Tips for using DIY kitchens, and also some (basic) designs

penguingirl

Now we have finished our bathroom we are thinking about moving on to our kitchen. It will probably be next year before we do it, but want to get organised and decide on what we want, have an idea of cost etc. We are probably going to buy it from DIY kitchens as I've read good things about them, their prices seem good and we visited their showroom last year and liked what we saw. At the moment we are between the Seton Oak and the Broadoak Natural- we are tending towards the Seton Oak because we aren't planning on staying in the house for more than a few years (it's our first house) and there isn't much potential to add value with an amazing kitchen, although I do want the units to be a good quality.

Does anyone have any tips for using DIY kitchens? I'm thinking about things like handles and worktops etc.- are we best getting them somewhere else? Also I see that we'd need a hingejig from them to fit the doors- is there any alternatives to the one they sell/hire out?

I have done a few designs on the ikea website today- some of the units aren't quite the right size (DIY kitchens seem to offer more choice, e.g. with 700mm and 900mm cupboards, also better corner units), but it gives a rough idea. We have a built in electric cooker (already have it) with gas hobs above it (I couldn't get any hobs to appear on the planner!) and obviously the washing machine would have counter over it, and our dishwasher won't be integrated. This design doesn't involve moving gas or electric for oven and hob, or plumbing for DW or sink, but does involve moving plumbing for WM (at the mo it is next to the oven). I know the corner by the sink looks messy as IKEA wouldn't let me put worktop there, but we have to have a bit of 'empty' space next to the sink unit as we actually have some built in piping there. Also our boiler is where the gap in the corner is above it; we're considering seeing if we can get a false cupboard door for it, but not really looked into that properly yet. Also the shelfs at the end would definitely be in wood not white! Any thoughts on it the overall layout would be good- my main criteria are that I have a set of big drawers, that I have lots of 'top' cupboards and that I have a good amount of worktop space. Also our kitchen is north-facing so I am wanting it to be as open as possible, at the moment we have a breakfast bar in the middle of the room and I can't stand it.

Thanks!

penguingirl

I have come to the conclusion from the lack of replies that my design must be flawless

MissGivings_2

The corner to the right of the oven, is that a gap between the worktops? Food will fall down there.

Are the worktop all the same height? Better looking is they are.

Ditch that horrible 3 open- shelf thing at the end, they cheapen a kitchen.

Is there a space to the left of the sink? Can't work that one out.

Can you open the door under the sink?

I'll have another look at the plan.......

penguingirl

Thanks for the replies- it is really useful to get other perspectives on it. Apologies for the poor quality of the design! It is definitely not perfectly to scale, unfortunately I can't find a design tool that allows me to use the dimension cupboards that DIY kitchens sell (particularly 700mm and 900mm cupboards). I've tried to respond to your suggestions. You've definitely given me food for thought!

andrew-b wrote: »

Fridge/freezer side i think is fine - though maybe try keep the wall units to be same widths as the base units below.

I have tried to do this- on my paper plan they line up much better, but the IKEA website wouldn't let me have units exactly the right size so it looks scruffier than it actually is!

Oven side i'd make the base units symmetrical either side of the oven - and same with wall units either side of extractor. So for the base units one or two doors both sides...rather than one on one side and two on the other.

Ok will have a think about this- not sure whether it would work as we don't really want to move the location of the oven and the gap on one side (window side) is going to be a double 800mm, so not sure it leaves us with a huge amount of options on the other side (currently we are looking at getting an 800mm corner cupboard on the FF side, but obviously it would only have one door). Will have a play around with that wall.

On the sink/window side i'd change it so that going from left to right as you face the window you have a base unit (to match the one opposite on the fridge/freezer wall - is that a corner unit or is the corner unit door opening on the oven side?). Then have your dishwasher under the drainer of the sink, followed by sink with unit under. Again trying to reflect the symmetry from the other side of the room. Then the washing machine on the end and ditch the open unit.

The corner unit is going to be on the sink wall (this is what we have at the moment). The suggestion you've made is actually what we have at the moment sink/DW wise (but we have a breakfast bar where WM will go). OH and I have discussed multiple times which way round they will go.

I think i would also have wall units on the oven side upto the corner and either side of the window as you can never have too many units. You might also want to consider more pan drawers rather than units on that oven side - personal preference though.
Edit: i'd also consider changing from doorline to drawerline (i.e a drawer at top of every base unit).

We out boiler is in the cupboard- unfortunately IKEA don't have one you can put in the design! We're considering getting it in a cupboard to make the flow nicer. We probably won't put cupboards either side of the window as we wouldn't be able to corner around from the boiler and I think on the other side it would block light from the window into the dining room (it's a bit of a gloomy room). I would consider another set of pan drawers, but I'm not sure where they would go as I would want them to hit other handles etc. which I think they would if they were in a corner location. Any suggestions?

MissGivings wrote: »

The corner to the right of the oven, is that a gap between the worktops? Food will fall down there.

Sorry, no just my dodgy planning using cupboards on the IKEA website that aren't quite what we'll be using (DIY kitchens offer cupboards in 100mm increases, IKEA only do 200mm increases so sometimes it appears as though there is a gap of 100mm!)... it requires a bit of imagination.

Are the worktop all the same height? Better looking is they are.

Yes they definitely will be

Ditch that horrible 3 open- shelf thing at the end, they cheapen a kitchen.

Are they really that horrid? Can I have other solutions about where I put recipes books etc.? Also OH is worried that wall with the WM and DW will look a bit 'blunt' if we just have an end panel next to them and we thought the angled shelves would soften it? He's also worried it will look like a space ship with two appliances next to each other (but he gets minimal voting rights in this so I'm not worried by that).

Is there a space to the left of the sink? Can't work that one out.

Again using not quite to scale cupboards- there is boxed in piping in that corner (from the boiler above) so the corner cupboard won't be sitting perfectly in the corner of the room (does anyone have perfect right-angled corners?) and the worktop will be cut to fit around the boxing- definitely no gaps!!

Can you open the door under the sink?

Yes- it's what we have at the moment. I know the sink location is a bit wedged in the corner, but it has grown on me and I spend so little of time at the sink it doesn't upset me it's not perfectly under the window (which would be my preferred spot). I can'tt work out how to move it without budging my WM/DW along and I think that would put them too far over into the 'dining' side of the room.

I'll have another look at the plan.......

penguingirl

I've had a play with this on paper and I have managed to get it that all the cupboards on the FF wall have same size doors and the cupboard under the sink also has this size door. This has involved changing the sink cupboard from a corner unit to a single unit, but as that corner is so messy anyway because of the piping I'm not upset by the loss of space (and it will be easier to fit). Does anyone see any problems with that? I'm going to play around with the units of the oven wall later. Thanks for the pointers!

MissGivings_2

how are you getting on with your design?

Couple more things from me-

The wall cupboard to the right of the cooker hood looks sad. It emphasises the lack of symmetry on that wall. Or is that right hand corner where you're going to put the boiler and a false cupboard and door etc? That would look good.

Although you've got use to the sink being shoved up, the design looks compromised. Put the major things in place then work everything else around that was my mantra when I was as an working interior designer.
How about from left to right dishwasher, sink, washing machine?
As it is, the window looks sad with the dishwasher under it.

I've got two appliances next to one another-it's horrible and the first thing I'd fix when I get a new kitchen!

Those end shelf things with the angled cut offs- they're so dated. They never look good and spoil the units. There's nothing nicer in a lovely new kitchen than no clutter and a lovely fresh feel- not outdated hideously- shaped shelves bunged on to the end of your lovely units! :mad:
put a gorgeous wicker basket of veg or dried flowers there instead if you must have something!

sugarwalsh

I would move the sink to the middle of the window and put dishwasher on left, washing machine on right. Moving plumbing that little bit wont cost much at all. I'm also inclined to agree that the corner unit doesn't look great - Finish it off with another cupboard.

Also, to me I would try a lighter colour on the doors on the wall. We have just fitted a kitchen with oak units and worksurface lower down and then cream doors with oak trims for the wall cupboards. It looks rather natty, even if I do say so myself! I was just thinking that if your kitchen is north facing you may want to get something that reflects light as it will feel pretty dark in there otherwise.

Have fun - I did designing my kitchen!

MEgan

penguingirl

Thank you for your suggestions again! I really appreciate, design hasn't evolved on paper as I have been at the hairdressers but it is getting there in my head.

MissGivings wrote: »

how are you getting on with your design?

Couple more things from me-

The wall cupboard to the right of the cooker hood looks sad. It emphasises the lack of symmetry on that wall. Or is that right hand corner where you're going to put the boiler and a false cupboard and door etc? That would look good.

Yes that's the corner. I'll include it in my next design as I think we will be finding a way to make the false cupboard work. Just spoken to one of my neighbours who says one of the other neighbours has just done it and it looks so much better than everyone elses exposed cupboards!

Although you've got use to the sink being shoved up, the design looks compromised. Put the major things in place then work everything else around that was my mantra when I was as an working interior designer.
How about from left to right dishwasher, sink, washing machine?
As it is, the window looks sad with the dishwasher under it.

I really like that idea. I think you are right that we get used to things- especially as my gut reaction when we moved in was that the sink looked odd not being under the window. Will definitely be swapping them. Do you think that would be the right way around for the DW and WM? The DW gets used more and so would it make sense for it to be closer to the 'dining' end for ease of clearing up etc. Also I'd be worried it would hit the cupboard handles on the oven wall if it was in the corner.

I've got two appliances next to one another-it's horrible and the first thing I'd fix when I get a new kitchen!

Haha ok, maybe I'll agree to be out-voted on that one (but only because you provided an alternative which is more than OH could!)

Those end shelf things with the angled cut offs- they're so dated. They never look good and spoil the units. There's nothing nicer in a lovely new kitchen than no clutter and a lovely fresh feel- not outdated hideously- shaped shelves bunged on to the end of your lovely units! :mad:
put a gorgeous wicker basket of veg or dried flowers there instead if you must have something!

Ok, will leave it without. If we put in the kitchen and felt it looked funny we can always add something in there later. I agree with you about the clutter free- that's why I don't like our breakfast bar at the moment, it's too small to be used as a BB, it chops the room in half and it always has post/keys/dirty mugs/lazy cat on it no matter how many times I clear away and only leave the fruitbowl!

penguingirl

sugarwalsh wrote: »

I would move the sink to the middle of the window and put dishwasher on left, washing machine on right. Moving plumbing that little bit wont cost much at all. I'm also inclined to agree that the corner unit doesn't look great - Finish it off with another cupboard.

You and MissGivings think alike and I love this suggestion- I think sometimes it's easy to get fixed on a certain layout when there is an obvious solution.

Also, to me I would try a lighter colour on the doors on the wall. We have just fitted a kitchen with oak units and worksurface lower down and then cream doors with oak trims for the wall cupboards. It looks rather natty, even if I do say so myself! I was just thinking that if your kitchen is north facing you may want to get something that reflects light as it will feel pretty dark in there otherwise.

I do know what you mean, but not sure I fancy have a mismatch of colours, I just can't visualise it in my head. We have oak units at the moment (although not as many on the walls) and it doesn't look that bad light-wise, probably because we have the window, the conservatory and the glass doors through to the lounge let the light in too. Although saying that I nearly always have to cook with the light on- but I don't think that would stop with some lighter units. I wish I could have some not-cheap looking beech as that would be lighter but I have never seen any I like!

Have fun - I did designing my kitchen!

MEgan

Thanks, I am too! Have been off for a few weeks between jobs so had too much time on my hands (once bathroom project was completed!)

sugarwalsh

http://www.blipfoto.com/entry/1320049

Not sure if that will work but here is a picture which will give you some idea and help you visualise it. If you want more I could forward you some pictures.

Megan

penguingirl

sugarwalsh wrote: »

http://www.blipfoto.com/entry/1320049

Not sure if that will work but here is a picture which will give you some idea and help you visualise it. If you want more I could forward you some pictures.

Megan

Haha, yes my head couldn't visualise it like that (I need everything on paper, hence all my crazy sketchings that are all over my desk!). Will have a look at it as an option, not sure whether it's what we're after or not- but it looks lovely in your kitchen (which looks gorgeous, as do your kids and kittens!)