Help - Design, layout help on a new extension
We would like your thoughts on the following please-
1. Any feedback on the floorplan? We have decided to separate the new kitchen from the new side extension. We will have a fench door in between them, so we can open it if we have friends and family get together.
2. We would like to have 2 lantern sky lights - 1 in the kitchen and 1 in the new living room. Do you think having a lantern skylight in kitchen is not a good idea? Ideally, where should we place them.
3. In the kitchen we will have tiles with underfloor heating (electric). I am a big fan of tiles, but because of the high running and installation costs we are thinking of not going for tiles in the rest of the house. How would wooden flooring go with a tiled floor... especially in the new living room? I think the kithen and living room will not compliment each other because of having a differect flooring. Any views? Advice?
4. Can we find an interior designer who can guide guide us on the color scheme, layouts etc - someone to bounce ideas and be reassured that we have taken the right decisions. Someone good and not pricey.
Just wondering what the house will look like when it's done... any stories or pics for similar projects? Both worried and curious...
Big thanks for your help.
Comments (21)
PROUser
7 years agoJust a few pitfalls:-
You mention that the new room will be a living room, not predominantly a dining room, why is this?
The reason I ask is, that you have not mentioned the dining area, and this is ideally suited off the kitchen. Secondly, by having french doors from the kitchen and the current living room, with further bi-folds on that room to the garden you have used all but one wall for large doors, therefore, you will greatly restrict the placement of furntiure if you want to use it as a living room. There will be only one wall for sofas, and placing a T.V unit will be awkward.
You could choose to block off the current living room wall in to the new space, but it does kind of spoil the look. The benefit being that you would gain another wall, and I think you'd still need to downsize the french doors to the kitchen in order to place a T.V unit opposite the Sofa area:-
Plus, by doing that, presumably you'd have to use the old living room as a dining room, which now isn't near the kitchen. So, little point.
I think it makes far more sense to keep the plan exactly as it is and to have the new area as the main dining room. The floors should be the same in the dining room as the kitchen for flow purposes. The design does not lend itself to being a living room because of all the doors. It's just too hard to place furniture to use it as such.
Sky lights will look great in both rooms, and as you ask, I think are particularly useful in a kitchen, just make sure you can open them. One to aid the escape of condensation from cooking as adding glass to a roof speeds this up, and two, as we have encountered the same problem, you get a lot of flies, bees and wasps coming in from the garden when the doors are open, and they all congregate at the top of the roof space, so opening roof lights allow them to escape.
Lastly, if you go in to Find a Pro at the top of the page, you'll be able to put in your area, and choose the section marked Interior Designer. You'll then get a list of pro's in your area. We can't see where you are, so it's difficult for pro's to approach you in the first instance unless you could specify which county you're from.
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Need help with our new kitchen extension layout
Comments (6)I like Option 2 honestly. Obviously you are finding it hard to visalize what the space will look like but honestly that is a huge space so I would recommend putting in the utility considering what you gain from it. You gain a space where you can block out the sound of the washing machine- who wants that sound when your eating dinner? Also washing is unsightly- do you wants piles of clothes in your nice brand spanking new kitchen? In terms of the corridor you are going to have lots of light coming through from the new extension. When you enter the front door and can see straight through to the garden spaces feel much bigger than they actually are anyway. Also who says it has to be boring. Have some fun wallpaper or colourful art hanging. Also if you want to make something more spacious use sliding doors for utility and wc. Less items infringing on corridor space. And lastly, the reception is purely personal preference based upon how your family function. Personally I prefer two rooms. Allows for more space to get away from the open plan area. Mini adults room and a kids room/study. Hope this helps...See MoreNew Kitchen Extension Layout Help
Comments (13)@Jon Burchfield thanks, that looks really nice! Slight issue is that we have a pitched roof on the new side infilled area. Unfortunately planning constraints mean that the height at the wall will be 2.6m falling to just 2m. I know the velux windows are recessed into the roof but if we have tall units on that side it might block out the light, how high are the units? Having a 450mm unit in that corner would be practical but I think it would look a little odd if we had 600mm units next to it. Perhaps 450mm either end with 3 600mm in the middle would look ok? @Mark Bassage @kwg kwg Thanks. Take on board the hob suggestion from everyone. Seems sensible to have it on the other side. The oven/microwave is a tricky one, if we go with the peninsula design unless we have them under the counter then the only space would be just on the left as you enter. That's practical, but we're slightly concerned this ruins the nice open feel you would get to the left as you enter. @i-architect that is something i'd considered, first impression from the company is that it would be possible but i'm not sure why. I'll check with the builders. It would make access to the under stair cupboard a little trickier but might be more practical to make the most of the kitchen space...See MorePlanning for kitchen extension help please ? Area use help / design
Comments (3)Hi, I am a lighting designer if you need help designing a scheme and specifying fittings. Kind regards, Katie...See MoreHelp... I need some help with the layouts for an open plan extension
Comments (11)Its hard to give a full breakdown of options without studying the full plans, your requirements and budgets. This is something you need to do with your chosen Architect. However, there are many options for adding windows and ways of making light bounce around the house, but if your architect has said you can't add more glazing you should ask why. I would suggest it is because it will start to impact the thermal efficiency of your house. North facing windows get no solar gain so by adding too much you could end up with a house that is difficult to keep warm especially if your house is older. You could upgarde to super energy effiecient glazing but of course that will come at a cost. Having looked at your existing plans it looks like your house has already had extensive work done. Unfortunately it doesn't appear like an architect was involved. A lot of the cost of your renovation will be in correcting previous mistakes and even then you will end up with columns in ever room unless you are willing to pay to have that corrected too. The cost could make the option of moving more viable? Did the previous owners also extend upstairs?...See More
PROOnePlan
7 years ago- PRO
User
7 years ago Jonathan
7 years agoR countryside
7 years ago
PROCrabtree & Hargreeves Bespoke Interiors
7 years agoHi R
Why dont you make that one open space we recently compleated a projecst in upminster and Hutton Mount with a similar size spaces to yours with the exception of the where they had one large open space this i think would work better giving you more options and that feeeling of space when you walk in, and with the addition of large bifold doors this would really open up the rear of the house. The thing is with divided rooms you dramatically cut down room size and once the cabinets are in the room could fill a bit cramped, another factor is that if you do come to sell your house in the future people are looking more the open plan look Attached are some examples of projects with large open spaces. Also last picture shows another project with a space exactly the same size as yours with the exception of the bay window where sink is and small dining area to the rear, also the CAD for the room where you can see the layout for the kitchen.
minnie101
7 years ago- PRO
Crabtree & Hargreeves Bespoke Interiors
7 years ago minnie101
7 years agoR countryside
7 years agoJonathan
7 years ago- PRO
Crabtree & Hargreeves Bespoke Interiors
7 years ago - PRO
User
7 years ago - PRO
OnePlan
7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago minnie101
7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago- PRO
User
7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago 
honeypoppet
7 years agoR countryside
7 years ago- PRO
OnePlan
7 years ago 
PRONicola Scannell Design and Property
7 years ago
OnePlan