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AIBU?

To not want a house with this floor plan (pic included)

231 replies

Raymond1989 · 27/06/2017 10:20

In the area I want and with my budget I'm only going to get a terraced house. All the terraced houses I've seen a tiny and I feel like I'm in a prison cell.

I've found a house that's within budget and I love it! Feels spacious and is end terrace with a big park next to it. I love the area.

It feels cosy and there's still a yard for own use eventhough it's small. It's big enough to have a washing line and an outdoor table and chairs. I'm moving from a semi detached house with front and back garden but it's worth it to live in a better location.

My issue is the floor plan (see pic)

An extension has been added but to preserve some yard space it's been added in a long rectangle. This then leaves a large dining room but another lounge with no use to it!

My friend has th exact same floor plan and her living room is redundant!

I only have my daughter and I but family stay a lot so I could make the 'lounge' into a multi use room with a guest bed,computer desk etc.

Would this floor plan put you off? Is it a disaster?

Any ideas on how to make it work?

To not want a house with this floor plan (pic included)
OP posts:
SolomanDaisy · 27/06/2017 10:23

Umm, that's not an unusual layout at all. Just use it as a lounge or whatever you want, why wouldn't you?

crocodilesoup · 27/06/2017 10:24

I cannot imagine a room ever being redundant. Your daughter and you won't always want to sit in the same room. One room could have tv/toys the other could be more adult. The lounge could definitely take a sofa bed and then be used for guests.

clumsyduck · 27/06/2017 10:24

I have Similair layout op it's difficult with the narrow kitchen extension isn't it and got to be honest a lot of my dining room essentially becomes a walkway to the kitchen , there may be some way of adding walls to create a longer kitchen and then having living room and dining room as one larger room ?

clumsyduck · 27/06/2017 10:26

Oh no forget that I forgot about the stairs !! Front room as a totally seperate living room and dining room as family room / dining room and have the kitchen open onto it

Raymond1989 · 27/06/2017 10:27

I was thinking I could knock down the internal wall and have one large kitchen/dining room/lounge combined. But I think that would feel less cosy.

My friends lounge is literally never used. It might as well not be there and I think that's why I'm put off.

I order to extend the kitchen I'd have to remove any outside space. I've noticed a lot of neighbours have made that sacrifice and extended the kitchen into the yard.

OP posts:
wowfudge · 27/06/2017 10:27

An 'extra' room as a problem? I don't see it myself. I would use the rear reception as a dining room and possibly have a sofa bed in there should you have guests, some shelves and a small desk to make a study/office area.

The front room would be the main living room with sofas and TV.

Raymond1989 · 27/06/2017 10:28

The kitchen can't really open on to anything.

The door has been taken off but it's clearly two separate room because of th shape of the kitchen.

OP posts:
Raymond1989 · 27/06/2017 10:28

I think it's just that I hate having my dinner in the same room as he TV. Growing up we always had a kitchen/diner and the lounge was for watching to in etc.

OP posts:
SaucyJack · 27/06/2017 10:29

It wouldn't put me off, but there are 5 of us in my flat so two reception rooms would be great actually.

I can see that for your family (particularly if your daughter is too young to want "personal space") then one big living area would maybe be preferable.

I'm sure you'd soon adapt tho. Just don't put a sofa or telly in the dining room. Make yourself use the lounge as a lounge.

wowfudge · 27/06/2017 10:30

If I was going to remove any walls, it would be the one between the ground floor hall and the lounge on the floorplan to make the living room bigger. I've lived in a house with that layout. Worked fine.

FluffyMcCloud · 27/06/2017 10:31

My house is exactly like this but we use the lounge as a bedroom so dining room is the lounge if you see what i mean.
I can't imagine ever having a room I didn't use!! I'd love an extra room or two in my small house!!

witsender · 27/06/2017 10:31

A friend has similar, her front room is used a playroom and spare bedroom, she has a good sofa bed in there and it is well used.

The middle room is their kind of TV room, and then kitchen/diner.

BandeauSally · 27/06/2017 10:31

If you hate having dinner in the same room as the tv then surely you won't put the tv in the dining room. Confused just use the front room as a living room. You don't have to use your house the same way your friend uses hers!

scottishdiem · 27/06/2017 10:32

I have no idea what the problem is here?

I like separate lounges and dining rooms but can also see the use of a spare room/office space.

In what conceivable way could this be a disaster? Unless you think dining rooms are also lounges since you call it another lounge and houses with two lounges are in some way disastrous?

crocodilesoup · 27/06/2017 10:32

I am not getting it! Don't put a sofa in the dining room. Put a dining table, bookcase, computer maybe - couple of easy chairs. Put sofas and telly in the lounge. Are you thinking it's too far to walk from kitchen to lounge?

grasspigeons · 27/06/2017 10:33

Eh?
That is such a standard layout round my way
you could have a play room
A grown up lounge for evenings
A study
all sorts.

crocodilesoup · 27/06/2017 10:33

But then I have actual dreams where I open a cupboard door and find an extra room...

Huldra · 27/06/2017 10:34

So the current dining and kitchen area is large enough for table, seating area and TV?

The front room would still be used, make it cosy, sofa bed, desk, nice storage for all those bits you can't find room for. You may want an extra room to be used as a play room or snug teen and friends.

We have a dining room at the front of our house and have often thought about knocking through but it still gets used quite a bit. We don't eat there often (lazy tv eaters or garden) We have it surrounded with wall storage and there's room for a blow up bed. It's nice to have a room we can close the door on for random clobber, it currently has 2 suitcases on the floor that are half unpacked.

SaucyJack · 27/06/2017 10:35

" think it's just that I hate having my dinner in the same room as he TV. Growing up we always had a kitchen/diner and the lounge was for watching to in etc."

You wot?

But that's what you've got here.

This house would only be a waste of space for those who did want one large living area so they could eat dinner in front of the telly.

TheVeryThing · 27/06/2017 10:35

I'm a bit confused. Why do you need to have a tv in the dining room?
We also live in a terraced house and will have this sort of layout soon.
Dining table, small sofa and possibly computer in the dining room. Big sofa and tv in living room.

Blimey01 · 27/06/2017 10:35

Use the dining room as a dining room and the lounge as a lounge? Confused

mrsm43s · 27/06/2017 10:35

Surely you'd use the lounge as a lounge, the dining room as a dining room, and the kitchen as a kitchen. Totally standard layout - can't see the problem at all.

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Mylittlesunshines · 27/06/2017 10:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

GreenHillsOfHome · 27/06/2017 10:36

I don't see how it can not be used tbh...are you using the dining room as a dining room? If so, use the lounge as a lounge with TV/sofas etc.

I don't get it tbh.

MacarenaFerreiro · 27/06/2017 10:36

This is a very standard layout for a terraced property - in fact it's better than normal because you've got the bathroom upstairs! In lots the kitchen and bathroom are together, downstairs at the back of the house.

I don't think the "room would be redundant" argument stands at all - very odd. You hate having your dinner in the same room as the telly - fine. So have a "proper" dining room which can also double as a playroom depending on the age of your daughter, and then use the lounge as a proper "sitting" room with the telly.

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