At the beginning - ground floor extension!

7 years ago

Hello! We are planning a rear ground floor extension on our 1930s semi detached property. The roof of the extension will be flat for 1 m then pitched towards the rear wall which faces south-west. The doors are intended to be bi-folds (budget won't stretch to the Cristal style that I love), 4 m wide. There will also be two large skylights in the pitched section of the roof. Two things we need to design around are a fairly modern oak dining table that is 1 m wide (1.6-2.1m long) and... a mahogany baby grand piano (!)

I'm looking for advice in three areas: 1 - the layout of the middle area currently shown as the dining room; 2 - the colour scheme throughout ; 3 - the flooring throughout.

1 - we want to keep the living room for lounging as we often have friends and family round, and need as much sitting as we can fit. We plan a couple of armchairs in the bay window, a long sofa along the wall adjacent to the hall and another receipt of some description to zone the living room from what is currently shown as the dining room. Today we have a corner sofa performing this function, but my husband has his heart set on a Chesterfield! So, this puts the piano in the current dining room and the dining table alongside the island in the extension space. How can we make the piano space feel like a destination rather than a thoroughfare? I like the idea of a cocktail station, some bookshelves, books, brass - I little bit 1930s perhaps? I do think there might be space for a sideboard of some description between the dining space and the piano space.

2 - since my dreams of a blue sofa have gone out the window with the advent of the Chesterfield, supposedly in oxblood, I have decided that we're going to go for inky blue walls all around the living room. We only really tend to be in there in the evenings so I think this will work well despite the fact that it is a north east facing room (thoughts welcome!). My question is, how do we work this with the rest of the ground floor space? Originally, I had been thinking of a Hague blue kitchen island with white cabinets on the outside wall, potentially shaker or handleless. However, I am now kind of in love with the Valencia kitchen from Charles Yorke. IKEA's Laxarby units could offer a similar look at a fraction of the price. On the other hand, this dark wood look could fight with the oak dining table and piano. Would it be better to stick with the original plan? What I love about the dark wood look is that it brings a bit or glamour (I'd introduce antique brass door furniture, etc.), makes the kitchen almost bar-like in the evening (which I like). Could this be achieved with the blue island? The white on the outside just feels too 'kitchen-y'... blue all over? My husband might struggle with that... ack! Help, please?

3 - we would like wood flooring throughout. Given the above, what colour flooring should we go for? I was thinking something mid-tone or a bit lighter than our dining table. What pattern, if any? Bearing in mind the fact that we may have underfloor heating... so many complications!

Any thoughts very much appreciated. I'm probably not seeing obvious answers because I've been thinking about it for soooooo long!

Thanks in advance!

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User

7 years ago

I do like to throw a few mix ups about, but I think the plan can be improved upon.

Firstly, I would shelve the Utility Room in favour of a bank of Utility Cupboards / Storage, this opens up the Hallway and gives direct access to the back of the house with a view straight through from front to back.

Secondly, I'd swap the areas over and have the kitchen towards the back with the dining and piano area at the back, with optional / occasional armchairs. You can play the piano and entertain the dinner guests whilst looking over the garden. It makes no sense to stick the kitchen in there and you haven't the room for the piano and a dining table in the dining room on the current plan.

If you make sure that the returns on the wall in the current dining area are slightly over 600 deep, then you can put your second bank of kitchen units on the right hand side and they won't overrun the wall, making it look tidy. You then have an island for the sink or the hob as is your choice, mine would be the sink.

I agree that it's nice to have a separate Utility, but the placement of yours is disrupting the flow of the whole of the downstairs.

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Comments (17)

Jonathan
7 years ago
Of course everyone's taste is different but here is my opinion:
Use the Hague Blue on both side walls of the extension and the whole of the middle room, plus two walls in the front reception. Paint remaining walls and ceilings in pale grey with a soft white for woodwork and coving.
Paint the island Hague blue plus tall units and then the remaining kitchen cabinets a silver grey. If budget is a concern then buy an inexpensive shaker door and paint it in your preferred colours and add more expensive handles.
I think the ideal place for your dining table is next to the kitchen. Consider adding oak floating shelves to your kitchen design to tie in the two sides of that room.
Have the middle room with Modular seating to entertain guests. (Or perhaps to L-shaped sofas facing each other). As my suggestion is that this is all painted dark you should choose seating and a rug in pale grey or nearly white and then litter the walls with pictures and antique mirror. You also need to carefully consider the lighting- I would be looking for antique brass, cut glass, dimmers and perhaps have pendant lights in two corners plus additional lighting. You could also have a wall mounted TV in this room behind one if the sofas.
The front reception could accommodate a drinks area in an alcove, the oxblood chesterfield where your current sofa is, a TV in the remaining alcove and the piano in the bay. You could likely fit in a couple of leather button backed chairs to compliment the chesterfield but I suspect there will not be enough room for additional chesterfields. For better acoustics I would have shutters and no rug.
Throughout my preference would be for an oak floor with a slightly grey quality.
Jonathan
7 years ago
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minnie101
7 years ago
The Strand, Apartment 2 · More Info

Hi. An alternative idea for the kitchen which I think gives the look you're after with the brass, marble effect and glass elements. This is in Hague blue which may work with purbeck stone on the walls. Love the idea of a chesterfield (vintage tan may work well) but do consider if it gives you enough seating room given the size of the arms. I'd go for a herringbone parquet as Jonathan said with some grey in. This one pictured is by Hitt Oak but it's solid wood but they have similar engineered. Would a velvet chaise fit in the piano room with a brass and marble drinks trolley alongside (try rockett st George)? Not sure of the piano size! I'd go for the Hague blue in living and dining and if in budget consider an antiqued mirror wall or huge mirror behind the piano. I've copied a link for the cheapest I've managed to find in my long search! I do agree with MATh about the house re the utility. You could just have utility cupboards and keep the plan as is but with a door to the kitchen unless of course you want the ironing and drying space so keep as is
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/479347268/milla-9-antiqued-distressed-panel-mirror?ref=related-1
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OnePlan
7 years ago
Hi - wanted to add an idea - trying to tick lots of your boxes !

Due to the width of your extension - I don't think an island with stools and a 1m wide table would fit well that end - as you need more space for chairs /stools and a walkway through to garden ... so this is my take on a solution.

Keep island (900deep) with 1200mm between island and perimeter kitchen . Add inky blue sofa here and baby grand.

As I also wanted to try and get some natural light into dining area - coupled with keeping the stairs and loo separated from living area ... ( if you home is more that two storeys high, the doors into lounge might need to be fire doors ) I've put the dining area in the middle area.

The book shelved area could also be a mini bar if you prefer ? Most importantly the light still comes through from window into dining area.

Laundry appliances are stacked with faux bookcase doors either sliding or bifold or swing etc you could get this area soundproofed if you do lots of washing ( ie machines are on constantly)

The lounge can be a chesterfield area with a three and two seater here ...

Obviously you will need to get advice for a SE or your architect before you start moving walls etc -
But hope this gives you food for thought !

[this is an example of OnePlan's sketch consult option, that was happily given FOC to this houzzer in this instance - but is usually charged at £35 per hour ]
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OnePlan
7 years ago
Annotated plan here ...
minnie101
7 years ago
I love Karen's layout idea and yes if you put dining in the kitchen I think you'd need a banquette seat if my adding up is correct

http://www.angelandboho.com/dining-banquettes--chairs-305-c.asp
Jonathan
7 years ago
I really like MATH suggestion to be able to see from the front door to the garden but don't think you have to move the kitchen to do so.

Separately I disagree with OnePlan (first time ever.... Never happened before.....Mark the date). I think there is enough room to put the oak dining table in the extension. I think there is a 2700mm space between the island and the wall which is enough space for the table and chairs although I do conceded that if you want to have stools on this side of the island you may prefer to keep the table against the wall unless entertaining. Personally I wouldn't put a sofa in this room because when sat in the suggested location I think you are too low to talk to someone working in the kitchen and you don't face anything like a fireplace or TV so I think this sofa won't get used...... Of course just my opinion.
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User
7 years ago
Oh it's a whirlwind of grey matter going now!. Love Minnies beautiful pictures as usual. Karen is a legen with her fabulous forthought for moving about in spaces. Jonathan must spend a lot of time and thought on his ideas, which are always innovative ( you three should run a company together! )

I just kept the lounge as a separate entitiy as sometimes you just want to escape. The kitchen are i kept toward the rear because I think the space beyond is where you and any guests were likely to spend the most time, overlooking the garden.

Merry Xmas all
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OnePlan
7 years ago
Heartbroken that Jonathan disagrees ! But that's one of the joys of Houzz - lots of lovely ideas to try and chose from !

X Merry Christmas everyone ! X
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V.I.P Walls Interior Specialist
7 years ago
Wow some great advice here. We would love to add our special touch with some feature wall paneling. Our designs range from ultra modern to Traditional to suit any home.

Drop us a message to talk more.

Kind regards

V.I.P Walls Team
cazSF
Original Author
7 years ago
Everyone, thank you so much for your comments so far!

Fair point about the utility room impacting the flow - I'm doing some thinking about this. My husband was keen for the full room to also house the boiler, HW tank and a small sink... I wonder if we could make it more of a through-room with glazed doors (with door-mounted blinds for messy days) - he can always do his ironing out in the open.

The plan is showing the 'inner hall' as a square because we did want nice double doors there, and to give space to get coats off to hang up in utility room, but as pointed out, we'll need a fire separation due to our doing a loft conversion, first.

I also totally get the desire to move the kitchen to the current dining space, freeing up the back of the house and the views for 'living', but I didn't want it so close to the 'formal' living space... further, I think between having a 950mm island (including the worktop overhang) and an 1100mm working aisle (I find my current 1200mm just a step too far - I'm not short, but I do like to just pivot from side to side), we'll have enough space for the big table, with a view to leaving it a bit closer to the wall for day-to-day use.

Minnie - yes! That kitchen picture is exactly the vibe I like. Shame we don't have those ceilings ;). This is all helping me firm up decor ideas.

Now just need to land the utility space, while maintaining a fire separation....

More soon!
cazSF
Original Author
6 years ago
Dear Houzz-friends,

I cannot believe it's been nearly 12 months since this discussion!

In the past year we have completed a loft conversion and are close to finishing the build on the extension. Last weekend my husband suddenly said, 'we need to finish the kitchen design for first fix electrics - the electrician coming on Monday!' Sadly, we haven't actually see a kitchen designer yet, but I'd thought about it - and drawn lots of iterations on graph paper, so I thought we'd be ok.

However, in a last minute twist, we decided to lose the pantry - which was proving to be a real squeeze :( - and have put a stack of ovens and storage next to the fridge instead. Now we're on a mission to maximise the use of that corner space (plus the first 1.2m of the outside run) to accommodate cutlery, dishes, glasses, mugs, tea, coffee, nespresso machine and toaster... and cereals! I would prefer a tall double door larder with drawers beneath as I'd like to avoid wall cabinets, but this would prevent access to the base corner... (I'm hoping a little bit of ingenuity will help us still access the corner above the work surface).

That aside, it's coming along, albeit slowly, and we'll soon be specifying floor tiles so I'd better get it sorted out!

As for the layout, it has stayed pretty much as is I'm afraid. The piano will go in the bay at the front, and that will be the formal room. TV snug in the middle, and kitchen dining at the back. The good news is that DH is really on board with my colour scheme now - he even wants to paint the snug dark blue (I think he is pleased with his stiffkey fitted wardrobes...)!

Merry Christmas, everyone - will keep you posted.

Caroline xxx
User
6 years ago
I would love to see pictures or a ground floor. Then Im also sure you will get lots of help for your kitchen doubts.
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User
6 years ago
Post the pics.............can't wait to see it.
cazSF
Original Author
6 years ago
Verena and MATH - I wish I had some nice pics for you, but I really is just a shell, still. Bare walls, exposed cabling, etc. BUT, I can share a few of my kitchen sketches if of interest...

Pic 1 is the plan that went out the window this past weekend as we decided on stacked ovens next to the fridge.

Pic 2 uses a magic corner to make the most of the corner space where the pantry would have been. In this scenario, upon reflection, I'd put the pull-out pins between the magic corner and the sink so that the first two units you see have the same door type (is that OCD?) The issue with this one is that I lose my 'dish pantry' from that corner, and I really wanted to be able to come in and make a cup of tea and a sandwich without having to go further than the sink. I also want DH to be able to set the table without having to come into the working aisle to get the dishes and cutlery. Perhaps I'm overthinking it, but...

Pic 3 reinstates the dish drawers in that corner (although the actual base corner is not used). After doing this drawing I decided I'd have a small set of drawers for cling film, foil and dish towels between the dish drawers and the sink (again for continuity of the fronts), and put the bins in first position on the island (shown in the last pic).

I'm a bit gutted to have lost the pantry, but I'm really pleased with the stacked ovens. I'm trying to convince myself that I can split pantry items between the corner upper cabinets (bread, jams, tea, coffee, snacks), and the island (tins, pasta, grains, sauces, spices, etc - the stuff for actual cooking).

What do you think? Will it work? We have an appointment with a kitchen designer on the 27th - exciting!

Pic 3 is kind of
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Pearpod
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Are you currently looking at furnishings as well? I hand-craft these willow pieces which could be a great feature piece either indoors or outdoors.