Kitchen Design Layout Advice

claireanne23

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone with any knowledge of kitchen design regs could help?

We are in the process of buying a house and wanted to fit a new kitchen after moving in. However, I have a query about the size of the kitchen. It is a galley kitchen and is 2240mm wide. This means with two sides of standard 600mm units, the gap between the two rows of cupboards is 1040mms. I know the recommended design distance between two rows of units is 1200mms to allow you to open doors on both sides without touching, but do you know if its still possible to install the kitchen with a gap of 1040mms, or are we going to find this a problem going forward?

Doozergirl

It's fine. I'd suggest not putting the dishwasher opposite the oven, for example, but you wouldn't do that with a 1200mm gap either.

ic

You could also install cupboards with narrower doors - say 500mm. Having done it myself, I'd wholeheartedly recommend you install drawers everywhere under the worktops rather than cupboards, allows you to use every inch of storage, without ever having to crouch to get to the back of a cupboard.

cranford

You can find base units that will fit under 500mm wide work tops. You would be limited in the use of appliances but could you use these on one side?

Kiran

Fit base unit feet to wall unit cupboards? It give you the extra width but does cost you useable counter space. Do this on one side and fit you appliances on the opposite wall.

FreeBear

Most base units have a 70mm service gap down the back - You could trim the units down to give you another ~140mm with the gap... But any appliances that you fit will stick out.

My kitchen is also long and thin (2.4m x 3.5m). Fitted a run of 600mm base units one side, and two 600mm bases either side of a 900mm pan draw unit along the other wall. Have not put any wall cupboards up as they would make the kitchen look even smaller than it already is. Six months on, and the kitchen is working just fine for me.

The original kitchen had slim line base units down one side, which made for a pretty shallow worktop - Hated it as there was never any space to do anything. With a run of wall units above it, it was also a dark and dismal area.

The only real advice I would give is don't have draws opening out into a doorway - Same for a dishwasher if you fit one. The last thing you'll want is someone running through a door, and smacking in to an open draw or dishwasher.

cranford

I have just measured my galley kitchen and the gap is 1030mm. I have had the same basic layout for over 40 years and had no problems opening cupboard and appliance doors. I have a 600mm door opposite the 600mm oven door but they open in opposite directions and not normally open together.