Extension plans

[sally maclennane]

As a distraction, I'm trying to make some initial plans for my extension now that I have planning permission for it. The link below is a house very similar to mine in layout (although mine is nicer ) and if you look at the floor plan, it is the back 2 rooms of the ground floor that will be changed. The current dining room will become the kitchen, the current kitchen will become the utility room and downstairs shower room (so I no longer need to share a bathroom ) The extension will be the width of the house, lopping a bit off the back garden and it will be a dining room/snug space with sliding doors and skylights.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-fo ... 32173.html

I can't wait to have a decent kitchen again, the current one is tiny and old, and having more than one person in it is impossible. Off the top of my head, I want a double oven, an island and LOTS of drawers. I would love to know what you are glad you got/what you would change about your kitchen, what colour of units you like (I don't want a white/cream kitchen though, or high gloss) your views on flooring/wall colours etc.

Any suggestions for a utility room and shower room will be gratefully received too.

[Cosmopolitan]

In the utility room, somewhere to store washing baskets. Mine just hang around making the place look untidy (if you're going to have the washing machine in the utility?).

Pull out pantry cupboards are the dream.

[smalex]

Exciting Sally!

We got loads of deep pan drawers. Almost all drawers actually, I think we've got one double cupboard really and not many others. I really love them. We didn't have many wall cupboards, so it feels more open. Our wine fridge is excellent . The oven is pyrolytic and that was life changing. We got a 5 ring hob and I find that really useful. In terms of things we'd change, I wish we'd have the dishwasher and washing machine integrated, but we just couldn't run to the extra cost at the time (we were given a practically brand new dishwasher from free, for a start!) but it would've looked neater. Wish we had a couple more sockets and wish we'd got the ones with USB ports in them. I wish we'd changed the crap spots for nicer spots, but again, budget at the time. We obviously also found room/could facilitate a large walk in pantry and I absolutely love it. I'd struggle now without one.

Ours is a duck egg/anthracite shaker arrangement which is very unoriginal but I liked it and it's easy to live with for a long time. We got granite work tops, if we'd had more money we'd probably have got quartz or something, but I don't have any issues with the granite. We got wide dark blueish metro tiles (also unoriginal). We bought from a place called Units. Online. which were great and very good value when I compared their stuff to other more main stream suppliers. DIY Kitchens are similar concept (my friend bought from them and had a good experience).

A decent carpenter fitting it is worth their weight in gold.

I don't have a utility or shower room so I can't really comment on those!

[sally maclennane]

In the utility room, somewhere to store washing baskets. Mine just hang around making the place look untidy (if you're going to have the washing machine in the utility?).

Pull out pantry cupboards are the dream.

Yes, washing machine will be in the utility - that is good thinking.

I had a pull out larder in my old kitchen, I loved it

[sally maclennane]

Exciting Sally!

We got loads of deep pan drawers. Almost all drawers actually, I think we've got one double cupboard really and not many others. I really love them. We didn't have many wall cupboards, so it feels more open. Our wine fridge is excellent . The oven is pyrolytic and that was life changing. We got a 5 ring hob and I find that really useful. In terms of things we'd change, I wish we'd have the dishwasher and washing machine integrated, but we just couldn't run to the extra cost at the time (we were given a practically brand new dishwasher from free, for a start!) but it would've looked neater. Wish we had a couple more sockets and wish we'd got the ones with USB ports in them. I wish we'd changed the crap spots for nicer spots, but again, budget at the time. We obviously also found room/could facilitate a large walk in pantry and I absolutely love it. I'd struggle now without one.

What is pyrolytic, please? I could google obvs but interested to know what is life changing about it

J who does the bulk of cooking has requested a 5 ring hob so that's on the list.

My friend said the same about sockets "get as many as you can get"

[smalex]

It's self cleaning. So it has a setting where the oven door locks itself, it's heats up to a high temp for a few hours, and then when it's done there is just a layer of ash which you can wipe out with a cloth.

[Froozy]

How exciting! If you have an idea of the measurements you'll have you can (used to be able to) start planning the kitchen layout using the kitchen builder on the Ikea website. I can bang on about this kind of thing for hours so feel free to skip ahead .

I'm a complete convert to drawers and before lockdown had just bought the (Bramble-approved) kit to convert my pull out larder cupboard into something with individual drawers. I'd always wanted a larder cupboard so to learn that the reality is a heavy, clunky, not very user friendly space has been a bit of a let down .

If you have room, instead of a double oven I'd go for two single ones. My parents have this and have stacked them one above the other so they're pretty much at eye height which is wonderful. No more scrabbling on the floor! The single ovens have more room than a double so make doing roasts and other big meals much easier. (Again, I had always wanted a double oven, moved here and was crushed by the fact that the main oven is smaller than my old single).

If you're replacing your white goods and are going for the built in look a dishwasher which projects the time of the cycle onto the floor is a nice to have.

Our kitchen tap has a built in spray head which is useful for rinsing the sink down. We also have an InSinkerator which I wouldn't have chosen but is useful. We don't put all the food waste down it but it definitely simplifies the scrape/rinse/dishwasher process.

We also have a dedicated recycling cupboard with deep bins in which is very helpful.

Which way will your extension face? If it's a particularly sunny aspect consider how you will stop glare through the windows and skylights. We have the most amazing glazed roof side return (we didn't do it) but the garden faces South East and working at the kitchen table in the morning requires relocating the table which is a faff. This is obvs very much a first world whine but thinking about window coverings/sails at the back to deflect sun at the start is probably easier than retrofitting.

[baargain]

Self cleaning oven is very important.

[smalex]

I've got a single oven with a microwave/combi above it, which in the end I thought was a better arrangement than having a proper double oven. I'd definitely always get them in an eyeline arrangement rather than undercounter. My sister has one of the proving drawers too which is lovely for warming plates and things.

[Cosmopolitan]

I'm a complete convert to drawers and before lockdown had just bought the (Bramble-approved) kit to convert my pull out larder cupboard into something with individual drawers. I'd always wanted a larder cupboard so to learn that the reality is a heavy, clunky, not very user friendly space has been a bit of a let down .

That's really good to know. I always thought they were great. I definitely agree that deep pullout drawers are brilliant.

[smalex]

Pull out larders seem to divide people, in my experience (I chat kitchens with people quite often, without being actually involved). Some people swear by them and others find them heavy and cumbersome.

[sally maclennane]

These are all great ideas, keep them coming!

Froozy, its north facing so glare shouldn't be an issue. It is a problem in my living room where my love seat is already faded despite having blinds closed all day

Someone else recommended 2 single ovens, I will see if I can fit them in at eye level though. And make them self cleaning ones!

[Ella77]

It's self cleaning. So it has a setting where the oven door locks itself, it's heats up to a high temp for a few hours, and then when it's done there is just a layer of ash which you can wipe out with a cloth.

They’re so good, I agree.

Very exciting, sally!

[Mayday]

I like my pan drawers and built in microwave in my kitchen. A billion sockets as your friend says! Our kitchen has loads which is very useful.

I have our dishwasher and fridge freezer in our utility and I like that they are tucked out of the way. I hate hate hate my belfast sink.

[sally maclennane]

I like my pan drawers and built in microwave in my kitchen. A billion sockets as your friend says! Our kitchen has loads which is very useful.

I have our dishwasher and fridge freezer in our utility and I like that they are tucked out of the way. I hate hate hate my belfast sink.

Yeah, I'm not a fan of Belfast sinks either. Style over substance I think.

[Squirrel]

Whereas I hated having the dishwasher away from the kitchen before we redid ours! It was in the adjoining bit that is now the utility room.

The utility room has a washing machine and TD stacked on the right, a big Belfast sink (which I love!) with cupboard under in the middle, and three drawers on the left.

I love having the big sink in there, I use it mostly for washing dog bowls, muddy shoes, my hands when I come in from the garden and that sort of thing. It would be good for hand washing clothes if I ever did any.

Ovens - I’ve got a built in oven with microwave/grill/fan oven above it. I use the smaller top oven about 80% of the time but it’s actually a bit high up for me, I can only just reach things in and out comfortably. So do consider that if you’re average or below average height!

Shower room - we had nooks built into the wall in one which is excellent, I would I recommend doing that. But for some reason it didn’t occur to us to do the same in the en suite . I’m such a thicko.

[smalex]

Not that I've ever had a utility but I'd also prefer the dishwasher to be in the kitchen, in a neat triangle of dishwasher/ bin/ sink

[sally maclennane]

I had the dishwasher in the utility in my flat, and it never really bothered me but I think with this kitchen, I'll keep it in the main part. It will definitely be the one that displays the time on the floor, I am fascinated by those

Squizz, I'm only 5ft 2 so I will definitely bear that in mind.

Has anyone got/seen IRL dark blue kitchens? They are very popular in searches I've done but I'm a bit concerned that they will be a bit of a fad.

[Squirrel]

Yes my next door neighbour has a dark blue kitchen and it is a thing of absolute beauty . You could always change the doors later.

[Froozy]

I'm a complete convert to drawers and before lockdown had just bought the (Bramble-approved) kit to convert my pull out larder cupboard into something with individual drawers. I'd always wanted a larder cupboard so to learn that the reality is a heavy, clunky, not very user friendly space has been a bit of a let down .

That's really good to know. I always thought they were great. I definitely agree that deep pullout drawers are brilliant.

To be fair, ours isn't helped by its position in the room. It's next to the door out to the back passage and hemmed in by the dishwasher so you have to do a slightly awkward tetris thing to get to the far side. They might move better if they're in the middle of a row of cupboards.

Depending on the size of your shower have the controls plumbed in where you get in rather than under the head so you don't risk a cold shower when you first turn it on. I love our nooks too.