would be so much easier to understand if we could see adjoining rooms showing, doors, windows and dimensions

oklouise - thanks for the comment. See attached the house plan with adjoining rooms, doors etc.

Thanks dreamer - that is kinda what I was also thinking. Was trying to figure out if there are any other creative options.

rotate the island and move the stove to the inner corner with more drawers in the longer island and more wall cabinets for extra stoarge and better location for 'fridge..width of windows restricts other options

The lighting is wrong too. Need lights over the bench and greater in number.

Great size kitchen.
As per oklouise plan you want 900-1200 distance between benches. The larger distance opp major appliances allowing someone to pass when doors are open. 900 is best over small lengths where less likely to have someone working and someone passing, more a walkway zone or a pure work zone for one.
Greater than 1200 and you are walking too far to easily transfer things from one bench to another.
Place cutlery and crockery drawers next to or opposite dishwasher to make putting away easy, stop double handling.

Hi Mark you forgot to post the plan

Sorry all, see attached plans with adjoining rooms etc

Another idea, giving a WIP with Oven Pantry cupboard on one side (doesn't matter which) and kitchen cabinets extended along the wall which is a great place for small appliances, tea/coffee toaster, some appliances could just be on open shelves above the benchtop.

The island can be whatever depth you would like plus the storage facing the living could become a desk.

This layout gives more space for dining/ living with the opportunity to hide appliances/dishes from view

It would be lovely to have a full height window in the pantry as shown on the plan

Hi Mark,

You might also check out kitchen design considerations in the Liveable Housing Design Guidelines

They suggest for Gold Level that:

(A) The kitchen space should be designed to support ease of movement and adaptation with:

• at least 1200 mm clearance in front of fixed benches and appliances (excluding handles); and
• slip resistant flooring.

(B) Floor finishes should extend under kitchen cabinetry to enable cupboards to be removed without affecting the flooring. Where fixtures cannot be easily removed (e.g. ovens which are built in) the floor finishes should not be continued.

And for Platinum (highest) Level that:

As for the gold level except that the kitchen space described in (A) should be designed to support ease of movement and adaptation with:

• at least 1550 mm clearance in front of fixed benches and appliances (excluding handles);
• slip resistant flooring; and
• task lighting installed above work spaces.

These standards are being considered for incorporation into the National Construction Code (BCA). They will not appear for a few years yet, but by considering and incorporating these principles now it may future-proof the house to some extent.

HI John Cameron Unfortunately the link posted by you does not work.

Is the kitchen cavity slider already in-situ or can it be moved further towards the lounge area? If it can be moved this would allow for more design options. It's a good sized space and your Aunty could conceivably get a small walk-in scullery if the slider could be moved. I can understand why the island faces the way it does and I don't think I would turn it [as suggested by ok louise or dreamer, however I agree with you. There is currently far too much distance between it and the rear bench and changes should be made to overcome this.

This with a different shaped island, the pantry next to the cooktop has base drawers , no point having them behind pantry doors, the upper part then has small appliances and shaped shelving, the 3D isn't modern but will give you a better idea

Hello Judith Rowe,

Thanks for letting me know about the broken link.

I have now edited the post to embed the link in the text " Liveable Housing Design Guidelines "

Hopefully this works for you. I did when I tested it just now.

For this small house: which I love, the two long runs of kitchen looks great to me as there area NO dead corners and it is proportional to the house size. I would always try to fit a wall oven for convenience and knee comfort! This looks much better to me than the three sides, 2 dead corners with island so far away and all in a small home that doesn't need a gourmet industrial size feed an army kitchen.

Cheers Margot

using 1050 x 1050 corner base cabinets with 450 + 450 doors instead of standard 900 x 900 cabinet can make dead corners excellent storage spaces for big appliances