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Original poster

Is 11x9ft sitting room too small?

18 replies

TinyPawz · 05/04/2010 14:04

I'm think of rearranging my downstairs.

At the minute, I have a long 19x9ft sitting room which I have tried my best to section off a dining area and then living area and the kitchen is 9x8ft (approx).

What I would like to do is knock down wall inbetween kitchen and sitting room and but up a wall to split current sitting room roughly in half.

Would mean that kitchen/diner would be 18x9ft (approx) and sitting room would be 11x9ft.

Is that too small? I think it will be ok if a little snug. My mum thinks it will be possitively TINY!

(only me & dd)

OP posts:
kitsmummy · 05/04/2010 14:28

I think it's really tiny too and would be difficult when it came to re-sale, can you not lose a couple of foot off the kitchen?

strawberrycornetto · 05/04/2010 14:32

It sounds small, but it might be ok depending on the doors and windows etc. I would think about how you would be able to fit furniture in it, if it is tight then it's probably too small.

strawberrycornetto · 05/04/2010 14:36

I just looked at the details of the house we are buying. The family room is 11 x 12. I think that it feels really small and in that basis I think 11 x 9 is probably too small if it is your only living room.

traumaqueen · 05/04/2010 14:43

Too small. Why not knock the whole thing through so just one open plan kitchen - diner - sitting room?

Original poster
TinyPawz · 05/04/2010 15:08

They are at right angles to each other at the minute so can't 'steal' a few feet from the kitchen.

And I am a slovenly moo, so open plan is not for me!

I just measure the "lounge" portion of the sitting room and it is 13x9ft. I have 2x2 seater sofas, and armchair, tv unit, side table,nest of tables and a standare lamp. Comfortable fit for all imo.

Would those 2ft make such a difference.

I was hoping to put in a corner sofa and mount the tv onto the wall, Keep the nest & side tables.

OP posts:
weloveyoumisshannigan · 05/04/2010 15:17

We have a 9 x 11 'study'. Its very snug. We have a 3 seater sofa, a desk, tv on wall and a billy. When we first moved in (pre dcs) we used this as our only room while we did the house up and it was a bit claustrophobic.

Rindercella · 05/04/2010 15:24

I think it will be too small as your main living area. Before we had an extension built, our sitting room was 12 x 12ft, and that felt far too small, especially once DD1 arrived. It is now her playroom & is the perfect size!

solo · 05/04/2010 15:26

I had a 10x13ft living room and it was tiny, but livable...wouldn't fancy a smaller one though tbh.

Original poster
TinyPawz · 05/04/2010 15:57

okey dokey then....

I could, perhaps knock down another wall between hall & sitting room, but that would mean moving electic box and having to put in a door. That would make the sitting room 14x9ft.

Although that would also mean that the 4th wall will have the door to the cupboard under the stairs and would need to leave that wall clear to get into the kitchen and I would lose my lovely double doors into sitting room

The room would be bigger but I wouldn;t gain any extra "usable" space.

OP posts:
CirrhosisByTheSea · 05/04/2010 16:18

My living room is about 11 by 9!

It's fine. We have no choice, so have had to live with it.

I think it's about how you use it; the kitchen diner will be where all the play, homework, eating etc is done. The living room is the sitting down, relaxing room only. You don't need it to be huge, you just need your comfy seating/TV in there basically.

I think it will be fine. We have shelves on walls, corner sofa as the only bit of furniture. Minimalise is the key!

Original poster
TinyPawz · 05/04/2010 16:24

CBTS I LOVE YOU!

Was really starting to panic that I would have to stick with current layout or move. The latter is possible and the former is driving me nuts.

That is my plan with the kitchen. I find myself cooking less because my dd gets under my feet. In my mum house, most of the day is spent in kitchen, like you said, doing homework, playing & eating.

OP posts:
NomDePlume · 05/04/2010 16:30

yes to me it sounds titchy but for one adult and a child day to day should be manageable.

Resale-wise may be another story though so I would think carefully if you plan to sell in the next few years. That said, I am a firm believer in a home being a home, not just an investment, so if the change will make your home more liveable for you and your family day to day (and is not something crazy from a spending/practicality pov - which imo yours isn't), then you should do it.

You'll have to really think carefully about how you furnish it though, using furniture appropriate to the scale of the room.

AitchTwoZone · 05/04/2010 16:31

how long are you likely to live there? if the answer is forever then go for it, if not... its titchissimo.

Original poster
TinyPawz · 05/04/2010 16:36

Forever, hopefully.....unless I win the lotto!

OP posts:
MitchyInge · 05/04/2010 16:49

it's about the size of my entire house

AitchTwoZone · 05/04/2010 19:52

oh well, you carry on then.

Original poster
TinyPawz · 05/04/2010 20:03

I think probably best to try to lay it out with masking tape. Might give me a better idea if I can live with the size.

OP posts:
solo · 05/04/2010 20:18

That's a good idea.

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