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Original poster

Large kitchen diners - in favour?

34 replies

WocketInMyPocket · 23/04/2013 11:56

Would appreciate a bit of help with my layout quandary - we've just had a new extension but can't decide how to configure the space.

Currently have a medium size kitchen with a small kitchen table, a lounge diner (26 ft by 12) and a new extension (26 ft by 11). The extension was mainly to be a family/playroom, with some extra space for laundry.

So if you were buying a house, would you prefer:

a) a v large kitchen/diner with patio doors to the garden, probably also with room for a sofa etc. Plus a small lounge (14 by 12) and a large play/family room.
OR

b) A large lounge (26 foot), separate kitchen with space for kitchen table, plus combined dining and playroom (the new extension).

Although I know that the large kitchen/dining rooms are all the rage at the moment, I can't get out of my mind sitting eating a roast dinner looking at all the dirty dishes! Also, putting the dining table in the family room would cut down the space in there.

OP posts:
lalalonglegs · 23/04/2013 12:41

(a)

JazzAnnNonMouse · 23/04/2013 12:44

A 100%

B would make me think about redoing the whole thing to A!

rubyrubyruby · 23/04/2013 12:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

sheeplikessleep · 23/04/2013 12:54

Definitely A.

Although you also have the benefit of two separate reception rooms.

We have one large kitchen / diner and a separate living room.

Would be nice to have have a separate play room for the kids too (if we ever get around to affording a conservatory!).

ivegotaniphone · 23/04/2013 12:55

A!

sheeplikessleep · 23/04/2013 12:55

Also, just to say I love the fact we have a combined cooking and eating room.

It sort of minimises the mess!

ComfortablyDumb · 23/04/2013 12:56

Absolutely A.

BastardDog · 23/04/2013 12:59

A.

pepperrabbit · 23/04/2013 13:29

We have exactly A.
I'm very pleased with it and it works really well for general life - kids do homework at table while I MN get tea etc. But we've had grown up dinner parties and it's fine.

RubyDanglesBangle · 23/04/2013 13:31

I have option A.

imo dining room and playroom combined makes for too much tidying up. A separate playroom can have the door closed for out of sight out of mind method of tidying.

GrandPoohBah · 23/04/2013 13:33

A. I've just knocked my kitchen through to create this, we have a conservatory which all the kids crap lives in, and a separate living room. I love it :)

munchkinmaster · 23/04/2013 13:34

You see I always thought a was a bit crap. Like a studio flat. Then I had a child and changed my mind

JazzAnnNonMouse · 23/04/2013 13:36

In an ideal world I would have a kitchen diner, separate dining room, living room, playroom and study...Grin

Badvoc · 23/04/2013 13:37

A

belfastbigmillie · 23/04/2013 13:40

A

miemohrs · 23/04/2013 13:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ragwort · 23/04/2013 13:47

Jazz we have that arrangement Blush (if you call a spare bedroom with a sofa, TV & no bed a 'playroom' - we have a teen) - but I would now like two studies, one for me and one for DH Grin - hate sharing studies !!

LemonEmmaP · 23/04/2013 13:49

Another one for (a) - we are hoping to extend later this year to this configuration.

Choccywoccydodah · 23/04/2013 13:50

We have a. Bloody love it!! We live in a 3 storey house with a huge kitchen diner lounge on the ground floor, then we have our adult lounge on the middle floor. I was a bit hmm at first, but we love it. It means ds can have his crap everywhere downstairs all day, and we retreat to our adult space of an evening Smile

nemno · 23/04/2013 13:53

I am being a bit thick but can't you have a large kitchen/diner and a large sitting room with the 12x14 as the playroom? My experience suggests that the kitchen diner with a sofa and TV is effectively the family room. With young children it is handy to have a separate room for the plastic toys/rail layouts etc. If you can't bear eating formally in the diner then have an extending table in the other large reception room.

Original poster
WocketInMyPocket · 23/04/2013 13:55

Wow that's pretty unanimous!

That's decided then, kitchen diner with double pocket doors through to the living room so that it can be either completely closed off for watching TV in the evening or left open plan in the day.

Thanks all!

OP posts:
Choccywoccydodah · 23/04/2013 13:56

this is the same house as ours just for layout ideas

worsestershiresauce · 23/04/2013 13:58

We have just finished a full house refurb and the best bit is the large kitchen/diner with patio doors onto the garden... so A!!!! Although we're lucky enough to also have a separate dining room, lounge and play room I spend most of my time in the kitchen diner, and will probably only dust the dining room off for dinner parties i.e. never

Original poster
WocketInMyPocket · 23/04/2013 13:59

nemno - you are right this would be my ideal, except for the fact that this couldn't really work in our house, as the 12 by 14 room is right by the front door so you can't really 'shut it off' as a playroom. Plus the large extension is off the kitchen rather than off the hall - so more like a separate annexe that doesn't really lend itself to being a living room.

OP posts:
noddyholder · 23/04/2013 13:59

I don't think a playroom should be combined with anything tbh and so A every time. Do kids really need playrooms?

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