Please help me to configure family room / kitchen

[PhoebeLaura]

We're extending our kitchen to a kitchen / diner / playroom early next year with our current dining room becoming the playroom/snug which will be open to the kitchen. If we leave the room as it currently is, it will be 2 steps higher than the kitchen OR we have the option of dropping the floor so that it is the same level as the rest of the kitchen/diner.

I can't decide whether it would be nicer to have the playroom section on a different level to keep it slightly separate or whether it is more practical to drop it all to the same level. We have 2 DCs under 3 to consider.

It would cost £1200 to lower the floor so there is cost to consider too but we can afford it if we really think it's a good idea.

WWYD? I just can't decide!

I'd probably drop it to the same level to stop people (adults and children!) falling up / down steps I think. But then perhaps we are just particularly accident prone!

I wouldn't bother changing the floor height. Our family room is two steps down from kitchen and we have lived here since kids were 3, 2 and 1. We had a stair gate across the top of the steps for the first year only. I appreciate the fact that the change of level makes it a bit more separate (but it doesn't have a door).

Thanks kareng - good to hear from someone who has had family room on 2 levels and liked it that way.

We're not very accident prone so i don;t think that would be a worry. Of course I've just jinxed myself now...!