I think it probably looks a bit overwhelming because it's the drawing - think of other kitchens and what their layout would look like drawn like this - my guess is probably pretty similar. Are you adding handles or are they handless?

What kind of finish/material with the overhead cabinets be? Just a thought - I have gloss handless overhead cabinets and the fingerprints drive me NUTS! Not to mention the oil from cooking etc...

I agree it kind of is cabinet overload, shelves would certainly break that up.

are the cabinets and drawers suitable for the things that you want to store and then consider some glass doors to highlight some attractive crockery or glassware

@Koule' Krayon Can you link the Houzz image where you say 'Bulkheads like this' so we can save the image to an idea book? (instead of the screen shot you had) I'd like to see more of the kitchen if i can... that's if your phone hasn't run out of battery.... ;)

I agree with jeffjen89 having your bench top the other way would make your kitchen look bigger and more open (if thats what you're after)

there are so many options, I would need to see the rest of the layout. eg what does this area open up to? in which direction? what is the door next to the fridge? does it lead to a room or a butlers pantry or just a walk in pantry?

If you could have a butlers pantry then you could eliminate some of the cupboards in the kitchen area and open it up so aesthetically it looks bigger, more open. Then your butlers pantry will need to be fitted out with cabinetry in order to make up for the space.

It also depends on how much cooking you actually do, speaking form experience and having a kitchen layout same as yours above; all the cupboards above on either side of my cook top have gone yellow and are no longer white and glossy. Yes, I have 2 pack and they assured me this wouldn't happen but being someone who cooks 6 out of the 7 days that's what happens. I too have the same sss range hood and that is continually dirty from all the steam, oil etc. The people who did my splash back made a mistake and did not take it all the way up, so that area between the cupboards, where your range hood stands, the wall is continuously dirty from the steam and oil and very hard to get up there and wash it all the time.

If I were to design again, I would put in a range hood that is double the size of your cooking area, so that the cupboards are well away from all the cooking. Then again if you don't cook continuously then you shouldn't have a problem.

If you have the room and you are able to extend the cupboards along that wall that your cook top is on, that's where you could put a double cupboard with long glass doors that sit on your bench top for display of nice glassware etc. The glass display cupboards give an elegant finish to the kitchen.

The other option is that I have been involved in some kitchens (this is if you have the money) that install a sink, cook top and oven in the butlers pantry. This way all the prep work is done out of sight. So when entertaining your kitchen will be clean and tidy, no body sees all the dirty prep work and the oven, cook top and sink in the kitchen are for only warming things and small tidy ups.

Here's another idea - make the wall with the fridge a full wall of cabinets from floor to ceiling and wall to wall. I'd move the fridge to the end of that wall for easy access, then have pantry and cabinets all the way to the other wall (with no bench). This bank of cabinets could house your microwave, coffee machine (with wanted) and maybe your oven. The last cabinet at the window wall could have the toaster and kettle on a slide out for easy access.

I would remove all the top cabinets on the wall with the window and run a few beautiful solid timber open shelves above the window splashback. You could keep the exposed rangehood that you like and put the shelves on either side. You would lose a little bit of bench space, but you still have quite a lot.

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I couldn't find a photo with the open shelves above the window, but this photo gives you the idea of the fridge wall.

Good luck.

Please check the depth of the fridge space, a lot of the new fridges don't fit in depth-wise, we had a lot of problem with this. Unless you already have a fridge and it fits well :-)

Hi, Just a few notes from what I can see above. There are no measurements between the island and the wall cabinets. A 1400mm island is at the absolute stretch of most materials and I think this is adding to the crowding as such. If you don't have about 1100-1200mm in between it will be hard to work in. Also have you thought about continuing the back wall cabinets where the fridge is across as all tall cabinets. Even maybe an on-bench pantry solution her in the corner. Wall corners are not overly useful as you are stretching to the absolute maximum as this is the apex of the corner. Maybe also a power pack rangehood to integrated it, it will help with the bulkhead flow, as it seems very interrupted. I have a few articles on here, not that it helps with this exact matter, but they may give you a few ideas. Thanks Karl.