Kitting out kitchen, but no room for everything!

[LeanneA]

Hi, me again

Been at my flat today doing some more decorating and planning, and would like advice on the kitchen. Its not the largest space in the world, and of the 3 residential tenants I have had in the last 13 years, they have all had different interpretations of the "essential" equipment they chose.

There is room for either:

A full sized cooker
A washing machine
A full sized fridge

Then counter top versions of everything else (expect washing machine of course - there is a launderette 5 minutes walk away).

1 Tenant liked to cook, had a full sized cooker, mini-fridge and no w/m.

1 Tenant preferred a w/m, but also wanted a full sized fridge, so put that in the lounge area and kept his TV on top - not a very professional look for a holiday let!

The most recent had a full sized fridge in the kitchen, a counter-top cooker and microwave, no w/m.


Obviously, full time residents have slightly different needs and preferences to holiday guests. I am thinking a full sized fridge is a must, so giving that priority over a full sized cooker. My parents have a counter top mini oven and grill with hotplates on top, which they use in preference to their full sized oven if only cooking for 2 - I am proposing one of these for the flat.

Then a microwave aswell. Personally I don't consider a washing machine as a necessity.

What do others think please? I could at a push install a full sized cooker, and make room for a full sized fridge, but would mean sacrificing a kitchen cabinet, leaving only an under sink double cupboard, a halfsize/single cabinet and 4 drawers!

Any thoughts or comments welcome, thanks

[booboo]

Do you have an outside room/shed to put the washing machine in or perhaps the bathroom?
Do you have a garden so people can cook outdoors? people love to cook outdoors in the summer!

[Hells Bells]

I had a dilemma with my own apartment. We bought the apartment with a built in fridge, dishwasher, 4 ring hob but a mini-oven which bugged me for a long time. As we have an open plan kichen/lounge with a bit of careful and considered planning we were able to create an island to house a full-size oven.
As a cook I would want an oven and a proper fridge. My washing machine goes in the bathroom.
Do you have any photos so we can see what you are up against?

[LeanneA]

Thanks for replies.

There is no shed/outside storage for anything. There is however a communal garden area with decking which will be available to anyone using the flat, so they can barbecue etc, but knowing what the British summer is like ...

I don't have any photos at the moment, will try to get some later in the week when I am next there, but it looks like a building site at the moment with all my tools and decorating stuff! Its basically a single room for kitchen/living/lounge space, with kitchen sink and units along one end wall, a small breakfast bar dividing the kitchen from the lounge and thats it! Sadly the breakfast bar is not a full worktop width as otherwise the fridge could easily have fitted under one end, allowing the "cooker" space to be used for a cooker!

TBH, when we used to take self-catering holidays years ago (before family started taking all our time/money etc), I don't think we cooked at all, other than breakfast, so a cooker would not have been a priority for me then, but I appreciate everyone is different.

[French Cricket]

For me a full size oven is a must as I love to cook, even on holiday. I rented an apartment in Catalunya last autumn and stupidly failed to check out whether the advertised 'oven' was a proper oven. It wasn't - it was a small mini-oven - and I found it very frustrating (and we're just two as well).

Some pictures would definitely be useful. I think kitchen quality is a bit of a make or break for lots of people - me included - and if you're going to make a success in the couples market you've got to give people an environment close to what they have at home.

[ccazes]

I would definitely go for the full sized fridge. At first when I read the post I thought you meant a small under the counter fridge at worst but I think you mean a fridge on the counter. That must be like a hotel fridge or not much bigger so if someone wants to cook then they will have a cooker but not much space to store fresh food. As a renter I would not understand why there was a washing machine and just a counter top fridge.

If you have an under the counter fridge, a hob and a nice counter top oven big enough to roast a chicken then you have covered all your bases and your guests can cook very much anything they want.

Have you considered a full height unit in a corner that could house multiple devices? You could do a washing machine on the bottom and a fridge on top or a fridge on bottom with an oven on top.

[Nemo]

I'm with ccazes. A washing machine is nice but in no way essential if it's at the expense of cooker/fridge. Full size fridge yes, and the work around as suggested by ccazes of hob plus a countertop oven or full height unit with a fridge plus an oven if possible, would be preferable.

You can get quite decent oven/microwaves but they clearly won't pacify a proper cook like FC!

I too, love to go out as much as possible on holiday, but my guests definitely use the kitchen and cook a lot.

[French Cricket]

You can get quite decent oven/microwaves but they clearly won't pacify a proper cook like FC!

Too true! I'm not remotely interested in a microwave (don't have one) or even a washing machine, but part of the pleasure of being on holiday is cooking with local produce so proper fridge (under worktop size is fine) and oven, plus four cooking rings, are all essentials in my book! Give me good food over clean knickers any day

[booboo]

Strange how we are all so different I refuse to cook a dinner when I am on holiday.

I like ccazes idea, it has also helped me as we will be changing our kitchen soon.. just haven't had the heart to start the plan yet!

[tavi]

my sleep 2 apartment has a granite worktop with

a two ring ceramic hob, (do you really need more for two people?)
with microwave built in under,
a small round sink
with a drainer in the cupboard above (thereby saving counter top space) See Ikea for cupboard drainers.
full size under counter fridge.

total length around 2.50m

wall cupboards above so plenty of room for storage.


One guest suggested a mini oven, but no-one else has commented - most say they don't want to do more than breakfast or light lunch in the apartment. Loads of fab restaurants in my village 100m away.

I also provide coffee percolator, toaster, kettle, sandwich grill, blender, & juicer.

No washing machine but am thinking when I renew the bathroom to plumb in a compact one.

Hope that helps.

No idea what the answer is for you but hope that helps.

[tavi]

oh,

and at least 4 electric sockets above counter!

[Nemo]

I think there is also a slight difference between UK guests/ rentals and staying in a warmer climate. I suspect UK guests driving within the UK are more likely to bring their own food or shop locally. Once abroad, in a warmer climate, there is less desire to cook.

The other factor is the proximity of eating places from the rental. The more there are within walking distance especially, the more likely the guests are to go out, as everyone can have a drink without worrying about driving home.

[KathyG]

Would it not be possible to replace your breakfast bar with a full width one so that you could house the fridge?

[Hells Bells]

Kathy that was more or less my solution, although I replaced a kitchen trolley which housed pans and utensils and acted as my chopping surface with 2x 60cm kitchen units to house an oven,
Careful measuring was needed though.

[Mouse]

We manage all summer on a 2 ring gas hob and no oven, instead we use a JML halogen oven thing; it's great for anything roasted, grilled and also baked!
We also of course have a BBQ at our disposal being in Spain.

Our oven gets very little usage in the villa with our guests; in 8 years only 1 person has baked. It's mainly used for the grill.

If I was in your situation I think I'd go for 2 ring hob, mircowave, oven and fridge.
Ditch the washing machine. I've never understood why people need to wash clothes on holiday...and especially if you'll be mainly short breaks.

Do you have a good selection of restaurants in close proximity? I think that would matter. Might be able to do without a big oven.

Mouse
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