I love my walk in pantry, my microwave that's in the pantry and not taking up valuable bench space, my single sink (we never used the second one in other houses so opted for a single), my 900mm oven, my 5hob cooktop (long one in the middle great for grilling), my pot drawers. I also love my cupborads that go all the wat to the ceiling (no dusting on top of them) and my huge glossy splaskback tiles that look like glass at a fraction of the price.
I hate my island bench. Great if you have an enormous kitchen but I wish I'd just closed off one side and had extra bench space instead.
I hate the lack of appropriately located powerpoints (especially on the island where I do most of my prep).
eta myboys I have an omega oven that I think is great. Bit wider.
I haven't thought about this much... but this is what I want...
Butlers Pantry w inbuilt ladder
Island bench with second sink and second dishwasher
2 ovens
Crockery Drawers
Pots & Pans Drawers
Bain Marie Drawer or at least a plate warming drawer
A cooking L so fridge, sink oven in L shape so that when cooking you don't need to go from one side of the kitchen to the other
Wine Fridge
Powerpoint strip with slidable powerpoints to be where you want them
We have a U shaped kitchen. On one long side, theres: oven with inbuilt micrwave oven, then stove with huge range, then bench with double powerpoint.
On short side is the double sink (with window above)
Then next long side, double powerpoint then long bench space. Bench is stone.
Opposite the sick is the wall with fridge and pantry.
What I like:
Glass splashback. I hate tiles (and grout), so this is great. You can get different colors, so if you want to update the kitchen cheaply, just change the splashback and the cupboard handles!
Lots of space.
Lots of storage space
The tap is an extendable hose - great for cleaning chopping blocks.
There are deep drawers under the stove wear we store the pots and pans - love it being in a drawer, where I don't have to bend down to much.
The range has an automatic sensor for steam.smoke and increases with need.
It's open plan with dining area
One of the most important things for me is that the area where you stand to prepare meals is not where the cutlery drawers are. It drives me insane when you're standing there chopping things and someone wants to get into the drawers. Mum has a kitchen island with a sink next to the drawers. It is the worst design - the spare bench space is above the drawers and people are trying to either get into the drawers or the sink
What I don't like:
Oven is too small. Would like 2 ovens, one on top of each other
Not enough powerpoints - for coffee machine, griller, micorwave, toaster, kettle etc
It came with the microwave, but we use our own, so it takes up bench space and powerpoint.
Wow it sounds like there are some beautiful kitchens between us all (and in our imaginations).
Kim, we are planning an island bench on wheels but never considered the powerpoint situation. Thanks for the heads up. The splash back sounds great and i'll look out for the oven you mentioned.
I'll be extending our kitchen into the family meals area that isn't used because of an extension. I just want a fully functional place for me to cook for my family and where they can also sit and be comfy, discuss their day (when their old enough) and enjoy the food i prepare for them.
The guys can have their sheds we can have our kitchens
our kitchen is awful - dark brown laminate cupboards, ORANGE benchtops (matched by the lime green in the laundry - and the red toilet...)
it lacks storage space for everything. we're getting a new one - when the shed goes up (which will likely have a kitchenette so we can still eat while the kitchen is being done - and so i can kick DH and his mates out there lol)
i think i'm going to push for all drawers - i'm sick on not being able to get to things!
want a narrow cupboard with lots of shelves for appliances so they're easy to access - not one behind another kinda thing
have a six burner gas cooktop, rangehood and electric stove.
apart from that - well, i have the panels to assemble it (bought for a previous house) - everything else is still up in the air. we've talked about turning the windows into french door kinda things so we can pass food/drinks outside to the bbq area we have out there. not sure - have to check on the expense. there is no major remodelling - just changing the windows over....
My kitchen is fabulous - my DH made it entirely himself. It has solid American Oak benchtops on one side and granite on the other, a nice shiny oven and glass splashbacks. But the best design feature is that it has NO CUPBOARDS - even the under sink part is a drawer and it is fantastic. I have two shallow drawers next to my oven for all my spices and utensils so I have nothing clogging up my benchtops.
Seriously, all drawers with good quality, 100%-opening drawer runners are the bomb.
I'm with Rory - drawers are the BEST. Especially the depth that takes spices.
Think seriously about cabinetry colour. We did our kitchen 8 years ago - I tossed up beween timber or white laminate for ages and chose the timber with black granite-look laminex. We moved a few years ago and did another kitchen and this time did white laminate and "real granite". I loved the white heaps more - it just always looks clean and bright and fresh. We have moved back to the house with the timber laminate house now and I miss my gorgeous white kitchen I have never seen a white kitchen that doesn't look "classy".
ETA - Also if you like to have things on your benchtop think about having deeper benches. I think the standard is 600 which is not that deep if you like to have a cook book or utensils always at the back of the bench. We have 2 long benches in our kitchen and one is the standard 600 but the one on which we do our preparation is 700 deep.
Last edited by anney; October 5th, 2009 at 07:37 PM.
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I have never seen a white kitchen that doesn't look "classy".
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