Gadget ideas for new kitchen/snug extension?
Discussion
Really think of the location for plug sockets.
Think of where you'll place Christmas stuff (fairy lights) and also, if you're going to use cooking gadgets at the dining table (like a raclette or a grill/fondue set - basically French or Asian stuff), put a socket in the floor under it. It's kind of nice for the toaster too when you have lots of people over.
Nice to put table lamps here and there in a kitchen, makes it feel more like a normal room and add softness/personality. You'll also need sockets (5amp?) for those, better to have too many than not enough.
Think of where you'll place Christmas stuff (fairy lights) and also, if you're going to use cooking gadgets at the dining table (like a raclette or a grill/fondue set - basically French or Asian stuff), put a socket in the floor under it. It's kind of nice for the toaster too when you have lots of people over.
Nice to put table lamps here and there in a kitchen, makes it feel more like a normal room and add softness/personality. You'll also need sockets (5amp?) for those, better to have too many than not enough.
On Sonos and TV, we put power and ethernet on the wall where the TV would be, power, ethernet and USB on the island, and sockets in each corner for Sonos or similar, mounted high on the wall so the active speakers are tucked away neatly. Works well.
I even built power into an island cabinet for the Sonos sub so that it would be hidden, but id doesn't work as the bass makes all the cabinets rattle. Oops.
You can just see two of the Play 1s in the corners of the room at the top pf the photo. The other two sit on top of the kitchen units, where I also put power: you can see one in the second photos.
If you are a cooking enthusiast (I am) two hobs. Cheaper and easier than getting a hybrid one or messing around with domino hobs. Gas gets used for asian cooking, or main cooking while the induction then keeps completed dishes warm. We entertain a lot, and it's great.
Kitchen by baconrashers, on Flickr
Kitchen by baconrashers, on Flickr
I even built power into an island cabinet for the Sonos sub so that it would be hidden, but id doesn't work as the bass makes all the cabinets rattle. Oops.
You can just see two of the Play 1s in the corners of the room at the top pf the photo. The other two sit on top of the kitchen units, where I also put power: you can see one in the second photos.
If you are a cooking enthusiast (I am) two hobs. Cheaper and easier than getting a hybrid one or messing around with domino hobs. Gas gets used for asian cooking, or main cooking while the induction then keeps completed dishes warm. We entertain a lot, and it's great.
Kitchen by baconrashers, on FlickrKitchen by baconrashers, on Flickr
Excellent stuff guys, keep them coming!
Harry, I really like the fact you've gone for a mix of both Wood and Granite(?) worktops. We're still in 2 minds what to go for, Missus wants a black granite but I love the warm look of solid wood worktops (altho I understand they're a b'stard to maintain & keep clean).
Been reading up the B&O A9 "satellite dish/tripod speaker" and seems an awesome bit of kit, be just the job for in the corner and I understand you can get custom covers for them as well. Slightly on the pricey side but you only live once hey. Will get a demo booked in and see. Still like the idea of ceiling speakers to have a better spread of sound mind..
Harry, I really like the fact you've gone for a mix of both Wood and Granite(?) worktops. We're still in 2 minds what to go for, Missus wants a black granite but I love the warm look of solid wood worktops (altho I understand they're a b'stard to maintain & keep clean).
Been reading up the B&O A9 "satellite dish/tripod speaker" and seems an awesome bit of kit, be just the job for in the corner and I understand you can get custom covers for them as well. Slightly on the pricey side but you only live once hey. Will get a demo booked in and see. Still like the idea of ceiling speakers to have a better spread of sound mind..
For music how about Google Home/Amazon Echo/Apple Homepod? All offer voice-controlled whole-home audio, with chromecasts/dots to hook up to hifis, or third-party speakers available for Google and more coming for both Google and Amazon.
My Home comes in handy for reading out recipes, and as a kitchen timer.
My Home comes in handy for reading out recipes, and as a kitchen timer.
Whilst I've got a NAS with a load of cd rips on it, for a wider choice I subscribe to Google Play Music. Speakers are a mix of Google Homes, googlecast-enabled speakers, and hifi systems with Chromecast Audios attached. Control is via my phone, or usually I say to a Home play x album by y artist in z room, and it plays. There are also all the radio stations from Tunein, and podcasts available. It also controls my Hue lights, has my calendar, etc.
Amazon's system can do the same, and Apple's version should be available in a few months. If you're an Apple household it might well be worth waiting?
Amazon's system can do the same, and Apple's version should be available in a few months. If you're an Apple household it might well be worth waiting?
Edited by scovette on Thursday 8th June 20:40
Edited by scovette on Thursday 8th June 20:44
alock said:
Please tell me you've fixed this since taking the picture?
Another general point, get the master switches for appliances installed inside a cupboard rather than on display. All ours are inside the cupboard above the oven.
Yup like this. Its out of shot, but USB equipped socket is a good idea for phone charger.Another general point, get the master switches for appliances installed inside a cupboard rather than on display. All ours are inside the cupboard above the oven.
Edited by stanwan on Thursday 8th June 20:56
Daggerpie said:
Honestly, I am totally clueless with all these new music streaming pod download things, I'm still on CD & vinyl.
As a total novice, what is the best system to download tunes (onto iPad?) then somehow (Wi-Fi.?) bang across to decent speakers?
I find a combination of Sonos and Spotify to work really well.As a total novice, what is the best system to download tunes (onto iPad?) then somehow (Wi-Fi.?) bang across to decent speakers?
The app on the iPhone (and I presume iPad) work really well. You can then play anything on Spotify music service (or radio stations) through your Sonos from your iPhone/iPad.
I wasn't so impressed with the Play 1 but thought a pair of Play 3s would be awesome. Go for mounting ethernet and plug sockets up high above your cabinets. At the renovation stage, adding points is cheap!
We've just had Magnet take our 6 month old badly fitted kitchen out and replaced with a top of the range one, due to the original being awful (long story, just think very hard about letting them fit it)
One of the sweetners in our new kitchen was a bluetooth sound bar and its really good. Not sure how much they are as I didnt have to pay for it but the sounds good in our kitchen, but its not a huge room. They do more powerful versions that sit beneath the cabinets too.
We have Sonos in other rooms but this frees up worktop space and its one less thing to plug in.
Here it is with the grill on (magnetic)
And this shows how it fits between cabinets.
Apart from that I'd suggest LED lights, ours run around beneath the worktops in an aluminium profile. They're remote control and can be any colour you could imagine. Maybe a bit council in anything other than white though but again, they offered them so we took them.
One of the sweetners in our new kitchen was a bluetooth sound bar and its really good. Not sure how much they are as I didnt have to pay for it but the sounds good in our kitchen, but its not a huge room. They do more powerful versions that sit beneath the cabinets too.
We have Sonos in other rooms but this frees up worktop space and its one less thing to plug in.
Here it is with the grill on (magnetic)
And this shows how it fits between cabinets.
Apart from that I'd suggest LED lights, ours run around beneath the worktops in an aluminium profile. They're remote control and can be any colour you could imagine. Maybe a bit council in anything other than white though but again, they offered them so we took them.
Daggerpie said:
Nice one, which Magnet kitchen did you go for, any finished pics? Thanks
We were upgraded to gloss whute Integra Fusion, the difference in quality is huge compared to the Planar one we had fitted before, everything about it is just better. The fitter was also a good bloke, they have a select few fitters they employ as 'put the wheel back on' fitters. He actually fitted it to plan, didn't damage anything or leave any open drains and dangerous electrics.... Unlike the first fitter. We have an 8 page fault list that resulted in the first kitchen being ripped out after 7 months of fighting with them.
In all honesty, don't use Magnet.
I think everything's been covered already but we had ours finished at the end of last year..
- kitchen from intoto, matt white units, Compac quartz worktops (20mm)
- Roux hot water tap (free with kitchen) is used all the time
- pan draw and pullout larder
- integrated breakfast bar and at the other end a normal height table (really happy with this), copper pendant light above
- induction hob is great (as mentioned, don't go for the standard rings but what suits your cooking)
- Siemens appliances all working well, like the self cleaning ovens (inbuilt microwave could be more powerful)
- Caple wine chiller great
- Worktop with pop-up sockets+USB
- Westco integrated bins are good
- used Kitchen & Bathroom radio for Bluetooth radio and celling speakers, think he's on PH? Although have a Google Home now and tend to use that more
Just make sure you spend the time walking round imaging how the space will be used and mark on the walls (the other half always said I looked stupid, but worth it).
- kitchen from intoto, matt white units, Compac quartz worktops (20mm)
- Roux hot water tap (free with kitchen) is used all the time
- pan draw and pullout larder
- integrated breakfast bar and at the other end a normal height table (really happy with this), copper pendant light above
- induction hob is great (as mentioned, don't go for the standard rings but what suits your cooking)
- Siemens appliances all working well, like the self cleaning ovens (inbuilt microwave could be more powerful)
- Caple wine chiller great
- Worktop with pop-up sockets+USB
- Westco integrated bins are good
- used Kitchen & Bathroom radio for Bluetooth radio and celling speakers, think he's on PH? Although have a Google Home now and tend to use that more
Just make sure you spend the time walking round imaging how the space will be used and mark on the walls (the other half always said I looked stupid, but worth it).
Edited by morrisk1 on Friday 16th June 09:28
(having said that, will be using our own fitters for the kitchen)morrisk1 said:
I think everything's been covered already but we had ours finished at the end of last year..
-
- used Kitchen & Bathroom radio for Bluetooth radio and celling speakers, think he's on PH? Although have a Google Home now and tend to use that more
Brilliant, many thanks for that. How very bizarre, that model in their marketing pics with the blue and white dresses is actually a good friend of mine! (Claire Guest) and will no doubt be round when the house is finished!!-
- used Kitchen & Bathroom radio for Bluetooth radio and celling speakers, think he's on PH? Although have a Google Home now and tend to use that more
Edited by morrisk1 on Wednesday 14th June 18:48
+1 for a Quooker, had ours 9 years now, TOP gadget! Had a plumber remove scale last year, Quooker sent a new tap mechanism (ours had developed a slight leak)
We like our Sonos, generally works well, great for multi-room party mode, use Spotify and TuneIn radio as well as our own ripped music (which lives on a computer but also in google play). Also appreciate is is daft expensive and perhaps overkill for many.
+1 for induction: we have a range, super easy to clean...if I was planning again, I'd go with one decent gas wok burner as well.
+1 for Fisher Paykel dishwasher drawers: great to have one on whilst still able to load another
Add a water stop (SureStop) hidden away for easy of stopping water.
+1 for USB power, either with sockets or hidden in an 'appliance garage'
We like our glass tambour unit.
LEDs in plinth can make for a nice evening effect (maybe a bit bling!) - easier to fit all those fancy things from the start rather than retrofit.
Have a browse at http://tinyurl.com/yau8bksk to see what some of those things look like or for other ideas
Particularly pleased with our 'slumped glass' splashback, inspired from an office visit to a rather posh office.
Wooden island took a little looking after for the first 2 or 3 years, but now we rarely touch it.
Still like ours, 9 years later! They darken quite a lot after a year or so....looked very 'orange' when it arrived!
Finally: get good fitters! A good fitter could make an average kitchen look great....a bad fitter will just leave sockets out of line, etc etc!
We like our Sonos, generally works well, great for multi-room party mode, use Spotify and TuneIn radio as well as our own ripped music (which lives on a computer but also in google play). Also appreciate is is daft expensive and perhaps overkill for many.
+1 for induction: we have a range, super easy to clean...if I was planning again, I'd go with one decent gas wok burner as well.
+1 for Fisher Paykel dishwasher drawers: great to have one on whilst still able to load another
Add a water stop (SureStop) hidden away for easy of stopping water.
+1 for USB power, either with sockets or hidden in an 'appliance garage'
We like our glass tambour unit.
LEDs in plinth can make for a nice evening effect (maybe a bit bling!) - easier to fit all those fancy things from the start rather than retrofit.
Have a browse at http://tinyurl.com/yau8bksk to see what some of those things look like or for other ideas
Particularly pleased with our 'slumped glass' splashback, inspired from an office visit to a rather posh office.
Wooden island took a little looking after for the first 2 or 3 years, but now we rarely touch it.
Still like ours, 9 years later! They darken quite a lot after a year or so....looked very 'orange' when it arrived!
Finally: get good fitters! A good fitter could make an average kitchen look great....a bad fitter will just leave sockets out of line, etc etc!
Edited by mikeiow on Friday 16th June 07:20
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