There’s a huge amount to consider when it comes to designing your kitchen.
And more than any other area of your home, you can feel a lot of pressure that you’ll stuff it up.
This episode is about kitchens … all things kitchens, which means I’ll also talk about butler’s pantries, walk-in pantries and appliance cupboards.
Your renovation or new build can be the opportunity you’ve been waiting for to finally get a kitchen that works. One with decent bench space, great storage, and a layout that enables you to enjoy being in it, using it, and getting the most from it.
So, in this episode, I’ll cover the 4 “F’s” and how they relate to your kitchen. I’ll also share 3 mistakes to avoid, and 3 design tips to aim for so you nail this space in your home.
When a kitchen works, it ends up being amazing for improving your time and life in your home overall.
The thing is, for most homeowners I work with have families. And when you have kids, the way you usually entertain is at home. It’s hard, and expensive, to take a tribe of children out somewhere. And even when you do, you never get to actually speak to your friends, because you’re too busy watching the kids!
So getting together with your friends and family usually involves being at someone’s home. And having a lovely open plan kitchen / living / dining area, that then flows to outside, is such a winner with easy family living and entertaining. Sounds good hey?
So what are these mistakes? I mention a lot in this podcast episode, and here are my top 3:
Mistake #1: not planning out the storage you need
Mistake #2: island bench is too stumpy in proportion
Mistake #3: using a corner pantry
There are also lots of design tips. Here are the top 3:
Design tip #1: keep all services out of the island bench (including your sink)
Design tip #2: remember that your fridge is deeper than your kitchen joinery
Design tip #3: consider whether you need an island bench at all
Kitchens are a big deal in our homes. They’re the source of a lot of angst when they don’t work well, and so can be pretty stressful to get right. And, they also chew up a lot of our budget.
Listen to the podcast now. I hope you find it helpful in getting it right in your kitchen design.
Remember if you want to learn more about how to design your home, I’ve created a special (and free!) e-guide for you. It’s called “How to Design a Home: 5 Simple Steps to Getting it Right”. Just click on the image below to get your copy.
Further reading on kitchens on the Undercover Architect Blog:
Design tips and dimensions for your family kitchen >>> CLICK HERE
How to Design a Compact Kitchen >>> CLICK HERE
Design Masterclass: Kitchens >>> CLICK HERE
What do you need in the perfect butler’s pantry? >>> CLICK HERE
And Undercover Architect kitchen blogs on Mum Central …
5 Ways to get the Biggest Bang for Buck with Your Kitchen Makeover >>> CLICK HERE
With over 30 years industry experience, Amelia Lee founded Undercover Architect in 2014 as an award-winning online resource to help and teach you how to get it right when designing, building or renovating your home. You are the key to unlocking what’s possible for your home. Undercover Architect is your secret ally
Awesome podcast thanks Amelia, I’ve been looking at my kitchen plans all morning and you’ve just give me some more great things to think about!
Hi Cath,
I’m glad you enjoyed the podcast – thanks for your kind feedback. Best wishes with your kitchen plans!
– Amelia, UA x
Great tips! I found your comments on keeping the island completely free of services interesting – I never really thought about the fact that we don’t stand in front of a sink for long these days. We opted to put a double bowl in the island of our new place (still being built) and agree it takes up a lot of space, fortunately it’s at one end and it’s a relatively generous-sized island
Hi Jane,
Thanks for your kind feedback. It sounds like you’ve come up with a result which suits you. Congrats on your new kitchen, and best wishes with finishing your project!
– Amelia, UA x
Hi Amelia,
Love your podcast, thank you for all the information you share!
We’re currently designing our kitchen, and looking at the designs you’ve uploaded above, you seem to be OK with 600mm between a kitchen sink and cooktop..? I was worried about this in our design, but now feel it may be OK…
Hi Reen,
Thanks for your kind feedback – I’m glad you’re enjoying the podcast.
The best thing to always do is mark the design out at real life scale. If you can get a tape measure and get a feel for exactly how big this is, and be confident in it before building it, that’s the best thing to do. In my experience, it is sufficient, but it also needs to be reviewed in relation to the rest of the kitchen layout, where else you have bench space, and how the kitchen feels overall. Best wishes with the design process!
– Amelia, UA x
Loved this episode, but really confused as to how dead corners could be avoided. I can understand having an island bench to avoid it forming a U, but there would still be a corner in the other end. I really can’t imagine the kind of kitchen you are describing without diagrams.
I noted that my own kitchen has design flaws 1) u-shaped 2) corner pantry 3) kitchen sink in dominant bench.
Hi Emmeline,
Thanks for your comment.
As mentioned in the podcast, my favourite layout is the galley style. That’s where you’ll have a long back bench, and an island. So no corners, as all cupboards are accessed directly face on.
The other preferred version is an L-shape with an island. The return of the L would be high cupboards and fridge recess. Or alternatively, it can be a bench as a servery to outside. That seems to be the two options I generally great. I often block out the corner below bench, so you don’t have a cupboard that’s hard to get into.
Check out the kitchen designs in the Project Diaries – they start on these 2 pages >>> and
– Amelia, UA x
Synergy in your message – I was putting groceries away into my corner pantry as I was listening. And yes the floor of it certainly isn’t clear…. All of the negatives are spot on. So many dead zones with dry ingredients just languishing….
Hi Chris,
Hopefully there’s some comfort in knowing you’re not alone! It’s a significant design fault of the corner pantry. So challenging to use efficiently. Thanks for listening to the podcast!
– Amelia, UA x
As I do a lot of cooking I am planning a butlers pantry in our new build. After listening to your podcast my brain went hmmmm, do I really need a sink in my island if my butlers has the dishwasher and sink. But I watch tv while prepping dinner. Maybe a small sink. Positioning of the sink is the issue. Too close to the edge is a nuisance, would it be silly if it was centered?
Hi Brenda,
Thanks for your question. My main feedback is always that the sink is messy, and can consequently dominate use of the island bench overall. I always aim to put it on the back bench – if you listen to this podcast, I explain more about it there.
Best wishes with finalising your planning!
– Amelia, UA x
Hi, I was totally engaged in your session regarding kitchens, but certainly wanted to cry when I heard your comments about corner pantry units. The home we purchased 13 years ago has one and yes, recycling, rubbish, appliances taking up the floor space. I did also utter a bit of a giggle when you mentioned the brooms. Guilty. Now what? I will have a bit of a clean out and only leave the bin on the floor. maybe I should install some cabinetry under the shelving to house trays and Tupperware and leave the other shelving for dry goods and appliances. What do you think? I certainly agree with the island bench being clear and not including sinks. You are correct. There is always something left in our sink to soak or the rest of the family are too lazy to put things in the dish washer.
Hey Tamara,
The corner pantry is such a tricky space isn’t it! It feels so deceptively useful, but as you’ve attested to, it can become a cluttered dumping ground. Better organisation in there can help, and often companies such as Hafele or Hettich have got some useful products you can retrofit to those spaces to increase their functionality.
– Amelia, UA
Thank you Amelia, for an awesome podcast. We just did your 5 day Kitchen design challenge. We are just trying to figure out why you do not recommend having either the cooktop or sink in the island bench. Our understanding is if you put your sink in the island bench, whilst you wash dishes/ veggies you can still talk to people seated on the stools or the lounge. Any insights would be deeply appreciated. We have told many of our doctor friends about you. Kind regards from New Zealand
Hi Julia
Thanks so much for your kind words and for sharing Undercover Architect with others. I don’t recommend the sink in the island for a few reasons. The island is a great place to gather and do lots of activities (prep, conversation, work-from-home, homework) and with the sink in it, it compromises its multi-functionality. The sink is often a messy and wet zone, somewhere dishes get dumped on and beside. And we don’t stand at the sink the same way we did when we didn’t have dishwashers, and wanted to see what else was going on whilst we cleaned up. I prefer to let the island be like a great big table, and uninterrupted by services. You can still prep your veggies there, but wash them up in a sink on the back-bench, so you contain the water to one area, but you can still have a conversation whilst prepping them on the island bench.
Hope that helps!
– Amelia, UA