Help with new layout

[Diamondjoan]

Hi all, looking for some thoughts on layout - we will be renovating a small bungalow soon and trying to figure out what works. Initial thoughts were to knock wall between kitchen and living room to make a large open kitchen/dining room, but there is a fireplace on either side of the wall so probably not easy. Second idea is to knock bedroom 2, 3 and kitchen into one space. Bathroom is tiny so this would allow us an additional 7 or 8 feet of hall space to use as bathroom space. Bedroom 1 and living room would then be used as two bedrooms. The plan would be to add an extension at the rear in a few years so would need to keep that in mind. I’m just crap at visualising what looks good and likely to miss some basic and important things so looking for help to make sense of this! Thanks!

How long have you lived in this house? It’s always good to live somewhere for a year to work out what would suit you best. I have never lived in a bungalow but a friend has for many years and has always said the layout in a bungalow is hugely important. Think they said to keep a distinction between bedrooms and living area.
I would try and put a separate toilet for visitors in somewhere as someone else has said that a bathroom is so personal that you don’t want guests using it.

It would be good to have the sizes of the rooms and which way they are facing.

I would 1st of all check with a builder etc if you can knock through from kitchen to lounge. It would be a lovely light room.

@LindaDawn - not lived there yet - will be moving in - I know what you’re saying about living there for a while - but it would need a lot of work before moving in so we kind of have to do it all upfront

I would still start with finding out if the kitchen and lounge can be knocked through.

Orientation is west to east - garden is east facing. And as a rough indication of room size - the kitchen is about 17ft x 14ft, the two front rooms 14 x 14 give or take and the two small bedrooms 11 x 8 and 11 x 12. Bathroom 7.5 x 6

From a quick chat with a builder the kitchen and living room could be knocked together (with relevant supports) but it would be more hassle as the chimney would been to be dealt with (didn’t go into detail as to what he would do)

Sounds like it could be quite expensive to know through the kitchen and lounge although I have no experience or am not qualified to give an opinion.

East/ west orientation with the south facing window would be so lovely. This is what I have for my lounge/diner. Very tempting.

I would knock all the back through for open space and have 2 bedrooms at the front and a bigger bathroom

Like the sound of this.

How many bedrooms are you hoping for including the extension.

Cheapest and simplest solution would I’m sure be knock back rooms into 1 and increase bathroom size. I saw some design programme about keeping private areas ( bedrooms) separated from the public areas, which having both bedrooms by door really doesn’t do. I can kind of see the logic in this although it isn’t really possible and one bedroom by front door regardless. Could you put in a side door into rear room that guests use?

Why do you want a big open space? When your child is older, won't you want any separate living space? Personally I'd keep it as it is and rethink when you do the extension in a few years. No point doing work now and then regretting it when your next plans are drafted.

I would much rather have all the living space looking out on to the garden so I would move both bedrooms to the front of the house. Looking at the plans they look like they'll be big rooms, much bigger than the original bedrooms.

As you want to add a rear extension definitely knock the back bedrooms through.

So that idea leaves 2 bedrooms? The current lounge and annexing bedroom? What’s the extension going to be? It’s very difficult to
make sense of this because it looks like the rear bedroom has been split into two, I’d be getting in an architect and are you going up higher? Adding a floor to gain bedrooms?

I'd go kitchen diner lounge at the back, 2 bed rooms at front. You could divide the back into separate kitchen diner and lounge if you want 2 reception rooms.

I'd extend bathroom into hall, and I'd section part of the kitchen off to belong to bed 1. This would be ensuite, possible utility space too. (You could split ensuite so utility is accessed from hall).

You would lose a bedroom, but the rooms would be better proportioned.

Like this...

How many bedrooms you need is the crucial thing and back extension is not worth doing later - do it all at once and live with it for a few years s as the rainout is not terrible.

What is the current condition.
Is it liveable?

You can leave the back to back chimney and put in a double sided fire- no idea what they are called?

Agree with Consider separate or second toilet and bathroom- I hate visitors using main bathroom.

How big a plot is this bungalow on? Personally, I wouldn't want all the bedrooms in a bungalow to be facing the front because you're very exposed. Not such an issue if there's a big front garden.

If you're planning an extension, doing anything now without knowing what that extension will look like is a bad idea, and potentially a horrendous waste of money. If you put a massive open plan kitchen/diner at the back now, it'll end up in the middle with only side windows and likely no outdoor access if you extend later.

Most people demolish and start again! What the point of a huge rear extension with 2 bedrooms? It’s unbalanced.

Like this idea!

This is good too.

Before knocking it about, I would consider your extension and what you want in it. Is it likely you will move your kitchen out there? Then I wouldn't move the current one, it's expensive to do. Is there space to go up? Sideways? Extensions can be a bit rubbish as you often end up with a dark unused bit in the middle, so I'd plan your extension before doing anything else. Mx

This. Having lived in a big, open plan space, albeit with a snug too, we all hated it. DD was a teenager though