Need perhaps is a very strong word. My current kitchen is adequate but also has some serious failings as I like to cook and entertain. Lots. Naturally I’ve started boring my friends about this until finally my mate James introduced me to Chelsea Hing to come up with a new design.
My plan I pitched to Chelsea is that I write about the process of designing, our inspiration, selecting appliances and finishes, and building a new kitchen in excruciating detail in exchange for a design. So here goes…
On the face of it my 3 metre galley kitchen should be enough but here are the problems:
– The main workspace is just 580mm deep. This means some of my larger pans won’t fit on the far burners on my stovetop.
– There is no safety valve on the stove. This means if the flame snuffs out the gas continues flowing. The ignition works on three out of the four burners and often continues clicking after ignition. The noise is really annoying.
– The oven rattles when heating or cooling and the temperature settings are inaccurate.
– The single sink shallow at 140mm with water splashing out of to the worktop (swelling the chipboard under the melamine), onto me and the floor. The tap is too long, which means sometimes water pours on to the drainer instead of into the sink. Also, the tap is also so low that I can barely fit a kettle or large pasta pan underneath it.
– While I’m at it, there is no dishwasher. This means there is always a dirty cup or plate in the sink. And washing-up after dinner for half a dozen people is a pain.
– Even though I cook mainly for one (or two) usually. My cupboards are packed. There is no room left for anything. I need more space.
– The fridge is concealed in a pillar facing my living and dining room. That combined with the sink and stovetop facing the exterior wall means that I can’t see anybody while cooking.
– Facing the main living area is a bar with shelves underneath. This means that nobody can sit at it (also because I rest my bike against it).
– There is also a glass wall between the kitchen and the bedroom. While it means the flat gets natural light both morning and evening, it has been known for visitors, ahem, to smack their faces on it. There is probably a better solution.
By no means is the kitchen a disaster. But I miss my old one with it’s dark concreate benchtops, Qasair extraction and even the Miele oven and cooktop I’ve bitched about because of the cheap plastic knobs that kept breaking off.
It’s time for something a little more stylish.
Next: the initial designs.
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