Welcome ms_s!

First, conversions for those of us in the States that don't use the metric system:

1m = 39.3" & 2.54cm = 1"
11m = 36'
4m = 13'
2.3m = 7'6"
70cm = 27.5" (in this case, probably 27" ovens)

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You really need work/landing space on each side of your cooktop...at least 12" (30cm), but preferably 18" (46cm).

I'm also concerned by the lack of landing space for both the ovens and the refrigerator. You need landing space either immediately on one or both sides or within 48" (114cm) in front of them.

Will you have a dishwasher? If so, where do you plan to put it? To the right of the sink?

I don't normally suggest this, but have you thought of putting the sink on the peninsula. Perhaps close to the corner? Then, you could center the cooktop on the base of the "U". You might consider a window on each side of the cooktop...I've seen a couple kitchens on GardenWeb that have done that and it looks very nice.

Or, if you prefer, you could put the window at the end of the peninsula so the side of the sink is in front of the window. Then, center the cooktop between the window and pantry cabinet.

Pantry cabinet: Can you get a corner pantry cabinet? I looked for one when I was designing my kitchen but no one had one. I ended up building a small corner pantry with walls and a door.

A one-level peninsula is much more versatile than a two-level peninsula. With one level, you can use it for large projects like crafts, school, baking, wrapping gifts, etc. With two levels there isn't nearly as much room...less, even, than a regular counter because the overhang from the top level will get in the way of the lower level working area and the top counter will be too shallow to do much...your laptop will barely fit on it if you use the minimum recommended overhang. (The minimum recommended seating overhang for counter-height seating is 15" (38cm); for bar-height it's 12" (30cm).)

The higher level is also not as easy for children or older people to sit at. It can be difficult for them to climb up into the seat and it is not very comfortable for them while sitting there.

In your layout, is the LR off to the left, on the side where the seats are?

That's it for right now...it's very late here on the east cost of the U.S. and I need to get up for work tomorrow. Hopefully others will chime in with other comments and ideas.

Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: National Kitchen & Bath Association's Kitchen Planning Guidelines with Access Standards

Oh, and here is the kitchen:

{{!gwi}}

I don't see a range hood over your cooktop. Do you plan to vent the odors, grease, smoke, steam, etc. to the outside? A range hood would be very useful.

Have you considered a Microwave Drawer? They don't take up upper cabinet space and are easy to use.

Hi everyone, :) Thanks so much for all the input. Yes there will be a range hood, I guess I fogot to draw that. I hope there are corner pantry cupboards, but if not a corner cupboard and a corner upper wall cabinet, I've seen those. I have seen many kitchens including a friend of mine who has a fridge and wall oven next to each other. I just have to make sure I buy a fridge that will open to the opposite side of the oven so as not to interfere with the oven door. Since the wall oven will be fitted into a cabinet there will be wood between the fridge and the wall oven to give it some buffer.
Thanks for the idea of the microwave drawer, but I don't mind using one cupboard to put in a microwave, then we can use our current one and save a bit of money and then upgrade later. And in our new kitchen we'll have twice the space as we do now, so it should be ok.
In regards to have space on either side of the cooktop, at the moment that is what I have, but one side is completely taken up with the microwave and a deep-fryer, so I know that I can work with just space to the left like I have now.
The pennisula I didn't want to be two-tier, like two heights, I wanted it the same height but just with a divider in the middle, because if you are reading the paper, or working on the laptop, you dont want water, or bits of food creeping onto that side of the pennisula.

Thanks for all the opinions everyone! :) Its made me think :)

The divider will act the same as if you had two levels...breaking up the wonderful expanse of workspace you get when you have a peninsula or island. Since you don't have a sink in the peninsula, splashing water shouldn't be an issue. As to food...that will depend on what you happen to be doing on the peninsula at the time. But if the overhang is deep enough (at least 15" (38cm), even better 18" (46cm) or 24" (61cm)), it will be almost a non-issue. Another factor, if you stay with the current layout, is that your sink is on the wall, so most food preparation will probably occur b/w it and the range...

If the sink is moved to the peninsula, then there is the possibility of splashing, but if you keep it close to the corner OR make it a corner sink, then that will be less of an issue even without the "divider".

I'm starting to like the corner sink idea for your kitchen....

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Correction to first post: 48" = 122cm, not 114cm!

Do you have a layout showing the rooms next to the kitchen? It really helps us see how the kitchen fits in with the rest of your home and what the traffic patterns will be.

Another thought...have you considered creating a "galley" style kitchen? Along the sink wall, make it the entire 4.5m. Then, put in an island parallel to it. Leave a 1.22m (48") aisle behind the island and that will give you a 1.06m (42") deep island by 3.44m (135" or 11'3") long island You could do:

The island could contain a sink, dishwasher, and trash pullout plus another cabinet (width would depend on how wide your sink base cabinet is...) You could potentially have seating for 5 (or, put in a another cabinet or two on the other side of the island and have seating for 3 or 4)

The back wall could have the refrigerator, range, and pantry double ovens & Pantry. Windows could flank the range.

If you're taking 4.5m (176.85") along the 11m wall...

91.5cm refrigerator + 76.2cm oven cabinet + 76.2cm cooktop + 76.2cm pantry + 61cm on each side of the range for workspace = 442.1cm (i.e., 4.42m)

[36" refrigerator + 30" oven cabinet + 30" cooktop + 30" pantry + 24" on each side of the range for workspace = 174"]

The wall might be crowded w/all those tall cabinets, but let's see what it would look like, I'll draw it up...

Unfortunately, I don't have software to show you an elevation view....but here's a "birds' eye view" of what I was talking about in my last post.

I think it is too crowded on the wall w/all those tall cabinets + range hood... I don't suppose you have a pantry elsewhere? Oh well, it was a thought.

Hi everyone, wow, thanks for all the time and effort with helping me out! I will take it all into consideration. I do have one more question though. Considering the plan I have currently, where do you think is the best place to put a dishwasher? Our budget is stretched to the limit and for a lot of things we are saying "Let's wait a year or so more" and that is where the dishwasher falls.
So we won't have a DW when we build the kitchen, but I certainly want to plan for one for the near future. What about the cabinet space inbetween the sink and the stove-top? Is there anything special I have to do? Or can I just have a regular cabinet there that I just rip the guts from later for the DW?

Thanks so much everyone, this is a great site!

Easiest thing is to set up the plumbing and leave a space for it with no cabinet. If you want to make use of the space you can look for a stand alone storage unit\small cart or something that will fit into the void until you get your dishwasher. Check the dims on the type of dishwasher you are thinking about to make sure the space you leave will work.

The cooktop position could be improved - elbows take room! It'll be kinda difficult to use the counter to the right of the cooktop and to reach into a wall cabinet to the right of the cooktop. If you are left handed, it would work better.

If it was my kitchen, I'd consider a corner sink, trash, then dw and dish storage in drawers on the peninsula. I'd move the cooktop as close to the window as practical.

Small potatoes:

I think the divider will mostly get in your way (from either side) when you are doing something where a little more counter is nice to have.

The particular cabinet faces drawn suggest a lot of rollouts. Drawers can be more efficient and easier to deal with - near the corners.

If the ref is the thing drawn closest to the bottom, it has the handles on the wrong side. That kind of ref works better with a small counter on the handle side to set down stuff you are removing while getting more.