Albanach.

This is a rough plan I did in google sketchup. Grid is 1000mm scale.
Barn is roughly 4.8m wide internally. Main room is about 15m long with WC incorporated in the end. Kitchen “area” is about 5x5m.

Not shown on plan are units under window on top wall.

The island is made from 4x 600mm Ikea carcasses. Two by two bolted together and then back to back using the wall brackets at the top and spare wallbrackets fitted at the bottom and then bolted together with some M5 nuts and bolts. I got an 3m oak 40mm worktop for £135 from eBay. Chopped in to two pieces at c.1250mm length. The worktop is 620mm ish wide (standard). Then biscuit jointed the two pieces together to make the 4′ square top.*

Didnt bother with dog-bones as they werent “end on” joints.

8x 210mm stainless steel adjustable legs from Ikea one at each corner and mid point. I also fitted a wooden leg in the centre but dont think the island needs it and since I can just see it (non matching) when I walk in the room, I think I shall take it off.

*EDIT: BTW the worktop I got from eBay was great because it comes unfinished/uneased which makes jointing it back to back easy and leaves you to put the easing/finishing on that you want.

If I could, move back door. Think about ‘passageways’ for movement – working/living space ideally doesnt have a passageway (to and from doors etc) going through them. The ideal working triangle in kitchen – chopping area/cupboards, cooker, sink – so you can get to all with a turn and and perhaps one step, maximise ‘family’ space and potential for nice big table for eating and activites if you have kids. Lots of storage, pantry is good, keep that but think about how you max it.
Is that back wall facing the garden? Then deffo double patio door sets or foldback doors.

There’s not really enough room to keep the cooker and sink on the same wall and have worktop space either side of the hob. Hob is right next to drainer at the moment and it drives me mad.

Moving the backdoor isn’t an option unfortunately. It leads to a passageway through the outhouse rather than outside

Move the cooker to between the back door and boiler?

When I helped my old flatmate do the kitchen we were able to move the cooker without a gas cert plumber but I can’t remember how far it moved or what plumbing was involved, it might have just been a case of a longer flexible hose… – not much help really.

I’d move the gas and put a hob+oven setup on an island that runs out from next to the backdoor (somewhere around where it says 5400 on the RH wall). Nice big table by the bottom window.

Done many many kitchens, both my own and others design.

One thing I have learned over the years Symmetry is everything, don’t just put loads of units along a wall think from the middle out. Windows, a sink looks better in the middle of a window, or middle of a group of units. Likewise a cooker, looks much better in the centre of a run of units with the same gap and units either side. Even easier to achieve these days with Fridge, freezer etc. hidden behind matching doors.

The end result really is pleasing to the eye and looks much better IMHO.

After seeing your pic, I would go about face, rip out the pantry, french doors in place of the window and you have a bright dining area with access to garden.

Kitchen units in an L shape from where the camera is, stick the sink in an island unit so you can chat to the room/look out the french doors rather than inspect your tiling whilst washing up.

Can’t rip out the pantry, the beam sits on that wall.

Whatever you do, don’t go with a slate/dark coloured floor, every little crumb you drop is instantly visible so it always looks dirty.

The Dug takes care of that, the mud that he drags in is another issue tho.

Stoner or anyone, what software are you using to draw up your plans? I’m planning an extension and it would be handy to do it on the pc or iPad ,

http://sketchup.google.com/

is OK, but I did most of mine in Powerpoint as I find it faster to do scale diagrams.

Think this is the design we’re going to go with. I know it’s not ideal in kitchen design terms but then the space we’ve got to start with isn’t ideal either

(3/4 unit is fridge)

I designed my own, with help, took ages but I am still delighted with the layout…after 2 years. 11′ x 12′, has 2 doors and a 4-seater table, and is a pleasure to use.

ikea download is very good IMO