Converting one bed to two bed flat - help please

[skuml]

We are in the process of deciding how to convert our one-bedroom rental flat in London into a two-bedroom space.

plan involves dividing the long living room (7.369m ; 24.ft). Wondering what would be an appropriate size for the second bedroom. Would dimensions of 3.96 x 2.6m (12.99 X 8.5 ft) m suffice for a comfortable double bedroom? Any advice or insights would be greatly appreciated.

We have concerns that the living room might not be sufficiently spacious, and we fear that the flat could lose its roomy ambiance. Would a living room size of 4.57m (14.99 ft) be large enough to maintain the desired spacious feel?

We are refurbishing rest of flat too - building is charging a lot! wondering is conversion worth doing? anyone had similar experience?

many thanks in advance !!

Do you have a floorplan?

attaching floorplan.

Cloak room will be converted to small shower !

Kitchen - kitchen as it is - no budget to change it! estate agents suggested to bring kitchen into living room but its too much work/cost! and not sure whether people like open plan kitchen!

Could you remove the wall between kitchen and living room to make the room feel larger? I think 8.5ft is fine for the bedroom - I'd have it to the right on your floorplan.

I would hate open plan FWIW.

How would you access the living space?

I think the sizes are fine.

I'd do this. Open the kitchen into the patio half of the living room. Means you don't need a door to your living room off the hall. Only door needed there is for the second bedroom

Open plan isn't for everyone, but in order to maximise second bedroom potential, I'd go Open plan.

I'd also flip the door in the kitchen so it opens flush against that bottom wall and means you are walking into more of the main room.

If the cloakroom is being turned into a small shower will that mean the only toilet will be accessed through the existing bedroom?

This is exactly what I'd do. There is still loads of social area and the bedroom is separated with proper privacy.

Does that comply with fire regs if you have to walk through the kitchen to get out of the living room or off the balcony in the event of a fire??

If you don't want want open plan - could you put a pocket door between new smaller sitting room ( so you can keep kitchen fitments ) or a sliding door so you don't have to take the whole wall out and knock the cloakroom and storage room into one so you have a shower and a loo accessible to all. What you may then need is kitchen door onto the hall may have to be a fire door.

Must be - a lot of new build flats have one room for kitchen/living and the door opens nearer the kitchen.

This is probably over budget, but it's what I'd do...

Rotate the bath in the ensuite, and make the bathroom accessible from the hall (I never understand why small flats need 2 bathrooms).

Remove the second loo and storage, and incorporate into the second bedroom.

Block the kitchen door, making that a wall. Access the living space by a single door from the hallway (having removed the wall between kitchen and living room.

I know you said you didn't want open plan, but having a tiny enclosed kitchen doesn't really make sense in this flat (IMO).

I’d go open plan kitchen living, if it’s done well
with good kitchen plan it works well

and possibly flip the bedroom en-suite to access from hallway
pop washer dryer etc in current cloaks , using bit of the storage behind to house the machines
no washing in kitchen would give u more space there

Do you know which are load bearing walls OP? would make cost/decision easier.
I like the idea of PP about flipping the bath and having a larger second bedroom. (you will be able to charge much more rent.)
I'd say no, most people don't prefer open plan but it you do it well with a diving peninsular with a raised back, the living room will not look at the kitchen. This make a massive difference in MHO Especially is you put a sofa backing onto it. Looking at the mess is the downside of open plan.

wow great idea - however being two bedroom - it does need extra toilet basin.

And yes would be expensive - above the storage is load bearing wall

many thanks - this is great idea too !
But its a solid concrete wall - not a false wall!
Very hard to break stuff !
Plus its going to be a rental flat ! Not going to live there myself

Yes, above the storage wall is weight bearing!

And I feel like if two sharer are sharing two bedroom flat, then its best to have extra toilet, basin and small shower?

We are targeting couples and small family (with a baby or a toddler) but cant rule out sharer - if we get good one we will give them !

We are thinking something like this --

but still not sure about bedroom door position !!

is the bedroom door ok in that position??

Trying to remove less walls -- less work for builder!

Where are they going to eat ?

Planning to buy a small round table with four chairs in living room

Also have a small table , 3 chairs in kitchen.

Living room doesnt seem big enough??
I can make the bedroom size little smaller but builder suggested 2.7 m minimum as double beds are 2 m !

I prefer this. Much safer design (and also closes off kitchen smells). With a 2 bed you're likely appealing to parents with a child (or planning to have one) and they'll want to separate the kitchen for safety if they've a crawler/toddler so a separate kitchen makes it easier. I also like that you've kept that storage next to the kitchen, that's where we put our tumble dryer in the last flat we were in. So hard to find flats with decent built in storage for things like that!

Edited: I repeated a sentence later in the paragraph!

Yes thats exactly we were thinking! At the moment, with one bed we can only let out to couples but will two bedrooms (even other might be smaller double ) - we can attract couple with baby/toddler.

Another problem we have is -- couples keep moving out every one year or so as they need two bed when they are even planning to have baby! We are hoping that after conversion at least they will stay 2 years!
Its hard to manage tenancy ( i manage myself t!)

Look up Matthew North on Insta. He’s amazing at reconfiguring space and teaching you how to do this yourself. Good luck!

I think your plan is pretty good but as you say you might have to rejig the door to the bedroom.

Anothet alternative would be to just put the kitchen into the end of the living room (where the dining table currently is) and then put bed 2 in the old kitchen. Might be a bit less noisy and no wall moving, but you’d need a new kitchen. I’d also try to put the washing machine not in the kitchen if you do go open plan.

many thanks for suggestion ! just checked his insta ! great work - but mostly open plan though