Hi, How much space is there between the wall and patio doors on each side?

you definitely have enough space for an island & two side runs of cabinets. If you feel you have enough storage I'd keep the cabinets just as you have. If you could use more, extend the cabinets down the walls to the door way. One side could be slightly lower and more shallow to create a buffet or desk area. art above. the other, shallow pantries combined with open shelves for display/misc storage.

I would delete the table & extend your island longer toward doorway, make it narrower (~ 1 meter wide) and then you have plenty of room down the sides for seating & on seat on end. The table area could drop down if you prefer using normal chairs. It can also be free standing so you can move around.

I suggest this because the area you've allotted is very narrow for table & chairs. It will take at least .75 m to sit & also guest move around other seated guest. Try this with your existing table to get the idea.

Between the wall and patio doors there is as much space as we want - we are having the doors fitted so that's all up for debate. At the moment, the plan was to leave 65cm (depth of kitchen cabinet), but it could be more/less.

Ellen - I think that could really work. I've mocked up the table as an extension of the island, with benches down the side for now, but chairs would work too. As it is the only area on the house for eating, we're keen to keep it normal table height for when we have people round, but we like the informal feel that gives it where the cooking is going on next to the diners!

We can make the island 90cm wide, which is pretty much the same as most dining tables. When we have more guests we'll just have to have it extend at the one end.

Great suggestion, thanks

That looks good, too.

Here is what I was thinking, this way you would have larger walkways and have the same interactive layout (talk to guests while cooking, etc.)

That's quite interesting too. Totally different but gives a lot more to n the way of cabinets etc. Will mock that one and see how it works. Thanks

Go look at our plan Mark; itis larger, but may give u some ideas there 2 from others..

Yes, I think it will give you a more functional kitchen, and I think it will be easier to work with the Style of Cabinets, like the white contemporary look in your inspiration photo. You can even do the solid wood bench top at the seating of the peninsula, and the end wall, can really be a huge expanse of glass.

I've done a mock of that one Aggie, and its definitely the best use of space so far. It also leaves enough space for the table to be extended when we have more guests, which was another thing we really wanted to be able to do.

So now its just a case of costing it all up - one things for sure, its a more expensive option due to the number of base cabinets.

thanks for your help, really appreciated.

It's starting to look great,
A couple thoughts:

1) Move the sink to the right and shorten that whole run of base cabinets, (maybe 60cm Trash on the right, then 90cm sink base, 60cm DW), so that the fridge moves to the right into the prep area (or is in between prep and serving)..

2) You definitely need an elevated bar for seating to protect the folks sitting, so that will have to be a "two tier" peninsula.

3) Once you shorten that whole wall, you can either continue with a coffee bar on the left and end it with a tall pantry, or eliminate all those cabinets after fridge altogether and have a store bought credenza as a Coffee Bar. That may (or may not) save any money

Anyway, that's what I was thinking. I tried to get your drawing off this page to mark it up, but it wouldn't print. So I am attaching a hand drawn.

Mark - I suspect you might regret making the peninsula no deeper than the cooktop (24", presumably?) - no-one can sit "at the bar" there, and the splashes, steam, etc, aren't too attractive for guests sitting at the table either!

I am sure Mark knows he needs to involve a local professional, he may just be one of those people, who need to have a clear idea going in, even if the professional will change the whole thing 180 degrees. Happens all the time.

keep in mind the depth of bar stools and a person sitting there versus the depth of a person sitting at the table. If same time, may feel like a very crowded restaurant. very little aisle way potential.

Thanks everyone for all your help. And you'll be pleased to know, when the time is right, I will discuss all my plans with our designer, but for now we're just trying to do a budget for the whole renovation, so having an idea of what we might do certainly helps.

thanks again

Mark