What sort of house with a new baby / young child?

[Doubtoftheordinary]

DH and I are expecting our first child this winter. We've also just bought our first house (mid-terrace with a garden), and are planning to make some changes to it before the baby is born.
It's currently a 3-bed with a living/dining room, kitchen, and one bathroom. Also a loft which we'll probably convert to either a bedroom or a home office.
If you could design your home from scratch, what would you include to accommodate a baby / child? I know so little about parenthood (!), and all I can think of is plenty of storage, and preferably 2 bathrooms, one of which has a bathtub.

Now mine are teens I really appreciate having a separate dedicated den area. (It was a playroom) so I don’t have to listen to Xbox all day. Keep your two receptions rooms if you plan to stay there.

Open plan is appealing when they are little but not so much as teens.

Otherwise. Large bathroom with shower and bath

Separate loo shower nice if possible

Storage storage storage.

Definitely eat in kitchen with doors to garden. Downstairs loo makes it easier when toilet training. If you convert loft add en suite. So ideally large eat in kitchen with family (lounge) area, separate sitting room for adults/entertaining, two bathrooms
(En suite master) and downstairs loo. Also utility on floor with most bedrooms. If four beds maybe a third bathroom.

Open plan kitchen with living space then a small room that you can hide in

Definitely a bathtub
Somewhere in the hallway where you can keep your buggy - we have to keep ours in the sitting room which is annoying. Also have a think about how you’ll get the buggy into the house e.g. if you have any steps by the front door
Room in the nursery for a feeding chair
In general, space is good - babies have a surprising amount of kit!

Yes 100% toilet down stairs. I bloody miss mine

Kitchen/diner (if that's not possible, no carpet anywhere near where you might eat!)
Downstairs loo
More storage than you would ever think you'd need!
Door on lounge so you can shut out noises/ keep little people in.

Downstairs bathroom or at least toilet. A space for coats, shoes and school bags downstairs that they can easily reach.

A playroom is fab so you can keep toys out of the adult space - but be warned that when they are little they generally want to be close to you, so a play area will only work if it's close to the kitchen or if you're prepared to sit in it with them for long stretches of time. However, I can see madeyemoodysmum's point that when they're teens this will be different!

A kitchen you can eat in. Doesn’t need to be massive eating space but somewhere practical to feed a young one.

Ideally a downstairs wc

Ideally a porch or hallway big enough to wheel a pram into in winter without dirtying the main living space, alternatively good rear or side access for muddy days

Ideally a patio area suitable for using a cozy coupe on (grass not really suitable)

Storage space for coats and shoes and bags. Doesn’t have to be all downstairs. An upstairs cupboard for excess clobber is fine

A garden big enough to have a decent shed for storage of garden toys, equipment and house overflow

A loft for storage of old baby bits if you plan on a second or third or more

These suggestions are so helpful! Thank you! 😍
I'd particularly not considered space to store a buggy, or storage for coats, shoes etc, so that's very helpful.
Interesting unanimity regarding eating in the kitchen, too. I'd been sort of against this, preferring to only eat in a separate living / dining room, but you're all definitely changing my mind.
Keep 'em coming!

Def kitchen/diner with a separate living room if possible. Good access from kitchen to garden & windows so you can keep an eye out when they're older.
Downstairs loo if possible.
Ideally a Bath as well as shower.
Space in hall or porch for pushchair/pram - DD would only nap in the pushchair in the day.
I use my conservatory (immediately off my kitchen diner) as a play room, as DD always wants to be close to me so will happily play in there while I'm in the kitchen.
Storage - you can never have too much!

To avoid cluttering up the house, our buggy lives in my boot (very convenient if you have off street parking).

Other suggestions: If needed, have a shower curtain rather than a glass screen where you're going to bath the baby. Glass screens get in the way. It's best to use practical, washable finishes e.g. Paints, flooring etc I'm amazed at the platitude of random stains on our LO's bedroom floor - and we never take food in there.

Yes totally agree with shower curtain - especially if hard water area

And buggy in boot perfect if you have a drive

Definitely kitchen you can have a table and eat in.
Definitely a downstairs toilet.
You don't really need a 2nd bathroom until they are teens.

Kitchen diner would be my priority. If space for a little rug/play area/arm chair/sofa in there even better so you can keep an eye on them while cooking.

We manage without a downstairs loo, but one would be nice as having to go back upstairs when we're all ready to leave the house and Dd decides she needs a wee is really annoying as it's shoes off and everyone getting distracted and hard to herd out the door.

I would love a utility for washing to be hung.

We use the IKEA Trofast drawers by front door to store nursery bags, shoes and hats/gloves etc, they can access them easily and keeps all neat stowed away. We also have low down pegs for the kids coats so they can grab them independently.

Ah, buggy in boot is a good idea! We will have off-street parking.
Shower curtain vs glass screen wouldn't have occurred to me so that's good to know.
Small place for the baby to entertain themselves in the kitchen once they're a bit older is also a good shout.
Thanks, all! So helpful to hear from the voice of experience!

Oh, and a large capacity washing machine + a dryer if possible. Our baby often needs 4-5 changes or clothes a day. We only have the one baby and a massive 9kg washing machine and it's still on 1-2 times a day.

I'd have a play area/playroom/family room connected to the kitchen so you can easily see what they are up to and they can see you while you are cooking, doing laundry etc.
Then a separate living room which is more grown up and entirely toy-free, for sanity
A utility area, if possible, as the washing is unbelievable. Mountains of it every day.
Two loos - one on each floor.
Patio for sand pits/water play etc.