Critique my open plan living area design

[weddingspo]

This is for the area marked kitchen/dining room on the attached floor plan.

My idea:
Corner sofa with the "L" against kitchen sink.
TV mounted on the opposite wall.
Extending dining table seating 6-8 in front of TV wall.

Are there any problems with this or has anyone got any other ideas? Having both a dining table and a sofa are a must.

There are no dimensions so difficult to comment, but I would try to physically mark out the size of the table and chairs, and the sofa. You need to get to the doors (I assume that is your garden access). Is there enough space to comfortably walk around the table and chairs? What about when people are sat there and the chairs aren't pushed under the table?

I wouldn't put a sofa on the other side of a sink as splatters will go over the other side. I'd opt for a side and a chair, perhaps a large pouffe to have an extension of the sofa if needed. I have an L shaped sofa in our open plan living space and they're not great, even though it's got 5 seats it's practical only for 4 and that's not comfy for the forth person really either

Roomsketcher software is good for this kind of thing. Dimensions would be helpful.

Agree with PP, no dimensions make it difficult.

My DB planned to do something similar with the L along the kitchen unit but it didnt work out as it made the space too tight.

I would have a table where you are planning to put the sofa. No risk of being splasher while washing up is happening and easy for clearing the table. I would put a sofa on the other wall and maybe a nice window seat in the bay? You have a lounge upstairs where you can have a tv so I wouldn't put one in the kitchen/diner.

I'd personally just have a table/chairs, a small sofa (or couple of armchairs) and no TV. Put TV in the lounge with a big sofa. Hard to say without dimensions but seems cramped with a L sofa and table, plus needing thoroughfare to garden.

This OP has posted before- they like to watch TV with their meal, so tv in the dining area is a must. Also they use the 1st floor lounge for something else.

Dimensions - 23'3 x 12'9 (7.09m x 3.89m)

Thanks all!

I agree with pp about concerns having a sofa behind/below the kitchen area. It's hard to know without knowing dimensions and what size of table you have/need. Ditto the sofa.

One option if space is tight could be a built in L shaped bench for the table where you've proposed the sofa.

The sink is quite set back, there is actually a tall ledge in between the sink and where the sofa would be so no real risk of being splashed.

So you look over the dining table to see the TV? I presume you don't watch TV whilst eating at the table so I would just not have a TV.

I would put the table at the back of the sink with a bench at the wall and the other chairs around it then then the tv where you initially said and the sofa across from there.

Also don't think you have space for a sofa + dining table & chairs unless you want to mount a TV over the dining table, then have the sofa on the opposite wall.

I really don't like that set up though - can't imagine it feels relaxing to have to watch a TV with the table & chairs in your sight line. Can't see that working in reality either - if someone wants to sit at the table and do homework / eat, won't they be in the way if someone wants to watch TV?

that would be fine but you'd want to make sure your dining chairs are low (back of chair at table height) so that the chair back doesn't interrupt your view from sofa to TV

depending on how much you use the table, I might have stools / bench at the table for everyday use and keep some folding chairs to add for guests. you could then push the table against the wall with stools under when not in use.

I'd be concerned about being able to see the TV on that wall due to reflection/glare from your S facing windows

If possible, I'd move the sink away from the bit of worktop that joins the living area with the sink to make it feel less utilitarian. Splashing is just one concern. The more the divide between the functional bits of a kitchen and the living area, the more open plan it feels. I also wouldn't have an L-shaped sofa in the room at all. It would make it feel too crowded as at less than 5m wide, the room is too narrow for it. I'd have the dining table along the wall where the stairs are, with the TV mounted on that wall too. I would have a built in bench along the wall and another bench that can go under the table when not in use on the other side. No dining table chairs in the space to reduce the feeling of clutter. Then a small sofa opposite to sit and watch TV.

I’d cut out to scale sofas, tables and chairs and place them in a to scale cut out of the room. Sofas and tables vary in size a lot, many will be too large for your space.

So the kitchen is mostly smaller than 3.89m. That’s not very big and you don’t have a laundry room. Maybe use the end of the garage for that. I think I would want a much bigger kitchen. I think it will be quite small. Your whole space is smaller than my kitchen. One way that saves space is building in seating on the side of the peninsular. The sink isn’t great there. Why have a ledge? Move the sink and build in a table. Then you can maybe squeeze in a couple of armchairs. Our tv on a wall or a storage unit. You definitely need more storage.

If you relocate the door to the understands cupboard, you could put a smaller TV on a bracket arm up there. Then it could be pulled out for watching with the meal and pushed back out of the way when guests come.

Personally I'd scrap the sofa and have a nice dining area (with tv if you want), and just chat to guests round the dining table.

Re-instate the lounge on the first floor for relaxing on an evening and watching TV

If you absolutely must have a sofa, TV and table in that room, I'd set it out something like this.

Use the smallest table that seats everyone in the household (making it extendable if possible to cover occasions when you have guests).

I've shown a straight sofa as I wouldn't want an L-shaped one blocking the french doors, but you could probably use one of the corner ones with a chaise longue bit (i.e., no back on the window side) sticking out towards the TV.

The TV will take up minimal space if you wall mount it. If you need anything like a satellite receiver/DVD player, it can probably go on a small side table/shelves in the corner rather than using having a big media unit.