I always find it useful to think through every type of activity you will do in the kitchen and see how it works for both options. So think about each meal time, dinner party with guests, kids with friends over, baking a cake or cooking a complicated dish - and really think about how you and your family actually behave - if you have a really big family and someone is always making a cup of tea, then yes the hot water tap on the island is a good idea. If it's just you mostly, then it might be less important - but only you will know what will work for you and what won't, so you've really got to imagine yourselves living in the new kitchen to find out where all the pinch-points and niggles are - or to be delighted by how efficient the space is and how it will transform your lives!

Thank you. The space is fragmented with so many doors and walkways I’m finding it difficult to design :( In the design we have a tall fridge and a tall freezer either side of the oven, so was trying to find some additional space for storage. Thank you for the suggestions, we will see if we can remove the reduced depth larders and find that storage space somewhere else. In our existing layout: the oven is currently in a tall unit next to the cooker but we thought to move it to open up the space next the door. we have a free standing fridge/freezer where the design has a breakfast bar. But we really need that space for seating, as I don’t think there is anywhere else we could add seating. the wall where all the appliances are in the proposed design is a currently run of cupboards with worktop space so trying to find storage and worktop space elsewhere as this will now have the appliances Not sure that helps. Any other ideas for best use of the space are welcome, or even reassurance we’ve moved things to the right place! Thank you.

Thank you for your concerns and condolences. What response? I don't believe I have said anything disrespectful to anyone, and indeed I am grateful for advice of others. Yes, I did start a new thread, but I thought because my question here was about the layout of a kitchen - eg where to put the cabinetry/appliances, that it needed a new thread under a new subject (kitchen). I wasn't asking here about the layout of the wider house. This question was specific to the kitchen layout. I like the idea of having a pantry. I am sure a layout can be achieved that still offers a pantry space. I want to install cabinetry in it and a marble top. We do a lot of hosting and I have a small confectionary business, so the pantry is ideal and it's something I've always dreamed of. It's essential to the plans. For context, before we moved in we had big plans, which I talked about on a different thread, but we have recently decided to do less. The death of my father has changed my perspective on life and I would rather we did minimal work to the house so we can spend the equity from the sale of our previous house on living and enjoying life. I don't want to plough loads into the building. That said, we don't have the luxury of waiting. Dad died the day before we completed on our purchase and we had to move in. And the house is literally a time capsule to 1955 when you open the door. It needs rewiring, new plumbing, new windows, new doors, has asbestos. We cannot wait. We have to get started as soon as possible as we can't live with boxes piled up for long. Several of the rooms don't have any electric points at all! Alas, onwards and upwards. I'm sure a plan that suits our needs will materialise in time. Thanks again for any offered advice.

No problem thanks for the advice! I can see that it will be quite difficult to navigate around the dining table in current drawings. Maybe a run of kitchen to the side, larger island / breakfast bar to use the vacant space after moving the table and sliding doors to the rear.. Potentially a more formal dining area in the "family" section instead? Hopefully this will make it less cluttered.. I did think about putting the kitchen in the family area but it might not catch so much light due to being further away from the windows