extension ideas

Reply to: Hi Karen, Having been through a similar process this year and having had or new kitchen in use for about 3 months, there are a few things I would consider / are probably worth sharing that I wouldn't have really thought of before... We have an induction hob for the first time and it's fabulous- I love it! So easy to clean and the speed at which it heats up and cools down still amazes me. So for little ones, as soon as the pan is off, you can put your hand flat on the ring and whilst warm it certainly wouldn't burn you (we have a 5 ring Neff). If you haven't had induction before just be mindful of where you put hot pans out of the ovens! I hadn't realised until we did the new kitchen but I had always taken hot pans out of the oven and put them directly on top of our gas hob (using it almost like a worktop that didn't need a heat protector on it!) You can't do this with induction (or it's not recommended and I haven't been brave enough to try!!), so make sure you have plenty of worktop space to put hot pans down when you take them out of the oven! Also have a think about where you plate up! We have our induction hob on the island and when it comes to plating up, I like to have everything close to hand and the plates laid out... Our island is 2.4m in length (1.2m wide) and I certainly wouldn't want it any shorter to have pans on the hob, things out of the oven and plates laid out at the same time :) Having the hob on the island for us is super sociable and means I can stand and cook whilst chatting to hubby or guests. Worth noting for me that by the time guests arrive, all my prep is done and I'm not still cutting and chopping, so it's just a bit of last minute finishing bits off on the hob! I spend very little time stood at the sink! Especially with a dishwasher. With regards to the sink on the island, I wouldn't be too keen! When I've cooked a big meal or we have a few guests quite often the dishwasher will be full after mains and then there are plates and dishes that get piled up in the sink. I wouldn't want that on my island. Also not sure i'd want to be draining hot steamy things on my island with kids / guests about; but then I splash lots more with water than I do with cooking :) I think off set for the hob works just fine but then i'm biased as ours is off set :) If you have lots of space, one of the things I would highly recommend is a pantry / walk in larder- it's a god send for keeping the kitchen clear and things out of sight! The only other thing I would consider is where you put your toaster, microwave etc. We have popped ours in the pantry just off the kitchen and it's fab as means that hubby, friends etc can make cups of coffee, toast, snacks etc without having to be in the main 'working' part of the kitchen. Also great from a safety perspective with kids and them not being near the pans, cooker etc to get a snack, toast or something from the fridge! Hope it helps! Best wishes, Claire

Q