Have you noticed that kitchens in older homes tend to be on the small side? Only in recent decades has the kitchen become the heart of the house. Before then, the kitchen was a purely functional space for cooking meals. And as there wasn’t a wealth of appliances, gadgets and products available, kitchens weren’t built with a large footprint.
These days however, we like to have conveniences such as dishwashers and microwaves to make our lives easier and plenty of storage to avoid clutter. Perhaps just as importantly, we want a dine-in kitchen with enough space for the whole family to get together.
So, if you’re currently struggling with a boxy or galley-style kitchen in your home, you might be looking to create a bigger, more sociable space. If so, here are the four best ways to do it.
Take down a wall
One of the most straightforward ways to make a kitchen bigger is to take down a wall. Doing this could open out the kitchen and dining room into one big space. But this isn’t the only wall you could consider removing. There might be other spaces such as an integral garage, old pantry, or rear porch that you could incorporate into the kitchen by removing a wall.
Before removing a wall, you need to check whether it’s load-bearing. If it sounds solid when you tap on it, then it probably is. A builder or structural engineer can confirm this for you. If it’s load-bearing then an RSJ will be needed to support the upper floors.
Even if it’s not load-bearing, you’ll still need to make sure that any pipework, wiring, and sockets that are on or in the wall are removed before you can take it down. However, this job typically costs between £1,000 and £3,000, so it’s still one of the most cost-effective ways to create a big family kitchen.
Move the kitchen to a different room
Another option could be to move the location of your kitchen. Moving it into another room can mean a lot of additional plumbing and drainage work is needed, along with some gas and electrical work. But if there’s no space to extend, it could be a sensible solution.
This can often be the case in old terrace houses. There might be a large dining room but only a small galley kitchen. So, in this instance it would make sense to move the kitchen into dining room and use old kitchen as a utility.
The cost of moving your kitchen in this way should be between £14,000 and £19,000. However, these costs can rise if you’re fitting a new, high-end kitchen or there’s additional work to do such as raising the height of a window to accommodate a worktop.
Add a small extension
Adding an extension is the way that many families choose to increase the size of their kitchen. A small rear or side-return extension is the best option for opening out the space without eating up too much of your garden.
Keeping it to a single storey can seem like you’re not making the most of an extension but it will minimise costs and can save you the hassle of going through planning. This type of extension is likely to cost around £30,000 to build but you need to factor in the cost of your kitchen on top of this.
To maximise space, choose a pitched roof, incorporate plenty of glazing, and think about installing a patio or bi-fold doors, so your dining area can spill out onto the patio
Remodel the existing Family kitchen
If none of these options will work for your home, then the best thing you can do is rethink the space you have. Although this might not be ideal, remodeling can give you a more workable and sociable space.
Narrow cabinets and open shelves will save you space while still providing storage. Integrate your appliances and look for compact dishwashers and fridge freezers to save even more space. Do away with unnecessary small appliances and employ multi-functional gadgets such as hot water taps to regain some valuable worktop space.
A peninsula makes a good alternative to a kitchen island and can double as a dining and prep area. If you want to fit in a table, a round or foldable table is the best option for saving space. Go for chairs or benches that tuck properly underneath, so they’re out of the way when they’re not in use.
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