Must haves when house searching that I don't 'get'

[Greenlightredlight]

All open plan.
Why? Much nicer to have separate rooms where people can do their own thing, and to not have cooking smells invading the whole downstairs.

Kitchen Islands.
Usually just become dumping grounds for loads of rubbish and take up loads of floor space.

[KipperTheFrog]

I don't get the open plan thing either. I like a kitchen diner but feel lounge has to be separate.

[Cookit]

Ooh I’d like an Island but I agree re: open plan, particularly with respect to the kitchen. We specifically wanted a house with a separate kitchen and I’m really glad we have it - so many we saw were open plan.

[Houseonahill]

It's just personal preference, some people want a giant garden some people want no garden, some people want all open plan some people want 50 different rooms. There is no right or wrong imo.

[Auntiepatricia]

You’ve just been to the wrong houses. I prefer not open plan personally but it can be wonderful. Just most people can’t think beyond the same style and design, too cold, open and echoey. With bloody grey/blue island and lighter colour units. Boooorrring.

[eurochick]

I love open plan. We do a lot of cooking and hosting. It's nice to be part of things whilst prepping food.

We also have a kitchen island, which I also love. A nice big surface for food prep.

Different people like different things. I'm not sure why this would be hard to understand.

[Hanuman]

Gardens. Lots of work and you can hardly use them because of the weather. Yes, I have kids and I still don't want a garden. Nearby park will do me just fine.

[Auntiepatricia]

So in summary.... each to their own😀

[Celebelly]

Oh I love our kitchen island! It's more like an island/breakfast bar though. I always sit on a stool at it in the mornings to have a cup of tea or when DP is cooking. I wouldn't say it had occurred to me as a feature I particularly wanted when house-hunting though, but I like it now we've got one.

I don't really care for ensuites. I don't see the point if you have a big main bathroom and downstairs loo, unless you have a really big household (which we don't). Would rather just have a bigger bedroom.

I like a separate kitchen but ours is a big dining kitchen so it can also be a social space when needed.

[Fieldsgrowingdark]

Why so touchy Eurochick. It's an interesting topic.

I can never understand people on LLL type programmes who seem to buy a house on the basis that they 'can just see themselves sitting in that garden with a glass of wine' or because 'this room will be perfect when all the family come around at Christmas'.

So you're basing a huge and expensive decision on the basis of something you'll enjoy for about half a dozen days during the year.

I agree with you OP re kitchen Islands. I also don't really get conservatories. They're neither a room nor 'not a room'.

[Yabbers]

I’d have the island, but not open plan.

We visit a lot of showhomes, in the last 5 years they moved to open plan. I notice they are moving away from it again now. The idea of open plan is lovely, the practicalities are not. Cooking is a hot, noisy activity, not something that combines well with sitting relaxing. And dishes must be done immediately, washed in the worlds quietest dishwasher. Not to mention how loud a freezer can be.

[Myimaginarycathasfleas]

Bi fold doors. I quite like there to be a distinction between outdoors and indoors. A pair of old fashioned French doors off the dining room is fine for me.

[Whyislarryhappy]

OK so I private rent a 2bed, 2 reception room, bathroom and separate kitchen which I love but the two reception rooms and kitchen all lead on to one another and no doors where door frames are its not that bad with stair gate across kitchen though!

[eurochick]

Not at all touchy. Human beings have a huge range of personal circumstances and preferences. You must have a very narrow world view if you can't understand that a home layout you don't like might suit others.

[gogogoforit]

Oh give it a rest eurochick. It's quite obvious the OP is just starting an idle discussion on popular house features that don't do anything for her. She's not setting out to personally insult anyone who has these things.

Are you always so grouchy and literal?

[Deadringer]

I don't like open plan either, I like separate rooms for a bit of peace and quiet I also don't get islands, but I do have lots of counter tops. I don't understand breakfast bars really, why not just eat at the table. Or are they for kitchens with no table?

[bigbluebus]

I don''t get 'open plan' either. I like to shut the doors - especially when the dishwasher is on and I'm watching tv. We don't have an island but do have a largeish table in the kitchen. No too much gets dumped on it because we actually eat breakfast and dinner at it daily, rather than in the dining room - which we use when we have guests, so they're not sitting looking at all the dirty pots and pans whilst we're eating.

[babysharkah]

I did a survey for a sleb of their house - no internal walls, and where they were structurally necessary they were in reinforced glass brick. You couldn't got for a wee without being seen. Very very odd.

[wink1970]

We were looking for my DM a while back & all of the houses we visited had converted their garages and knocked through their downstairs. I wonder how many will regret it later.,

[Greenlightredlight]

Jeez eurochick I didn't intend anyone to take the thread that seriously

[Celebelly]

I like our breakfast bar/island because it's closer to sit at when someone is cooking or doing other kitcheny things – our kitchen is big so our table/chairs are quite far away from the 'cooking' end of the room, but our island has the hob on, etc. so I can sit at it if DP is cooking (and vice versa) and it feels a bit more social. It's also been useful while pregnant as I can sit down while chopping food, stirring pots, etc

[Gomyownway]

I don’t get when they’ve taken out a fireplace and just left a hole in the wall. Seems so strange. Either block it up or put a fireplace in. Especially when it’s off Center on the chimney breast like in my currrnt bedroom

[TurquoiseDress]

Home hunting/buying is very much each to their own- we obviously don't all have the same tastes!

For me, moving from a modern flat with open plan kitchen/dining/living area to a fairly cramped feeling terrace with separate kitchen etc has really made me miss what we used to have!

With small children, I think open plan is great as you can get on with the cooking while keeping an eye on things

Also open plan was fab for entertaining- you could actually chat with your guests while preparing & cooking in the kitchen.

I dream of having a kitchen island one day (v unlikely as we can barely afford to buy a 2 bed flat!) but will take note of its drawbacks

[TeenTimesTwo]

I'm with you OP.
How can you cover up kitchen disasters if everyone sees you drop the roast chicken on the floor or whatever?
Or how could I listen to Radio 4 whilst cooking if in the same room as DD watching TV?