Hi Fts,

Kitchen extensions are 20% of all our projects :). We love exploring how to maximise space and coming up with beautiful kitchen designs. One of our Kitchen designers will have a look at the floor plans, and share their advice asap here.

Also feel free to use our free CAD tool https://opunplanner.com/

to map out your room's measurements and try some designs and visualise them in 3D :).

Opun - your home improvement experts

In addition to Jonathan’s suggestions, the third option I have seen in Victorian houses is to have the loo on the central back wall of the kitchen - ie if you look at Jonathan’s first layout, the loo would go where the right hand arm of the sofa is. The door to the loo is accessed from the hall. However both Jonathan’s layouts are preferable IMO.

Hi Fts,

Having had a look at your plans I think it might be a great idea to think of the Island and table as a single connected area rather than as two separate elements. This way you would avoid losing space twice by having an area of clearance around both. You'd also ensure that the table is perfectly tied into the kitchen design and would encourage the room to feel 'whole' rather than as two rooms squeezed in together.

Something like this??

Opun - Your home improvement experts

with your first layout, I would change the island dimensions to more like 1.8 wide x 1.2 deep. This will fit better with cabinet depth of 60cm (so the 1.2m is two cabinets back to back, no wasted space), and will also give you more space for the dining area. You would need to move the sink, bin and dishwasher around to the long side of the island.

I suspect you will also need some kitchen storage in the side return area too, though this can be kept shallow to allow good passing space. If you do that, you could get rid of the storage by the dining area, or at least make it shallow 30cm deep which again would help give the dining area more room.

@minipie thank you, I thought about turning the island around but was rejected by my wife on the ground that it would get in her way of daily cooking. The reality is this room size is not long enough, nor wide enough, and I dont think any of my layouts are particularly good. I wonder if there is other possible layout out there. Worst case scenario, I may opt for a panisula if that’s the only good option. Thanks again for your and others advice.

I wonder if you could reconsider Jonathan‘s first layout. The loo is not actually under the stairs in that layout, instead it is carved out of the left hand corner of the kitchen. So therefore, you might not be as restricted on width? The kitchen door might need to move over a bit to accommodate the loo but that is relatively simple. In any case, I think you could get away with 0.75m for a loo provided you choose your loo and sink carefully. (eg a small basin can be part recessed between wall studs which helps).

His layout does not give you a utility, however I have seen laundry machines cleverly put into the under stairs area so perhaps you could do that. Or upstairs somewhere.

Yes true. I have a friend who has her loo as per Jonathan’s first layout, but the rest of her layout is completely different: her kitchen is actually at the back adjoining the dining room (so where Jonathan has put the sofa/tv area in his first layout). She has a peninsula facing the garden (but you could have an island) and she doesn’t have access through to the dining room, that is blocked off to allow more kitchen units. Then in the part nearer the garden she has a large dining table and a sofa. Dining table on the side nearer the kitchen, sofa on the other side. Would something like that work for you?

I think you have room for kitchen, dining table and a (not huge) sofa, but not a full sitting/tv area, if you see what I mean.

@minipie thanks for your reply. Blocking the dining room is not preferred because the whole room will be lack of sun light and fresh air. It’s a shame I got a small garden otherwise I can do a rear extension then all the problems would go away... do you think 0.9m clearance will look cramped If so I may have to let the island go...

Sorry should have been clearer, she has an internal window between the kitchen and dining room to allow light through, but not a door (There is a kitchen cabinet below the window).

0.9m clearance is pretty tight, it's just about ok but not ideal especially if two people use the kitchen at once or you tend to have kids around.