Is a downstairs loo really that important

[PenguindreamsofDraco]

...if it then eats up 4' of the kitchen?

We are trying to sort out the downstairs of our house. Tall 5 bed place with 2 bathrooms upstairs. The kitchen is currently about 21' long and once the chimney breast is removed, 10' wide.

We don't have a loo downstairs and we were wondering whether to install one, but the only way to do it would be to move the kitchen wall in by about 4' and squeeze it in there, so the new kitchen would be same width but about 17' long.

We were looking to have an eating and seating area at the far end, basically the last 7' or so. So that would mean the working space in the kitchen to include cabinets and all appliances, would be about 10' by 10'.

My husband is now convinced this will be far too small for a large house and we should drop the idea of a loo. I am worried that a tall house needs a loo downstairs and with clever use of the space with a lush Higham kitchen, all will be well.

Any kitchen buffs who have any views or who fancy redesigning my ground floor ? Thank you!

I certainly wouldn't install one on the off-chance the window cleaner might need a wee, but then I don't have a houseful of staff and tradesmen.

Ihaventgottimeforthis bless you, thank you for the flowers. I didn't mean to make you feel bad, I'm just attempting to raise awareness of the challenges we face now I'm the other side. Bit of an eye opener I can say

Op, I hope you find the right solution for you. I would have probably put a ground floor loo in anyway, due to the -growing- number of people I know, young & old, that couldn't manage stairs. I mean I have a bucket, but.......

Yes to a loo!!!!

That is all.

That's some staircase if your ceilings are 15' high. With my knees I'd have to limit my liquid intake.

If you're not doing the side return then I would take it off the dining room or not have it at all - I think retaining the kitchen space is more important.

Ceiling height can easily be lowered in the loo with a false ceiling.
The wall can be rounded from the dining room side which will make it look more natural/original. Although if you have original cornice in your dining room that will be tricky.

A further option - put it where the old outside loos used to be ie stuck on the back, but accessed from the back corner of the kitchen? not ideal though.

Yep, original cornice (yep 15' up) & ceiling rose, which will be all out of whack if I bite into the corner. I know, oh the trauma etc Although in mitigation I do live in a shitty part of London
Changing the back wall for crittall so can't bung on the back (& tiny London garden too).
Happily child bedroom well away from bathroom so no worried about people at our non existent dinner parties disturbing them
Sigh, I think no loo just yet is probably winning.

If you & family don't find it a problem and will be there a fairly long time then that seems sensible.

(you know you won't get the cost of the Crittal and Higham kitchen back on resale right?)

I would also stick it on the back. You won’t notice the crittal doesn’t go all the way across will you? You could possibly make it into a futility room too (if needed)!

Just had to google what is crittal and now I'm jealous - looks like your new kitchen is going to be fab.

I think it depends on what timescale you are planning to be in the house. With a major project (which sounds gorgeous btw - love Crittals) you probably aren't moving anytime soon and should suit yourselves!

We find a second loo essential because we are a blended family - DH isn't DD's Dad. He is (rightly) cautious about being naked or peeing in front of a teenager that's not his own biological daughter, and as we only have one bathroom, a second loo solves the problem of what to do when DD is having a mammoth soak in the bath (she's in there for ages!).

But that's us. Hope your extension turns out well, OP!

I was just coming on to talk about teenagers. One of mine is always in there for hours just as the other one wants to be in there.

In our latest move I miss the downstairs loo so much. Especially as visitors often wont take off their shoes to go upstairs and it fills me with disgust at them traipsing up over the carpets to have a wee.

In our last house we didn't have one and we got an architect to draw up some plans to convert half of the garage into a utility room and loo. He hummed and hawed and came up with several suggestions about the loo. Eventually we went with one. Then the builder came round and made a much better suggestion within about a minute which we went with and which gave access from the hall.
Are you sure there is no option but in being in the kitchen? I would never buy a house where a loo opened into the kitchen.

A diagram of the ground floor could let us help you. I do like a diagram.

Lulu it wouldn't be accessed off the kitchen (except in the "stick it on the back" option). The space for the loo would be carved off the kitchen but the actual door would be off the hall.

Thanks minipie Definitely no loos in kitchen here, ew ew ew.
And minipie, I'm hoping I'll have forgotten the cost when we come to move so making it back won't be on my mind

I am adopting a similar approach with our forthcoming, totally uneconomic project!