Another extension layout one please!

[Landbeforetime]

Gah. So. We have plans passed for the attached. It’s part extension (the kitchen part) and part knocking down internal walls but we just can’t decide on what to do.

current idea is keep kitchen where it is on plans but flip where dining and living area are showing. Downsides of this:

1. We would have to lose the log burner as can’t have one the other side due to proximity of neighbours bedrooms (at least I think this is the case);
2. we would be sitting facing away from our garden

So considering putting living area where kitchen showing and kitchen where dining showing but think there won’t be enough cupboard our counter space (though we are having a pantry). With this layout we’d lose the window at the end in favour of large tv but could still have log burner. But then think kitchen area would be small and crappy.

what would you do?

It’s also we’d be facing away from garden and the kids would effectively come in and out of our living room - sorry I think I misread your question, I thought you were asking what the upsides of leaving it as is were!

so upsides of flipping dining and living is we’d have room for 2 large sofas basicslly and there would be lots of space when you came round corner by dining area

Ah, ok! For me, having the dining area next to the kitchen would outweigh that. Could you not fit another sofa opposite the one in the original plan?

I think that’s a great idea but DH saying no as other one would be facing away from tv. Am wondering if we shorten the kitchen extension slightly and build out slightly where the living room area currently is just to give that bit more space for sofas. Then we wouldn’t lose much of the courtyard

I didn't think of the tv! Which is surprising, as it's generally what I design the whole room round 😂

Could you fit a L shaped sofa in? I agree with other pps that if you switched the dining and living area round that carrying food from kitchen to dining room via a snug area may not be ideal. I like the lay out as it is!

PS your house sounds similar to us in that we have a north facing front room on a busy ish road and a lovely south facing back of house. We are about to extend the back of our house so we have an open plan family area as well!

We may (but tbc) use our current north facing front room as a formal dining room (probably used only occasionally) and then in the open family area at the back it’ll be a kitchen, island, small breakfast table and a living area with sofas etc. Hope that helps :)

On the current plans, to access the kitchen you go through the living room and then the dining room? That would drive me potty. Agree with pp that it means the sitting area / dining room will be a corridor.

I'd put kitchen in seating area, dining room stays where it is and seating area goes in current kitchen.

Thanks all for your helpful comments. We’ve decided (we think!) to put living area where kitchen was but lose large window at end and put two full length long windows either side so we can have the tv on that far wall.

then kitchen will go where dining area currently is but we will block off the door to playroom (the kids will access it through the pantry so we will make it a sort of secret door like Sarah Beenys narnia wardrobe) which means kitchen can then be along 2 walls and an island

dining area will go where living area currently is with a large cocktail cabinet/shelving along the far wall

think that works but will get kitchen designer to comment

Sorry, me again! Thought we had decided but now backtracking. So here are the pics the kitchen bloke has done if we have kitchen in extension and living area where dining is and dining where living is

Then, this is what architect did - we would flip kitchen and dining areas to get more counter/appliance space then lose log burner and have tv on that far wall with an inset electric fire

But I just still don’t know what to do for the best! I think the problem is the L shaped room

I think they both look lovely! My issue with the dining part needing to be next to the kitchen wouldn't matter here, as it looks closer than I was imagining.

@CellophaneFlower thank you. It’s so tricky to know what will work and look best. For example, there’s going to be a weird bit where ceilings meet as we currently have a vaulted ceiling in our existing kitchen (where dining area currently is on plans) but we can’t continue it at the same height in the new extension due to a bedroom window in the way. I’ve asked builder to come round fri to see if he has any ideas as an dtuving myself and my husband insane

I prefer the architect drawings. If you have a large food shop would it be a long journey to get to the kitchen with the kitchen in the furthest part? I know it's a boring practical question but these are the parts that are important.
Also if it's south facing have you thought about sun fading furniture/how hot it will get?
We've just had some work done and have a south facing garden too! I'm awaiting the summer to see how we cope with the glass!

I prefer the architect drawings. The other one feels like the sitting area has been dropped into the middle of a large kitchen diner.

Thanks guys. Builder has now confirmed start date of end aug/start sept so it’s all systems go!

What did you decide on @Landbeforetime ?

@WhatWouldTheDoctorDo - if looking at the actual plans rather than images - liiving area where kitchen was (though will change large window at end to two long windows each side with tv in middle), kitchen where dining area was, blocking off doorway into playroom and kids will instead access through pantry as will be like a game then dining area where living area was.

builder came round yesterday and he thinks that works best too.

so we’ve gone back to kitchen designers to get their designs before we finalise - if they look good and kitchen doesn’t look too small we’ll go for that!

I'm sure it will be lovely - good luck!

Do the play room and study have sliding doors to the outside or do the plans just show big windows? If they're just windows, then I suspect the layout doesn't comply with building regulations in terms of means of escape in the event of a fire: to get out of the study you'd have to go through the play room, then the pantry, then the kitchen....

We’ve been told they comply by architect as windows big enough to get out of (we are also not in uk)