Dear James, You have a great feature there with your fireplace and wood burner. I really like the exposed brickwork, and the way this feature within your space flows through from the fireplace, stairs and in your kitchen/ dining & breakfast room. This is a really good focal point for your space in setting a theme. The larger shelf that sweeps round that you currently have an armchair in front of can ideally be removed with the unit under it also being taken out. This would open the area near the stairs; allowing you space to move through into the centre area easily. Opening the stairs themselves will allow light to flood through, this will greatly improve the access you have to natural light. Try to go with a unified neutral tone that reflects the natural light in the day, I'm not saying brilliant white here, a warm cream, with a sandy undertone, one that ties in with the beautiful wood surfaces in your kitchen. Consider spotlights that positioned correctly will illuminate key focal points in the evening to create an atmosphere, and highlight the textures and features of the space. Mirrors are brilliant pieces for reflecting light and creating the feel of more space, and positioned right can help the flow through your space. Use accessories to define your zones such as seating area and kitchen. experiment with pattern and colour to create your theme. I hope these simple but effective tips help to give you a start on your ideas for your space. We are here if you would like to discuss any of these further, please don't hesitate to contact us. Kind Regards Michael Jhala Designs

I think what is blocking your ideas is the issue that any shelves built into these alcoves will be sat in the middle of a wall and usually this type of alcove would extend to the corner. Because of this issue I think that you should either:- Block up the alcoves and so you only have to find a fireplace that you like. Cover the alcoves with doors that looks like the wall and have invisible touch catches. Build in the alcoves but run skirting and coving in front of the space so that you can read the main room. Knock out the chimney brickwork so that your log burner is sat in the middle of a wider space. Treat the whole of the recessed space as one and run a hearth across all of it and give the walls in the recesses and across the chimney the same treatment for uniformity.

Hello Sarah, There is a possibility that you have combined sewage in that location. I can see a drainage pipe from the roof on the front of the house. Have a look down the street and see if there are any other houses with bathrooms or drainage on the front or contact your local Building Control who will confirm. I have no idea how important the number of bedrooms are for your needs but you could forfeit the third bedroom. Alternatively have a smaller kitchen area. as the second plan and take a small chunk out of the bedroom, probably less is needed than I have indicated. If your budget allows then remove the chimney, but it is not necessary. I would take out the walls around the stair to below as that will make the space much broader. and also give the space a funky feel to it. Add some velux windows with shafts down into the kitchen dining space. I am not sure why there is no window onto the garden, perhaps look into that on your deeds and see if it could be allowed. The kitchen may be better located towards the front of the house on the first plan so that any seated area is not adjacent to a circulation route/ corridor space. Set the roof windows in a neat pattern of 2 or 3 over that space as it will help to tie it together as one. I am not sure how often you would use the front small bedroom but it could be opened out as part of the living room now and when you eventually sell, put back as a bedroom.. Hope that helps Roger

If you’re willing to pay a carpenter or have a particularly handy friend... could you build in a cupboard that goes all the way across (wall to wall and from the bottom of the gallows bracket to the ceiling), but where the middle section is just fake with non-opening doors? I can’t find a picture of exactly what I mean but think similar to overbed cupboards, could obviously paint/put nice doors on as you wanted