Can we talk downstairs loos?

[Paloma12]

Oh, the glamour. Has anyone added a downstairs loo in a London Victorian terrace - standard design - double reception, extended kitchen with side return. The classic place seems to be between front rooms and kitchen, do people find this is ok, I.e. Proximity of loo to kitchen?

Thanks minipie. Yes, at rightangles, but technically loo does open into kitchen, yes?

Our soil pipe runs down the outside of the first bit of the side return, if that makes any sense.

Nope if you look at the first floor plan I linked to, the loo doesn't open into the kitchen. This is because they've moved the kitchen door backwards (towards the garden) so the kitchen door is beyond the loo door.

Whether the loo opens into the kitchen is all a function of where you put the kitchen door.

Oh yes, I see. Apologies, being dim! We have a supporting wall issue. Kitchen door is in supporting wall, so can't really move it back. Bah!!! Can't think of any way to avoid loo opening into kitchen.

Hmm I can't picture that?

Again if you look at the floorplan I first linked to, the kitchen door probably used to be in the supporting wall (ie it used to be in line with the wall at the back of the back reception, before you get to the loo). Now they just have an archway there instead, and they have moved the kitchen door to the other side of the loo.

Is yours the same?

Yes, exactly the same. Our builder has proposed a stud wall, to move the door back, as you say. But he is unsure how much of the original door we can lose, if that makes sense. So I can't see how to get out if having two kitchen walls and doors in quick succession, which would obviously be weird!

Yes I see. You should be able to lose the existing door but you might not be able to open up any further around it - so then if you move the door, you'd have a door shaped arch and then a door in quick succession.

Not sure that would be weird though. It would create a sort of slightly separate lobby area at the back end of your hallway. Loo on one side, coats/noticeboard/shelves on the other side. Could be quite good.

Thank you so much, minipie. You have convinced me I can live with that option, and make a sort of lobby area, as you say. I hadn't thought of it like that - many thanks.

No problem

pelase don't blame me if you hate it