Kitchen planning - help needed

[Ethel]

I will be replacing my kitchen in the coming months and have a problem with the design. It is 7'6 wide and is currently in a U shape, with the sink under the window.

This means I have two awkward corners and am considering having two straight runs, dispensing with the sink unit, and moving the sink to the side.

This would give easy access to all the units, but I do prefer to have the sink under the window.

Any opinions or advice welcome

[dasherman]

Sinks tend to be under windows because the drains are also under windows so moving the sink could cause problems for the plumbing,especially the waste pipes.

B & Q have an online designer which I used before I bought my new kitchen a few years ago and found very useful.

[Ethel]

Yes, the sink would still be next to external wall - just sideways on, so shouldn't be a huge problem.

I'm frightened of the hard sell if I use a planner - would B&Q be pestering me for months afterwards?

[redcrx]

Ethel, I downloaded the planner from B&Q (homebase do one too) as we have exactly the same dilema that you have, though Id really rather keep the sink under the window
Ive not hadany calls or emails from either company and may even brave the instore planners after xmas.
I will be interested to see what the suggestions are on this thread.

[Ethel]

I am hoping there will be some excellent suggestions for solving the 'dead corner' problem. I haven't looked at new kitchens for many years, and there has got to be something better than those horrid carousel arrangements that break so easily.

[Ethel]

Trying to picture that, Zac

Are they L shaped cupboards?

[annie0000]

Would using the back wall where the sink is and one side give you enough units? Doing an L shape would probably give you the most space in the room and it would feel wider - you could then do something freestanding on the other wall if you needed more storage.

We got a chap in from B&Q to do some plans for our showerroom - which were horrendously expensive and exactly the same as what we already had - so we didn't take him up on them, but all we had was the initial visit then he posted the quote and plans to us and we never heard from them again, so i dont know if I would let that put you off.

You don't seem the type to be put under pressure Ethel. If they chase you up, you just thank them for their time and say that you have decided not to go ahead at the moment, but you would consider them if you change your mind.

[annie0000]

IKEA have a kitchen planning tool that you can download and ahave a go with yourself.

http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_GB/rooms_ideas/splas hplanners.html

[Ethel]

Thanks Annie - I'll have a fiddle with the Ikea tool and see what I can do.

:)

I was hoping there was something totally new on the market to deal with those corners. The kitchen isn't really big enough to do away with cupboards on one wall.

[annie0000]

I have seen some snazzy ones on the carousel idea, but the door sits at an angle across the corner and the whole door rotates, those are quite wide I think, so I am not sure if you have room to have two of those and the sink unit in the middle. My mums kitchen is U shaped, the window runs down one wall, but her sink still sits on the end wall and tbh I don't think it really matters - you probably spend more time standing at the food preparation area than at the sink, so you would probably make better use of the light, you would need to consider where your plug points would be for your small appliances - the benifit of the sink under the window is that you dont normally need to plug anything in there.

[Ethel]

So much to think about. :(

[tezestwing]

Hi Ethel have you thought about the removal of the cavity that exist to the back of the base units then reduce the w'tops accordingly this would give you a bit more room hth Tez

[Jugglering]

This may be of no use to you whatsoever, but whilst I was wandering up and down the dusty aisles of B&Q last week (don't ask lol), I did spot a double bowl corner sink which had the draining rack between the two bowls..... I did a double take because I'd not seen anything like that before !

Here's the link (hope it doesn't fill the whole page hehe)

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/nav.jsp?acti on=detail&fh_secondid=9996640&fh_view_size=6&f h_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB%2fsystem_ba sicsOnlineOnly%3E{1}&fh_search=corner+sinks&fh _eds=%C3%9F&fh_refview=search&ts=1229888452818 &isSearch=true

[buildersmate]

Getting back on topic, the best thing IMHO are the L-shaped units Zacsmaster refers to. The ones I have are 900x900mm units, which mean that the doors are 300mm wide at the front (worktops are 600mm deep). The doors are hinged together and open as a pair - right open, to fold back on themselves. This creates an opening about 420mm wide across the diagonal.
Now I accept that it is a long way back to the corner of the cupboard and the issue is getting down there is root inside, and lighting.
Lighting can be sorted at the time you do the rest of your electrician wiring (yes, Part P applies inside cupboards as well). One can put a unit of about 15W which comes on immediately the doors are opened. The cheaper alternative is one of those LED battery-driven DOT-IT units - however I have a tendency to forget the turn it off when closing the doors up.
This style of cupboard produces a massive storage area in which we keep jams, tins and other bulk supplies. But I accept that it is hands-and-knees job to get in there.

[madmaggot]

I have a similar shaped kitchen to yours Ethel, I sat in store with the store planner so that I came up with the ideas as we went along and he told me what they do that fitted in with what I wanted. In the end I went for a wire pullout unit on one side and a carosel on the other. This is because the wire pullout takes more length and so could only 'go' on the one side. I have previously had plain cupboards in the corners and found that I just didn't use them because it is so awkward to 'get at' things. I fully utilize the pullout and it is fantastic, well worth the extra cost. The carosel I only use for rarely used items and it's a bit of a pain really, can only take light items. I don't think I would have one of these again.

[buildersmate]

So how does a wire pullout work to make decent use of the triangular space inside, when the 'hole' through which it has to come out is narrower than the space at the back? Just interested.

[Ethel]

Thanks all for the great ideas.

Still early stages so I have a lot to think about now.

[madmaggot]

The wire pullout is in a double unit; half of which is within the corner. There is a sort of 'articulated' wire basket and as you pull the door (which is attached to the wirework) forwards it turns so that it is in front of the unit next to it, it pulls the second half from within the corner into the half that is behind the door; this allows you to easily reach items that are stored in either half. It's a bit difficult to explain but hopefully you get the picture.