Ground Floor layout

[lozrobin]

Hi,

We are about to start building works on house and having layout ground floor layout dilemmas. We currently have old conservatory top left in the picture of current layout that suffers all the usual problems of being freezing in winter and boiling in summer and as attached to current house without external doors makes everything really cold. We are replacing it with a brick built extension and had decided to go open plan right across the back with kitchen to diner to living looking out on garden. This also gives us a utility room where can hang washing that can't go in a tumble dryer which currently ends up on racks in living space.

Been reading loads of articles about pros and cons and we are lucky enough to have another small lounge for kids to go to for play/smaller tv if needed. In both layouts the washing machine/tumble dryer would be tucked away so not a noise concern.

We are a bit worried whether my partner who does the kids lunch boxes in evenings normally in peace and quiet would be annoyed by me watching TV at the other end, the smaller lounge is under the youngest kids bedroom and have to always mess with volume when there is a loud bit so would want to be in the main part. Conversely not sure if the dishwasher, vent and banging around would annoy me on the TV - probably not to be honest as I'll likely just turn it up which won't go down well at the other end !

The other option is to leave kitchen where it is and have diner in old conservatory and living room separate. The kitchen will be a bit dark and won't overlook garden so much and we lose the larger utility and somewhere to hang coats and ditch shoes which hang out in hallway at moment.

Absolutely torn over decision as could easily regret whatever we chose, the full open plan is going to be more expensive as if we go that route we will go underfloor heating and definitely go for big sliders also to stop main entrance going through utility would remodel office by removing wall so entrance is straight through and can see garden from front door.

Any advice greatly appreciated as there seems to be a bit of a turn against full open plan living from recent articles read. We could try and get some bifolds between kitchen and diner/living but it is all a bit tight on space with seats on back of island and around dinging table.

Loz

I would probably do the middle design (the one with the huge kitchen diner living space) but keep the wall that you currently have separating the top left room (current conservatory ?) so that the kitchen with its associated smells and noises are kept separate from the dining and living space.

Not sure what I would do about the office in the centre of the house though, that’s doesn’t quite work I don’t think

I love the middle one.

I don't get that you watching TV would bother someone making kids lunches! Nor that the sound of your TV in the front room would bother a child sleeping above (unless you watch really loud TV or your child is an incredibly light sleeper, which if the case renders that room unusable at night, so maybe invest in soundproofing in the ceiling).
Your middle layout makes the most sense. A good size utility, a sociable kitchen/diner/family room taking advantage of the garden, and a separate livingroom for (in my experience) when you need to get away from kids or teenagers need to get away from you or when you or partner need quiet space to work/watch footie/read a book, and leaving a spacious hallway.

Imagine it would be more isolated and less interactive to cook in the right or left hand floor plan

Actually in the middle design, I would put the study in where the utility is. With the access from the hall beside the toilet. Make the pantry a little bigger and put the utility in there accesses from the kitchen. Then have a big hall, open all the way through to the dining/sitting at the back. You could have big cupboards on the left of the hall to store coats and shoes. And you could have your piano in the large hall too.

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Middle

Is so middle.

But why is office open in middle and closed in alternative? I think I'd want that closed if I was working there or the open so a sliding door there at least.

Many thanks for the quick and great replies. Couple of comments on the office wall, it is currently in place and works well as at the moment walking into house and through kitchen feels okay but if that first part were to be come utility then thought would be better to take office wall down and then could see right through house from front door to back garden and that would be way enter the house although more likely head to the cloaks and shoes room first !

Middle with soundproofing in the ceiling.

Is the pantry off the kitchen or only off the utility? I can’t understand the plan but you should have it off the kitchen

@lozrobin

Many thanks for the quick and great replies. Couple of comments on the office wall, it is currently in place and works well as at the moment walking into house and through kitchen feels okay but if that first part were to be come utility then thought would be better to take office wall down and then could see right through house from front door to back garden and that would be way enter the house although more likely head to the cloaks and shoes room first !

I agree walking through and light wise office is great. But I'd still go for sliding doors or bi fold so they can be closed when office is used for working or important calls (unless it's not an office for WFH etc?)