Kitchen Essential

More ambitious ideas and budgets to match are illustrated by these four kitchens where extensions were constructed and living rooms incorporated.

Family planning

Two adults, two teenagers and two young children made up this family who planned an extension to their home to contain a completely new kitchen. There was a separate utility room for the washing machine, but the existing floor-standing gas central-heating boiler had to stay where it was. They wanted to eat in the kitchen at a breakfast bar to seat up to eight people; they liked a rustic look, and were able to spend a reasonable amount to get the kitchen the way they wanted.

Three meals a day were eaten, plus home baking at least once a week, batch cooking for the freezer once a month; dinner party and other entertaining from time to time. This family had thought deeply about what their real needs were.

They specified a split-level oven And separate hob — both gas; they wanted to build in their refrigerator, dishwasher and microwave. They wanted ample sink space and a waste disposal unit, but felt that with a dishwasher there was no need for drainers.

The spacious extension measuring four metres by three metres allowed most of the family’s requirements to be incorporated. The only item which had to be rethought was the location of the serving hatch into the adjacent dining room where the formal entertaining took place.

The gas hob bisects the corner with a rustic style extractor hood and fan over it. Placing it across the corner provides more working space around and even behind the hob. The peninsular unit accommodates the dishwasher, base units and a breakfast bar. At one end of the peninsular unit is a brick housing for the oven. The work surface there is extra wide, and the dishwasher is fitted conveniently close to the eating area.

Fire nightmare into dream kitchen

Only ten years after it was built, the kitchen and utility room of this house was gutted by fire caused by faulty electrical wiring. After the shock had worn off, the owners welcomed the opportunity to install a safe electrical system and also to put in a well planned kitchen to suit their needs.

The original kitchen had been arranged around five walls with an archway into a large utility room. There was a large walk-in larder set well away from the working area. The oblong utility room was an ideal shape for an efficient kitchen. Outside the kitchen and backing onto the utility room was an open paved courtyard and a rarely used WC.

The new scheme involved some structural work, made almost easier by the fire. A half wall between the kitchen to the old utility room was removed making it one with the kitchen. The courtyard was roofed over and a wall built which then became the new utility room.

Ingenious use was made of the old walk-in larder which conveniently backed onto a outside- facing wall. A partition was built to bisect the space, the back part was used to house the meters with an access hatch which opened outside the house for meter reading. The front was still deep enough to house the fridge and built-in oven.

Alongside the oven is the dishwashing zone consisting of base and wall units, dishwasher and single sink.

To provide a visual link between the kitchen and dining area, the hob was set into an extra deep base unit and a rustic hood covering the extractor unit fitted over it. Recessed into the wall behind the hob is a small, antique lead fire surround. In the old kitchen area, with its five walls, a spacious and bright dining area has been created.

Storage space re-used

A 1961 built chalet bungalow which originally suited its young family, became less convenient as the two children grew into young adults needing more room to entertain their own friends.

Behind the large garage was an integral store room and fuel store. The garage was linked to the house beside the entrance hall and another door from the garage led to a little courtyard at the back of the house.

An architect-designed extension covered in this courtyard and incorporated the outside store room into habitable space. The new kitchen was moved into the newly created room and an archway from the hall led into the original courtyard.

This had a new glass domed roof which gave masses of iight and was used as a breakfast room and filled with plants as well as garden furniture.

The new working kitchen was planned into a U-shape with beige laminate and wood units fitted around the walls. To add a focal point, the ceramic hob was fitted onto a base unit brought forward from the line of units. A hood was built over it to conceal the extractor fan. The appliances fitted into the room were a built-in double oven, dishwasher, double bowl sink and drainer, built-in fridge.

The wall units did not reach the ceiling, so striplights were fitted above them to illuminate the ceiling with a soft, diffused light. Decorative objects and plants standing on top of the units benefit from the light behind.

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