To ask for help with our extension (diagram attached)

[Littleloaf]

We're doing up the final part of our farmhouse, a 650ft2 barn off the side of the kitchen, and can't decide how to lay it out.

Diagram attached, not a floor plan but a side view. Builder thinks it would look bad to have sitting room at the front under high ceiling with big suspended light, and we should swap with dining room (apparently it's more complex than simply moving furniture around, which is why we have to decide now). I think it'd be a shame to have sitting room under mezzanine, where it's darker, especially if we spend a lot of time there.

Does anyone have any thoughts or experience they could share please? It's all entirely theoretical for us at the moment and we're going round in circles. Thanks

Well if you're going to be living there and not the builder then you get to choose. I think I would prefer to have a living room by the big glass doors for light, and to look out on the garden if there is one.
Have it as you want it. You could have a look on Pinterest for ideas.

No experience but I think I'd want the seating area in the high space. If you have your seating under the mezzanine and dining in the high ceiling part i feel.it could look more cramped than the same amount of furniture the other way round. What does it look out onto?

Looks out onto driveway and garden.

The builder has a lot of experience and had created some amazing interiors so I feel like I should listen to him, but I basically think exactly what you both think and don't see the problem with the original plan.

Hi,
Not quite the same but have large area which we had to make a similar decision, about two thirds of room with lower ceilings and remainder double height, large windows one side and french doors the other. We opted for kitchen and breakfast room in lower ceiling areas and snug in double height, works perfectly for us. Lots of light in the area we spend most of our time in plus french doors to outside. Hope that helps.

I think I agree with you but would look at having some clever ambient lighting options so you can change the feel of each room. On the whole dining rooms are used mostly in the evening so the cosier feel would work.

Like this pinterest

Why isn't it just a matter of moving furniture?
Just make sure you have plenty of electric points and a tv point in each space.

You will use the lounge more than the dining room, so that should be the "best" space.

The only downside with the whole "glass wall" thing is it is a bit like being in a goldfish bowl and everyone can see straight in, and much more so at night, you might want to beat that in mind.

Actually I'm not sure why it's not just a matter of moving furniture round! Will have to check with the builder.

Thanks for sharing your experiences; think I might revert back to the original plan after all