Help with downstairs layout

[NeedMoreLight]

We are starting to think about how best to arrange the downstairs of our semi detached house. It was previously extended so there's quite a lot of floorspace but it doesn't work well for us as a family. We have 2 primary age kids and like to cook and host casual gatherings.

It is a very twisty/turny layout - to carry food outside to eat is a pain. And the living space is dark and can feel like a corridor rather than cosy.

The dining room has a flat roof so one idea is to add skylights there to brighten up the dark living space a bit.

And our other idea was to move the kitchen internal door so it lines up with the hall, so you can walk straight in from the front of the house.

We need to keep a proper study space and downstairs loo. But other than that no real constraints. Any and all ideas welcome - we are at brainstorming stage so no idea is unwelcome at this point.

Oh dear no image yet. The living rooms have been knocked together, so the part at the back of the house is dark (no exterior windows since that's the adjoining wall to neighbour). Then the dining room was added as a later extension which stole yet more light from the living room.

The kitchen is decent size but to reach it from the front door you have to to turn two 90-degree bends. There's an internal window between the hall and the kitchen.

I'd move the kitchen door and then put a wall back in to make a small living room at the front.

Then I'd knock down the side long wall of the living room to give you a big open space.

Same

I thought the same too

I’d also create a utility area, even if it’s just a cupboard for your washing machine & TD, doesn’t need a window.

Hah it's interesting that there's near immediate consensus. I wonder if we can make it work - would need some whopper steels.

I love the idea of the utility area - thanks @RandomMess for suggesting. Especially if we have an open plan style layout at the back. Just need to see if I can squeeze it it in

You could have it as a cupboard backing onto the downstairs loo. Plumbing is there etc.

You can use a 3d model software for interior design like https://interior-design3d.com/ or something like that to upload the plan and have it build a model for you, if you want to try out various combinations and see how the elements fit. And I agree that the wall in the living room needs to go, you'll get much more space by removing it.

I would also move the kitchen door to be opposite the front door, will make it so much lighter.

when you lose the internal walls you could retain a substantial pillar to make the use of steels easier and cheaper.

You are right of course.

I am yet to see a kitchen diner with a pillar that I love though. But costs may decide this one ultimately - I am still in pie in the sky mode and will compromise with pillars etc when I have to face reality and renovation budget constraints.

Do any of you clever people have thoughts about where best to have large doors for garden access? Currently we need to walk around dining table to get out so I thought about french doors on the shorter dining room wall and then a beautiful large picture window.

I know bi-folds are popular but I don't myself love them. The current sliders are ugly with thick bars so would be nice to upgrade that.

What is the bit of wall/cabinet that juts out on the right of the sink?

I'd want to remove that to improve flow.

Doors is put there where they are. I personally prefer french doors. It also depends which way your house faces. There have been loads of posts over summer from people sweltering because of big glass walls of doors they've had installed.

If you have one large room you can have your dining table located somewhere else!

We don’t know the best place to get the best view of your garden.

Move the entrance to the kitchen, move the island and have it with seating on one side. Then have your dining table in the “dark” area at the back and the seating near the current patio doors.

Its all up for change although completely relocating the kitchen is costly.

I'd put a wall up to divide the living room into a smaller front room (horizontally across from the kitchen wall) and make an L shaped kitchen / diner / family room and maybe put french or bifold doors in the back of the dining area. I would rearrange the kitchen layout so that you didn't have to walk past someone cooking to get to the dining and seating area. Potentially make a utility area next to the current back door too.

Agree with the earlier posts about bringing back the front living room. Have a look at attached.

I love this in theory but having kitchen on that side means no proper ventilation from hob (since it is on the party wall between us and neighbour).

Thank you for taking the time to draw it. I don't have a great head for imagining how these things could work in a space so it all really helps.

Maybe I will try the software linked above also.

No worries at all, I’m just scratching on my phone with a mid morning coffee. Yes the real work needs to be done with actual dimensions. I don’t know the software suggested above but I’m sure there are lots of these free tools to use to help.

with the hob ventilation, you can’t go through the party wall obviously, but it might be possible to pop it out the roof (you’ll probably need the neighbour to agree because of the vent close to the shared wall)

you could also have a built in joinery unit to the dining area and run a boxed in duct above to pop the vent out the side (see pic, dashed pink lines) There are maximum run lengths for this though, it might be too long.

could also swap the kitchen and dining in my sketch. But it looks like with the windows in your current dining room it could be nice to keep it there (esp if you have the french doors)

Some thoughts to consider though.

*edited
you mentioned roof lights @NeedMoreLight how big and where are they located?

I would avoid a kitchen island. I'd also only plan for a small 2 seater sofa or none at all. Otherwise it'll be so cluttered.

@MissterMummy there are currently no roof lights.

The current dining room has a flat roof though, so it should be possible to add some there to get more light in. It's so dark especially in winter that I think this is a must for me.

If we can make the ventilation work that wall for kitchen could be great - could have nice sleek tall cupboards. Current kitchen area has many windows/doors so we can't fit a decent run.

Pillars are fine.

You can display photos / artwork on them and, depending on width, stand furniture against them, eg a bookcase or tall chest of drawers.

Do you need the current back door. Block that up and you get a much nicer run in the existing kitchen.

Don’t go overboard on kitchen units, have as many drawers as possible. Too much storage means you just store crap.

Don't forget well placed massive mirrors can do a hell of a good job for lighting a space