Best layout for young families

[Housebuyer01]

Hi all,

Recently purchased a unconverted 1st floor maisonette (own door, no garden) in west London. We are looking to convert the loft make it a 3 bed and build a roof terrace but would plan to move out and sell after starting a family in 5-10 years, with the total sum we would likely need to sell to other families as these new maisonettes are similar price to unconverted older and smaller (square foot) terraced houses in the area . My partner and I are trying to decide on the best layout as there are 2 common approaches to maisonettes locally:

option 1) https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/67653725/?search_identifier=02c610a5f92423484e38529f2989c84e00cde411f1b5532cc57ba65d86f23731

Make the 2nd floor (top) an open kitchen / lounge with terrace, bedroom, we unfortunately would have no garden. I personally prefer this as you have all your living areas and bedrooms in separate places.

Option 2) https://www.zoopla.co.uk/new-homes/details/67856833/?search_identifier=d68d9e18977fcae4e1a55cbe1ed5b6db6e7dd39826e274cfc8b5f751f52ddb97

Bedrooms at the top with terrace off the 3rd bedroom/study, keep the front room as a large reception room (very bright and spacious) but has the disadvantage of the terrace off a bedroom.

Just looking for what parents would prefer to live in layout wise!

Option 1 definitely. With small children, if the outside space is on a different floor and via a bedroom, you will never use it.

However - it does depend on how much head height you would get on that top floor. If there would be very little standing height space in the living area then it might be better to go with option 2.

If you did go with option 2 I would swap the first floor kitchen and bedroom around compared with the example posted, so kitchen can be connected to living room (with double doors between).

I’ll be honest though and say that if I was a buyer with children or a child and it was a choice between small house with small garden vs upper maisonette with roof terrace, I’d choose the house every time.

The downside of option 1 with small children would be the open plan stairs - I have a similar arrangement in my living room and it's a nightmare when kids visit as they can literally walk straight off the top of it and mine were really difficult to fit a stairgate too.