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Original poster

Huge kitchen or extra box room?

33 replies

StiffLittleFingers · 16/02/2015 23:04

Please help me plan my extension - we can extend our two bed garden flat and have two options: a huge (dream) kitchen with lots of work surface and room for 6 seater table. Keep our 2 double bedrooms
OR
A smaller kitchen (4m squared) with room for table but far less units. Then an added 3rd single room which could be used as study/guest room. Its windows would look out onto the side return so I think it'd be too gloomy for a proper bedroom.

We have 2 girls who are just tots so I'd be interested to hear how people think might we appreciate either space as they grow older.
No option to move house yet for financial reasons, want to stay here for great school catchments. Unfortunately no scope to add a 2nd toilet!
Do I go for the dream eat in kitchen where I envisage the girls having loads of room to do their homework or the more practical extra room?!

OP posts:
Original poster
StiffLittleFingers · 16/02/2015 23:06

I should add that the smaller kitchen would have room for either just one wall of units or a galley layout with table in centre

OP posts:
PurpleCorsage · 16/02/2015 23:07

If you have two girls I think you'd appreciate the extra room as a playroom...

It's so nice in this house (our first with a playroom) to not have toys and stuff everywhere.

hhhhhhh · 16/02/2015 23:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
StiffLittleFingers · 16/02/2015 23:12

That's a good point Purple but it's more likely the 3rd room would be used for DH's junk (I mean bulky music collection) and a sofabed for guests. Also, the girls' bedroom would likely be our main bedroom which is enormous (lots toy storage). When they're teenagers I did think the 3rd one might be a good 'chill out' room. Still hard to let go of dream kitchen though!

OP posts:
QueenBean · 16/02/2015 23:13

Kitchen!! Definitely, but with some deep units which you can store some of the extra stuff that would've gone in the spare room

Original poster
StiffLittleFingers · 16/02/2015 23:17

Interesting....there would be scope in the huge kitchen to add a wall of CDs/stereo system, thereby both housing some of DH's collection and making it a party kitchen ????

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AmateurSeamstress · 16/02/2015 23:22

Tough one, but I think I'd go with the boring practical option and have the 3rd bedroom so your girls can have their own rooms when they are older. No way would I have chosen to share vs have my own gloomy room as a teenager.

However if you are adamant that you wouldn't use the new room for one of your children, do the dream kitchen.

loopylucylou · 16/02/2015 23:25

Kitchen

I would say third bedroom if it didn't sound like it'll be an underused junk room!

Any scope to remodel rest of flat to get both?! Swap the living room and a bedroom? Cut a room in half?

I wouldn't care about another toilet personally

Original poster
StiffLittleFingers · 16/02/2015 23:32

Thanks everyone, opinion split down the middle so far.. I have looked at just about every permutation with architect and not possible to split up existing rooms without ruining them. As an older sister I vividly remember loving moving to my own room - the tiniest box room ever - just so I could watch Jackie Chan movies late at night on my own. It did have a proper window with light n all though. Note: we may well move house in 10 yrs time

OP posts:
loopylucylou · 16/02/2015 23:35

Go for the big kitchen and move in five years.

Apatite1 · 16/02/2015 23:46

Kitchen and a utility. Utility for your washer/dryer/ironing board/dog washing facilty/vacuum storage/larder. You get the drift.

ScaryChicken · 17/02/2015 05:13

Kitchen!

As you say, a box room would end up filled with junk.. Maybe your daughter would like to use it one day, but that's a "maybe" quite far in the future.. And you say you might move anyway.

Give yourself the big kitchen you really want!

OnePlanOnHouzz · 17/02/2015 08:11

Most Kids adapt and make do well in pretty much any room - shared or not.. Your living space is important to all of you - so my vote would be improve the kitchen /dining / family room first and make over an exciting bedroom for the girls so they feel they have had
Had something too ! If there's room for a snuggler chair for story time reading etc it will make a corner for the girls too !

mandy214 · 17/02/2015 10:41

I'm going to say bedroom. Thats with having 2 girls sharing at the moment (3 bed house but 3 children, with DS in one of the bedrooms). The girls also have the biggest bedroom in the house (almost 15' x 15') with plenty of space for toys, but the older one (now 9) just wants her own space without having to share with her little sister.

I personally think a 4m x 4m kitchen is a decent size (albeit not huge). Why would you want a big 6 seater table for every day use where there are only 4 of you? I'd go for a decent sized kitchen, with an extendable table for when you have friends round, and use the additional space as a bedroom.

LondonGirl83 · 17/02/2015 11:08

If you really want to stay there long term the extra bedroom is more important than a massive kitchen. If you really can’t see it being used as a bedroom for whatever reason, then go for a bigger kitchen with lots of storage. It will be a second hang out space which is essential in a family home.

Cobain · 17/02/2015 11:11

I am a practical person and one of the biggest concerns for me would be what plans adds more financially, especially if you do plan to move in a few years.

chillybits · 17/02/2015 11:17

I always prefer large usable spaces than pokey undesignated rooms which can end up as dumping grounds. I'd say large usable kitchen with a decent kitchen table, much more sociable, which is actually important when children get older and start bringing multiple friends home for meals. Also yes homework is more likely to get done at the kitchen table without fuss (primary anyway).

ArcheryAnnie · 17/02/2015 11:18

Big kitchen! I see it as the more practical option, because it means you can have their friends over for tea, supervise them doing homework as they grow, have space to teach them how to cook, etc etc. Another room to fill with junk just doesn't compare.

Marmitelover55 · 17/02/2015 12:25

Kitchen Smile

IssyStark · 17/02/2015 13:49

Kitchen.

Should also make the flat more saleable in the future if you are looking to move in a decade rather than a pokey third bedroom. I'd try and be as clever as you can with storage in your new family kitchen so the girls can have toys in here but they can quickly be cleared away into large chests/drawers etc.

Original poster
StiffLittleFingers · 17/02/2015 14:19

God love you ladies, some great advice here! Smile

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PrimalLass · 18/02/2015 12:02

Kitchen. I'd use large floor to ceiling cupboards to host washing machine and drier, toys, CDs etc. We have too much surface space in ours and it ends up full of junk.

meadowquark · 18/02/2015 19:25

Kitchen. 4 sq.m.kitchen is unacceptably small. A decent size kitchen serves as a family room, you can even have a corner of it designated for toys. The need for own bedrooms is so far way that it is no point of making your decision based on this.

Original poster
StiffLittleFingers · 18/02/2015 21:57

Ha meadowquark, you should see the size of kitchen I'm currently operating in (2 x 2.5m)!

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ToBeeOrNot · 18/02/2015 22:40

Another vote for big kitchen.

I grew up sharing a room with my sister, separate rooms for each child is over rated imo.