Would you buy a house with a dark kitchen?

Waterlily24

I'm afraid I wouldn't like it so wouldn't buy. Love to look out of a window while I'm in the kitchen.

kerri_gt

On the flip side, the lack of natural lighting / windows, would mean it's likely to stay nice and cool in the hotter months.
I don't think if I loved the rest of the house, the kitchen being dark would kill it for me, so long as there was a window or door somewhere I could open when OH burns the toast.

davidmcn

That doesn't sound particularly dark, considering that many kitchens are completely internal rooms (and it seems commonplace these days to have open-plan kitchens at the non-window end of a room).

You need sufficient lighting for when there isn't daylight anyway, so not sure it's that big a deal.

ACG

When I bought my last house, the kitchen was really dark - wooden work tops, orange (from the 70s) cupboards and the walls were like a yellow colour - a dull yellow.

We replaced the floor with a very light grey, the walls were similar, the work top was like a charcoal colour and the units were a white gloss.

We also put a massive mirror on the wall to bounce more light in it. The kitchen went from being really dark to quite nice - even if I do say so myself.

You can brighten it up, but there is only so much you can do. We looked on the internet for ideas. It does not need to cost a fortune, just choosing light colours and a mirror can make a big difference.

victoriavictorious

My current kitchen has a window over the sink but I haven't once had occasion to look out of it whilst at the sink; I'm too busy looking down at whatever I'm doing!
I love the idea of a mirror over the sink which I've seen done via Pinterest (plenty of ideas if you search for windowless kitchens) and it looked great.
Alternatively, how about one of these, framed?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/332235852450

Davesnave

I think you are either a kitchen sink bird/wildlife/woman/man watcher, or you aren't.


It's not the lack of light that would grate with me, as that may be remedied easily, but the fact that it's a through room with not a lot of space by the time cabinets and appliances are factored-in.


I'd put in a low offer, and if accepted, find a way into the garage, provided that isn't essential for something else.

FreeBear

Davesnave wrote: »

It sounds like a passageway,

That was my first thought - A corridor that has been converted in to a kitchen :eek:

Whilst my kitchen isn't quite so bad - 3.4m x 2.4m, north facing, but has the advantage of one large window plus a second small window over the sink. During the refit, walls were plastered in a pale lemon yellow, light wood floor units, and a black worktop. The two things that have made the kitchen appear much more spacious and light are - No wall units and six ceiling spots fitted with warm white bulbs.

suki1964

Do you really spend enough time at the sink to be daydreaming away looking out the window?

Isn't this why we have dishwashers?

My last house had a galley kitchen which we extended into the garden. It was mid terrace and very narrow so to make the most of what we had we extend to as close to the boundary we could each side of us.

To give us light, the wall to the garden was glass, bi folding doors, and we had a large velux put in to give more light to the original kitchen, which was where the kitchen sink was resited, the side wall.

Never bothered me one single bit as I spent less then ten minutes a day at it, just washing the odd bits that didn't go in the dishwasher.

That was my compromise to get the sort of kitchen I wanted. One where the kids came and sat done their homework, where hubby could sit comfortably in his work clothes, doors open to the garden, dog in and out, big enough to party in etc etc

pinkshoes

How was the second viewing?

Would there be an option to open the kitchen up into the lounge/diner and have it as one giant room?

Or a 1970s style serving hatch?

TamsinC

could you extend into the garage? And put more windows in?