Hello all Thank you very much for all these comments. First time using Houzz properly and I'm impressed. Before reading these, I actually played around with the layout a bit further myself last night and came to the same conclusion as some of your suggestions. I've attached an updated possible plan - but in the same 3d software (which is certainly limited, but still pretty helpful since it's free!). I've tried to label some of the key appliances. This layout places the oven and hob (750mm wide - I'd prefer 900mm if at all possible) in a different position and avoids the window problem, but also has space either side (which would be best). To answer most of your questions: Internal room dimensions are 4520mm wide by 4450mm long, 2650mm tall However, there is currently a thick wall along the entrance to the kitchen, immediately to the left of the door - this houses a chimney flue (for our property and the one below). The chimney stack has been removed from the roof and we are able to knock into some of that wall, to increase the amount of the kitchen with length 4450mm. However in the far corner (by the smaller window), we would like to keep the existing thick wall because there is a cupboard in the adjacent room that uses that void from the other side. In my latest design, you'll see how much of the wall we think we might want to take out in order to create more space at the room entrance. The breakfast bar stools are a nice-to-have - the main purpose of the peninsular is to slightly separate the kitchen part from the rest of the room and allow conversations across it whilst chopping, having a drink, etc. T a drinks cooler at one end which we would like to fit in somewhere and I just thought the stools on the other side / at the corner might be handy when it's just me and my wife. The fridge (in the corner by the new outside door) is large American Style in my latest design but that's not essential - a good sized 600mm fridge freezer would be fine too, especially if we have the drinks cooler. I haven't looked at induction hobs and have always preferred gas in the past, but I will research these - thank you. I agree that the microwave should be integrated if possible! As mentioned, the boiler (and all the pipework) would ideally stay in its current position to save the cost of moving it - but we'd want to then box it in and fit other things around it. I think that just about works in the latest design idea. Caldicot Kitchen & Bathroom Centre - thank you for your kind offer to mock something up in your own software. I'm a novice at this and yes, the software I found doesn't allow that much customisation of unit heights etc. hence the untidiness! This also isn't trying to show the style we want - and we haven't yet thought a huge amount about that. We'd probably opt for granite work surfaces and wooden units in simple light colours. Leaning towards traditional kitchen styling, not too modern. The property is a 1910 maisonette with period fire places in some rooms, although doors are shaker style. Floor wise - we'd like a stone / tile look but warm and easy to clean so not natural stone!

@Damian Farrell, the induction hob I've had since... what.. July or August? I think? Not that long. Took a while to get used to it, having always cooked on gas. Advantages: very quick, easy to clean, you can let it automatically turn off after a certain time. Disadvantages: sometimes the pans make annoying noises, has something to do with the resonance of the magnetic field I think? I don't know. But it can be a bit annoying. Make:Schott-Ceran, but the downdraft is from a Dutch company called Airo Design. Don't think they export to other countries. Anyway, almost every company does them now. Bora gets good reviews, Miele, Siemens... The videos on youtube show that the steam goes down and you think, yeah... right... But it really does go down. It works just as good, if not better than a regular one that is over the hob. I'm happy with it.

Mine was an 800 before I removed the glass - the main fan section is smaller of course so I presume that it’s the actual canopy that makes the difference ie if the extractor canopy is 800 with an 800 hob then most of the steam that rises, should hit the top of the canopy and be drawn towards the extractor. Even though we removed the glass on ours, it will be set into a suspended wood canopy so in effect, the steam should do the same thing. I’m told induction hobs are super steamy, ha ha. We got a Neff extractor which is also v quiet so hoping it does the trick!

As the sink and the hob is not directly behind each other it shouldn't be a problem, however you need to imagine yourself cooking/ preparing dinner. Everytime you wash something for cooking you will have to turn around to take it to the hob, potentially you could be dripping some water across the area ( not great if you are planning to have wood floors ). What is the reason why you want the hob on the island, is it so you can talk to guests whilst cooking? Where is the seating area for the guests, will it be opposite the hob or down one end of the island?