I think that you need to leave a wider gap, 30cm is not wide and I think it will look like what it is, ie stopping the units so they don't get in the way of the french doors. I would go with a 60-80cm gap and make a useful feature out of it with floor to ceiling shelving. I've found a picture showing some shelving stepped back from regular depth units, so you get an idea. Another option is to use a rounded base unit if you like them and maybe put a stool or plant in the gap.

Sorry- I don’t like your plan. In my opinion the space between the sink and hob is where the work happens so you are actually a bit tight for space. I think the door from the kitchen to the playroom is a massive fail- firstly you are inviting the kids to run past the cooking area, secondly is splits the kitchen and there are safety implication for having a walkway through the kitchen, I also think it makes your kitchen plan feel disjointed. I also think that if the children are young they won’t want to be in the playroom, they will want to be where you are. If you are worried about the playroom being dark this is easily sorted with better lighting and a pale coloured floor. Alternatively make this the grown up room and the kids playroom near the front door. I also think that putting the sitting area around the corner in the extension makes it feel enclosed and a little tight because of its location. I think you have put too many stools at the island and in reality people rarely use more than 3. In my opinion better to have fewer comfortable seats that are spread out with room to eat. I also think you missed an opportunity to have a cupboard near the front door to hide coats, shoes and a vacuum cleaner. I think that if you want an extra shower it may be easier to put this off the bootroom- a bigger utility/ bootroom area may help later to keep sports equipment/ dogs/ ironing etc etc out of sight. There is a privacy argument to put it where you have but I suspect the wall you have moved to take a corner off the kitchen is a job that will require a steel.

Hey Nick, I've just quickly laid out how I think you could get the most out of your kitchen & dining extension. Depending on how much storage you need, you can increase the units on either side of the kitchen area. As shown, you'll have a good amount in the base cabinets, island & potentially around the fridge area (shown next to the understair pantry). The island grounds your kitchen & creates a relaxed vibe throughout. You can choose to wash your dishes on the island or cook your meals, both possibilities come with room for company opposite your task of choice & storage below. We always suggest having your dining table closest to your outside views. Whether you're eating breakfast or hosting a dinner, looking out to a stunning garden is always a plus. I've also marked a little bench with under-seat storage if you fancy a little kitchen reading nook. Green: kitchen + island + fridge Red: dining Yellow: bench Let me know if you need any more help on this, I'd be delighted to assist you in working out your design dilemmas before work starts on your extension. All the best, Rabia from Haru Design

Thank you for all the comments! I really appreciate it. It’s great to have other inspiration to play around with. I’m not actually planning on using Wrens but their 3D virtual reality mock up is very useful! I spent the day playing around with different ideas, using cardboard in the space to mock things up, including tall units! The problem is the width of the kitchen isn’t huge so full depth units facing each other becomes a problem. I might have settled on a layout that wasn’t in my original sketches - I’m going to take it to a designer to see what they think. The only awkward bit about this design is there would be an appliance (probably the freezer) in the corner under the breakfast bar, so the only access would be from the lounge/dining side. My parents are wondering if I need the 300mm breakfast bar overhang, but I think that if I have units across the entrance to the kitchen like that, I’ll naturally want to use it as a breakfast bar and will be annoyed if it isn’t comfortable to sit at.. here’s my 3D app mock up of the space (not a professional mock up!!)