

Another guy I know recently built quite a high tech house. His plug points are built into his work top, you press this polished circle set flush into the work top and your plug points pop up. Might not be to every bodys taste but I really like the idea.
 
Don't forget the waste disposal unit. We don't have one in our current house and I really miss it. It is great for cleaning off plates after a meal or getting rid of peelings etc.
 
Random thoughts:
Consider having a gas hob fed from a cylinder - nothing beats cooking with gas. I hate ceramic and those solid electric plates.

IMO there is nothing wrong with fitted kitchen or wall cupboards - but if its narrow then beware of haiving them on both sides.

IMO there should be no need for a waste disposal if you have a composter - why put solid waste into the waste water system - just puts a load on the system that is not needed.

Be careful about trying to put in too much storage if there is no space for it - in that case less is more.

Second the big larder unit idea - if you have that as the main food storage it means you are not trying to squeeze in lots of cupboards.

IMO too trendy is not good - will get dated.

Be careful of using odd heights for worksurfaces or sinks - standard is best for resale.

270 degree hinges are good.

ROutered worktop joins are better than naff joining strips.

Get a proper vented hood, if it doesnt go anywhere then its just for decoration.

Small second sink with stopper is good for rinsing suds off your plates/cutlery.

If you get a mixer tap, get one that *actually* mixes (not two jets of water, one cold, one boiling).

Told you it was random...
 
lorna said:
what is this thing in Ireland with "islands" stuck in the middle of the kitchen. dont get this at all, they just seem like there taking up space getting in the way of freeflow. it ends up being a place where everything gets landed on it from keys, newspapers, handbags, eating from them etc. ...
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Well I for one, are all for them - especially if they have the sink or cooker in them. At the very least, it makes the person working there part of the room, and not somebody stuck in the corner with their back to everyone. Ours has the double sink in it, and underneath, on sink side, there's the usual press underneath, and moving along to right, Fisher and Paykel drawer diswasher and drawer bin unit beyond that. On the far side, the worktop - Quartz, btw, fab !, nicer than granite - overhangs and there are two high stools. This way you can work and be sociable. Or work and have the kids sit opposite doing homework/helping/whatever. Including eating.

So quite to the contrary to your 'freeflow' comment, it's a plus, not a minus to the house. If you're in the habit of landing all your stuff on it and leaving it there...............well, it's not the island that's the issue, is it?;) It's not as if that stuff doesn't have it's own place already......

Oh, and lose all the high kitchen units - they're only junk collection areas only, and fit a pantry. Even a tiny one will work out cheaper thank kitchen units, and you can put god-knows-what in there if you like - gosh, maybe even all those 'keys, newspapers, handbags' you have.........
 
eamonn123456;652670]Random thoughts:
IMO there should be no need for a waste disposal if you have a composter - why put solid waste into the waste water system - just puts a load on the system that is not needed.

Second the big larder unit idea - if you have that as the main food storage it means you are not trying to squeeze in lots of cupboards.

IMO too trendy is not good - will get dated.

Small second sink with stopper is good for rinsing suds off your plates/cutlery.
Click to expand...

Agree with the above - especially waste disposal, unnecessary & they break constantly. Also a huge hazzard for kids.

Think long-term, rather than whats fashionable (unless you're one of those wasteful people who change kitchen every few years).

Avoid the silly extras (fancy inserts, pull out larders...which the jars fall off) they really add up & can date the kitchen very quickly.

A good worktop & nice taps can make cheap doors look more expensive.

Go for a cheap solid door rather than foil wrap - at least you can paint it down the road or sand down chips/dents....foil wrap/MDF you can do nothing with.

Get a good plan & try to envisage yourself cooking a dinner, where will you keep your pots, food stuff etc. How will you clean up, put away dishes etc.
 
B&Q have an online 'kitchen planner' on their site, www.diy.com - i've played around with it a few times to check out my dream kitchen. Not the most user friendly, but if you have your measurements and a few hours to spare, worth trying different option, especially as it will cost it, give you differnt views of it, and also stops you putting cupboards over the cooker ;-)

I've seen the dishwasher mounted up about 18-20 inches with a large pots and pan drawer below it - really user friendly, and you don't kill your back, apparently thats how they ofter set them up in Holland! in the place i saw it, they had open shelves above it, but i also saw it with a microwave above it (is it just me or are steam and microwave not a good combination ;-)

A big pull out drawer for under the sink is also a good idea, its normally a wire rack type with a space for the sink u bend cut out, personally I'd find that better than the undersink cupboard I have!
 
mell61 said:
A big pull out drawer for under the sink is also a good idea, its normally a wire rack type with a space for the sink u bend cut out, personally I'd find that better than the undersink cupboard I have!
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That is a good idea. We bought a double drawer unit, and used in the ensuite, and I cut a slot in the drawer to allow the u-bend to pass. Works well, and not expensive.
 
We built a kitchen recently so here are some of the ideas we got:

- if you intend having 90-degree corners with storage, rotating carousels are great for avoiding 'lost pots and pans syndrome'
- we kept the fridge/freezer and a pull-out larder containing tea/coffee/cereals fairly close to the dining area so we could have quick access to these essentials in the morning.
- definitely agree with the idea of a mixer tap so that you can easily get the right temperature of water; also, spend some time looking at high-end taps to get ideas of what is possible before deciding what you ultimately can justify/afford/want.
- agree with the idea of the dishwasher being kept near the sink and the pull-out bin cupboard is also great
- under the sink, consider installing a child-proof cage for storing bleach etc
- we have pop-up sockets in the worktop. They are a little bit 'geewhizz flashy' but we are glad they are there and they are absolutely practical (also give a sleek look to the kitchen as there are no sockets on the walls)
- we didn't go with the central island unit idea. Unless you have a LOT of space to play with we felt that it was more of a barrier to movement across the kitchen (and can be tight to manoeuvre around a person when there's someone working at it) than a useful facility. However, each to his/her own! We used an L-shaped work area with a hob and hood on the 'L-part'.
-If you're planning a hob, make sure you've adequate chopping/ preparation area near the hob. Also, we have small spice/seasoning drawers below the hob.
- we don't use much ice typically so weren't interested in the ice maker facility in the fridge freezer. Personally, I think they take away too much useful capacity from the appliance. Unless you really want a built in ice-maker, I'd suggest avoiding same and using ice trays or bags.
- if you are buying integrated ovens/microwaves, make sure that you have the doors opening away from the worktop area- you want to be able to take a hot dish out of the appliance and place it quickly on a worktop area without having to manoeuvre around the appliance's door. Some manufacturers offer hinges on either side.
- if you are getting recessed lighting in the kitchen ceiling, make sure to allow for the depth of your cupboards/presses when telling the electrician where the cut-outs for the lights are to be situated.
- I'd recommend having a 'pendant light' centred on the kitchen table.
- if you intend to have radiators in the kitchen, check the best place to situate them so that, for example, you don't lose a wall which could hold a dresser to a radiator.
- soft-close motion is a nice to have feature for all doors.
- if using pull out units, ask your kitchen supplier what weight the hinges on same can bear.
- a non-porous splash-back at the sink area, including the sill is probably essential. I'd avoid wooden window boards.
 
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