How would you change the layout of this house?

[ihavetogoshoppingnow]

We’re planning on doing pretty much a complete renovation on our house in the summer. I’ve attached the floor plan, we want to make a kitchen diner instead of the lounge diner we have now, a lounge and a playroom or Just a place for the DC to play. We’re not bothered about getting rid of the utility room. The utility room is the same length as the kitchen not shorter as the floor plan showed god knows what estage agent measured up the house when we were buying it. DP thinks we should just knock the kitchen and utility through and leave the massive lounge and have all the toys down one end but just wondered if anyone else had any better ideas of how to use the space?

What are the two smaller rooms/cupboards on the upper right? Also your OP is not clear...when you say

we want to make a kitchen diner instead of the lounge diner we have now, a lounge and a playroom or Just a place for the DC to play

Do you mean that you want a kitchen diner AND a place for the DC to play?

Also when you say you're not bothered about getting rid of the utility room does that mean you want to get rid of it?

Also...how old are DC? Mine are 13 and 9 and to be honest I have never given their toys space in the main living areas other than one toy box which when they were small, was big enough for a number of games and things.

Their toys don't need a dedicated space of their own...just use their bedrooms and if they're under 6, a toybox in the sitting room.

I agree with your DH at the moment. Children don't need a playroom...

I would leave the utility where it is. You don’t want the washing machine and cleaning stuff in the kitchen.

Also, it’s not a big house, it would appear. I would have the whole lot open plan and put in storage for clutter. Be that toys or your belongings. Toys can go into bedrooms or a garage or even the utility. Whoever is in the kitchen will always be separated from the family in the lounge with your DHs plan. I think living in a larger space and zoning it is better. You could have dining in the kitchen area where the wall was and have the dining nook in the existing area for a computer zone.

I'd keep the utility room, otherwise you've got laundry and sometimes general mess in your kitchen living space, put a stud wall across the living room in line with the small room/cupboard and remove the kitchen wall, opening the kitchen into that space.

I think the kids can play in their rooms.

You might need to add windows to bring more light in, but I can't tell from the floorplan or your post whether the house is detached, a semi or terraced.

DC are 4 and 9 months. I think the utility room is just wasted space it would be ok if the kitchen was bigger but id rather have a decent sized kitchen than a kitchen and utility that are both similar sized. The hoover mop etc live under the stairs anyway. the cupboard things are the entryway to stairs and understairs cupboard. I’m just worried if we leave the lounge as one big room it’s going to look odd/empty once the dining table isn’t in it, it’s about 7M long. wowfudge I wanted to do something similar to what you’ve said but changing the utility to an office/kids room but the wall between the lounge and the kitchen is the origional end of the house so DP said taking it down will be pretty costly with steels etc?

I would leave the utility and put washing machine drier and sink on one side then put shelving opposite and Really useful boxes and store kids toys in there so you can take out one or two at a time. They play better with them and not so much taken out and make huge mess. Then a quick tidy after bed and you can relax in adult space.

I agree. Make the utility multi purpose. Also, you don’t really want a baby playing with a 4 year old in a bedroom or even a separate room. You want to be able to keep an eye on them. If it’s all open plan, it’s a lot brighter because there is light from both ends of the house.

Why can’t you have a reading area in the lounge that’s separate from the tv area? Or a computer/office area? I thought a table might take up some of the space between the kitchen and the lounge - where the wall comes down.

If you extend the kitchen storage into his space by having a bespoke dresser type unit you get extended kitchen storage, but it flows seemlessly into the next space.