Pictures attached. Where to put fireplace and orientate sofas in large kitchen/dining/living

[another20]

Current layout is as option 1 - existing fireplace at one end of the room which means you would have your back to dining and kitchen area.

Thinking of knocking out chimney breast and moving fireplace so that it is on the outside garden wall - option 2. This would mean that this is the main focus of the room when you walk in with glass doors either side. I am thinking that then you could enjoy the fire when dining as well as when sitting and that orientating the sofas facing into kitchen and dining would be more sociable?

Or is it more cosy to turn your back on the kitchen and focus on the fire?
I could get 2 sofas - one either side of the existing chimney breast to make it more sociable with dining - but I don't want to block views into garden with sofa?

anyone?

Great space, either way! I’d prefer the first option to keep the areas a little separate. But could look good the other way depending on how you decorate.

I like option 2. It means the fireplace and/or the garden can be the focal point when sitting in the sofa. It's also a bit more integrated whereas option 1 has 3 distinct "zones".

50/50 then....no wonder I am torn.

Moving to option 2 will cost a bit - but I am thinking about how we live now - 4 teens and all their mates swilling around means we are always interacting across the space rather than using it in zones.

I am just worried that option 2 might not feel connected enough to the fireplace?

I prefer option 1. It’s a big room with 3 different spaces so the fireplace defines the seating area in 1 and looks pretty random in 2. Also personally, sitting on the sofa I’d rather look out to the garden or look at the fireplace, than look at the kitchen.

Good points. I suppose I need to think that we would probably mostly have the fire on in the evening when it would be dark outside so would not be looking out into the garden at the same time......maybe I need a double sided or revolving sofa!!

We're coming to the end of our build to create an almost identical kitchen/dining/living space to yours but without a fireplace. We've opted for layout 1, we will put the TV where you currently have the fire.

I prefer option 1 too.

1 definitely. Keep the areas separate

Option 1 definitely. Zoning these huge spaces is definitely the way to go. Option 2 is a bit of a jumble and the fireplace is in between rather than being a focal point.

Option 1 it is then - thanks all - saved me £££££'s !

I like 1 too. Could something like putting more comfortable dining chairs in help with the zoning?

Option 1 from me

Do you have a TV and if so where is it in both options?

Option 1. The teens will leave eventually, and you might prefer the zoning then. It's nice to leave the table and then go and sit by the fire.

I have a dining room with a fireplace and if you are close to the fire it is baking! As a result we don’t use it. Sitting near the fire may not be as lovely as you think!

We also have a fire place which is the focal point of a seating area as you have in your option 1. This works so much better. Your option 2 is not going to work for either area in my view.

Also removing a chimney is a structural change. You need to check that you can do this without engineering support for the chimney above. It will be difficult and expensive to get a flat wall after the fireplace has been removed. Fireplaces may be made from fire bricks which are very very hard! Also, building a chimney is quite a big expense. We have done it in a new extension but they need careful planning to ensure they draw properly. Personally I don’t think it’s worth it for the “gain”.

Thanks all - some very good points and ideas that I had not considered.
Over whelming op 1.