Any thoughts on these ground floor plans?

[falalalaoops]

We have engaged an architect, and are trying to finalise a plan for a ground floor refit and extension on our 1970s-built house. We want an open plan living space (but keeping the front room as a cosier living area). We need a guest WC downstairs, a utility room, and preferably an area for paperwork and a desk. Storage is important to us. If we go with the L shape, are we choosing the right places to have the kitchen, dining area and living area? Or should we scrap the planned L shape and go with a different layout? The storage area to the bottom right is a garage, which will stay. The window to the back of the dining space will have a wide window seat area with storage underneath. The garden is east facing.
Thanks! Can't seem to make my mind up as it's hopefully a decision for a lifetime!

[minipie]

I think it looks very good - I'd like to do something similar to ours one day.

A few thoughts:

Yes the kitchen is in the right place, if you are having an L shape then you definitely want the kitchen in the corner of the L IMO so it can look at both dining and sitting.

Sitting area - seems a shame to have the 2 sofas facing away from kitchen and away from garden, I wonder if there is any way to have one facing towards the garden or kitchen instead?

where do coats etc go? under the stairs?

Study off the separate living room - personally I would have this as a study area but still part of the living room, rather than having a wall/door to separate it off - for two reasons 1) personally I hate working in a tiny box room with no natural light and 2) if it's a separate room you are less likely to put paperwork there and it's more likely to hang around the big family room.

[arrrghhhhwaiting]

Have you considered. Moving utility upstairs? You get dressed and undressed upstairs, and store clothes upstairs, so why bring them down just to wash them?

Our would make more sense with utility behind kitchen, accessed through kitchen? And study where storage is so can deal with post as comes through front door, maybe?

[MuscatBouschet]

I love it! I'd probably want to use the front of the garage as a room to enjoy the afternoon light (eg study) but storage isn't so important to me.