Thanks Victoria. Yes it was probably me all those weeks ago!! Since then we have gone around the houses (not QUITE literally!) about going up / going out and also we only got the keys to the place a month ago so it was tricky to get a feel for the place. We h.ave now decided to stay on one floor and go out.

Thanks for your input. We need that wall as it is structural, and it makes sense to have the back door on the side there (despite having large windows at the back - no shoes littering the living space!) so we need a way to get to the back door. But we could loose the corridoor and put in the pocket door (which by the way is my new favourite thing!), so thanks for pointing that out. I could also put a pocket / barn door in the corridoor so it hides all the crud in the utility when going to the back door.

re: loosing the cupboard - one worry with a bungalow is you just dont have to nooks and crannies that you get in a house so I am panicking about there not being enough storage / cupboard space. Plus I want the toilet near to the back door as possible for that run-in-from-the-garden scenario!

The other option is to put the toilet in the bootroom, but they may be a squish. ALthough that is quite a big room so that is possible. Plus the drainage is all in that area.

Def will put a door of some kind between the hall and living space. We have 2 younger kids.

Thanks for the suggestions!!

Jo

Is it worth building the studio/study out so it's flush with the kitchen/reception and also to move the doorway to that room further down, away from the kitchen area?

I'd then move the WC so it's off the boot room (and perhaps turn it into a wet room). You could have a larger walk through utility without all those partitions and doors.

If that's a supporting pillar in the kitchen think about how you might integrate that into the space better - maybe integrating it into the island.

The hallway is long and narrow so you might want to consider tweaking some of the partitions in the upper end of the house for a slightly more generous entrance.

Agree on the storage in bungalow issue. My parents have done something similar in moving to and extending a bungalow. After a lifetime of accumulating stuff they've gotten rid of a lot of it, thought creatively about storage space for every single room, e.g. built in storage, storage in cavities instead of partition walls etc.

Consider grouping the WC, Utility and boot room to avoid all those doors and circulation space. Push out into large kitchen floor area so the kitchen is slightly closer to the rear elevation. I would also re position the TV area so it's tucked back towards the bedroom partition for more dining table space.

Hope this helps

Max

Thanks Max, I will move around the living area bit to give more space for the dinning table, good suggestion. I cant push the wall out into the kitchen more as it is a supporting wall (the original Back wall of the property) so it limits what I can do with this. I think that is what you meant? thanks

Jo

Thanks Ash, Ooo what do you mean by storage in cavities? You actually mean in the wall?

Those walls either side of the hallway support the roof. I did think about opening it up but structurally it would be more involved and we want to keep the price down. Actually the hallway isnt too narrow when you get in it. But I would like it wider - limitations!

Yes I might look at putting the loo into the bootroom and opening up the utility. I think the Utility will be a really well used space and excellent for storage so the more space the better.

We had the study slightly recessed so we could try and have that part of the corner in the garden under cover. But without direct access to it I am not actually sure how used it would be - might need to look at that again!

The supporting pillar I was thinking of incorporating a wood burner in it (if that is possible) or shelving etc. As some wall space is handy in an open plan. Waiting to hear back for the Arch Tech to see exactly where that might have to be!

Thanks for the great suggestions

Jo

Thanks again Ash, sorry to sound dim, is all that you listed for something in particular like the pocket doors or just for a normal storage cupboard or am I missing something? Thanks again

Thanks mrskain1 for taking the time to do the drawing!! Where is the entrance to the Utility / cupboard? The Utility needs to have quick and easy access from the kitchen as I plan to have freezer and gadgets in there. So entrance near the kitchen best. Thanks

does the main bedroom have a good outlook and windows? If not consider swapping its position with the guest bedroom.

Hi Jonathandb It has a small window to the side and will have vekux in the celing. So not a great outlook but the guest room is going to double as a seperate sitting room, which I thought needed a better outlook. You dont spend much time in the bedroom but velux in a sitting room would be a bit grim?

Re: pocket doors - they can be used for rooms and slide into walls rather than opening into a space.

For anyone who interested - this was the idea I threw in... Using the space in a slightly different way !!
A. Multipurpose kids play room / guest room with bed option either as Murphy bed or sofa bed - with plenty of storage for toys etc (if this is currently a kitchen - with higher level window - suggest replace window with lower one to match the opposite window in B ) also - if kids not too small - could keep a vanity sink in here for guests - if this was the kitchen.
(If you need bigger play room - suggest maybe knock into garage too - but keeping front third of garage as garage still for garage type stuff. Subject to structural /fire regs etc of course )
B. One child's room with built in wardrobe
C. Second child's room with built in wardrobe
D. Hallway entrance with cupboard storage (pink ) on both sides - suggest new double glass doors opening into new dining room and extension at end of hall.
E. Family bathroom . Pink cupboard opposite door for towels / bed linen /loo rolls and cleaning products etc . (Smaller pink closet for tanks if needed ?!)
F. Master ensuite shower room . ( if no window possible - swap loo and basin location as neater to see basin first, not loo - but good to have natural light for shaving etc near window ! )
G. Master bedroom - with new window and glass door way through to garden access ( as fire escape - but also good for security as you can see anyone trying to access back door ) with his and hers walk in closets . TV on bottom wall. (Will need structural engineer to approve spans etc )
H. Formal dining space - or could be used as secondary snug if formal dining not required . Add side window. Consider making existing opening wider, so view into kitchen possible from front door. ( if structural engineers allow )
I. Glass roofed open porch area - ideal for outside storage /extra drying space / log store etc etc . Together with combined mud room / boot room / laundry room - access too and from outside and access point into kitchen. Could also be used as extra pantry storage too.
J. Kitchen area - suggest island prep and pretty much everything area with tall cabinets flanking USA style FF and at end of hob run for max storage - DW on end of island nearest laundry room to be least invasive to kitchen flow. L shaper bar gives views of garden and is better for conversation than one long run.
K. Lounge area . Can be two sofas - or one with pair of swivel chairs on garden side - remember to leave plenty of room to walk round - you don't want it feeling cramped - anchor sofas on large rug to help keep them in place and to provide comfy floor seating too.
Could have extra (toy) storage all down the bottom, TV wall if you want ?!
So that's my idea - I hope you like it ! It provides all you asked for I think - keeps the bedrooms together - I can see the children (if small) spending more time playing in the extension, rather than the multipurpose room to be honest - but if older they will relish the space away from direct view of parents. So they will grow into it ! If you need to grow the house again in a few years then maybe stairs could start off in larger built in closet to minimise disruption .

Hello OnePlan! Yes thank for your initial suggestions, they really helped us see how to use the side space in a different way. It was really helpful. I can throughly recommend OnePlan everyone!

I have fiddled with those sketches, after thinking how we would use the space and what else we needed. We needed the open plan space to be the width of the existing bungalow as any smaller will be too small for us. So have to tuck the utlity somewhere else. Plus we want a study / studio on the side if possible. So that is where I got - how to find space for these other things in a flowing way!

As mrskain1 found - those doors get in the way!!!

I do need the utility entrance by the kitchen though, walking round the the other side wont work I know that (easily annoyed!), plus I want the corridoor to the family bathroom and Master bedroom to be seperate from the rest of the comings and goings - its a thing I still have about being in a bungalow - As it is all on one floor I still want it slightly seperate from all the comings and going and visitors. The kids bedrooms will probably become muiltipurpose so thats not so important.

thanks all!