help me with the kitchen-diner layout (floor plan attached)

[mum2015]

Cant choose between these two layouts. The garden is where sofas are.
Ideally would have liked an L shape with dining table in the middle but due to size of room and sofas, will have to keep sofas where they are and can switch between dining table and kitchen.

I would have a kitchen with island and then the dining table behind then in the bottom have either a corner sofa or a couple of nice chairs.

To be honest we had a breakfast bar in the old house and this is where we spent most of our time with guests too.

It seems narrow, but there is 125cm between two rows of base cabinet, which feels ok in current kitchen. I think after the walls are removed we could try different furniture arrangements to see what size table and sofa would work and where to place these. My original plans looks crammed in and after reading all comments, i agree we need to remove one sofa for sure and also look at how to make in more sociable.

mum2015 I totally feel your pain in trying to work out what's best and good luck!! It's seriously taking me about 5 months to finally decide on what will work best in our space. Can't wait for the whole thing to be ordered and be done with it!

What if we remove the wall between lounge and kitchen diner !!!

I wouldnt do that. I think you also need a separate room if you go open plan (especially if you have children).

Of course it will be up to you but I wouldn’t. I think it’s nice to have separation for a TV room.
What is it you don’t like about the architect plans? I quite like them.

Haha don't go completely open plan. It's attractive with toddlers but as kids get older 1. they go to bed late 2. they watch awful telly and play on video games. You need to shut that (or yourself) away. Also if you have a room you can use as a study, don't give it up lightly.

Personally I would try to keep your hallway open - I can see your bathroom has been sacrificed to stairs. Its a PITA having a house where you have to squeeze past a dining table or some poor sod trying to watch TV every time you want to go upstairs from the main room.

I think you have the layout about right keeping the kitchen where it currently is and dining table in the L. I would block up the door to the old bedroom and re hang the kitchen door to open into the hall. That way you have more space for table and chairs and maybe storage.

With an island/peninsula you have to decide what is more important, sociable congregating or concealing the mess of cooking. If it's the 2nd you could have a split level island with a bar/serve out shelf higher up but a small upstand hiding the worktops.

If you want an area to gather round it would be best if it didnt' block the route to the back door, make it wide and flat so the stool-perchers aren't too close to the hob.

I've found it nice to have a hob on the peninsula, with a big space beside it to prep and serve out. There are ceiling/wall extractor solutions that work espcially if you are rebuilding upstairs. Rather than cram the cooker into that space by the back door. Put storage/dishwasher/larder over that side.

Is it possible to put a solid roof on the conservatory and turn it I to a sunroom and more usable year round space and have sofas in there? Have no idea if this is feasable just throwing it out there?

In architect's plan, sofa is away from garden and not enough sitting space for entertaining. If you put camera in our house like Phil and Kirsty do, you will see currently we spend most of our time either in sofa in living room or in kitchen and from both we can see garden. What we dont have currently in day to day life

• there is no place for kids to sit and chat while I or DH cook.
• we eat all meals either standing in kitchen or on sofa in living room
• when we have family friends come over, it is usually 4-6 adults in living room and we dont have space/furniture for everyone to sit and chat. Kids go to kid's room and only join us for meal so thats ok.

Both I and DH work full time, so we have got short time in morning and evening to be together as family. Nearly teen boy doesnt play video games and he and DH like same programs on tv so that isnt an issue. May be when baby girl grows up and wants to watch her fav we might need another tv.
If we have one open plan, my concern is there will be no escape from kitchen smell, extractor noise and cold breeze because i keep kitchen door and window open while cooking. If we have separate lounge, the entertaining space is divided in two.

We are about to do what Yorkshire tea suggests. Having roof put on conservatory, doors to conservatory removed then it will become our dining space

That is great to know. Which kind of roof are you putting in and how much is it going to cost?

Will have to doublecheck on materials.( I know it’s not heavy tiles) cut price is £6500

I would have the kitchen on the left with a wall of units on the back wall with an island in front of it.

Then the table where the sofas 'have' to be and then make a nice cosy snug area for the sofas in the extra L shape bit.

I think both layout you've posted make the dining area disunited and it doesn't really flow.

Thanks. We will look at changing roof of conservatory.

Yes dining table is a looking like away from main area. We dont have one, so somehow i feel it would be only used for dinner and kitchen and sofa will be used a lot more. May be when we have one, we would actually use it more.

L shaped sofas are generally enormous too.

We have just created a similar-ish layout to your last suggestion actually and it works beautifully but I think you need a few tweaks.

Move the 2 runs of units further apart. You don't want a squashed cramped kitchen in that beautiful big room. I appreciate you need to access the conservatory on that wall but I'd consider changing the access width to get a bit more kitchen space.

Have 1 single sofa (not an l) facing the breakfast bar. That way you have your seating for everyone to be social pre / post eating without squashing too many sofas in.

That also means you have much easier access to the table therefore meaning it doesn't feel so cut off from the rest of the room.

Consider turning the table 90 degrees & pulling away from wall, though this will depend on access to doorways you have there.

Our is not quite finished (worktops & skirting left to do!) but to give you an idea. Dimensions are similar to yours I think. (Excuse decorations for dd's birthday)

Sdaisy,
Your kitchen is beautiful. I will include your suggestions. Thanks for sharing photos.