You might consider turning the kitchen space into an extra space and move the actual kitchen.

The benefit would be that you would gain a space that could be a pantry/bar or you might use it as a laundry room and turn the existing utility into a bootroom

Hi Jonathan. Yes, Thank you so much for the plan and for coming back to me. This is what i had planned 100% for the future (gym, extra office etc); However, I need to be mindful of spending too much before we move in, as additional work is charged and the house sale may fall through... do you have any thoughts on my options at all?

Yes- I don’t like your plan at all. Because the room narrows at the “kitchen” end this is a contained space. To fit the kitchen only in that space is too small for the over all size of the room- and that plan had insufficient room around the island. When you spill into the next space it will look imbalanced unless you continue past the next window too

Arghh. Perhaps best to live with it until funds allow! Thanks.

I like your new plan. If you could afford it I would go with it. That peninsula that the designer drew shows a complete bottleneck into a compact space. It's always more cost effective to get designs the way you prefer them at the building stage. It will be a lot more expensive to change it later. At least get the power and plumbing where you need it.

I was thinking you could put a wall in and build out your larder / pantry in line with the cabinets. This would make it feel more part of the kitchen space and also give you loads more storage so you could reduce upper cabinets from the main kitchen.

The utility jutting into the kitchen space would annoy me and i wonder if this could work

Variation

It sounds like you've put a lot of thought into making the kitchen work for your space, which is great! Expanding the kitchen into the room makes a lot of sense, especially since you have the length to accommodate it. A bigger island with a drinks fridge sounds like a great addition not only for extra storage but also as a social hub.

The idea of swapping the fridge freezer with a larder in that spot is interesting. It would bring the fridge closer to the sink and prep areas, which is more practical. The only concern with putting the fridge in the recess is whether it would look tucked away rather than integrated. If you build it in properly with cabinetry around it, it could work well and feel intentional.

The larder in the recess at the top is a smart use of space too. If it's deep enough, you could get a really functional pantry area there. If you're worried about alignment, maybe framing it with cabinetry or shelving could help tie it into the rest of the design.

Just want to say its Flashgiirl! ( unable to log into my account)

Big thanks to katlucy, chloeloves and isla cherry! What great options. Very glad you think that the plan and variations will work!! Lots to think about! Thank you for your time in answering.