Love opinions on layout/design of our extension

[LAlexander7]

Hello, pencilled this in for spring 2023. Only thing to note is the toilet on the downstairs is going to go in the cupboard under the stairs. So that space will all be free.

On the floorplans everything on the left handside is the extension.

Looks good! Will the Snug gain the extra space from the toilet moving or the Utility? Both look very small.
Do you know which direction the back of the house faces and where the sun will be throughout he day?

So the toilet will be directly accessed from the lounge?

I would put a door on the utility area so that the noise from the washing machine won't disturb anyone in the snug.

I'm struggling to blow up the images to read the text/ sizing.
Think upstairs looks great.

Downstairs the kitchen layout looks a bit awkward. You could probably make it work with clever planning but you'd have to think carefully about what you put where so you aren't running about all over the shop to reach kettle, fridge, tea bags etc.

What is the dotted line? Is that a wall going in or coming out? If you are moving the loo then would it make more sense to create a proper hallway right through and have the lounge separate?
The bit at the end looks a bit nothing space. It would seem to make more sense to have the kitchen right across the back with dining and the extension that sticks out as a nice sitting area/snug looking onto garden but appreciate this may not work structurally

@chickensafari

Looks good! Will the Snug gain the extra space from the toilet moving or the Utility? Both look very small. Do you know which direction the back of the house faces and where the sun will be throughout he day?

I think it's a north facing garden, sun is usually on the front of the house around 11-1pm.

@Calmdown14

I'm struggling to blow up the images to read the text/ sizing. Think upstairs looks great.

Downstairs the kitchen layout looks a bit awkward. You could probably make it work with clever planning but you'd have to think carefully about what you put where so you aren't running about all over the shop to reach kettle, fridge, tea bags etc.

What is the dotted line? Is that a wall going in or coming out? If you are moving the loo then would it make more sense to create a proper hallway right through and have the lounge separate?
The bit at the end looks a bit nothing space. It would seem to make more sense to have the kitchen right across the back with dining and the extension that sticks out as a nice sitting area/snug looking onto garden but appreciate this may not work structurally

Dotted line is a wall coming out.

Fridge will be where the tall units are currently named by the stairs.

So am I understanding this right that the toilet will be under the stairs instead?

I'm not sure how keen I would be on basically having a toilet in the kitchen if so.

Personally, I would swap the existing toilet & utility room. I've attched a picture of what I would change, it's not the best but hopefully makes sense! :)

I would add a bath into the en suite also. I know a lot of people do this when they get extensions. Depends if you enjoy a bath I suppose!

You could always put a door into the utility from the snug if you were concerned about easy toilet access from there.

Small suggestion from me. Where you have space in the walls, go for sliding, inset doors for loos and utility spaces. Absolutely the best thing we did is get these put in during our reno. Huge space saving and design is so much better than normal hinged doors

Bedroom - your bed is far from the window. Presumably the en-suite is that end because of the plumbing for the existing bathroom? Otherwise I’d have the en-suite at the other end, so you walk through the dressing area to get to it, although it could end up cramped the other end.

I have a similar floor shape but have used the ground floor differently. No porch. Instead of snug / your utility I have a giant utility, boot/coat room with separate toilet. I can fit in all the cleaning stuff, shoes, laundry baskets, school bags, kitchen overflow which keeps rest house clear and toilet out the way. I have it fitted out with floor to ceiling kitchen cupboards for the washing machine etc plus a wall for coats and shoes. If you didnt have snug at front you could also have a slightly bigger kitchen area. My dining table is where the back of your lounge is and I have a second seating area where you have the dining table looking out over the garden. I would question whether you would use the back part of the lounge it doesn't seem to have a purpose and you would then have 3 seating areas with the snug. It does depend what your needs are, I have 3 messy DC so for me a larger utility / boot room has literally changed my life.

It's a bit blurry when zoomed in so hard to tell, but...

1. Where will the door into the loo under the stairs be?
2. There's no door separating the utility (washing machine noise) from the snug
3. There's no door at all between the whole of your lounge, through the kitchen into the new dining area? That's a lot of open plan. (And I like open plan!)
4. Which do you foresee as being the main 'back door'? Back of the lounge or but the dining area? Have you considered traffic flow?

I'm not sure the kitchen "peninsula" really works? It feels a bit disjointed and the kitchen is yet another thoroughfare, as is the snug.

Sorry, I feel like you've actually got loads of space to play with but I'm not sure it's all being used as well as it might.

Is there enough space to make the peninsula an island so anyone passing from the lounge to the dining area doesn't have to walk through the middle of where someone might be cooking?

Main bed upstairs: It is a shame not to give the bed a view! I would play around there and see if you can mover the bathroom.

I second keeping the snug/utility/loo as one downstairs. Especially if there are a few of you. There are many options for creating a snug in other parts of the downstairs.

Bedroom - your bed is far from the window. Presumably the en-suite is that end because of the plumbing for the existing bathroom? Otherwise I’d have the en-suite at the other end, so you walk through the dressing area to get to it, although it could end up cramped the other end

As an alternative to this, can you not move your dressing area so it is next to the en suite, and then the bed goes at the far end next to the window? The advantage of that is that you are not then sleeping next to the sound of your other half having a pee at night. It's also much more restful to have the bed away from the door (it's not ideal having the door open up into the bed).

If the narrower end by the window isn't wide enough for the bed to go sideways on, can you turn it 90 degrees so it's facing the window? Would be especially nice if you have a good view.

PS we've previously had a very long narrow bedroom like you're proposing and I found it quite depressing having the bed a long way from the window. Fresh air and a view is really good for us in so many ways, even our bedrooms!!

It feels a bit confused to me.

The utility/snug seems like one room (no door between them?) - who's going to want to sit in there and listen to the washing machine/dryer going?

The kitchen is pretty awkward - in its location within the space and being on a corner. Why don't you run it down the left hand wall from the back of the house?
Having the fridge where the tall cupboards are means it's essentially in the lounge (no door) - whirring fridge noises will be irritating.

I love open plan, but I don't think this is a very good use of space really.

@Daisydoesnt

Bedroom - your bed is far from the window. Presumably the en-suite is that end because of the plumbing for the existing bathroom? Otherwise I’d have the en-suite at the other end, so you walk through the dressing area to get to it, although it could end up cramped the other end

As an alternative to this, can you not move your dressing area so it is next to the en suite, and then the bed goes at the far end next to the window? The advantage of that is that you are not then sleeping next to the sound of your other half having a pee at night. It's also much more restful to have the bed away from the door (it's not ideal having the door open up into the bed).

If the narrower end by the window isn't wide enough for the bed to go sideways on, can you turn it 90 degrees so it's facing the window? Would be especially nice if you have a good view.

I thought this, but our king sized bed won't fit in the space.

We have an incredible view, might play around with the layout then.

@ReviewingTheSituation

It feels a bit confused to me.

The utility/snug seems like one room (no door between them?) - who's going to want to sit in there and listen to the washing machine/dryer going?

The kitchen is pretty awkward - in its location within the space and being on a corner. Why don't you run it down the left hand wall from the back of the house?
Having the fridge where the tall cupboards are means it's essentially in the lounge (no door) - whirring fridge noises will be irritating.

I love open plan, but I don't think this is a very good use of space really.

The utility/snug seems like one room (no door between them?) - who's going to want to sit in there and listen to the washing machine/dryer going?

Yeah this is a good point, we've got a washer dryer so I might suggest we have it in one of the kitchen units. It will keep that space separate then, especially as that might be my home office.

What do you mean about the left hand wall?

I think the flow through the house is weird. The entrance hall area is too small. there is no obvious route through to the kitchen from the front door. Either the lounge or snug will be a coridor to the kitchen. The whole point of a snug is that it isn't a through route so you won't be disturbed whilst you are in there. The utility looks too small.

@Lochroy

It's a bit blurry when zoomed in so hard to tell, but...

1. Where will the door into the loo under the stairs be?
2. There's no door separating the utility (washing machine noise) from the snug
3. There's no door at all between the whole of your lounge, through the kitchen into the new dining area? That's a lot of open plan. (And I like open plan!)
4. Which do you foresee as being the main 'back door'? Back of the lounge or but the dining area? Have you considered traffic flow?

I'm not sure the kitchen "peninsula" really works? It feels a bit disjointed and the kitchen is yet another thoroughfare, as is the snug.

Sorry, I feel like you've actually got loads of space to play with but I'm not sure it's all being used as well as it might.

Is there enough space to make the peninsula an island so anyone passing from the lounge to the dining area doesn't have to walk through the middle of where someone might be cooking?

1. its under the stairs behind where it says tall units. Fridge is likely to be next to it. Where it is already.

1. We're thinking about either internal bifold doors or some sort of wooden partition between the lounge and the other living area (likely to be playroom)

1. main backdoor will be the one that is in that other living/dining area that connects to the living room

@Geneticsbunny

I think the flow through the house is weird. The entrance hall area is too small. there is no obvious route through to the kitchen from the front door. Either the lounge or snug will be a coridor to the kitchen. The whole point of a snug is that it isn't a through route so you won't be disturbed whilst you are in there. The utility looks too small.

If we create a corridor to the kitchen and scrapped the snug we've lost a room and created a corridor.

And there isn't an obvious way to move the kitchen so its always going to be that way.

What is the issue of the lounge being a corridor to the kitchen?

Is there no way to have a hallway? I hate houses that just have an entrance and then you have to walk through the lounge. It always feels a bit cramped. Where are your shoes and coats going?

Also find the utility/snug a bit odd. Utility is a must, I'd hate a washer in an open plan layout. The snug is not very snug is it if everyone is walking through it- its just a glorified corridor to the kitchen.

Also confused about where the door to the loo under the stairs will be.

I think I'd be rethinking the whole layout downstairs tbh- its not great for the size.

Oh God, with all that space please don't put the washer dryer in the kitchen. Have a proper utility. It drives me mad not being able to pop a wash on if we've got people round and I don't want the noise of the washing machine going in the same room.

With all the living space, do you need the snug?

@JustWonderingIfYou

Is there no way to have a hallway? I hate houses that just have an entrance and then you have to walk through the lounge. It always feels a bit cramped. Where are your shoes and coats going?

Also find the utility/snug a bit odd. Utility is a must, I'd hate a washer in an open plan layout. The snug is not very snug is it if everyone is walking through it- its just a glorified corridor to the kitchen.

Also confused about where the door to the loo under the stairs will be.

I think I'd be rethinking the whole layout downstairs tbh- its not great for the size.

Where are your shoes and coats going? we've extended the porch so there and the space in front of it too where we have them at the moment.

I think you're swiftly going to get annoyed with two front doors. Can you not take out the current front door when you add the porch, add a lintel above, and make the entrance area less cramped?

The toilet door opening into the lounge is a bit grim when it won't have a window. I'd reconsider having it in the utility area, that would work better.

The kitchen is currently a thoroughfare into the dining area at the back, and the back area beyond the lounge doesn't seem to have a purpose.