This is actually very similar to my kitchen that we are in the process of putting in. Consider a few things like traffic from fridge to cups to sink, dining to dishwasher and sink etc. Make sure everyone can move in and around you while cooking.

Hi jasmine, I have a similar kitchen layout, but I chose to have a peninsula instead of an island. I have attached plans and photos, that may give you some ideas on placement of appliances. All the best.

thanks very much ladies! Em - they are great things to be mindful of.

Louise, thanks for your plan! My husband is set on having the sink on the island bench. I really like the use of drawers. Our oven will be a built in 900mm under the cooktop on the back wall (probably should have mentioned that earlier). The cupboards under the stairs look great too, I'm not sure why the architects have left it as a void... Also, good point with the coffee machine placement - might just have to see where it works best once it's built. I also really like the open shelf idea above where you've put the dishwasher.

Dreamer - thank you for sharing your lovely kitchen photo's with me. It look great. I had thought about closing the kitchen off at one end, but I think with the kids it might just be easier to have it open both ends - to scoot them out quicker if they get in the way: ) The drawers look great at the far right end of the kitchen! The corner window looks so lovely looking outside. We're also having a fixed window as our splashback on the back wall which I've just noticed isn't on the current plan. What is the access like to the corner cupboard next to the drawers?

Hi jasmine, the corner cabinet has platters and things that are only used every now and again. Accessible when required. Yes, I chose to have a peninsula because it gave me extra bench space and cupboards. And In my previous homes the island seemed to be a ring a ring a rosy when the children were small. Now they are young adults and prepare their own meals, when home! So the extra bench space works. Also the door next to fridge goes into a hallway that also comes back into the dining , so I still have dual access into kitchen. Just as a note, I find two 600mm ovens much better than one 900mm. You only have to heat up a smaller oven on a day to day basis. But have two ovens when required. Helps when cooking for big crowds. Main meal in one, desert in the other. Cooking in one, warming up food in the other. All the best.

when thinking about the dreaded corner cabinet ask the cabinet maker to build a 1050mm corner cabinet instead of the usual 900mm...makes the doors much wider and so much easier for using the corner ...ours has space for all the biggest appliances when not being used and i store wide flat utensils including trays, muffin tins, pizza pans and cake coolers standing on edge in a cabinet with vertical dividers above the microwave

Hi Jasmine, since your corner cabinet backs onto your alfresco area, you could install cabinets from outside into the dead corner inside. Just food for thought. Would give extra storage for outside BBQ tools etc.

Is it a little tight on space between island and window bench? I’m guessing that the window bench side may be the more heavily used side of the island and perhaps scooting the island across a little may be an idea? (Doing this on the phone, can’t see image and I don’t remember where the fridge is. Ignore all if fridge door swing is an issue!). I also have a long window above my bench and love the capacity to look OUT as I prep, which is the bulk of the cooking time in the kitchen. Rather than gazing endlessly at family room. Wash up is brief. Prep is longer. View out is delightful.
PS. I’d suggest putting pull out bins under the prep bench not squeezed next to dw where everyone jostles as they try to fill dw. It’s so much more useful and the after meal cleanup is only a pivot away. I use the bins far more as I prep than as I clear plates. Took me ages to figure that out!
Best of luck with your build.

Hi Jasmine, It might be too late to post this. I have moved the fridge to give it better access and open up the kitchen. I have just designed a kitchen for a friend and removed that Nib wall into the pantry as it's too small a space to worry about and makes walking into the kitchen through the pantry less complicated. Lots of draws in the kitchen will make life so much better. The 300 deep open shelves in the pantry should have as many matching jars etc to store foods. I have included 400 drawers both sides of the cooktop/oven for spices and cooking tools.

And another possible idea to give you even more space around the island, don't do a peninsula where you would enter the kitchen on the right and then have to walk around behind it to access the passage and what other rooms come off that, bad design. Anyway instead of a 1m WIP you could have 6-800 wide pantry with drawers, and possibly another 1m on the back wall opposite it

Siriusky, I agree for jasmine's kitchen, and combined area, a peninsula may not work. And the plans and jasmine's post said the reasons why. For my home, it is not a bad design, it works very well having a peninsula. Since the hallway runs along the kitchen wall, I suppose you could call it an island. Our home has all the living areas at the front, and utility,office areas at the back, so this design works. The difference with jasmines plan, is the staircase is in the middle, our staircase is the other side of the hallway. Thanks.

briscs - I love your bin location suggestion, you are completely right regarding using the bin more during prep time. Thanks!

siriuskey - I really like both of your designs. Not too late to make changes! We originally had the fridge where you put it in the first layout however we still had the nib wall. It looks so much better without it- it looks like it would flow a lot better. I'm worried about the fridge access being in the walkway, but when I think of it I don't tend to go back & fourth to the fridge when I'm cooking, I get as many things out in one go as possible. My husband didn't like this original plan as the fridge seems like it is outside or not truly part of the kitchen. What gap did you put between the fridge & bench? Our fridge is quite deep & does protrude from the nib wall in our current kitchen (an nnoys me so much). What gap do you think is ideal between island and back bench?

The second layout I like too and hadn't thought of this at all. At first glance I thought I'd lose storage space but now I've looked at it a bit longer I don't think I would... I'm used to a wip so I think I prefer your first layout for this reason. We have a broom closet in our plans already in the laundry which is just past the pantry.

thank you very much for your ideas. I really appreciate it.

Any suggestions I make relate to this new build kitchen, I would avoid a peninsular bench as a bad design choice for this build. what works in other situations doesn't necessarily transfer.

Jasmine what else is accessed from the kitchen, laundry etc. I think the fridge is better moved off the back wall as this could be quite a high traffic area, it also makes it more access able from the dining and alfresco.

Can I ask why the dining wall is stepped back in from the kitchen wall is it necessary.

Hi Jasmine, I have the following drawings for you to hopefully shoe how the fridge could be moved to fit in better, especially if your fridge is deep, the new space is 1m wide and 900deep, backing up to that is a 900 wide pantry, excuse my range head, not sure if you will be using a big free standing or an intergrated one.

Hi Jasmine, are you still going to have a fixed window splashback on the back wall?

A couple more views, with suggested shallower pantry which means more space for the doors to open, ie: 1m wide 2 x 500 doors, I can imagine that doorwy to the laundry will handle quite a lot of traffic.

Also a space for an under bench Convection MW oven which will double as a second oven, Like you I have a 900 cook top with a 900 under bench oven plus the combined convection MW oven works beautifully, only difference is my cooktop and oven is in the Island and the sink on the other wall

I did forget to mention that the island shown is only 900 deep x 2480 long where as yours is shown as 1m. You don't need 1m, IE: 600 deep cupboards with a 900 deep bench top, 300 is plenty deep enough to sit up to and this will give more space in the kitchen.

If you feel you need more then a reduction in the length of the Island is easy. This kitchen is mostly made up of drawers. it's a bit more expensive so you would need a quote showing the difference

looks excellent Siriuskey and i agree that the island is better reduced to 90cm deep if you want generous knee space on one side with drawers or cabinets all along the other side....90cm is just deep enough to be able to wipe down from one side

Thanks OK, you and I both know how much time can be spent doing this, hopefully it is appreciated and helpful

Hi siriluskey - your plans are definitely appreciated (I actually can't tell you just how much). The elevations are great - I'm not great with plans but when I can see it in the elevations I can work whether it will work for me.

I've attached a pic of the ground floor so you see where the pantry connects to etc.

My husband is apprehensive about putting the fridge on the side there and wants to leave it on the back wall... this is because of getting to it and it being out of the way on that side of the kitchen. I'm keen to move it to one of your suggestions. I do like the drawers and I think we will put a lot in, but like you said it will depend on the cost.

I should also mention there probably have been some changes to the plan since this one and we're awaiting the plans to be reviewed again.

Hi Jasmine, with my kitchen (being very similar to yours) we toiled with the fridge position also. But this decision was made for us, when we decided to have a peninsula. We then installed a beverage fridge for ease of access to all drinks for family. (As per previous plans posted). This then keeps the 'non cooks', to the right hand side of kitchen.
In your plans, because you are having an island the fridge would be good in either position. With the fridge on the back wall this may interrupt the walkway to laundry, however, because you have dual access into laundry, I think that it would not be an issue. However, with the fridge on the side wall, it's making the left hand side of your kitchen work very hard. when getting items from fridge the left side of island is going to be used for pouring drinks, laying out vegetables etc. where if the fridge was on the back wall, you may naturally use the back wall bench space for these uses, therefore keeping the island free. It really comes back to how your family functions, and the best way for your family.
Regarding the drawers, install as many drawers as your budget allows. Well worth it.

3D is a wonderful tool and as you say it really helps to visualize the space, I look forward to seeing what changes have been made, What width are the stairs and are they planned as mostly open on both sides, do you have any with more details/measurements cheers

I agree with okLouisa, need major work area under the windows to patron to keep an eye on children, easy food and plate access to outside, dishwasher and sink and gives you a view when doing kitchen preparation. Thus leaving island for cooling off baking, extra table for children’s activity and a large sorting area. One tip, for your draws line of what you are going to put in them and measure all dimensions. Maybe the combinations will be different. If you are a baker, do you want your pans standing on edge for ease of selection. same with platters, trays, jugs etc. the same with pantry. I found that I need lower shelves wider for appliances, would love roll out shelves for ease of lifting the mixer, thermomix, and not so wide for dry storage which are in clear plastic storage or Ikea white plastic bins. I am a cook. Take your time. Best of luck

Great Ideas for pantry on Houzz under pantries. You and your husband need to think about use of appliance eg fridge and island. You have a growing young family who will be into the fridge for the next 20 years, you don’t want them blocking the way into the pantry. The same with the sink and wet area, it is best keep to one side and where it can be accessed from both inside and out side. I have an island sink, never again. No matter how careful water goes everywhere, especially from kids. I would never again have two small sinks. The sink has to be large enough to wash frig drawers and shelves.

Jasmine you mentioned that your fridge was "big" I've drawn it as 1000 w x 900 d, , what about doors are they two horizontal or side by side (side by side doesn't take up so much opening space. I have drawn another fridge the same size on the back bench to show just how much that would change the dynamics of the kitchen. For me I would prefer the fridge under the stairs with easy access to benchtop, keeping the sink at the other end of the bench for drinks and clearing dirty dishes from both dining and alfresco window. this fridge also keeps the kids out of the kitchen instead of having to walk into it.

kbodman14, I had to laugh, I consider myself a cook as my son who lives with us trained and worked as a chef, commercial & domestic kitchens a very different the only thing that stays the same is that chefs don't clean up

. cheers

Jasmine I did forget to mention that it's a must to get the newer deep sinks when installing in an island. I have my cook top in my Island and did the same in our last house, love it.

kbodman14, you mentioned wanting roll out shelves for appliances, we have just replaced some of the shelves in our 2 x 900 pantries with drawers that my clever husband put together, they come in different heights unlike shelves things can fall off when extended,

I have appliances and a whole lot of large Moccona coffee jars for perishable goods with names inside lids so that you can see whats in them when the draw is extended.

Bunnings cut the existing shelves and front panels for the draws for free. These kits and 170 hinges came from the following excellent company and so inexpensive.

I would also prefer the sink in Jasmines kitchen on the side bench and a smaller one for drinks and prepping veg in the island, my last kitchen had that along with the cook top.

But Jasmine said her husband wants the sink in the island, we all like different things.

Re the cook thing, My son and I have a lot of discussions and often refer to ourselves as Maggie and Simon, The Cook And the Chef. cheers

https://elraco.com.au/index.php/steel-drawer-c-27_50_1172_1174

Hi! Interesting reading your comments today. My husband and I talked about the kitchen layout for several hours yesterday. I have managed to convince him to have the sink and DW on the side bench looking out the servery/bi-fold window. Unfortunately I'm yet to convince him to move the fridge. We tried to work out where we would want the different cupboards/drawers etc. the image is our attempt to illustrate our thoughts... the builder mentioned today that their standard pot drawer size is 710mm, I think we out them as 800m in the drawing, so this will be slightly different. Also, I think the dimensions of the kitchen are different now to the plan I originally uploaded.

My husband thinks the fridge will be too far from the kitchen, like it won't be within the kitchen having it on the side opposite the island bench and also likes the idea of keeping the cavity slider to the pantry to close it off and keep the coffee machine etc for that bench area. I think having it on the side will really improve what the kitchen looks like from the dinning/lounge area and thus give it a feeling of being clean and tidy rather than a bit clunky with the oversized fridge. I have thought that I can change the fridge once the house is built to one that is bench depth rather than our current one which protrudes out from the bench.

More measurements from the latest plan.

Hi Jasmine, the pot drawer size for my drawers are: internal width 710, front of drawer width is 810. Just clarify this with your cabinet person. I think your sketch design will work. You are so lucky for your husbands input to the design. You must share the cooking.

has the internal size of the kitchen (and upstairs) been enlarged from the original 4660 to 4900?? and we can't read the dimensions of your diagram or the latest plans but once you advise the cabinet maker of the sizes and installation needs of your preferred appliances and any specially unusual sized items and how many drawers or shelves you want and where you want them the cabinetmaker should adjust the drawer and cabinet sizes to suit the available space so its better not to be too precise about the very fine details as thicknesses of wall lining and tiles and end panels can make a difference and the cabinetmaker should measure the room before they make the kitchen BUT i strongly advise that you ask for a 1050 x 1050 corner cabinet (or 1050 x 900) as the wider doors makes the corner much more usable than the standard 900 x 900 and also consider an extra shelf and/or vertical divider for wall cabinets for easier storage of crockery, glasses, baking trays and serving ware

It's also very hard to read your sketch completely but looking at it and seeing that you have only allowed 900 space at both ends of the island, this should be a min 1M. The sink on the window bench should be moved cross to the right and the DW to the left of it as where it is will block any access in & out of the kitchen when the door is open, or are you Having Dish drawers.

Your cabinet maker should be able to offer you a couple of different widths in pot drawers, even Bunnings Kaboodle does this

. I have 900 pot draws and I have 600 wide 3 drawer with a deeper draw on the bottom which is great to store plastics and the top two drawers are used for inverted mugs and glasses on a draw lining

There is also a different option for a corner /cabinet/pantry which is 1200 long by 600 deep with one wider door and can be built to the left or right of the corner, I will post an example cheers

https://www.kaboodle.com.au/design-blog/the-ins-and-outs-of-blind-corner-cabinets

Hi All - so we've hit another road block on our kitchen design journey. I'll post pictures and for any thoughts or ideas on how to proceed. I've appreciated all of your comments greatly and will continue to do so.

I managed to get my husband to agree to put the sink on the servery window side but no luck with moving the fridge, which I'm okay with now as otherwise I'm forfeiting my pantry.

thanks !

Hi Jasmine, what is the road block, that you have mentioned?

My comments on pictures just posted. 900mm is tight on either side of island. Especially the side with dishwasher. This would be slightly dangerous and awkward to get around when fully open. But, you do have the other walkway of island. Also, have you thought how you would shelve your pantry. It seems long and skinny. I would prefer to see the opening on the length of space, not at the end. If you a settled on the opening at end, I would install rows of 200mm shelves on the length, with deeper shelves at the stair end. This would then not be wasting as much space.

thanks Dreamer! trees, I definitely agree regarding the shelves in the pantry. the architect had been asked to fix those up to have narrow shelves on one side and deeper shelves at the back as suggested.
I'm going you check the 900mm gap again now you've mentioned it, but thought it would be ok. thanks, i appreciate your comments.

dreamer, I'm worried about the drawers in the corners and the cupboards on the end under the sink.

Hi Jasmine, yes the skinny doors are not the best. Could you get your kitchen cabinet company to install drawers under the sink. You have cut outs made to go around the plumbing. This might look better. But the handles may inhibit drawers on both sides. My drawers are stepped out from the corner, about 50mm, this then allows the drawer to miss the handle, in the corner. There is nothing wrong with having the drawers up to the corner. On both sides.

Hi Jasmine, I just want to ask you a couple of things re details in the plan an will post showing my concerns.

Along the back wall, change the wall/panel on both sides of the fridge to 20, the wall would be approx 90?, this will give you an extra 70 space to play with, this would also balance the built in fridge between both sections of cabinets. As it is your designer has used the wall on the left of the fridge to line up with the wall of the proposed pantry, but I feel this isn't needed the panels will do a better job..without taking up more space and not looking so bulky.

So now you will have extra to play with and could consider 900 x 2 drawers plus 900 cooker.

What is the corner cabinet, it looks like having one door opening along the window wall?

I have an 800 sink cabinet which has 2 x 400 doors which are perfect as they don't open out so wide into the room. would it be better to move the DW to the other side of the sink so as not to block access.

900 space at the end of the island is too tight and should be at least 1m

The wall cabinets above the cooktop, are they all single cabinets?, it is more cost effective to use double, I ask this because the plan shows that two single or two double cabinets will be involved in installing the intergrated range hood.

Very good point Siriusky regarding the rangehood and cabinets. The way it is drawn the two double cabinets would be joining exactly where the range hood extractor fan is installed. that should be a double opening cupboard, not the join for two cabinets. This allows for extractor cabinetry. I have taken a photo of mine to explain visually.

Yes Dreamer those overhead cupboards don't work configured as they are, so many things to consider to get it right the first time, I still wish the fridge would be moved either facing to the side of the island or under the stairs where the pantry is planned facing the wall cabinets, this could be stepped back a little to open up the doorway out to the laundry and back door, this could then have some open shelves behind the fridge facing the island and done in steps to fit under the stairs