Hi there, I think you have already got plenty of interesting comments. My own thoughts are as follows: you have a front façade with lots of character, thanks to the door, the canopy above, the large bow window to the right and the small, turret-like window to the left. The steps in the front are obviously more ordinary, and also introduce an element of symmetry, which is not mirrored in the way the house façade is structured. An element of disconnect, in my view, comes from trying hard to add even more symmetry (the two lamps on the sides of the door, the two pots/plants too) which clashes a bit with the overall situation. On the other side, symmetry, if well done, often brings with itself some sense of order and calm that can be in itself a "wow factor". As such, and depending on your budget, I would suggest to consider two separate areas: (1) the front steps area: here the first thing I would do would be to give it a good clean, even the most grand and wonderful front gardens look shabby with old leaves, dust and dirt around. For this area I would then think about: (a) placing something nice on top of the upper posts: here is where you should use symmetry to your advantage: I would suggest two low, bowl-shaped vases, either terracotta (so as not to introduce another disturbing colour) or dark grey/black (to provide a link to the Edwardian woodwork of the house), planted with some interesting green plant, or if you like to change your plants with the season, then some flowers adding a touch of colour. The second thing I would do (provided it is realistic - difficult to say without knowing what's to the left and the right of your picture) and obviously requiring higher budget would be (b) replacing/covering up the pavement on both sides (at the bottom of the steps) with greenery. Someone suggested lavender, it could even just be grass (even nice-quality fake grass if you don't want to take care of it), maybe with a narrow edge of seasonal flowers/plants to frame the path leading to the steps. (2) the façade area: here I would stop playing with symmetry, given that the house doesn't take it. Look how odd your right vase looks right now, disturbingly placed partially below and on the side of the turret-like window. So, first of all, the door needs repainting: I would either go for an elegant neutral colour (black in this case is the first that comes to mind, given the black woodwork of the house, or a very dark green hue, for an elegant and classic look, that goes very well with the beige of the walls), or for something more daring perhaps a reddish/orangy/light-brownish hue, which would complement the brickwork well and depending on how flashy you go can provide a cool, personal statement. Small detail: I would remove the white frame around the door which creates unnecessary noise: just paint it the same colour as the door. Once the door is fixed, then I'd look at the surroundings: to the left, I would be in favour of a low, wide vase/planter: it could be again terracotta or dark grey/black (ideally you choose one type and have all vases/planters here and on the steps look alike), the important is that it should be roughly as wide as the little turret-like window and positioned below it, centered with the window to give it a sense of belonging to that corner. You can place here other nice greens or further flowers. To the right, again in the same colour/material, I would go for a statement plant, a nice, narrower/higher planter (could be a cube here?) with a taller bushy-like evergreen plant coming all the way up to the house number, or even a proper tree, like a Japanese maple or something like that. Good luck with your improvement works, would love to see the results!

The best advice I could give you would be to contact a structural engineer. They will be able to tell you if a wall is loadbearing and, if so, how best to support the wall above (e.g lintel, steel beam etc.)

Given you have two staircases in a modest home perhaps you should be considering a complete replan including the upstairs. You might also want to consider if the front door is better elsewhere. You should also give serious thought to your budget as clearly knocking down walls and moving the kitchen isn’t free. One service you might want to use is a Concept Planner- this will help you to visualise what is possible before speaking to builders about what is achievable for your budget.

Since you can move the fireplace first decide on a function for the room. A lounge end with a fireplace is a good feature to have, Think about the furniture that will be there as well as flooring and window treatments. It all needs to work together. Fireplaces come in so many styles now you can match it to whatever you desire. I would be tempted to move it close to the bay window end and have that as a lounge area, keeping the other end for the tv and a possible media wall.