...to ask your opinion on this house dilemma?

[SoupForLunch]

God knows whether anyone will be bothered enough to read (and process) all this….

My DP and I have just bought a house. We plan to knock through from the dining room to the kitchen to create one big family kitchen/diner. However, the two rooms are on different levels. The dining room is two steps higher than the little kitchen. We’re also going to knock the kitchen ceiling out because it has a pitched roof above. The higher part of the pitch is on the dining room side. We’ll put in big Velux windows, creating a nice high, light ceiling.

We’ve had two builders who have both said raising the kitchen floor is the right thing to do, in term of how it will look and how it will be to live in. They say that one level for the whole room makes more sense. We have small children so I can certainly see the practical advantage.

However, my step-sister, who works in something like interior architecture (I’m never altogether sure), likes the idea of the split because the height and light of the kitchen ceiling will add drama / interest. She says we could have the steps at one side and the breakfast bar /slim island straddling the rest of the height difference.

It’s a three-bed semi, so just a modest property.

Things we’re considering:

• If we keep the split level there will be a smaller food preparation area because the island part of the kitchen will only be able to be positioned where the step down is. It will sort of straddle the steps (higher on one side, lower on the other) so people in the kitchen will be a bit lower but able to see into the diner.
• In fact, this smaller food prep area will be the size of a small kitchen… which rather undermines the idea of having a big kitchen / diner…
• If we raise the kitchen floor to the height of the dining room floor, obviously we will lose height on the ceiling. Is this going to make the room that bit less interesting?
• What will future potential buyers prefer? What would you prefer? A step down, slightly dramatic, slight subterranean feeling kitchen or a no-step down big, clear room with a lower ceiling.

I’m not really thinking about cost at this point – just trying to work out what might be better.
I realise this is a funny thing to try to visualise… I just wanted to canvas opinion. Personally, I think the raised floor would be better but I feel sad about diminishing what could be a big feature – that high sloped ceiling with the light coming in.
This has been really fun to write with a crying baby and a nuts three-year-old hanging off me…. ha.

Yes - Keep the split
No - Get rid of the split

My kitchen is 2 steps up from the dining room and I love the height difference but it is a bit of a trip hazard at times for the very young and the very old

Raise the floor

Can you clarify: is yes YABU or YANBU?

For the record, I think you should have the floors the same level

I would put it all on the same level; the likelihood of accidents with steps would really put me off and I’d spend too much time telling people to be careful.
I think it really limits what you could do kitchen wise in the future. If you have one big room then kitchen can be remodelled in several different ways but if one bit is lower then it reduces options.
I can see why from a design perspective the two different levels would look great and be a feature but to live with on a practical basis I don’t think would work. There was a tv programme on recently where they lounge was down a few steps within a huge open plan room and I just kept thinking about slipping down the steps carrying food or drink

Raise the floor. Having a step is going to make it harder to resell eventually and the open ceiling should still be enough of a feature

Keep the split level

I'd much rather a flat layout. We have steps down to our kitchen and they are a pain in the arse. - When the kids were toddling they were dangerous, between 3-9 DS ran everywhere and bounced down them more than once and anyone coming to the house has to be told to be careful, especially elderly grannies/aunties.

I would have the floors all the same level.
It will make the space feel larger than splitting with steps, make it a more flexible space & two steps is 40cm? It won't make that much difference to the window factor.

At the end of the day its about how you want to use the space, nothing else matters.

I’d prefer the split levels.

Absolutely raise the floor. I wouldn’t buy if the room was on two levels. As long as the ceiling is high enough to not feel pokey, I doubt you will notice it day to day. You will notice the smaller prep area and steps every day though

All one level. You’ll massively reduce the potential resell ability otherwise. People who are planning a family, those with mobility issues, the elderly etc will all likely discount a split level property

Hmm, our family room has a step in the middle. It limits how you can arrange the room too much I think. But we have the stools higher on one side of the breakfast bar and lower on the other so that works OK. I think I'm team Builders.

I grew up in a house with one big room for kitchen and living room with 2 steps down to the living room. It was actually quite a nice layout.

It does not sound like it will be huge so I’d raise it and position your island where you wish it

Split level definitely

All one level. You have young children. To hell with the 'drama and interest'

We had this., with two steps down to the kitchen. We redid the space and made the kitchen and dining room at the same level. It is far better this way

Split level would work if two big rooms, it’s not, and limits you, so it really needs to be one level to maximise the space.

Raise the floor, you will have plenty of light with the Velux. Practical considerations need to come before drama/interest.

All one level definitely. Then you have the whole room to play with plus the kitchen will feel dark and gloomy being ‘below’.

I would make it all one level. We used to live in a house where the kitchen was a step lower and it was a trip hazard.

Keep the split level!

If you raise the floor you lose some of your property land space and also 2 levels is more interesting. I would keep it as it is.

I’m struggling to see the value in knocking through if they stay split level as I can’t visualise what you gain besides maybe being able to sit at a breakfast bar within your current dining room

Unless both rooms are large I'd go for one level.
The step will cut into room.
It will limit furniture placement.
It'll be a trip hazard.