Layout suggestions for our seaside cottage?
This is the little cottage by the sea we're about to buy (fingers crossed)!
We are on quite a tight budget but have lots of decorating ideas (current favourite Houzz photo: https://www.houzz.co.uk/photos/somerset-cottage-country-dining-room-cornwall-phvw-vp~12899813).
BUT we are stumped by the back end of the downstairs: ideally we'd do a double-height side return, add a new room upstairs, separate the kitchen/bathroom... yada yada. But there is no budget for even a single-height extension any time soon/ever. But, redecorated, we know we can make it all look lovely, but the bathroom, as in all similar old cottages, is off the kitchen. Not ideal. Would like to change this. On our tiny budget. We've thought of:
a) Turning the dining area into the kitchen - but the staircase is off this room, and so we'd need a fire door at the base of the stairs I think?
b) If we do that, then what would we do to make the most of the space that was the kitchen? Expanding the bathroom is the obvious option, and there would then be room for a tiny utility space - it would also work as a sandwich between new kitchen and enlarged bathroom - but would that work? Is it the best use of space?
c) How would we best lay out a kitchen in the dining space without losing the fireplace and still having a cosy antique wooden dining table? The kitchen can be TINY. We will mainly use it at weekends, so don't need much, but we do like cooking...
Comments (15)
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Home layout dilema after plans approved for extension into barn
Comments (28)Hi Minnie, Thanks for this. You've had some serious thought into my predicament. There is a scale on the drawing but for you its approx 12m x 5.8 (external of the barn unit excluding 'link) but walls are quite thick. I do like your idea and think modern living, which i like tends to focus round a kitchen dining living space which doing what you say would achieve. I think I'm going to have to sketch up your ideas too and see which would practically be the better choice. We've probably spent most of our time obsessing over a really nice master, when actually you spend little time in it... well little time awake. so does it need to be so big. Id hoped to actually create a similar kitchen dining experience by removing the wall between the kitchen and living room to crate a bigger room. This would enable a small island and allow space for a dining table in the current front room and replacing the windows on the kitchen facing the garden with a more modern 'letterbox' picture postcard window to draw in the view. It was also my concern that creating this kitchen / dining in the barn would negate the need to use the original house as all family time would realistically be spend on the ground foor of the barn / bedrooms above. For what essentially is a compromise to what we had originally submitted to planning, i don't want to create anything that means the house becomes the subordinate or poorer relation to the new. It should flow and be part of the whole. I think if we went with the kitchen in barn (as awesome as it would be) wed just may as well not build the link and make a separate house minus your boot room of course. This would maximise our investment but I'm not a developer, Money is not the driver....See MoreNo room for a cooker hood - any suggestions?
Comments (33)Wow your ceiling must be really, really low then ? Most extractors have to have a gap between 650mm to 760mm between the bottom of them and the hob part of the cooker - so in your case the lid should have clearance even if set at standard height, even if it’s an over depth appliance. What height is the ceiling ? Is the cooker going right into the corner ? Might be useful to have it 150mm from the corner,so you have a small clearance for pan handles on the left. If you’d like me to look over your plan to safety check it - I’ll happily do that for free - just email me if you don’t want to post it publicly on here....See MoreDownstairs design layout
Comments (22)Hi Vicky. Thanks for your reply. What would work best for you is to create a 'hub' area within the largest rooms, as this is where you'll be spending most of your time. With a small reconfiguration - insulating the conservatory, or building into the original footprint of the conservatory (so presumably coming under permitted development) with beautiful bi-fold doors opening onto a terrace and the garden, and putting a steel beam between the existing kitchen and conservatory - you will significantly open up the space you have for a relatively small spend. It will be large and airy, and have great views from the kitchen, through the family room, to the garden - so you can keep an eye on the kids at all times! You will get all the benefit of a large, functional family space while keeping the location of your living room, dining room and back rooms as they are. The new kitchen/family room along with the living room becoming a 'grown-up' snug space, and the back rooms being functional - storage, utility, WC (all running off the kitchen utilities) would work very well for a young family. What an exciting project!...See MoreRadiator suggestions, efficient but not bog standard...?
Comments (5)Hi Alexandra, we don't work on commission here at Feature Radiators, we have a massive showroom so have seen all our products "in the flesh" and we have a comprehensive range. http://www.featureradiators.co.uk/ Are you wanting a traditional style? If so, people often opt for cast iron radiators which are the most authentic choice and they give a good heat output, but cast iron is obviously heavy, so I would instead consider aluminium or mild steel options such as our Core or Tetro if weight is an issue. Hudevad is also a good suggestion (we are one of their retailers) as their products are very minimalist so blend in to the walls of period properties. The image below is of a Hudevad Plan radiator in a customer's cottage hallway. Also, have you definitely decided to switch to a piped central heating system? As we do offer a range of stylish electric radiators that are great for replacing storage heaters. http://www.featureradiators.co.uk/Electric.htm Feel free to give me a call on 01274 515734 if you want some advice....See More- 9 years agolast modified: 9 years ago
- 9 years ago
- 9 years ago
9 years agoThanks Kate. I was very against having the kitchen leading into the bathroom. Unifying the living/dining/kitchen meant we could overlap the spaces and also gain on better sight lines. Loosing the chimney wasnt overly expensive but what you gain on floorspace made up for it. Dont forget you also gain space in the rear bedroom so furniture is easier to place up their too. The central wall was a spine wall so we put in a steel envelope. We also supported the chimney in the roof space, again with steels. All building control approved. There is no door on the stairs - i also glazed the spindles to allow light through and ran up a stair-rope, giving the coastal feel. Attaching some more pics/plans. The cottage is still snug. Good luck Kate!
Kate Burt thanked chief_brody- 9 years ago
- 9 years ago
Thanks. Unfortunately we sold it. I'm now onto a bigger project... this one needs a bit more work. An old boarding school.
- 9 years ago
chief_brody