New Kitchen wanted but narrow , long space.....best option?

[Rags]

Hi Guys,

Sister has a new place and I am sorting a kitchen for her.

The kitchen currently in there is adequate and clinical but feels a bit dated.

The only problem is the orientation, its a long space but narrow.

Trying to get ideas and colours that will give the illusion of it looking wider as well as clever ideas to ensure we get the most out of the available floor space.

The width of the kitchen is 6 ft x 15 ft with the floor space being a lot less. There are no options for extensions and currenly all appliances are built in with the washer / dryer being in another room.

In summary, there is no budget but £10k tops.

I would like some suggested companies
Colour schemes
Space ideas

Thanks in advance.

[VxDuncan]

Rags said:

Hi Guys,

Sister has a new place and I am sorting a kitchen for her.

The kitchen currently in there is adequate and clinical but feels a bit dated.

The only problem is the orientation, its a long space but narrow.

Trying to get ideas and colours that will give the illusion of it looking wider as well as clever ideas to ensure we get the most out of the available floor space.

The width of the kitchen is 6 ft x 15 ft with the floor space being a lot less. There are no options for extensions and currenly all appliances are built in with the washer / dryer being in another room.

In summary, there is no budget but £10k tops.

I would like some suggested companies
Colour schemes
Space ideas

Thanks in advance.

Sounds very similar to my kitchen, which runs along the side of the dining room on the outside wall in a '30s semi. You could try and get the cupboards right back against the wall and use narrow worksurfaces, but what I'm considering doing is moving the cupboard to the outside wall of the house, taking out the wall between the kitchen and dining room and replacing with a breakfast bar to make it open plan...

[B17NNS]

You obviously can't magic up additional space but you can create the illusion of it.

I would be thinking along the lines of clever lighting and careful choices in materials.

I'd be tempted to go with a light gloss slab kitchen in cream (I find white very stark). These look superb with a dark wooden worktop (think Zebrano or Walnut. The matt finish of the worktop will also create a nice contrast to the gloss of the cabinetry.

Floor tiles again think light and large format, 600 x 600 beige glossy porcelein.

Appliances as many built in as possible to reduce clutter and emphasise the feeling of space.

Lighting I'd be thinking LED plinth lights, under cabinet lights and sunken downlighters in the ceiling, all switched seperately to allow different feels and moods to be created.

Just because it's small doesn't mean it can't look stunning.

Don't spend too much on the cabinets, Wickes and B&Q are fine, spend the money on quality worktops, appliances and all the touchy feely elements that lift an average kitchen into something a bit more special.

[s3fella]

Go for a Galley Kitchen style. Keep cabinets clean and symetrical around things like main window etc. You can make a breakfast bar area to sit at (assuming too narrow for table) by using wall cabinets on the floor, with the regualr worrktop over the top so you have space to sit at it.

[MrV]

s3fella said:

Go for a Galley Kitchen style. Keep cabinets clean and symetrical around things like main window etc. You can make a breakfast bar area to sit at (assuming too narrow for table) by using wall cabinets on the floor, with the regualr worrktop over the top so you have space to sit at it.

+1


Or cut the worktops down in width to give her a bit more room to maneuver.

[Heathwood]

Consider having the horizontal surfaces light.

So, rather than having, say, white cabinets with dark worktops and floor tiles, have a darker cabinet allowing you to set it off with light surfaces. This, as I understand it, will give the illusion of more space / light.

[Simpo Two]

Obviously the lighter in colour it is, the bigger it will look. I'd go for white units and white walls, with something contrasting for worktops - perhaps a light wood like beech. Add splashes of colour with ornaments or prints (sorry for sounding like Gok Wan at this point)

Galley style will leave you with only two feet in the middle - unworkable IMHO - so try to get everything into just one side.

Change the appliances for integrated ones to keep the lines sleek and straight.

A microwave built into a wall cupboard will give you a valuable extra chunk of worktop space.

If the hob is gas, lose the ugly sticky-up bits by dumping it in favour of an induction hob - flat, sexy, efficient and also extra worktop space when you're not using it.



Any good?

[sherman]

Could you not use a mirror as a splash back and this will create the look of more space. It will be a bugger to keep clean though.

Lots of pubs use this trick to make it look like they have more stock on the bar than they really do which makes the bar look bigger.