Please help with my room layout after extension - overwhelmed!

[Iwaboite]

Just looking for help with the layout of our ground floor after an extension. I didn't quite realise from the plans how big the space would end up, and now I am a little overwhelmed!!

I apologise for my poor attempt at a floor plan. I’ve done my best on a free planner app!! (also included plans before and after, but the measurements on them are not quite correct)

I think the kitchen will need to be located where I’ve indicated, as the small door off the kitchen leads to a pantry/utility room and a downstairs bathroom (loo and shower).
I’m now stuck on how to arrange the rest of the space — the dining area, living area, play or toy area and whether to have an island (or even two — one for cooking and one for seating?).

Some context:

• Family of three with a Toddler plus a large dog.
• Double doors lead into another lounge/snug room.
• Bifolds open onto the garden.
• The single door leads to the hallway.

I would love any ideas or feedback on the layout, island size/placement, and general flow (or signposting to the correct topic board if this is not it!)

Thank you!

I agree you need the kitchen cupboards where they are indicated now, with wall cupboards above. I would place the oven and hob centrally, then add a huge island (just one, two would be odd) for storage and seating (bar stools)

dining area nearest the bifolds and sofa/play stuff towards double doors.

You have a lot of doors which limits wall space for cupboards and furniture. I'd consider changing the kitchen end to a window. Then you have an l shape room for kitchen, diving table (by the doors) and dogs on the interior.

9m can be split into 2 lovely large zones, but 3 zones feels too tight.

It would be more normal to plan the kitchen before building so that services can be put in the right place. Odd to only be deciding now it’s built.

What do you want in your ideal room? Do you want a dining table and chairs, and an island with stool seating, and a sofa, and toy storage as well as all your kitchen storage and prep, or do other rooms mean that you don’t need all of it?

My kitchen is situated in a similar position, I have a long split level island which almost turns the kitchen into an open galley kitchen, a row of pan drawers with the hob on one end so that I’m facing out into the room when I’m cooking.
The other side of the island is narrow & bar height, with stools.

If it were me, I’d go for the kitchen where you’ve shown it, then have a long dining table across the short direction (other people have suggested an island with stools which could be lovely but I’d only do if I had a dining room elsewhere). Then have a long sofa parallel to the table to define a seating/lounge area. Maybe the table short end close to the wall between the sets of doors to the garden? Or maybe slightly closer to the kitchen. I saw a lovely set up where someone had a low cupboard/shelving unit at the back of the sofa/in the dining space which looked good/practical. I’d leave the snug as a kids play area/family room for toys storage that I could just shut the door on. Or push teens into when they’re older and hanging out with mates. Try printing out your planner to scale and then cut out tables and sofas etc (also to scale) to play about with it? But like a PP said - have you got the kitchen sockets and plumbing installed where you’ll need them?

I’d also put the table near the bifold doors, play area may be a small sofa at the other end!

Yes, surely this was planned earlier? I’m in the middle of an extension, and the kitchen plumbing/gas was the first thing planned before a single wall block was put in place.

I think you're trying to squeeze too much into the space as it's quite a shallow area with limited wall space due to the doors.

Pick two or three priorities. With small children I would want an island with stools (my children spend hours at our breakfast bar chatting/snacking/homework) and a proper dining table as we eat most meals together at a table.

I think you have to pick between a play area or a sofa but I don't think you can have both. Perhaps a compact armchair would fit. With a toddler I think the play area makes more sense, you can switch it round for a sofa once they're older and happy to be in a different room to you.

Thank you for this, so a window rather than bifold at the kitchen end?

Thank you for replying. Just to say, we’re only at the very early stages, foundations and walls just going up, so nothing is set in stone yet. We’ve always worked on the assumption that the kitchen will be where I’ve indicated, but as my husband is doing most of the work we’ll have some flexibility to adjust things as we go if needed.
I just wondered if anyone here might come up with ideas or layouts I hadn’t considered, or share what has/hasn’t worked for them. The space feels ginormous to us (probably just relative to what we had before!) and the idea is that it will certainly be the space where we spend most of our time. The plan is kitchen (with extra storage in the utility/pantry), dining table and chairs for everyday use and family gatherings, plus a sofa/TV area.
We do have one other room downstairs which we’re keeping as a toy-free adult snug. My little one has a bedroom upstairs with space for toys, so I was thinking of just having a kallax unit or something for some toys to be available in this area, and a little space for a playmat or something but not dedicate a huge amount of space to it. That’s the rough plan in my head, but I’d really welcome any thoughts from the collective wisdom of Mumsnet!

Thanks so much, I hadn’t thought of just using the snug as a playroom. I suppose my hesitation is that I like the idea of being able to keep an eye on my little one while I’m cooking, but I can definitely see the appeal of being able to just shut the door on toys!
Yes, I’ve seen those shelving units behind a sofa and they look great and really do help make the spaces feel like proper zones rather than one big room. I’ll definitely try the planning-to-scale idea too. I just find it so hard to visualise how big things are. When I stand in it at the moment it feels like I’ll never be able to fill it with furniture, but judging by the responses here I might be underestimating how quickly it will fill up

That’s interesting, thank you for this. I had thought there was loads of space, but from the responses, I might be underestimating it a bit. Your island setup sounds very much like what I’d had in mind, and the same for a proper dining table. I suppose what I really need to think about then is how much space our little one will need. He’s only just turned two, so he doesn’t really stay in one spot playing for long at the moment and seems to like to be as close to me as possible (including 'helping' in the kitchen), but maybe as he gets older, I’ll want a more permanent space for him to do things like crafting or playing with tracks etc. This is the sort of thing I’m still trying to get my head around!

Where do the doors go to the left of your room? Is the far left into the living room and the central one into the hallway?

If so, do you definitely need the living room door or could you keep the front room totally separate?

If you didn't have a door then they the alcove gives you a nice area for a sofa and the shape would naturally give a feel of zoning to the space.

Apologies if I've completely misunderstood your diagram though!

Yes, the doors on the left go into the living room, and the middle one leads into the hall. Unfortunately, there’s no other way into the front living room. I suppose in theory, we could brick up the current doors and put in a new doorway from the hallway, but that would mean moving a big column radiator, plus the hall has only just been decorated… and I don’t think my husband would be too thrilled if I suggested smashing holes in his freshly plastered and painted walls 😅. I do agree that it would create a good seating area through. Certainly something to consider.

ah I would have blocked up the door into the other living room and used access from the hall into that. I think if you don't have a door from the hall it's at risk of becoming a dead space. Subject to space I would keep the kitchen where it is then have an island unit parallel to the cupboard to give you more work surface. Maybe have the hob on that too so you can be sociable when cooking. Then dining table in front of the bifold doors and sofa / tv / play area in other third (sofa on the backwall once you've blocked up that door!)

I think you could do as you suggest above about a Kallax and a playmat in the main space for a few years while you want to keep an eye on the kids - but then later shift toys etc to the snug? A flexible living space plus the option to have a separate room has worked well for us over time

I have exactly the same size and layout. I’ll attach an extremely crude edit of your diagram for a rough idea of where everything is

That very helpful thank you! I would not have thought of having the table and island in that configuration. Did you plan that or is that just how it ended up?

We planned it that way and wouldn’t change a thing! There’s a sideboard and mirror next to the table and long units, wine fridge, American fridge freezer up to the utility room door. We have the sink / bins in the island and the hob behind the island with drawers for pots / cutlery and wall hung units.