What would you do with this downstairs floorplan? Extension/knock-through/remodel

[augustusbloom]

Hi there

We've recently completed on a house and are interested in remodelling the downstairs.

We are speaking with architects but before we pay for some initial plans etc would like to get a bit more of a sense ourselves of what we could do.

What do you all think we should/could do with this floorplan?

First thoughts are:

1. We are happy with the right-hand reception room as is and we think it will remain a cosy lounge.
2. The left-hand reception room is slightly odd in shape and the top part is an extension from the 1990s with a sloping roof. The walls in between reception and kitchen are structural.

The kitchen/utility area is where it gets particularly funky...

1. The current downstairs WC is basically a long corridor with a loo at the end! The walls into the kitchen and behind the boiler cupboard are stud so we imagine this combined with the kitchen as one large room.
2. The kitchen door on the right feels like it's in the middle of the room and the porch area is about a metre deep - we'd like to 'push' the door back so we gain that metre into the room.
3. We potentially want to square off the left-hand reception room with an extension so it reaches where the end of the kitchen is and then we can knock through to create a large kitchen/dining/family room space.
4. We definitely want a utility/downstairs WC, so potentially would like to cut off a bit to the right of the kitchen so that the kitchen door goes into a utility area (and not directly into the middle of the kitchen).

Phew!

What do you all think?

As first-time homeowners this is all a bit overwhelming!

how about this:

put a new utility room where the bathroom corridor is. have a small pocket door between loo & utility, then a solid soundproof door from utility to kitchen.

put an island in the kitchen with the hob, and enclose the porch etc.

open up most of the rest of the space into one BIG dining room with a massive table. But put a small wall + glass door to separate the hall & stairs from the big room for better insulation & so sound doesn't travel upstairs.

How about something like this? Not too much moving of walls or internal remodelling. Then you can push the porch out or extend as a separate project. Unless of course that the angled bit in the left reception room corner is a fireplace. Who wants a fireplace in their downstairs loo...

the pic I meant to upload

@parietal

how about this:

put a new utility room where the bathroom corridor is. have a small pocket door between loo & utility, then a solid soundproof door from utility to kitchen.

put an island in the kitchen with the hob, and enclose the porch etc.

open up most of the rest of the space into one BIG dining room with a massive table. But put a small wall + glass door to separate the hall & stairs from the big room for better insulation & so sound doesn't travel upstairs.

Thanks @parietal - this looks interesting. Love me a pocket door and plumbing wise it makes sense to keep the WC where it is from my limited knowledge of pipework! Like the island but think we also want a sofa/seating area besides big dining table - which is why we think squaring off the left-hand reception room may be a good idea (as then it gives us that additional space. Food for thought!

@fivelittlespeckledhogs

How about something like this? Not too much moving of walls or internal remodelling. Then you can push the porch out or extend as a separate project. Unless of course that the angled bit in the left reception room corner is a fireplace. Who wants a fireplace in their downstairs loo...

Thank you @fivelittlespeckledhogs - the angled bit is a fireplace unfortunately, but otherwise I really liked that thinking!

I wouldn't do anything for now. Do either of you work from home and require a study? If so I would leave the 2 separate reception rooms.

The inset door in the kitchen is likely to be load baring and might not be a cost effective change. If you have kids it's great to have an area they can kick off muddy wet boots before coming in....
Also with the cost of building at the moment I would live with it for a while.

Cab you get washing machine and dryer in the downstairs loo at the moment? It looks like there is space next to the basin.

@Mumdiva99

I wouldn't do anything for now. Do either of you work from home and require a study? If so I would leave the 2 separate reception rooms.

The inset door in the kitchen is likely to be load baring and might not be a cost effective change. If you have kids it's great to have an area they can kick off muddy wet boots before coming in....
Also with the cost of building at the moment I would live with it for a while.

Cab you get washing machine and dryer in the downstairs loo at the moment? It looks like there is space next to the basin.

Thanks @Mumdiva99

There are two of us and we both work from home - we have 4 bedrooms upstairs so currently have a master, a spare room, and 2 offices. Eventually we will both work out of one office and schedule our days in the office so we don't get in each other's way when we 'need' the other bedrooms.

The reason why we want the door going into the utility is exactly for that reason - so we don't traipse through the middle of the kitchen with muddy boots haha. Noted though re cost effective change as you are probably right.

Also, we really want to start using the 'actual' front door more because the vendors barely did due to where the drive is (side of the property) and them being old so not wanting to walk to the front of the house.

There is already a washing machine next to the WC so that's working okay for now, but obviously not ideal long-term. Lots to think about but I agree, may be a while until anything is actually done!