Remodeling house, kitchen at the front or back?

[JayKay183]

Hi MNers

We're having our house redone and I keep going around in circles! I've posted the basic floorplan, my question is do we go for the kitchen at the front or the rear of the house?

Having the kitchen at the front would mean having the living room at the rear, and having the kitchen at the rear would mean having the living room at the front.

I am thinking of having the kitchen at the rear with a dinning table near the bifold doors, this would give a good amount of space, however this would mean there is "traffic" through the living room and we'd have to carry the food shopping through the house.

Any thoughts and preferences most welcome

You should also think about

. Where the soil stacks are, may mean pipes across the outside of the house or digging up the floor if you’re attached which could be expensive or impracticable.

. Where the sun is. Do you prefer a sunny kitchen or sunny living room?
. If attached think where the neighbours rooms are. Attaching cupboard or a washing machine against the neighbours living room wall where they previously had none may cause issues in the future!

Personally I always prefer the kitchen at the rear, usually the rear is more private and has a good aspect over the garden. Unless you have a country house with a large front garden or if you live right on a main road/pavement and prefer the more lived in rooms away from the road.

Could you move the WC so that there is direct access to the back room from the hallway? That could give you some extra flexibility.

In some new builds I have seen the WC fit directly under the stairs.

I agree that it depends on sunshine and where you spend the most time etc.

Which room has the daytime or evening sun and which would you prefer to have?

Will the kitchen have room for a sofa? If so, put it at the back.

I hate rooms through rooms.

Oops meant to put loo door on side if stairs.

Like this.

Thanks.

The house is detached and no problem with soil pipes, the front door points west so the sun hits the rear in the morning.

I don't think we can get the WC fully under the stairs :(

Kitchen at the back with another door on the other side of the downstairs loo to be able to walk through to the kitchen from the front door rather than traipsing through the lounge?

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz, hmmm, that's interesting

If you cant fit the toilet under the stairs completely to give access to the back directly (where I'd put the kitchen/diner), then I'd knock the wall between front and back down completely and have it all open plan. But you should be able to fit the toilet unless your stairs are really steep.

Or you could modify the complete open plan idea and keep a smaller snug/study by moving the wall between the two large rooms to the left of the door from the hall?

Our toilet is completely under the stairs. With a utility cupboard so it is possible.

Think about access to the kitchen. Do you want to bring food shop in through the whole house for example.

IF it is possible to get the loo under the stairs we could do something like this.

Pipandmum, it is tempting to go fully open plan.

Much easier at the rear if you have kids so you can keep an eye on them in the garden.Also they don't have to walk through the rest of the house from the garden for water,food etc.
I also don't like through rooms and would have a door directly into the rear room from the hall

I would go for the kitchen at the back and loo under the stairs if possible for the separate access.

Are the doors in between the 2 rooms sliding? I would keep them if so, then you can have it pretty much open but close of the living room to make it nice and cosy or for if you are doing different things. Gives you flexibility. Also I am assuming your washing machine will be in the kitchen, so if you use it in the evening it can be good to have a way of closing out the noise!

I would have the kitchen at the front and dining area up near the bifold doors on the grounds you probably spend more time in the living room and it is nice to look out over the garden. Also you lose a wall of cupboards if the kitchen is at rear due to patio doors. I would also move the downstairs wc either to the front next to the front door if you can or make it smaller so you can access the living room from the hall.

If you have lounge at back, how will you deal with dirty feet coming straight into room?

Scrap those doors between the lounge and kitchen. Then you can have your sofas at right angles.

The house seems small enough not to need the doors leading through.

I'd scrap the doors between, but borrow the space to make a floor to ceiling bank of cupboard in the kitchen.

Put a corner sofa in the corner of the lounge.

I would also scrap the doors between the 2 rooms. It isn't one thing or the other- noise still travels through when you shut the doors so it isn't properly separate and it also really limits where you can put furniture. Either knock the whole thing through or have 2 properly separate rooms. Also, why are you so set on having a downstairs loo? Yes they're handy but consider that if you want one for people with mobility issues then one squashed under the stairs might not be suitable as they can be very small.

I’d want easy clean floors leading out to the garden.

Thanks all, I think it has to be the kitchen at the rear.