Critical eyes please! Help with changing our ground floor layout.

[Merrilymerrilymerrily]

We have a big, integrated conservatory roof which is leaking and needs complete removal and replacement. As part of that, we are looking at changing our downstairs layout. The plans my partner loves involve a big combined kitchen/diner. I’ve never been a fan as I’m not a tidy cook and like to be able to shut away the kitchen mess for mealtimes etc. and our surfaces always seem cluttered, so I like the distinct spaces so that at least part of it can be tidy.
The plans are attached, help me to love it to, or offer suggestions on why it wouldn’t work - at the moment I worry that the kitchen area is too long and not functional, with everything along one wall and our big pantry cupboard (which I love) quite far away.

At the moment, the kitchen is where the new living room is, opening on to the utility room and there is a WC in that small room you can see where the dining table it (I totally see the sense in moving that).

It’s going to be a big job and I want to love it, but at the moment, I just don’t.

Throw your alternatives at me please!

Hmmm. I'm not keen on the big open plan either.

The lounge looks really small. It's just going to be a snug really. But there's nothing wrong with that. You've got another reception room too.

Does the kitchen island really need to extend that far out towards the back of the house? Could you keep more of the original back wall of the house do that the kitchen is more enclosed and smaller?

Dining room nice in the centre of the house I think. But you could consider an upstand to the back of the island unit to hide kitchen shit when you are sitting at the dining table. Stayed at a converted barn gite in France that had that arrangement.

Yes, your pantry is too far away.

A door from the utility directly outside would be useful.

It's a great, family friendly layout!

I love it. With a house that size it’s really old fashioned to have a separate kitchen and I wouldn’t even view it if that’s what you had. Big kitchen means less clutter. I love the big family kitchen and small living room tv snug as that’s what you need.

Why don’t you show us the layout you think you want?

I think there's something wrong with the layout too. I don't like the long kitchen and yes, the pantry is too far away/separate from the kitchen.

I wondered whether having the kitchen where the living room is (in its existing position I think you said) but with no wall and an island unit where the dining table is and the dining table where the kitchen is pictured would make it open plan enough but also with the kitchen somewhat hidden away. It then leaves the whole of the bit by the double doors free for living space (do you really need the second enclosed living room?

This is a bit closer to what I like, and not as much of a change from what we have, but I can see the appeal of a big family friendly space and wonder if I’m missing a trick by being a bit cautious and staying with what I know.

I wouldn’t have the washer/dryer at front of house though! They would stay in utility.

To answer someone else, we have a door out of utility at the moment, but never use it, so fine with it going.

Re the small living room, kids are still quite small so a tidy, toy free adult tv watching area is quite attractive!

I think the pantry issue could be solved by moving it to the central wall, at the stairs end of the fireplace?

Sorry, I mean the stairs end of the table, next to the fireplace.

Move the door to the formal living room to other side of wall (or lose it). Cupboards (huge pantry???) on that wall. Shorten the island so it doesn’t go so far to the back of the house and make the living/sitting area at that end bigger. Is your island wide enough for cupboards both sides?

And I’d swap the snug/utility around if you can……if the utility is closer to the kitchen you can lose kitchen cupboards (things you don’t use a lot) and put in utility. Possibly connect what is currently utility with end of kitchen - you could have pocket doors to pull across to hide mess…

I like the second plan more and I say that as a lover of massive kitchens! I spend a lot of time cooking so when I was planning the kitchen layout I also planned what was in each cupboard then imagined making several of our favourite meals. It helped highlight quite a few flaws in my plan.

I like the second option better.

Lovely view straight out of the back window when you walk in the front door.

For me:

Swap the utility and the snug (utility/pantry opposite the kitchen).

Shorten the (very) long island. Put dining table in that space. Have pocket doors between new dining area and kitchen. Open for when you want that but able to close off when there is a mess.

Kids will not be small for very long - keep that in mind when planning.