Ideas for how to arrange our living space when we extend?

[AngryFeet]

So we have bought a good sized bungalow in our perfect location. Currently it has a crap single glazed conservatory running along the back which we want to knock down and replace with a proper brick built structure.

Here is the floor plan www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-26481966.html

The idea would be to create an extension which covers the same space - including going into the side return as it already does (this is currently a single glazed lean to). We would remove the corner of the house to make a 7m x 4.6m room then the current lounge would have an add on section making it 7.6 x 3.7. The back of the lounge will have no natural light but we will have a large area of double glazing at the end and a roof lantern to let as much light in as possible.

But I am struggling to think of what to do with the space to make it as efficient as possible. Since we are also extending into the loft in a few years to make 2 extra bedrooms and a bathroom for kids we will be making the current bathroom a utility room and bedroom 2 into an office so all we need in lounge space and kitchen diner. But we are used to having a playroom. The kids are now 9 and 6 and this won't be done for a year so it isn't necessary but it is nice to have somewhere for them to play their xbox and lego.

Any ideas? I am struggling to see the space in my mind!

I am confused. Are you making the living/kitchen/utility/former conservatory into one big room? Where are you planning on putting the loft stairs in? Could you take a bit out between the living room and front bedroom, to make a stairs that go up half one way and up half the other way iykwim, use as a cupboard for now, to accommodate the future stairs? It will use up a dark area of the living room too.

What is in the space between the garage and utility room? Will you be building there too?

No Abouttime, two big rooms :) The stairs will be taking out a bit of bedroom 2 the rest of which will become an office. Bedroom 3 with become a bigger bathroom since we will still have our bedroom downstairs.

That space is just wasted really Ladykookoo but hard to use as it faces our neighbours fence so rooms would have no windows!

why are you having two utility rooms?

I would have made bathroom into a cloakroom/downstairs loo

then bedroom three into a bathroom for master room

Bedroom 3 - an ensuite for master bedroom.
Current bathroom - store cupboard and downstairs loo.
Bedroom 2 - study and stairs up to loft.
Space between garage and utility room - utility room (you could have small windows at the top of wall. How much light does a utility need anyway?)
Utility & Kitchen - Kitchen
I think you have a couple of options with the conservatory; if it were me, i would turn the current utility, kitchen and conservatory into one massive l-shaped kitchen diner with a play area for the kids in the bit that would back on to the lounge.

^^

Almost this. But I am claustrophobic and don't like the idea of the living room not having it's own window to outside, so I would just make a smaller extension that stops in line with the rh (current) kitchen wall, and leave the doors at the end of the living room leading out into the garden.

That is why I suggested the stairs in the rear of the living room where it is dark. I would hate a long narrow dark living room. That whole house seems to have poor natural light to me.

Sorry, should have explained better. I would leave an opening at the end of the living room into the l shaped kitchen that was at least five foot wide (perhaps some wooden doors if you want to close it off in the evening). I would then have doors out into the garden past that.

Kind of like <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=www.transformarchitects.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Space-and-harmony-04-Transform-Architects.jpg&imgrefurl=www.transformarchitects.com/gallery/two-bi-folding-doors-parapet-and-pitched-roof/&h=800&w=1280&sz=297&tbnid=tG6pHcu1y80cCM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=144&zoom=1&usg=__0MDJpAzgfhHy52w052EJnQDORCE=&docid=VJvMkPXyhdvpIM&sa=X&ei=Xzg_Ut7fHMem0wWjvIGwCA&ved=0CGIQ9QEwBA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this.

Or this.

Sorry, should have explained better. I would leave an opening at the end of the living room into the l shaped kitchen that was at least five foot wide (perhaps some wooden doors if you want to close it off in the evening).

I know, it is my crazy claustrophobia and weirdness that would make that not work for me. Plus I like open plan to a point but like a living room to be separate.

As you were

No not 2 utilities! Where the utility is now would be part of the large kitchen diner that would be created by removing the corner of the house extending where the conservatory is now and into side return where utility is now IYSWIM?

Actually i like the stairs idea. I did think about keeping the lounge as it is and just extending the kitchen. Putting the stairs at the end instead would work well too. I don't really see the point of a 3rd loo in a average sized house tbh. I would prefer a seperate utility. The office would be big enough to have a cloak cupboard in anyway.

I don't care about natural light. There is enough there for me as it is. I hate loads of light shining in on a sunny day. I need shade and it shows all the dust

This will be a long term house for us as we want the kids to go to the secondary around the corner so should be here for at least 13 years.