In a compact house the kitchen sits in the living room. How quiet it is and how much worktop it has decide how the whole house feels.
1.2 metres of continuous worktop is the threshold
Below roughly 1.2 metres of uninterrupted surface beside the hob, something is permanently out on the counter, and that is where the feeling of cramped begins. It is a cheaper thing to buy at the drawing stage than any appliance.
Count the space you actually need: a chopping area, somewhere to land a hot pan, and a corner that stays clear. A drainer that folds and a hob cover both buy surface without buying length.
Induction over gas, in almost every case
Induction is faster, cooler in a small volume and removes the combustion air and flue questions that gas brings with it. In a well-sealed compact house those questions are not trivial — a gas hob wants a permanent air supply and a carbon monoxide alarm.
The exception is off-grid with a small array, where a two-ring gas hob on bottled supply avoids a large instantaneous electrical load. That is a trade to make deliberately, not by default.
Extraction: recirculating is usually enough
A ducted extract is more effective and punches a hole through an insulated, airtight envelope that has to be detailed and closed properly. A good recirculating hood with a real carbon filter handles domestic cooking in a compact house and keeps the envelope intact.
Pick one rated below 50 dB at normal speed. In an open plan the hood is running two metres from where somebody is watching television.
Choose appliances by noise, then by size
A dishwasher at 42 dB and one at 48 dB are a different experience in a room you also sit in. The same is true of the fridge compressor — a cheap unit that cycles loudly is the appliance people replace first.
A 45cm dishwasher takes a full day's washing for two and gives back 15cm of worktop. A full-height fridge is usually a mistake; an under-counter unit with a separate freezer drawer suits how a small household actually shops.
Plumb and wire it once
Waste, water and power for the kitchen run inside the floor and the wall and are fixed at production. An extra socket at worktop height, an outlet for a filtered tap, or a feed to an outdoor kitchen are drawing changes now and demolition later.
Walk the plan as if you are cooking in it: where does the bin go, where does the kettle live, which hand opens the fridge. Ten minutes there is worth more than any material upgrade.