Thoughts on our proposed new downstairs layout?

[sunsetandcocktails]

Hi
We've just had the initial drawing from our architects...the brief was to create an open plan kitchen/diner/family room with plenty of storage (two small children).
Utility room and downstairs loo.

I'm a bit concerned about the downstairs loo door opening straight onto the kitchen.

This plan also requires us to cut the garage in half, leaving the front half of the garage for storage - bikes, pram, camping gear etc

What are we missing? Anything we should
Mention to our architect when we speak this week?
We're very new to this process!
Thanks!

The positioning of the fridge freezer near the kitchen door is really awkward. It'll mean that you have even less room for the island as otherwise you won't have room to open the fridge freezer doors.

This is the sort of thing I was thinking of...

Depends if you could fit a long rectangle with dining table at one end or whether you would be better with a sort of wraparound dining table? Or perhaps an extra large island which acts as table too?

How old are your kids OP? And where is the best light?

If your kids are small and the front is dark, I would shunt the utility to the front of the existing garage and have a bigger kitchen space.

No point not getting what you really want in family space and having a small detached play room no one goes on.

On the other hand if they are bigger or you need an office this is better.

Is the living room door opening into the room rather than against the wall?

If you had utility at front, could divide width wise so the access to downstairs loo is from main hall and utility from kitchen. Could have a door with some glass (frosted if you want to hide mess) so let's light right through.

Could also then have the left hand wall with your tall units with FF and larder units etc that side freeing up more space for a proper island without an awkward fridge at the side of it.

That kitchen layout makes me cry. Sorry!

So many issues. The cooker under the window is bizarre. The sink should be there.

The fridge so far away from anything!

The biggest sadness for me is the inefficient use of floor space. So much space is circulation space. It will be painful to live with.

Thanks for all these brilliantly useful
Comments ! We met with the architect (again!) so will see what they come back with.
We're now dealing with the Head of Architecture so we'd like to hope that the quality of thinking and design will go up!
I'll report back...!

NRTFT but that loo is too big! cut off a chunk at the sink end and have your washer/dryer stacked in the space opening into the utility. You'd still have space for a corner sink in the loo.

...and you don't want a hob near a window, that's where the sink should be.
Has the person that drew these never lived in a house?

Ok so what do we think of this latest version....we've gone back to having storage at the front for bikes etc, accessed through the garage door, as feel the storage we have at the back isn't enough, especially once we've done our loft conversion

Latest version ...

Much better. One question (sorry if you’ve answered this already): do you have to have an island? Without the island you’d have room for a much bigger table, perhaps even an expanding one, which means you’d have room for much bigger gatherings - if it’s to scale and you can only fit in a table for 4, rather than say 6-12, then you don’t give yourselves much flexibility.

Are you happy with visitors to go through kitchen and utility to get to the toilet. Personally i wouldnt be.

I'd move the livingroom door up to the window end giving a more open entrance to the room and giving better options for furniture placement. What is the island for? Anyone working in the kitchen is going to have their back to everyone most of the time as both hob and sink face away from the room.

Cooler in front of window is odd - usually where the sink goes. The loo opening onto kitchen is not great it easily remedied by having it open onto the utility instead.

1:utility boot room with door to 2: bathroom
3: pantry or space for full wall of fridge freezer /larder unit
4: peninsula
5: window seat approx 60/70 cm wide
6: upholstered bench dining

@MargaretBall

1:utility boot room with door to 2: bathroom 3: pantry or space for full wall of fridge freezer /larder unit 4: peninsula 5: window seat approx 60/70 cm wide 6: upholstered bench dining

By Jove I think she's got it!!!