ᐅ Is it possible to design an open-plan kitchen with special custom features in only 29 square meters?
Created on: 20 Dec 2020 18:58
K
knalltüte
Hello,
I would like to reconsider my current plans for the open-plan kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom, and use the collective intelligence of this forum for inspiration.
Over the past few months/during the construction, my priorities have shifted slightly (preferably furnishing with higher-quality items right away, not taking existing furniture with me), so I now require professional help especially with the kitchen/dining corner layout (this was planned from the start). On-site appointments at kitchen studios will likely follow as soon as possible. But perhaps I can already find suitable ideas here.
My desired kitchen features (designed for myself, maximum for two people):
Sink + dishwasher (preferably the dishwasher installed at “mid-height”). The sink location is roughly fixed due to the existing wastewater pipe options.
An oven with pyrolytic self-cleaning, nothing special otherwise. The oven can be installed “low” (as there is probably only one built-in spot at “mid-height”). I don’t need a microwave (not even one integrated into the oven).
The cooktop can be induction, possibly with a downdraft vent (preferably from Berbel, as I like their cleaning and technology best). It should not be too wide; do models around 60cm (24 inches) wide exist?
Alternatively, I am considering a two-burner gas cooktop combined with a teppanyaki grill. I would even prefer if this combination could be paired with a recirculation hood or downdraft vent—is that possible? The gas supply would come from a bottled source in the technical room.
My wishes for the cooktop include front-facing knobs (instead of touch control), and easy cleaning (with gas, probably only “Pitt Cooking” works).
I want a refrigerator with one or two freezer drawers or an integrated small freezer compartment. I would prefer the fridge and dishwasher to be integrated into a wall-mounted cabinet.
I need about 60-80cm (24–31 inches) of free countertop space for food preparation, plus about 40cm (16 inches) for appliances (only a small portafilter espresso machine + grinder). All other appliances should be stored in cabinets or drawers. The kitchen overall should not take up too much space and should appear clean, elegant, and floating. (I really like the design of many Bulthaup B3 wall-mounted kitchens.)
Directly adjacent to the kitchen, I want a comfortable counter/dining area mostly for myself, but it should fit up to four people (even if that is a bit tight), preferably with a view towards the terrace/pool/south-facing windows.
It would be nice to have the option to expand the dining area significantly for larger groups when “social gatherings” become possible again.
I am aware that the actual living area (entire apartment excluding the terrace) is only 59m² (635 square feet). Are my wishes even remotely feasible?
I certainly don’t expect space for gatherings with 20 people. My idea would be to compress the living area and add another table to the existing dining corner to significantly enlarge it.
What doesn’t exist in suitable space-saving dining furniture can of course be custom-built ;-)
I am very open to “wow effect” suggestions. I just don’t have the creative knack for this myself.
There is no fixed budget planned for this. Everything so far has always changed spontaneously, so why not here?
Since this is an open-plan kitchen, here is my (unfinalized) wish list for the TV/living area as well.
A comfortable but small corner sofa for 1–2 people. It should also serve as a possible sleeping space.
A small coffee table (height-adjustable) with multiple functions (dining, mini workspace).
Possibly a small side table of about 35cm (14 inches) diameter.
The TV will be integrated into the wall (I left a suitably sized recess for this). Therefore, I don’t need a lowboard or similar. All equipment including cables (except for the TV) will be hidden.
If there is still some space on the sofa side (unlikely), I could imagine a small (mini) wall-mounted sideboard. I like the design of the Interlübke Cube models.
Comments like “that’s something you do before floorplanning and construction” are a bit late by now :p
I would like to reconsider my current plans for the open-plan kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom, and use the collective intelligence of this forum for inspiration.
Over the past few months/during the construction, my priorities have shifted slightly (preferably furnishing with higher-quality items right away, not taking existing furniture with me), so I now require professional help especially with the kitchen/dining corner layout (this was planned from the start). On-site appointments at kitchen studios will likely follow as soon as possible. But perhaps I can already find suitable ideas here.
My desired kitchen features (designed for myself, maximum for two people):
Sink + dishwasher (preferably the dishwasher installed at “mid-height”). The sink location is roughly fixed due to the existing wastewater pipe options.
An oven with pyrolytic self-cleaning, nothing special otherwise. The oven can be installed “low” (as there is probably only one built-in spot at “mid-height”). I don’t need a microwave (not even one integrated into the oven).
The cooktop can be induction, possibly with a downdraft vent (preferably from Berbel, as I like their cleaning and technology best). It should not be too wide; do models around 60cm (24 inches) wide exist?
Alternatively, I am considering a two-burner gas cooktop combined with a teppanyaki grill. I would even prefer if this combination could be paired with a recirculation hood or downdraft vent—is that possible? The gas supply would come from a bottled source in the technical room.
My wishes for the cooktop include front-facing knobs (instead of touch control), and easy cleaning (with gas, probably only “Pitt Cooking” works).
I want a refrigerator with one or two freezer drawers or an integrated small freezer compartment. I would prefer the fridge and dishwasher to be integrated into a wall-mounted cabinet.
I need about 60-80cm (24–31 inches) of free countertop space for food preparation, plus about 40cm (16 inches) for appliances (only a small portafilter espresso machine + grinder). All other appliances should be stored in cabinets or drawers. The kitchen overall should not take up too much space and should appear clean, elegant, and floating. (I really like the design of many Bulthaup B3 wall-mounted kitchens.)
Directly adjacent to the kitchen, I want a comfortable counter/dining area mostly for myself, but it should fit up to four people (even if that is a bit tight), preferably with a view towards the terrace/pool/south-facing windows.
It would be nice to have the option to expand the dining area significantly for larger groups when “social gatherings” become possible again.
I am aware that the actual living area (entire apartment excluding the terrace) is only 59m² (635 square feet). Are my wishes even remotely feasible?
I certainly don’t expect space for gatherings with 20 people. My idea would be to compress the living area and add another table to the existing dining corner to significantly enlarge it.
What doesn’t exist in suitable space-saving dining furniture can of course be custom-built ;-)
I am very open to “wow effect” suggestions. I just don’t have the creative knack for this myself.
There is no fixed budget planned for this. Everything so far has always changed spontaneously, so why not here?
Since this is an open-plan kitchen, here is my (unfinalized) wish list for the TV/living area as well.
A comfortable but small corner sofa for 1–2 people. It should also serve as a possible sleeping space.
A small coffee table (height-adjustable) with multiple functions (dining, mini workspace).
Possibly a small side table of about 35cm (14 inches) diameter.
The TV will be integrated into the wall (I left a suitably sized recess for this). Therefore, I don’t need a lowboard or similar. All equipment including cables (except for the TV) will be hidden.
If there is still some space on the sofa side (unlikely), I could imagine a small (mini) wall-mounted sideboard. I like the design of the Interlübke Cube models.
Comments like “that’s something you do before floorplanning and construction” are a bit late by now :p
K
knalltüte31 Dec 2020 11:20Thank you for the many suggestions. Unfortunately, the program (IKEA Metod Planner) cannot handle some details, such as a dishwasher installed higher up (which is more important to me than an oven placed higher). The kitchen island with the table would also be slightly adjusted in size (the island a bit narrower to allow for more table width). But overall, I already like it quite a bit. 😉
After past and current discussions with my family, I will be hosting all celebrations for the next 10 years, such as Easter brunch, Boxing Day (the second day of Christmas), and others 😎 (I haven’t had the opportunity for many years due to lack of suitable living space). Therefore, the table must be able to accommodate 4-5 people regularly (for weekend breakfasts, etc.) and be significantly expanded on the occasions mentioned above. This is now possible with the current plan.
I’m happy to receive suggestions and improvement ideas nonetheless.
As a note: I would prefer not to have open shelving or upper cabinets. There should be enough storage space without them, right?
After past and current discussions with my family, I will be hosting all celebrations for the next 10 years, such as Easter brunch, Boxing Day (the second day of Christmas), and others 😎 (I haven’t had the opportunity for many years due to lack of suitable living space). Therefore, the table must be able to accommodate 4-5 people regularly (for weekend breakfasts, etc.) and be significantly expanded on the occasions mentioned above. This is now possible with the current plan.
I’m happy to receive suggestions and improvement ideas nonetheless.
As a note: I would prefer not to have open shelving or upper cabinets. There should be enough storage space without them, right?
K
knalltüte31 Dec 2020 12:07Strange, there was just a post from @Bertram100, and now it’s gone??
But I had just read it and swapped the sink with the cooktop. Probably the right choice, since the sink is used more often, and this way the grease spreads less in the room (the cooktop is planned with an integrated downdraft vent / recirculating extractor).
On the right, where the oven is shown, the dishwasher would be placed at a convenient height (the software doesn’t allow this). The oven could go, for example, below the cooktop.
The suggestion about half-height drawers already came from my sister, who has some taller ones (for aesthetic reasons), but unfortunately the upper level of those drawers is just empty space, so they are not very practical.
I had already mentioned that the island should be narrower overall. Unfortunately, I can’t draw this in the planning tool here. If more people come, the table can be rotated 90° and extended further.
But I had just read it and swapped the sink with the cooktop. Probably the right choice, since the sink is used more often, and this way the grease spreads less in the room (the cooktop is planned with an integrated downdraft vent / recirculating extractor).
On the right, where the oven is shown, the dishwasher would be placed at a convenient height (the software doesn’t allow this). The oven could go, for example, below the cooktop.
The suggestion about half-height drawers already came from my sister, who has some taller ones (for aesthetic reasons), but unfortunately the upper level of those drawers is just empty space, so they are not very practical.
I had already mentioned that the island should be narrower overall. Unfortunately, I can’t draw this in the planning tool here. If more people come, the table can be rotated 90° and extended further.
B
Bertram10031 Dec 2020 12:16Yes, zapp, you’re right. I wrote down some basic things and only later realized the thread was already on page 10 ;rolleyes: So I figured the basics have probably already been mentioned.
😀
I would now move the sink slightly to the side so that there is only a narrow edge left (about 15cm (6 inches)). On the side you choose, you can also install the dishwasher raised within the wall cabinets (counting from the edge, either the first or second cabinet – better the first right away). That way, with one motion, you can sweep trash into the hopefully raised bin under the countertop on the island, rinse plates briefly if needed, and then turn into the dishwasher. When unloading, all dishes will naturally end up on just one side of the dishwasher, which is very practical.
With Ikea, it’s very easy to install a dishwasher in a raised position. That’s no problem.
The two towers are perfect for storing various small items. I hope you realize that. I would go up to the ceiling with them, like in your first design. It looks more appealing visually, especially since the kitchen is always in the same room.
I think you have planned a drainboard next to the sink. You can skip that, it’s not absolutely necessary. This way you gain more workspace.
Possibly, I would consider making the island a bit less deep. Not less than 80cm (31 inches), but around 90cm (35 inches) would be very good for working and help define the room’s layout. This will increase the distance from the island to the living area slightly. Shortening the island is just cutting. Just shorten it so the length matches a multiple of Ikea front widths. I once had 90cm (35 inches) depth and used three 30cm (12 inches) wide panels as side panels. It looked good.
I think this room will feel very comfortable.
😀
I would now move the sink slightly to the side so that there is only a narrow edge left (about 15cm (6 inches)). On the side you choose, you can also install the dishwasher raised within the wall cabinets (counting from the edge, either the first or second cabinet – better the first right away). That way, with one motion, you can sweep trash into the hopefully raised bin under the countertop on the island, rinse plates briefly if needed, and then turn into the dishwasher. When unloading, all dishes will naturally end up on just one side of the dishwasher, which is very practical.
With Ikea, it’s very easy to install a dishwasher in a raised position. That’s no problem.
The two towers are perfect for storing various small items. I hope you realize that. I would go up to the ceiling with them, like in your first design. It looks more appealing visually, especially since the kitchen is always in the same room.
I think you have planned a drainboard next to the sink. You can skip that, it’s not absolutely necessary. This way you gain more workspace.
Possibly, I would consider making the island a bit less deep. Not less than 80cm (31 inches), but around 90cm (35 inches) would be very good for working and help define the room’s layout. This will increase the distance from the island to the living area slightly. Shortening the island is just cutting. Just shorten it so the length matches a multiple of Ikea front widths. I once had 90cm (35 inches) depth and used three 30cm (12 inches) wide panels as side panels. It looked good.
I think this room will feel very comfortable.
K
knalltüte31 Dec 2020 12:41Bertram100 schrieb:
... I think this room feels really comfortable. 🙂I agree ;-) Thanks for all the helpful suggestions. I’ve now added upper cabinets after all; it makes the wall look more balanced, and you can never have enough storage space.And about your concern that clutter tends to collect on the half-height cabinets—you hit the nail on the head. I currently have a unit with a fridge and pull-out pantry, and it’s covered with “junk” (well, there’s a nice tin of rusk, but everything else should really be cleared away).
B
Bertram10031 Dec 2020 12:48Looks good! I prefer it with upper cabinets. I see that you moved the sink forward. You could use an 80cm (31.5 inch) cabinet there and install a 60cm (23.6 inch) sink right-aligned. Then a 40cm (15.7 inch) cabinet for trash (with a tall drawer on top), and fill the rest as generously as possible. I have the same setup, and after the sink and trash, I have another 60cm (23.6 inch) cabinet. It’s very convenient: knives, cutting boards, cereal bowls, and cutlery all in the 60cm (23.6 inch) unit. Everything right at hand, “sister, scalpel, and Tupperware.” You have it all in front of you.
I would install the dishwasher elevated in the tall cabinet on the side. Really practical.
I would install the dishwasher elevated in the tall cabinet on the side. Really practical.
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