Need help with the layout of kitchen/living area

9 years ago

Hi there,

I'm remodelling the flat that I've just purchased and looking for ideas on how to lay out the kitchen and living area. It's a loft conversion in a Victorian property.
Please see the pictures.

I think the current layout doesn't make the most of the space available. The kitchen island in the middle is very cool... but it's making it difficult to create a nice area with a sofa, tv etc...
Can you see the wall cabinet? There's a boiler in there and I'm planning to get it moved in an eaves storage... I think that way I can shorten the kitchen on that wall and make use of the fireplace: right now you can't really enjoy it because it's too close to the kitchen.

Any suggestion on how to improve the layout of the kitchen and how to organise a sofa/tv etc would be very welcome!

Featured Answer

PRO

OnePlan

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

am loving the ideas Deco and Amber have put forward !

I wonder if you made the kitchen a U shape it would work more efficiently for you, rather than just the island.. if you had bench seating incorporated at the back of the projecting part of the kitchen you could have a narrow table behind the kitchen by the stairs ? or have a 'Bavarian beer table' type design with one long narrow table and two bench seats ?! as the ceiling is lower there - but sliding on a bench in a seated position would be possible !

... because of the height thing - I really think you would benefit from working with a design/with a designer, who can show all the angles and roof lights positioning in the drawing as you, and they, go though the options - as it really does impact on the design, especially in this particular case !

kind regards

Karen ( also in UK !)
http://www.houzz.com/pro/oneplan/oneplan

Edited to Add - you could maybe put the boiler in the void base corner of the return of the projecting U length, with a false door for access (by moving the table out !) as long as it's vented well, too !

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Comments (15)

decoenthusiaste
9 years ago
You've got the office niche knocked out. The kitchen is fair except that the fridge is so far from the sink (inconvenient for offloading and prep of foods.) Can you move the fridge under the eaves left of the sink when you remove the boiler/cabinet? Then you'll have a great space for a dining area in front of the fireplace. Have a custom rad cover/storage cabinet built and extended all across that end of the room with a fabulous collected art gallery above it. Hang TV under the eaves and left of the closet so TV gear can go in that closet space. Float an apartment/loft size sectional with its back to the stairs so you can watch TV and also see the FP at the other end of the space. Anchor the sectional on a large colorful area rug, and consider one of the flex sectionals whose chaise end can reverse from left to right for more flexible arranging.
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sgabello
Original Author
9 years ago
Nice suggestions! Thanks! Let me tell and ask you a couple of clarification... :)
The fridge you mentioned is actually a wine chiller. No one ever used it and as you said I plan to remove it completely. The dining area is a superb idea! My concern is that even without the wine chiller, there won't be enough space for a table. Let's say it would fit... would you remove the kitchen island then?
Also... what do you think about exposing the brickwork of the wall around the fireplace? I always loved exposed brickwork and I think it works very well also in modern designs like the one that I'd like to achieve.

I'm sorry, I didn't understand where you suggest to put the rad cover... on the opposite wall? Isn't it where the sectional should go? I'm also a bit confused on where and how to hang the TV... do you mean hanging it from the sloped ceiling?

I'd like the idea to be able to see both the tv and the fireplace from the sectional... It's exactly what I wanted to achieve but couldn't figure out how... if I put the back or the side of the sectional close to the stairs, they would block access from the stairs.

Another area for which I'd like some advice, is the space on the left of the sink... where the worktop ends. Maybe I could extend the kitchen on that side... but the ceiling height is not enough to stand :( It's completely unused and wasted right now. Should I leave it like that?

PS: I plan also to replace the flooring with engineered wood planks. I'm still trying to figure out if I want a dark or light tone and what color to use for the new kitchen.

Thanks again for your advice. Very good points... and it's nice to see that you share some of the ideas I had before. It means that I was on the right path :)
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decoenthusiaste
9 years ago
I may be giving inaccurate advice because some pix look to be in pano, so everything may be distorted and I may not be seeing actual proportions of the space. Is there no fridge? I didn't see anything that looked like one except for the wine fridge. If you don't need it, then remove it. However, where is your fridge? You can put a separate fridge and a freezer the size of your wine fridge on that wall under the eaves left of the sink, Top it with more butcherblock countertop that matches the current one - it can be matched or new can be made to match it. You may have room for some drawer storage between the two units and you won't be working there, just unloading items onto the countertop. The last pic below shows two pricey units side by side at the end of the right side cabinets - you wouldn't know they were fridge & freezer. They are more money and so are a set of fridge drawers, but very suitable to your space. As for table/island - what would you say to making one large "L" island where the dining table portion drops to normal table height out in front of the FP and runs perpendicular to it? The working counter space and storage would be where the current island is. Directly in front of the FP the island would turn 90 degrees and drop to regular table height. I can't find an exact picture to show you, but here are some just to show the dropped table concept. You'll have to imagine a bit. How many do you need to seat for meals? Regarding the rad cover; I only saw one rad in the large living space - the one right of and perpendicular to the eaves closet. I'm talking about cabinetry that covers the rad but lets the heat escape. It would continue as pure cabinetry with storage all the way right on that large wall and the art would hang above it. Doesn't have to be more than 12" deep. Your sofa won't go on a wall but will float about 4' in front of the stairs and 2' out from the rad/cabinetry so there is room to navigate all around it. Flooring should be a mid tone. Too dark is hard to keep looking good, as is too light. Stay in the middle, a little lighter than the countertops, and take it on into the kitchen. Ask the dealer and get one that works well under kitchen traffic. Does the brick extend into the kitchen or stop abruptly? If it stops at the boiler/wine fridge, I wouldn't do it. It will stop the "eye-flow" around the space when you have a sharp change in the surfaces of the two walls. If it goes on through behind the stove, then do it.
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sgabello thanked decoenthusiaste
decoenthusiaste
9 years ago
If you want to view the FP from the TV/seating area you could use a see-through acryllic table and chairs.
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ambersarris
9 years ago
Is the box on the right of the kitchen cabinets the fireplace? And if so does it need to stay?
Removing the island and adding a dining table in that space, then continuing the cabinets along the wall where the fireplace is and removing the upper cabinets. Then paint the wall up to the ceiling join to enhance the shape.

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sgabello
Original Author
9 years ago
@decoenthusiaste check the picture attached, something like this?

@ambersarris Yes, it's the fireplace. Doesn't need to stay but I quite like it. Anyway... How would you arrange the rest of the room?
decoenthusiaste
9 years ago
Yes, very good! So you're an artist! Do you think there is room for a table by the fire? Maybe a round one. How many do you need to seat? Also, if you keep the island it needs to function better than as simple seating. I only saw drawers on the kitchen side of it. What else could you put there? Is there an outlet for a built-in microwave? I've done a floor plan myself so I'll send it to you a bit later.
decoenthusiaste
9 years ago
Here are a couple of options for you.
sgabello thanked decoenthusiaste
sgabello
Original Author
9 years ago
Ahahah! Nowhere near an artist... but I used to score good marks at technical drawings at school!

Thank you so much for the floor plans! They are giving me good points to think about!

Currently the other half of the island hides an under the counter fridge. However I would prefer not to have a power outlet there... I don't like the idea to drill a hole in the new floor :) Just in case I decide to get rid of the island in future.

Also... I have bad news... today the heater engineer told me that the boiler can't be moved into the eaves storage: there isn't enough space. However he came up with a different idea: move it on to the small wall between the stairs and the sink.

Ideally I would hide it behind a kitchen cabinet... but I don't plan to get a custom build kitchen... they are just too expensive. So... I can't have a bespoke cabinet.
My idea then is to build a short wall there and hide the boiler behind it. If you look at my drawings, you'll see that the wall there is larger than in the original photos...
Unfortunately it means that i won't be able to accomodate the refrigerated drawers that you suggested, sorry.

I'd like to get rid of the island... unfortunately without it I won't have enough space for all the cabinets and appliances.

BTW... I really like your plans! I need to work out how to implement your ideas taking into consideration some of the constrains of the space available.
sgabello
Original Author
9 years ago
I've got the idea of the rounded cabinet from the images below... but probably I prefer the other two styles.
decoenthusiaste
9 years ago
You might see if you can find interesting old doors to make your "wall" to hide the boiler. If your fridge is already in the island I wouldn't go to the expense of moving it. Just build a more useful island that incorporates it, especially since the boiler will now be taking over its spot under the eaves left of the sink. You don't want to put a heat source close to a refrigerator. Just work on a plan whose island works around the fridge. Not sure my floor plans were sized right because i left off the office area but still had the square meters of your plan. I think it was a bit small and I should have just used the wall lengths. If that is the case you have more room than my plan would indicate. Also, I'm not comfortable enough with the metric system to size your furniture in typical metric measures to be realistic about what you are able to purchase. If you want to try your hand at designing it yourself, there are lots of drop and drag planning sites, even through furniture store sites.
sgabello thanked decoenthusiaste
bgfuqua
9 years ago
just a wonderful space!
sgabello
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks decoenthusiaste and OnePlan. I really appreciate your inputs. You are right... I asked some of the builders that I invited to quote for the renovation, if they knew designers who could give advice. I'm still waiting for replies...
PRO
OnePlan
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
if you have no luck with builders recommendations drop me an email if you like - I'd be happy to quote for designing ... I work exclusively via email anyway ! I'm usually booked up 2/4 weeks ahead - but could try and squeeze you in sooner if needed !
sgabello thanked OnePlan