Dear James, You have a great feature there with your fireplace and wood burner. I really like the exposed brickwork, and the way this feature within your space flows through from the fireplace, stairs and in your kitchen/ dining & breakfast room. This is a really good focal point for your space in setting a theme. The larger shelf that sweeps round that you currently have an armchair in front of can ideally be removed with the unit under it also being taken out. This would open the area near the stairs; allowing you space to move through into the centre area easily. Opening the stairs themselves will allow light to flood through, this will greatly improve the access you have to natural light. Try to go with a unified neutral tone that reflects the natural light in the day, I'm not saying brilliant white here, a warm cream, with a sandy undertone, one that ties in with the beautiful wood surfaces in your kitchen. Consider spotlights that positioned correctly will illuminate key focal points in the evening to create an atmosphere, and highlight the textures and features of the space. Mirrors are brilliant pieces for reflecting light and creating the feel of more space, and positioned right can help the flow through your space. Use accessories to define your zones such as seating area and kitchen. experiment with pattern and colour to create your theme. I hope these simple but effective tips help to give you a start on your ideas for your space. We are here if you would like to discuss any of these further, please don't hesitate to contact us. Kind Regards Michael Jhala Designs

Yes, Karen makes a really good point there and as you get closer to deciding exactly what layout you'd want in the kitchen it's the practicalities like that - something we look at in detail with our clients. One of the reasons a lot of people choose to use a designer rather than a kitchen company is because we can sit down together and really chat through what matters to you in the space, how you use it, who'll use it and all the individual stuff that will make sure it's 100% bespoke to you - like the styling and flow between your rooms. There are plenty of independent kitchen designers like Karen (I think there are a couple of others on here too) who will be able to help you come up with a great layout. I guess one of the things to consider is if you just need the practicalities of a good space layout or if you want the layout (with 3D pics and videos to help you visualise the space) but also the design element and finishing of the design with lighting, colours and soft furnishings and all the things that turn a space from just being super practical, to super stylish too. The other thing I thing I mentioned before is that a good designer will also pass on their trade discount, so I know for a lot of my clients once I've passed that on, it makes the fee even less. Really don't be worried about how much you've got to spend- they key is making the most of it . Best wishes, Gina

That's some nice ideas, thank you all! I'm especially liking Jonathan's repositioning of sofa and L-shaped kitchen. An additional question: how do i deal with tall cabinets in the L-shaped option? there will be some pipes running in left upper corner, so that might be the best place to put them, but tall corner cabinets are a bit of a space waste, i feel, don't you agree? @strawberry47 good thinking, still need to put some thought into that. Keen on having a built in oven that's place higher up, but need to find a good spot for it. If that doesn't work out, the standard below stove oven will do just fine.

Hi Louise, I have come across this issue quite a lot on my travels. The main issue is that the best way of designing the room is to get a sketch done or a 3D visual of the room before you start so you can see all aspects, the light quality etc... This way details like your ceiling will be highlighted at the design stage. Apologies, easy to mention this in retrospect. If you do another project I would be happy to offer an illustration service for you. www.3dinteriorillustration.co.uk The answer to the problem at this stage depends a lot on the style of the finished room. If its modern I would always suggest using the beams as they are as a feature, boxing them in can look a little heavy sometimes. Spend a little time and money preparing the surface and paint them gloss white, they will look very architectural and can addd to the overall aesthetic.This is a project I did in Australia, the beams are used externally but the same principle applies. We decided to expose theme, spay them gloss white and make a feature of them. Hope this helps and good luck with the project. Martin