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I would never have an appliance garage. Personal choice. I drink several cups of tea per day, and it would annoy me to have to open another cupboard door or slide out a shelf to use the kettle. Plus there are sufficient pleasant designs of kettles and coffee makers, etc, to make them agreeable to look at on the work surface. (It's also a pet peeve of mine when I travel for work and the kettle is hidden away in a cupboard - don't slow me down when I need to make a cup of tea!)

I would never have decorative non functional stuff on my worktops. That includes books, vases, lamps, etc. Decorative vignettes are quite nice elsewhere just not using valuable work space.

Integrated appliances tend to be worse for repairing and too much heat while working. But they are cleaner visually and about hygiene

Your opinions are worth gold. Always appreciate your professional  knowledge and experiance.

Most of these I agree with you on but would add that I'm almost a foot shorter than you, yet my spinal issues make a range cooker virtually impossible to use, which is why it's among the appliance formations I'll be changing. I grew up with wall ovens so I know how well they work. Also I've dealt with microwaves above ranges & to my mind they only work if you're very tall & you almost never use the range.

The thing I'd add to your list is fixed shelves over about 6 inches in depth, in as much as I'm aware it costs more, especially with my spouse & I both being disabled, I view it as an accessibility essential to have almost everything in pullout shelves & drawers.

We put all appliances in a butlers pantry and a coffee station  behind pocket doors in kitchen. And no corners in our kitchen. One wall, integrated F/F and massive island with hob and sink.

As a Canadian, your view of the over-the-range microwave echoes mine exactly! I would NEVER have one! I prefer a top mounted sink. It makes it much easier to see if the grout is worn or missing, so leaks are caught more quickly.

Cabinets below waist/countertop level. A drawer for everything and everything in its drawer. I hate needing to get down on the floor to see into the lower cabinets and to have to reach into the dark, dusty, cobwebby back of lower cupboards to get at things.

The problem with integrated appliances is replacing them, dimensions can change over time.  Friend had to make major alterations to accommodate new fridge.

Definately don't combine push to open cupboards with gloss finish - always fingerprints!

Im in the US and got rid of my microwave.  I dont miss it....

As a shortie with deteriorating joints I avoid bending down for anything involving weight and hot items. Give me a build in oven every time  plus every other appliances that is freestanding. they are much cheaper to deal with for repairs and replacement too.  Some good advice there for practicality over style alone.

I would agree with most of these and you have made me think again about undermount sinks.  An eye-level oven is a no-brainer for me and especially useful as you age.  My elderly relative no longer uses her oven because she can't reach down to it.  On the other hand, in my house in France I had a hob that was set at a lower level than the worktops and it worked remarkably well.

Rather than just wasting the space in the corner, consider if it can be accessed from the other side.  When sorting out my Sister's kitchen, I made the corner space shelving where she kept her HiFi in the lounge.

I inherited gloss white doors, and while they wouldn't have been my first choice, they have been very easy to keep clean, unlike the darker ones I inherited in my previous home!

As for something to keep out of a kitchen, do you remember a range of carpets called 'Kitchen Classic '?

I'd eliminate the top shelf on most cabinets, I'm 5' .

I abhor corner cabinets. We are renovating and I was happy to smash the lazy Susan corner cabinet. Big pain in the ar**! Also,the led motion sensor under cabinets lights are a must!

Mold and mildew develop in a seam where the undermount. sink rim meets the underside of the countertop, and that gap tends to:
• Stay damp — water runs down the countertop edge and sits in that gap after every use
• Get poor airflow — it’s a hidden, enclosed seam, so moisture doesn’t evaporate quickly
• Collect grime — soap scum, food particles, and mineral deposits build up in the caulk/silicone line, giving mold something to feed on
What usually fails first: the silicone caulk sealing that seam. Over time it can crack, shrink, or separate slightly, creating small pockets where water gets trapped rather than draining back into the sink.

Funnily enough, I recently watched a similar video from a different youtuber who said the exact opposite about fitted appliances. I think their main point was that maintenance and replacing is a nightmare if everything is built in.

I agree with everything you’ve said except the rangecooker. I’ve had one for years and I love it.  My own addition is I would never have any worktop that isn’t made from granite.