What to do with wasted space if extend kitchen

[fizzyfizz]

I've made a rough plan of a new kitchen if we ever get round to affording an extension (everyone needs a hobby) but if we put a downstairs toilet in, it feels like most of the space that was the original kitchen will be wasted. Maybe it doesn't matter as long as the new space fits in everything I want. What could I do with this space (red circle)? Hope the picture is readable - no washing machine as it's staying under the stairs. Any suggestions welcome.

Could you have sliding doors on the toilet and the external door? The type that slide into a void in the wall for the toilet and one that slides externally on the other? Then the space at the end where the bin is would be useable.

I wouldn’t see it as a waste of space- just a space. It’s nice to not have every square foot used for something... and I speak as someone who lives in a fairly compact 3-bed without much space to play around with.

We have a similar layout to you but have a wall across where your bin is so we have a separate utility room, you then get two extra walls for cupboards / worktop.
I'm fairly certain you're supposed to have two doors between a toilet and a kitchen space.

Have outward opening doors and put either a sofa or a table and chairs there.

Our pantry door opens in to the pantry, maybe add some sort of shelving like spices etc.

Ok, so think I'll try turning the toilet the other way and extending the left hand toilet wall to next to the bin and changing the current door into the hall into a opening with no door so will feel part of the hall. Then a radiator And new kitchen door can go on the new wall! Very helpful folks!

Could you show a lay out of the whole of the down stairs?

Back in 2012 we viewed a number of new builds with toilet off kitchen. I hate it, apparently the 2 doors between legislation changed for domestic properties to allow it, but not for commercial kitchens. I honestly believe you could limit your future sales potential by placing a toilet directly off a kitchen. Is there no way to create a utility area with it off that?

This is the current downstairs, although existing kitchen is 1.9m wide, not 2m. My extension drawing shows extending to the side by just under a metre and going out about 2.5m. Currently there is no kitchen door - just a curtain - which I hate.

Approx line of potential extension..

I'd move the doorway 50cm to the left and have floor-to-ceiling cupboards opposite the loo door. That's where I'd store the rarely-needed stuff like cookware and tableware that's only needed at Christmas and other special occasions. Or maybe a wine store. I wouldn't want to be going there regularly during normal meal prep so wouldn't put a larder there.

Your floorplan looks very similar to ours! 20s or 30s semi?
We are knocking through kitchen and back living room (lounge on your plan). Fitting down stairs loo just after stairs on exterior wall. Friends with similar house did squeeze WC under stairs, have you checked with a builder you definitely can’t? Or take some space from the grey cupboard and extend alongif height too low?

Ok after seeing your floorplan, I'd move the lounge into the front room, knock the back reception into the kitchen then add the extra space planned onto the kitchen.

Leave current entry door to kitchen from hall but make this the loo (so accessible from hallway). So essentially cutting the top little bit of kitchen off.

Block up existing kitchen door, put one at the end. Use this long part of kitchen for a dining table. Use the larger space in back reception for the kitchen with an island in the middle.

Ah no my idea wouldn't work I see, as the stairs are in the way.

Actually what you need to do is incorporate the understairs cupboard in your plans and tuck the loo there - the actual lavatory can be in a low-ceilinged space, so long as there is space to stand immediately in front of it. The loo can then open into to hall rather than the kitchen which is better. You then have a more rectangular space for the kitchen and just need to incorporate some large cupboards to accommodate whatever currently lives in the cupboard under the stairs (hoover?). The small triangle of understairs space too low to be part of the new loo should be turned into big pullout shoe-storage drawers.

Or this - grey are units. Red is table.

A few other houses on this street have the living room at the front and have knocked through to have a kitchen diner, but the front room is dark and overlooks a busy road and I like the garden view from the living room. I also think I want separate rooms. Will consider it again though, as the extended kitchen / dining area could become family space and then front room could be a grown ups (tidy) room!

And yes it's a 1930's semi!

I like the idea of putting the toilet under the stairs but it's only 700mm wide and I think it has to be 900mm minimum (preferably 1000mm) for building regs now.

Can you start your side return a bit higher and widen the cupboard? I would hate to have a toilet in the kitchen. (Also hate ensuites tbh).

Yes, I imagine you could widen the cupboard, doubt it’s a load bearing wall? I wanted our loo to be under the stairs in extended cupboard but was out numbered by husband and architect. I like Bernadette’s idea.
I do think making it a bit more open plan would be nice and more family friendly?

okay, how about knocking through part of the wall from lounge to kitchen like Bernadette says. But put all the kitchen in the kitchen area, having a window instead of a door at the back, which then leaves plenty of room for a sofa and breakfast table in your new family room.

the loo will be at the end of your hallway taking a bit of space from the kitchen.

I would quite like that layout Moobaa but what the floorplan doesn't show is a large chimney breast on the left hand walls of the living and dining rooms so wouldn't fit well

you could just have straight sofa then on the wall were there is no chimney maybe, a couple of arm chairs either.

you could have lots of layouts, with different sizes and shapes of furniture, the main thing would be you get a downstairs loo of the hallway rather than kitchen, you get a kitchen which is slightly bigger but not tucked away from the rest of the house, as it's open plan onto a room, what you turn the room into is down to what ever furniture you put in

I think the requirements for downstairs loos vary from council to council, not all require them to be accessible. Ask a local builder or architect, or call the council if yours is helpful (mine isn’t!). If you are allowed then I would definitely move the loo to under the stairs and put a utility cupboard where the proposed loo is.

Personally I would knock the kitchen and lounge together and keep the front room for evening tv watching/quiet reading etc but depends if you like open plan living or not. Some people like to be tucked away when they cook some people hate it.

Either way, please do take some time to think through your kitchen layout! Someone already mentioned the dishwasher but you also have your bin a looong way from your dishwasher and prep areas which is going to drive you nuts. My best tip is to imagine yourself doing 4 or 5 common tasks like make a cup of tea, unload dishwasher, make a sandwich, cook dinner (pick a meal you have a lot), unpack supermarket shop and see how many steps you have to do.