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Hi there, I'm new here and hoped that I could get some ideas on a kitchen.
It's part of an open-plan-living/dining room and it's a bit of a tricky space to squeeze it into, it's an L-shape but there is a "shoppers entry" door and a window along one wall - this makes the space for overhead cabinets and a rangehood rather limited - therefore we are thinking of adding an island (and because I really want a breakfast bar and the island rangehoods look so cool). I have attached the 3D file so far.
We only have room for a single cabinet depth kitchen island - could that stand on its own or does it need a half-height wall to support it? I was thinking that legs, rather then kickboards for the island, might create a nice flow throughout the room. Would this be sturdy enough? Just screwed on to floorboards? I'll need to figure out a neat way to add a splashback. I only want it at the back of the cooktop not covering up the whole bench. Any ideas?
Secondly I'm considering using the corner benchtop to form a bit of an unusual breakfast bar, either supported by a cabinet under or just leg(s). There are two reasons for this idea; there is a 45 degree angle wall in another part of the room and I thought it would work well to reflect this in the kitchen and I also wanted something a little more sociable then just a standard breakfast bar and thought that this way you could be facing each other - and that would be nice.
Has anyone seen this benchtop used like this? Do you know if it always come with the middle cut out (as it looks like in the 3D software) or could you get it with this bit filled in? If not any ideas on how I can fill it in neatly - I believe the benchtop from the rest of the island would be just a tiny bit to wide.
General feedback? Can you see any problems with this design or do you think it works? As far as the island and any other problems goes? Looks and practicality?
Also thinking about colour schemes - we are going to have jarrah floor boards, that's an Australian native, dark red colour, http://img.alibaba.com/photo/11336285/Jarrah_Flooring_80mm_x_19mm_Western_Australia_Australia_.jpg I need the doors / benchtop colours / wall tiles combo to compliment this. I want something fairly modern / contemporary. Any ideas? The rest of the room needs to be redecorated anyway so the kitchen just needs to match the floor and then I'll match the rest of the room to the kitchen - though I'm currently in favour of various shades of yellow on the walls.
Last edited by swedishchick; Jul 4th, 08 at 10:15 pm.
We don't have that sort of benchtop here in the US, so I haven't seen it with or without the cutout! I would just caution you on the cooktop on the island, though...I don't particularly like them because they are quite dangerous, especially on a narrow island. Think about boilovers, pots getting knocked off, hot oil splashing, splatter and open flames...not something I would want in the middle of my room! They look cool, but in reality would be a bit of a nightmare to actually use. I think you would get much more function if you moved your cooktop to the counter where the microwave is shown, and use the island for a prep surface.
I also would recommend using an island top with rounded corners rather than the sharp angles, especially in an open plan. I guarantee you people will bang into the corner and it will hurt. You can get worktops in pretty much any shape you want depending on the material you choose, and you can use any countertop you like with IKEA cabinets, not just what IKEA sells.
Overall I do like you plan. We do prefer to see drawers on any lower cabinet where possible, and we also like the deeper overfridge cabinets. I'm not familiar with the particulars of kitchens in your part of the world, though, so I am sorry I can't be of more specific assistance here. I know here in the States you need to fasten your cabinets to the floor if you are running any utility to it, but otherwise you can leave it freestanding. Are you sure you can't put a row of shallow cabinets on the "back" of the island? With an open plan you might have a bit of flexibility.
I really think a round counter end there will not only be safer but more functional, as more people can gather around it. I've seen them quite often and think that they are very cool.
I guess I could add some shallow cabinets to make the island a little wider and the hotplate safer. I was thinking of incorporating some type of splash back behind the cooker for the same reason. We do have a baby. I guess I was hoping to make the dining space slightly bigger but maybe this isn’t to cramped anyway. I have attached a floorplan showing the kitchen in the whole room so you can see. What do you think? It is minimum 1.20m they suggest between the sink and the island isn’t it?
I’ve been experimenting with having the cooker where the microwave is. But there is a lot to fit into this wall; fridge and pantry/tall cabinet. I wouldn’t know where else to put these. There is also the door – would need to keep the oven a fair way away from it. And personally I like to have at least one side of wide bench space right next to the oven so that you can put big trays on it. Just can’t seem to get it all to add up.
It did cross my mind that the corners would be a bit scary and I was thinking that we might use some of the wooden bench tops so that we could at least sand down / round the corners as much as possible – but without loosing the shape, again look at the attached floor plan of the whole room and the 45 degree wall and you might see why I like it at this angle. I thought you’d be able to get four people around there. I admit that it certainly would be a form over function decision – not sure if it’s worth it? We are trying to do this kitchen cheaply (the island rangehood would be from ebay – only way we could afford one of them – they cost the earth) so I guess I was trying to work with what IKEA has to offer but I suppose getting just the breakfast bar custom made might not be to bad price wise and could give us some more options. Any ideas, you think round would work in the room?
I’d like to have as many drawers as possible but they are pretty pricy, and again, our budget is pretty tight so I was thinking of using some shelves with a few drawers where I need them most & can afford them. Unfortunately we don’t seem to have deep over fridge cabinets over here – I’d like to have those.
Colours combinations to go with a dark / reddish brown wood floor anyone?
Last edited by swedishchick; Jul 5th, 08 at 6:00 am.
I would consider- if you can swing it- an induction cooktop, as at least that's one hazard out of the way. I would still work to get that up against the wall, though.
The beauty of the round ended countertop is that they are frequently made of another material, and sometimes slightly elevated. I would consider laminate for that- inexpensive and can absolutely be worked into a circle. Lots of colors to choose from these days as well. If it's all one height, cut your benchtop to butt up against the round piece- it will look soooo cool.
I agree that you should try to move the cooktop elsewhere. I don't think it'd be comfortable to sit at the island with the cooktop in use, it'd be hot and daring if you were using oil. We made an island out of two 30" wide base cabinets (we used drawers, but you don't have to). We attached the two cabinets together as you do normally. Honestly once you have the cabinets filled it's pretty dang heavy. My hubby and i could barely move it. We put it on the black legs. We used a 3'x8' cover panel to cover the back, and each side, and then used toe kicks on the front only. It looks much more solid and "integrated that way. i didn't want toe kicks in my living room, hee hee. so the cover panel goes all the way to the ground. we did end up attaching our island to a 2'x2' "tower" next to it. some people have attached there islands to the ground. i think they actually make a frame out of 2"x4".
Hi thank you for your suggestions, so I take it that the general consciousness is that island cooktops look good in brochures but are not actually that practical in real life. Is there anyone in favour them?
Anyway I have made a second mock up and moved the cooktop to the back wall. This wall is not an outside wall (a room behind it) so I'd still need to use a range hood that went into the ceiling.
My main concerns with this design are:
- The oven / cooktop is quite close to door - do you think this is a safety risk?
There is only 30cm of benchspace around the cooktop, is this sufficient? I suppose the island is nearby so you can put down large oven trays there. If necessary I could change the tall pantry cupboards to a 1x60cm rather than the 2x40cm - this would then allow me an extra 10cm benchspace either side of the cooktop. But having moved the cooktop to the wall - I now have very little overhead space so I'd prefer to leave the two tall cupboards for some much needed "out of children's reach space".
- Pots and pans would have to go in the drawers in the island I guess as there are just two small cupboards next to the cooker is this near enough?
- Are there some good shelves that I could use between the door and window for small appliances? Are there any that are deep enough for a microwave? I'm not sure where else would be a good spot for it - I'd prefer it of the bench as the sink is located here and so might be a fair bit of water around.
- My other thought is how useful and island would actually be without anything on it? I bake a cake for birthdays and that's about it. Otherwise I just do standard cooking, so of course I spend a fair bit peeling and chopping etc but do you think it would be sufficient with just the sink behind you? I think it would be pretty expensive to get plumbing for a sink on the island. (Tradesmen are in very short supply here in Perth and they are making the most of it)
For now I think I still like the idea of a diamond shaped breakfast bar to go with my room - I think with wooden rounded corners it would be OK safety wise. But I am keeping my options open and looking into other ideas.
I would prefer to see more counter space around the cooktop...could you possibly go with base cabinets and upper cabinets instead of the tall pantries? You wouldn't lose much space and you'd get a lot more function. Yes, the pots and pans could easily go into drawers on the island, I have all my pots and pans in drawers and I love it.
The island will be so functional that I am sure you will quickly wonder what you ever did without one! I have a large 4 ft x 5 ft island (20 square feet of countertop) and we do EVERYTHING there, including eating, crafts, assembling furniture, wrapping presents...and of course, sometimes even food prep!
The oven doesn't look like it is directly in front of the door, so I don't think it would be a safety hazard. If the oven was right in front of the door, someone could possibly be walking in the door just as you opened the oven door and that would be a bit of a bang, but with where you have it there would be enough time to notice it before crashing into it!
I tried something but with the island version, only putted 4' deep.
Maybe there should be a counter space for coffee machine, toaster and other small appliances that usually remain outside, I mean near the breakfast area.
I have a similar kit/din great room set up. Here's what I did. (I love to cooktop on the island), I used deep cabs on the interior side and 12" in the exterior side.
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