How to best use the space floorplan attached

[Neron]

DH and I are trying again with a property purchase. We would like to maximise the use of space in this bungalow, and were thinking of taking the wall out between the kitchen and living area. We currently live in complete open plan and like it although I appreciate it isn't for everyone.

Would any of you do anything different to this layout? Have any ideas?

[RainbowMum11]

Personally, I would probably split the living & dining room into 2 rooms the open the kitchen into the dining room but to create a lovely open plan kitchen/diner with the conservatory off it, and have a snug/lounge room separate.

[Thirder]

Yes, I think you need a den or living room you can close off. For cosiness in the evening you might not want to be sitting in the same room as the kitchen. Or kids as they get older could also need an area to relax away from every one.
I like your plan of opening kitchen wall. Maybe an island to separate from dining area.
Have another area of sofas in the further corner.

[Neron]

We could split the room and install double glass doors (these are also on the conservatory). This means we could keep the light through as only 1 set of windows, and create a sofa room. We then take out the kitchen wall to create a large kitchen diner?

[Pipandmum]

Yes I see a problem with making two rooms out of your living diner - you will end up with a really dark room that you have to walk through anyway so it will become a square hallway.
What will you use the conservatory for? Is it a proper (insulated and heated) room? Are there skylights into the living room? If a bungalow I'd vault the dealings and put in skylights. And yes take the wall down. But also consider extending the conservatory across the back and making it integral to the kitchen/living area.

[Neron]

Its quite a long room, 26 foot but see the point about walking through anyway. We could get some internal tenfold doors which would maximise light. Cannot put any skylight or lantern as the loft is already in use (we would add dormers and convert properly in years to come when we has the money).
Was thinking of putting the dining table in the conservatory. It's insulated with 2 radiators and already has the glass double doors if we wanted to shut it off

[Neron]

*Trifold doors

[Pipandmum]

Ceilings! I meant vault the ceilings.

[AllYouGoodGoodPeople]

Do you need all of the garage? Because if you knocked half of it through you could have a long open plan kitchen/living/dining room made up of the 3 rooms across the back of the house. Use a slither of what's currently the kitchen to make a utility room so you dont have to listen to the washing machine. The bit in the middle of what's now the living room would have glass doors and be a snug/office room.

[Neron]

We do need all the garage (tools and motorbikes plus DH workshop). The size of the garage plus outside space is the main reason we are buying it

I am really appreciating the ideas

[senua]

The problem is the 'central' section of the salmon-coloured living/dining area.
Would it work to convert the bathroom into bedroom 4. The problem area then becomes (a) a corridor through to the back of the house (kitchen/diner as you suggested) and past bedrooms 2 & 4 and (b) the new bathroom (does this work with plumbing/services or not?)
If you don't fancy four bedrooms then bedroom 2 could become a utility or snug.

Could even go really rad and move the front door? If it was between bedrooms 1 & 3 then you could have a straight corridor to the living area at the back, instead of the awkward right-angle.

[Neron]

I think no matter the configuration, only have one end of the room with Windows is the issue

[muddledmidget]

How many bedrooms do you need at the moment (before you can save up and do the loft conversion?) because I would be tempted to lose bedroom 2, convert it into a utility and extra loo or bathroom, chop a bit of the hallway end of the living room to make a larger hallway and make room for the stairs to go up to the loft. By losing bedroom 2 could make hallway lead into the kitchen and stop the living room from being a corridor, plus taking out the wall between the kitchen and dining room and putting double doors in to make a snug halfway through the living room

[ThreeFish]

How about extending the conservatory to the left behind the kitchen and putting dining table there. Loose the back door to this new extension.
Loose bedroom 2 to extend hall into kitchen / new utility.
Open up between kitchen and lounge.
Create new master bedroom and en-suite at bottom half of existing Lounge with existing double doors off hall. With the right lighting, and fake window on wall between this new room and garage?

[Neron]

We'd love to extend the kitchen and convert the conservatory to make one big extension, then knock around internally but unfortunately we don't have that much spare cash for it. We have enough for the kitchen, bathroom and redecorating. All good ideas though

[666onmyhead]

We had some fab advice from our designer (@OnePlanOnHouzz ) who lined up our bedroom doors with our windows to allow daylight to filter through in the daytime . If you take the bottom bit of hall to lounge wall out and put in 1m wide doorways into each of the bedrooms into the lounge,you will get daylight into the middle of the house. Use sliding or barn doors for least intrusion . Our were upstairs so it didn't matter for going to bathroom at night, this would be only downside, that you are effectively going through lounge at night.

[666onmyhead]

Bottom right bedroom door didn't show up, but should be opposite window too.

[Neron]

Ooo I really like that idea @666onmyhead
It's only DH and I so it wouldn't really bother me. Excellent!