2 equal size living rooms or one large and one small

[Krogerino]

Hi all,

We've just bought a renovation project and are wanting to change layout of downstairs but unsure what to do! Options are either one large kitchen living diner and a small separate snug or 1 kitchen diner and 1 equal size separate living room.

What would you do? Or any other ideas?

Thanks 😊

The second option for me

The second one

What are your needs? Do you have young kids? Older ones? Will you stay 10+ years or only too? Do you like cooking or prefer a “show kitchen”? Do you have dinner parties or eat on the sofa? Do you watch separate programmes, eg sports, so could do with two TVs?

People will answer your question according to their needs, what do you need?

Thanks for your replies! I've been trying to work out how to attach a pic of our floor plan layout ideas but I can find anywhere to attach a picture!

But in terms of need, we have one 2yo at the moment and 2 dogs. We want a nice family living space as previous house had tiny galley kitchen. But we also equally want a separate space where we can go to! We love entertaining but equally we also have evenings with food on our laps in front of the TV.

I think the actual sizes matter here. How small would the small snug be?

Yes, sizes are necessary

Use the paper clip to attach a photo from your phone of the possibilities.

No paper clip on here unfortunately 😫
The snug would be 9.7" by 11.9" so quite small. If we did it this way it would probably have a sofa bed, book case and TV.

Here's a link where I asked the question and managed to put pictures in the thread 😂

www.houzz.com/discussions/5803966/two-equal-size-living-rooms-vs-one-large-living-kitchen-plus-snug

Looking at that floorplan, 2 more equal size rooms is the way to go i think

I’d do large combined kitchen/diner/family room and one snug. The open plan works when kids are small as you want to see them and they want to be with you, but you get to have a kid free zone in the evening, and it works with older kids as you (or they) can retreat to snug, and also teens tend to be in their bedrooms more anyway. For example my 16 year old has four mates over now and they are in the snug playing on the Xbox, I’m in the living room (partially open to kitchen) watching tv. My 14 year old daughter is in her room. We’re all here but doing our own thing, but there’s a big space for when we all want to be together.

Snug version.

I’d go snug too

Based on what you’ve said and the pics, the snug version. I would also orient the snug on the north or east side if possible so you have the sunshine in your large living space for as much of the day as you can (if possible)

Depends on ages ... a snug/small living room for games/tv and a main living dining kitchen works well for us with teens

Hard to tell sizes as your floor plans looks really big (sorry I don't do feet and inches!). But I like the second picture with the snug and bigger lounge/kitchen/diner. The snug can be spare bedroom/playroom/study when your kids are young, and then can become TV room/X box den/parents needing to escape the teens hanging out with their friends in the kitchen room.

Whatever you do do, keep a hallway in-between the rooms! My kitchen is adjacent to the living room and I can't have music on if I'm cooking because it affects then listening to the TV in the living room it's resulted in all sorts of for slamming tantrums and volume offs and I've resorted to wearing Bluetooth headphones when I cook sand wash up so I don't disturb those in the living room. Gawd I miss the hallway as a buffer.

I’d go for the small smug, but reconfigure the bathroom so it doesn’t open from the kitchen.

A lot of people really dislike toilets off kitchens (smells, sounds, hygiene...). Personally I wouldn’t buy a house with a bathroom off the kitchen.

One large open plan kitchen/living/diner and a small snug definitely. We were just selling our renovation and estate agents were all saying it’s what everyone wants just now.

I didn't think you were allowed to have a look straight off a kitchen.....or isn't that a thing any more. In our house the stink the kids make in the downstairs loo is bad enough but if it were off the kitchen it would be minging! Lol.

I prefer the idea of a snug but not sure if you landed on the right layout for it yet. You wouldn't want the dining area separated by the living area...imagine carrying all the plates of food from kitchen to table....the table should be closer to the cooking section. What happens if you take out the walls the other way, so snug bottom left away from cooking area?

Snug option for sure. Open plan is great when you have young kids

First option

Snug option

I think it makes more sense to keep living room on one side and kitchen/diner on the other. The Houzz roomsketcher snug idea looks practicable but will actually feel quite cramped once all that furniture is in plus bookcases/storage, stuff, and people!

Plus as a PP mentioned don't lose your hallway, where would storage for coats/bags/shoes etc go? Muddy boots?

Thanks all for your ideas and thoughts. Really helpful 😊