Thank you for details. In general, location of areas is chosen fine, especially if you want to keep dining and kitchen separately. Although I will have couple of suggestions for you. I would consider more space for your dining/kitchen area. Make it wider and add at least 1m-1,5 m. You have double doors to the garden but you don't leave enough room to walk around table. It can be a nightmare to move chairs if you need to pass, even simply for the reason to open or close windows with curtains or blinds. Looking at lounge areas: two large sofas will look bulky, especially in the area, which you plan to keep neat and clean. It means it should be as functional (when you need it to be) as to be out of your way when you live your life. From here, I will recommend to choose corner sofa for your sitting room and a large footstool. It will allow you to have open look on interior and area will look larger, welcoming and you will have more seats for family hours.If you like armchairs, then have a look at next layout Second area doesn't need large sofa. A set of chairs will look much better and will be more functional. Therefore, you don't need any special dividers between two areas because they will look as two separate complete areas and you will not miss such fact :) If you wonder to place doors or special separation to kitchen + dining area, there are many esthetic options https://alenacdesign.wordpress.com/2016/03/09/room-dividers-and-other-solutions/ I hope it will help you :) Don't hesitate to ask more. Good luck! Alena

We did love some of the suggestions above… but stuck with our original plan! Although we did change the kitchen layout from U-shaped to ”farmhouse” style, with the table in the middle and sink under the window overlooking the garden. The old dining room has become an office with two desks - partly due to COVID and the need to work from home and homeschool etc! We have also moved a lot of the children’s toy storage in here although they still bring things into the main lounge to play where there’s more room. At 8 and 5, they also actually now keep and play with a lot of toys in their rooms, so I think the old dining room will remain as more of a computer and homework room - it’s nice being able to shut the door! The ”study” on the plan is very much a workshop/gym/play room for my husband! We didnt want to sacrifice that space. It might turn into a teenage den later on perhaps, or even a downstairs bedroom for my Nan. The small upstairs bedroom has become a second office as I’m also still working from home (and my husband has too many meetings downstairs!). It houses our sofa bed too so acts as a spare room and my space to do yoga and sewing. Overall, we are pleased with how everything turned out. We quite like the option to have space away from each other and the flexibility to change the use of the different rooms. We do all spend a lot time together in either the kitchen or main lounge as plenty of space in both.

Hi Coopz, I feel your frustration. There are so many options and so many directions this could go. It is completely natural you are struggling with a layout. We as trained architectural designers often struggle with the layouts. It is not your job to come up with a solution. It is a task of your hired professional. Focus on identifying your pain points. Make a list of what works and what doesn't. Think about how you use the space and where it is serving you well and where it is not. This should not be a copy and paste job but a good tailored design that satisfy needs of your family for now and considers your needs in the future. You will need to hire professional to solve these problems. Hiring an architectural designer with specialist skills may sound like and extravagance, but we have the vital knowledge and information required to assess the space you live in and maximise the potential of your home. With the right person, you will get out a lot more than you pay for in fees. They will add tones of value and they will also help you to allocate budget correctly. Don't under estimate the importance of this process. You cannot afford not to do this. I hope that helps. Best Wishes Suzanne & Joseph

It might help to post the original layout and what your aims/needs/dreams are with the renovation so the wonderful community here can provide feedback.   The plan you have posted seems to work well - the kitchen and dining space are well connected, with the dining having enough space to travel around. The living is spacious but not 'in the kitchen' so it's able to provide a restful space away from anything happening in the kitchen. A full utility /mudroom with storage. An office that is able to provide a space away from the rest of the function areas, especially useful when WFH is needed. Enough WC's in places that don't open out into living areas. All in all, seems well thought out!