Which floor plan/ any better ideas?

[Iwantsnazzyshoes]

We have a 1900s double fronted semi which has been extended by previous owners leaving a bit of an odd layout which just isn’t working for us as a family. We want to do an extension and redesign the ground floor but we’re getting stuck on the layout. We have an architect working on it with us and these are (we think) the final options:

option 1: long kitchen diner with utility room right at the back separated from dining area by glass wall/sliding doors, playroom to the new extension to the side. Pros - nice open layout, simple flow. Cons- need to knock down wall which is 1meter thick (builders not keen on this), utility room takes up nice view of garden

Option 2: utility room in centre of house with kitchen diner at the back and playroom to the side. Pros- good views of garden, don’t need to knock down any big walls, pantry. Cons - kitchen far away from front living room, is it less of a flow?

I’m so fed up of looking at these plans. Can anyone offer advice/alternatives or see anything obvious we’ve missed?

Option 1. I agree about the utility impacting on view of the garden, but option 2 you have an annoying block on the middle of the room. Alternatively don’t have a utility room. We used to have one but don’t now, I thought it was a big compromise but the only thing I really miss is somewhere to put the cat litter trays out of sight.

The first one. The second seems to have a lot of wasted space as corridors.

What will go in the utility room? Where the pantry is in option 2 you could just have a large cupboard, instead of a separate utility? On holiday abroad even a flat had a ‘laundry room’ in a large cupboard.

I would rejig option 2

have the utility in the back corner where the pantry is and have a u-shaped kitchen.

Option 1 but Utility and maybe a cloakroom, if there is space, go where the study is. Study then makes use of the views of the garden. Or do you have space upstairs for a utility, would love mine upstairs!

It would just be washing machine and drying space (2 dc, no dryer), the cat litter trays and a cupboard for cleaning things/mop/ironing board etc. Pantry would be alongside utility. We don’t need a pantry but it would be a nice extra and we’d need less cupboard space in the kitchen or would keep some lesser used appliances in it like the mixer and microwave.

At the moment we have a laundry room which is basically just a cupboard with radiator but we use it loads and could really do with more space for drying clothes

Option 2 is better than option 1 but I agree that there's far too much wasted corridor space space and you need an option 3. I would look at rethinking how the staircase is organised, could it be positioned/oriented differently? I think option 2 has the right position for the utility/pantry and your advisors warning you against knocking down a 1m thick wall are very sensible.

Neither

I think you want your kitchen directly off the hall. So where the living room is in option 1 or playroom in option 2.

Then put living room/playroom in the top right extension bit nearest the garden

Option 1 but I would have only the door nearest the front door into your living room. I would get rid of the door into the kitchen and put the door to your under stair storage into the hallway area. If you leave the doors as you have them I think your living room will effectively have a corridor running along one wall, waste of space, annoying and you will find it impacts on where you position furniture.

We originally looked at putting the utility at the front where the study is but it’s the window you have to walk past to get to the front door and didn’t like the thought of people looking in that window and seeing our messy utility with drying clothes everywhere as the first thing they see of the house.

I thought moving/changing the stairs was the answer too but our architect says that changing the stairs would need some significant work upstairs which we didn’t want to do so the stairs need to stay as they are sadly.

I would close the door going from kitchen to front living room in plan 1, then put the utility backing onto the that wall. Move the kitchen further down and have your table at the window end where the utility is now.

I thought the same as Gubu.

If the only thing against relocating the utility room to the front was the messy room on view through the window put in obscure glass.

If I had to choose between then, option 2 definitely. I love my garden views

I don’t think planning would allow us to put in obscure glass. The utility at the front was our original plan but I just couldn’t get my head around the idea. I think I’d feel differently if it was in the other front room (so you didn’t have to walk past it).

@Gubu we had thought of this too but the architect wasn’t keen (I think because of lighting to the kitchen iirc) and we’d still have to knock down that thick wall which is what we’re trying to avoid with option 2.

Why do you need a shower downstairs - utility could go in there

This is a quick sketch of the current floor plan if it helps. Sewers run down the house to the left, we’re attached to neighbours on the right

I think the utility at the front works better too. Maybe get a blind or shutter or something? I think the way it would improve the layout inside is more useful to you, and it's worth the risk of people looking in. Ours is at the front, its quite new so I've just put voil curtains up for now. Same issue as you, but I love the doors at the back into the garden more! Good luck with it

If planning is the problem regarding obscure glass - either replace the pane once all work is completed or use obscure film on the window pane. (Cheaper and easily removable, lots of patterns to choose from).

Op you seem to be turning a big lounge into a hall, study and shower room.

I'd keep the big lounge, and turn the existing living room into a family rm / dinner.
Put the study / utility rm / shower at the back where you were planning to put the new kitchen.

I'd have a rethink. I agree with builder I'd be loathed to remove a structural wall in a house that age.

For me, it wouldn't be worth the time and money to change to what your new plans show.

It looks like you've got a great big space but you are trying to split it up into lots of little spaces. Why knock down a wall then build a glass one?

I would have a completely open plan arrangement and use furniture and lighting to create zones. Make everything in yellow one big room.

Yes, the structural work will be really expensive, but you will have an amazing layout and the cosmetic work can come later.

I agree with @TheMysteriousNoiseMachine that your architect’s plans don’t seem to be working well, either of them. I’d seriously consider a third option!

I'm not sure that either are the best use of the space op. Having worked I. Property for over 35 years both seem a bit cooped up, and the room at the from that has become a study and shower room, seems a shame. I do agree that you want to have views of the garden, can you square the whole house off at the back at all?

Cooped was supposed to be chopped. Also I can see that you have posted the current layout and that you already are adding an extension at the back on the left side, is that as far as you could go? Do you need a shower room, or would just a loo work?

Option one if there’s no option.

but neither of them are great

Can you swap the study/ shower room area and the living room round? On the second plan this would make the flow better as you would walk out the living room into the playroom area.