Hello, I'm not sure where exactly would you like to add shelves, above the stairs or side walls? At the moment it looks like an empty canvas and it's true that you can do lots with this space. If I was you I would consider adding a large framed artwork, multiple framed images, mirror, wallpaper, lighting design or a colourful carpet for the stairs. StJames Design Interiors

I'd get as much storage as possible out of it. I do say keep all the plumbed items as close as possible to each other. You have room for more storage. So i'd go with the washing machine under the unit with a corner cupboard for storage. Then the sink unit with another floor to ceiling cupboard for brooms etc. Shelves in the middle. So either this:- The cupboard marked Slimline is so that you have room for all the pipes to be accessed on your Megaflo, if you put a larger cupboard in you'll close the gap, so I marked it as a cupboard, but you may have room for the Fridge Freezer there instead. You have to allow 650mm on cupboards for the plumbing behind and to adjust for walls that aren't true. So if you went with 650 Unit on the left ( above pic ), then 850mm for your door and another 650 to allow for the Fridge Freezer you've used 2150mm , 5mm ( not a lot ) than you already have, so i would be wary of trying to make the room smaller. Obviously the 650mm is an allowance and you would fit those items in, but it does soon get used up.

I agree with above - you're going to have a lovely bright utility! The usual way people extend is to put the utility and WC into the darkest bit (turning the utility 90 degrees like suggested above) which then pushes the kitchen/dining/living towards the garden end. But that would have involved more walls coming down - I feel like this is a case of you got what you asked for, but now you're asking for something else. I think the architect has come up with the best layout though for minimal work involved - putting the dining table in the dark space will just make it a corridor and you'll mostly eat at the island in the light room with garden views (other than dark evenings like you say when being in dark dining room will be quite cosy). I know people who have done that and regretted it and wished they'd put the kitchen in the dark bit as you tend to be doing something in there anyway and you'll be looking through the lovely bright space rather than being in it. Getting a decent second living space seems important to you so the current layout achieves that. You could perhaps add some high level transom windows between kitchen and utility to bring more light into kitchen (depending on where tall/wall kitchen cabinets are going to be and how ceiling is). Another option that you haven't mentioned is to put the new lounge into the dark space (then you'd have to call it a snug!). Leaving the new space as kitchen and dining. But perhaps you want the sofas to be looking onto garden, or you don't want it right next to the other sitting room - which is understandable. So it depends on what you'd use that living space for - or would also having a couple of upholstered chairs or a window seat in the extension allow you the flexibility you are looking for? Regarding the loo situation - I don't like having to walk through the utility to get to it (mainly as you're going to have to clean/tidy your utility every time guests come round, no thanks) - alternative is to walk through the WC to get to utility - would result in a bigger WC (you don't want to squeeze between toilet and basin so put them on the same wall) and a more useful utility space - and you'll have one window into WC and one into utility and nobody will be walking through the cat litter tray - could keep the pocket door idea so that it's more like one room normally, but easy to close off the messy utility when guests arrive (if that is ever allowed to happen again!)

Where does it open onto? the garden? if you don't have a greenhouse and this wall gets any sun you could have a big window put in and have a potting bench? Or just reclaim it as part of garage to make that space for flexible. Although I do love the art room idea, if its not insulted it will be cold and once insulated it's going to be tiny.