Hi there! Above is your ideal layout, and, I can't see what you currently have. However, I'd say that in a small space a range and an american fridge freezer are not the wisest choices as they are both to the detriment of counter top space. Thus, and i understand the chef bit, you may be able to have the range, but the american fridge freezer has to go.

This is what you'd like / have:-

Thus you have storage and counter top space.

Hi,

PRO

Man About The House - The DIY & Odd Job Handyman,

Thank you for suggesting the layout as above, It looks like a very good workable space. Below I have attached the layout as it is now, the reception room will become the kitchen so this doesn't have anything in it at the moment. The current kitchen will be utilised as a utility room and will then be knocked down and replaced with a longer extension.

The kitchen will be going to the left of the kitchen where the current bay window is as this will be knocked down and replaced with a large window to put the sink and countertops beneath. So, I'm not sure whether your layout would work because the table and chairs would be length ways down the new dining room/ extension in a few years.

Ignore dimensions on the below image, we had it when buying the house but they are all wrong for some odd reason. They also take into consideration chimney breasts and bay window (which are being removed).

With the first proof and no other rooms for orientation, i think it was difficult to understand the layout. It's always better to look at the whole house. Then you can start to make amendments that make more sense.

In the end I disagreed with the need for a costly extension. The thing that's lacking from the downstairs is a loo!

I then turned the kitchen in to a utility room and
downstairs toilet. Plenty of room for units with washing machine and tumble
dryer underneath, shelves above etc.

I think the kitchen / Diner will be plenty big enough as is,
without the need for a further extension, although, you could add an extension
at a later date if you wanted. However, I personally feel that you still need a
downstairs loo and utility above extra space for dining / sitting.

You could also amend the downstairs living room at the front
further as another thought. If you have room to build a porch that would be
great, but i'd still knock the wall down between the hall and the living room
and open it out into one big room. You can put a Linen Cupboard in for coats
and shoes if you wish. It would make the room very large and spacious.

Plan with hall wall down.

If you wish to add an extension at a later date you will need to remember that you can't have the sink the width above, as you need to leave enough room at the end of it to get in to the extension. So it will have to be shortened.

With extension added as an extra chill out area for you and
guest looking on to garden with bi-fold doors and half wall to the kitchen
area:-

Houzz doesn't seem to want to load pics today, i'll try again later!!!

Man About The House - The DIY & Odd Job Handyman

I agree with your comments on not adding the plan of the entire house. Its always difficult to see without the full plan but the estate agents that created it made all the measurements wrong which was annoying!

I can't see any of your pictures but they all sound very useful! I had never thought about knocking the wall down between hall and living room but thats because of where the stairs are.

The 'store' in the hall is much bigger than it looks and we will be putting a loo and sink in there. Plumber will be putting the plumbing in ready but we will use it as a mud room until we can afford to do it all properly. Once the loo is in, we will put a porch on the front which will become the entry/mud room. Next door have done a beautiful job of theirs! I've attached a picture of our porch, it's a bit bigger than in the picture shown as I couldn't fit it in without going into a muddy grass area.

I've also attached a picture of the location of the stairs.

Got there in the end above!

I still can't see them, they are showing as white boxed with blue question marks?

I've been struggling to load pics this weekend too :) I was just wondering if you'd considered accessing the storage under the stairs from the living room rather than the kitchen? If you changed the entrance door to the kitchen to be next to the store then it might give you a lot more space to play with?

Excuse the quality and clearly not to scale but would this give you more room? Keep the bay and put in a window seat. I think you'd then have a few options. I think an island just about fits. You could go for a long dining table at worktop height for working and dining. Or a short island with a round table at the end of the island. Or a short island with a banquette/bench and table against the chimney?

I can't see minnie's pic now, i think it's a houzz thing! i've tried 3 different browsers and they all load the pics, then when you return to the post they've gone. Will try later!

I've seen a few people having issues :) The layout was effectively an L shape starting from the bay (not sure re measurements there though) and running to the new kitchen door position with a table/island down the middle.

Have been able to upload pics and make them stick now - Hooray.

Having got all the info with regard future layout. I would say:-

If you're thinking of having a downstairs loo / uitility area at some point, hang fire with the plumber and the placement of the toilet etc in the Hallway. If you place it there, you can't move the door, it will impede the layout of the kitchen. I think both the utility and the downstairs loo can be better placed, possibly at the back of the new kitchen, and the whole thing re-worked when an extension is done. However, I think it leads to a whole lot of dead space:-

Or, preferably to do as first suggested above and then extend.

In fact, i've sat with this on and off all day and am pretty much convinced having tried all sorts, that the layout with the utility and downstairs loo garden side is best.

You could also do what Miinnie says with the storage under the stairs. You need the ideal layout for the kitchen, it's a big ticket item and needs very careful planning.

It's grand to have plans, but doing little and often is sometimes not half as waiting until you can do it once and better.