WWYD with this floorplan?

[salema]

The conservatory has got to go. It’s searingly hot in there and we never use it. However it does contain our dining table and there is only space for a 4-seater table in the kitchen.

Thought about adding a solid roof to the conservatory but it would make our already dark and dingy living room even darker (living room has no windows except patio doors to conservatory). Kitchen is in a state and needs replacing, but we’re going round in circles wondering about extensions, removing walls etc... Would love a big dining table where DCs can do homework, crafts, we can do work etc. Like a big open plan family space. An extension would require us to remortgage so needs to be a decent improvement!

Here’s the floor plan - WWYD? And thanks!

More interesting stuff for discussion, thank you! @BrieandChilli - interesting about keeping different rooms for the kids’ activities. Ours are aged 1 and 2 at the moment which is why I need them in my sight (hence open plan seems appealing so I could cook etc while they play) but obviously that will all change and there will come a time when we want to be separate!

Glad no-one is arguing for keeping the conservatory though! I think it would actually have been dangerous to sit in there yesterday!

Definitely keep the study separate!!! I would also try working on the kitchen layout so that you can add in folding glass doors in along where the wall currently sits so you have the option plan of open or not.

Unless this is some amazing 5 double bedroom house do you really need more downstairs space? Would you really get your money back by adding a £100k extension and the pressure of increasing your mortgage by that? Is it worth the loss of back garden when most new builds have small gardens for the size of house? Is it really a forever home?

There’s another thread here about open-plan, and the responses were resoundingly negative about it. I might possibly open up the back but I’d keep the study separate.

I would also keep the study separate , open plan can be taken too far

As it's a modern house if that fireplace doesn't have a chimney I would be tempted to remove it and make the current study larger and have as a snug come study. So you have a rectangular room for the kitchen diner...

Yes do have a look at other threads about open plan living.

The kitchen area - I would change the WC and utility space so access to both is through the current WC door (even if it meant having them as one room) then you would gain a U shaped kitchen by losing the current door to the utility. You could then have an island if you'd like one and make the dining side wider?

Your kitchen is a really decent size. Ours is slightly smaller and we have a decent size table and a small sofa. Definitely look at replanting it, losing the store and the sticking out bit , much better use if space could be made. I might look at seeing if toilet could go in under the stairs including the current store, accessed from hall, then utility room accessed through current toilet as suggested about so you can have U shaped kitchen.

As the DC get older you’ll be grateful of all the rooms. If you do decide an extension (I don’t think you need it personally) agree about removing conservatory and putting a bit on kitchen.

Awesome, I’m off to read the open plan threads. If this saves us £££ I’ll be extremely grateful. Like the ideas about utility/loo/under stairs cupboard as hadn’t considered making any changes to those. It does make me think if we had some decent advice from someone who knows about kitchens we could make it feel a lot bigger, and make better use of the space. You’re right that it’s not a small room.
It’s a 10 year home, not a forever one I think. I want to be able to afford something with more land one day. (Guess that’s another argument for not extending into the garden space...hmm!)

We have a chimney on the outside of the house and currently have a dated looking gas fire that has been switched on about once a year as the house is warm enough as it is.

Your current layout with the kitchen redone will work very well with two teens, gives you lots of flexibility.

I have the whole want more land thing cropping up every so often over the years but have got an allotment with lovely shed looking over fields and chickens now at home with some fruit trees (want chickens and an orchard) and think actually I don’t think I do want more land as not sure I want the work that comes with it after all.

In that case definitely don't do a big extension. Imagine how much better you could spend that £50-100k on your next house! I think a big extension could be a bit of a white elephant on a house that already has so much living space.

I thought about moving the loo under the stairs but won't it take up the space that the store is in plus the plumbing issue?

If it's only a 10 year home then don't plonk on a huge extension.

You could remove the fireplace anyway or if the chimney is built out a bit put in a decorative log burner so it encroaches on the room as little as possible (don't bother getting a working one is what I mean).

Just to put it out there, how about redoing the conservatory? You could think about turning it into more of a sun room with effective ventilation (maybe a bifold wall?) and a big fan in there? Not cheap cheap to do well but less than an extension. Just a thought.

Knock kitchen and living room together to create open plan family dining. Keep study separate. Existing family room becomes grown up space.

When kids are teens consider them having the front room as their space and you have kitchen/family/dining as yours.

Random, plumbing may well be big problem with under stairs but depends on layout of upstairs and where bathroom is. I think the store taking up that bit of kitchen still would be ok if the sticky out bit was gone and the door to utility was gone allowing new arrangement of units if that makes sense.

We were able to put downstairs toilet in middle of downstairs as they were able to access the soil pipe from upstairs which was a bit of a distance away but close enough if that makes sense.

You need a study and large communal space. Do yoh need play room or tv room formal lounge? what other space required ?how many in your house and what ages and how many bedrooms? ( don't want to make house too bottom heavy)

we have flat roof extension with skylights in it and it doesn't get hot at all (no more than any other room) and is such a nice light to the space.

Another friend has the same and its the full width extension across the back. It houses a lovely long dining table that the kitchen and living room are open to but you can see the kitchen sink from your sofa. I'd be tempted to do that. I guess its a T shape open plan rather than L shape.

You could keep the family room and study by doing that. It does get boring keep clearing the table so you can eat and its nice to have private spaces.

I'm having a think but want to know one, what is the reason there are no windows on the right side of the house? is it possible or not? and two, what's the building line like for the upper storey back of the house?

I'd avoid the expense of knocking walls out and having to put in structural supports and channel the money into reconfiguring and fitting the kitchen, utility and downstairs loo instead, possibly adding a small extension at the back depending on the two questions above.

This could be my house!!!
Been here 6.5 years and just had the new kitchen put in.
We use the family room as a dinning room though the kitchen would easily take a table and chairs.
The conservatory does get hot but find it useful for drying clothes lol
We intend to put get light into the living room by putting in those glass blocks/ tiles: see picture.
Let's in light but still private, as this looks into our neighbors garage.
We have already ask them about this and they don't mind.

I imagine it’s a semi. Hence the lack of windows on the right.

I was looking for clarification Ursula because the OP said the chimney’s on an external wall I think?

Under stairs cupboard (‘store’) won’t work for loo unfortunately. It’s way too sloped ceiling. The part that faces the hallway is just a small triangle, if that makes sense!

House is detached but next door’s garage wall is about 1.5 metres from our wall so there’s just a narrow passage on that side of the house. Yes you could put in a window but it would face a wall. Wondered about high-up windows but have only seen them in toilets I think! Might look odd/old-fashioned?

Upstairs is exact same shape as downstairs currently.

Good to hear about lanterns, @Grasspigeons. Although tbh this thread is definitely putting me off extending and more ‘thinking outside the box’! Bifolds on the conservatory is a definite curve ball @Isitmybathtimeyet! Intrigued by that one and will google the idea.

4 double bedrooms upstairs. Really happy with upstairs layout. Re: plumbing, I believe there is a waste pipe if that is the right term, in the back corner of the kitchen nearest the conservatory and in the hall cupboard at the front of the house.

Sounds like the exact same house @Robin2323! Right down to overlooking the neighbours’ garage

Ok so the bit of store that sticks into kitchen , can that be taken out so kitchen bigger? I think if I were you i’d Get a kitchen designer round to see what they can do with it leaving the door to the utility where it is . Depending how the utility ianmaybe get them to look at that at the same time. It really is a decent size room and should be able to accommodate a fair bit including decent table.