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

Because of the irregular shaped room I would avoid large or patterned wall tiles which will show cuts more around corners. I would choose a metro tile and paint the walls a warm but neutral colour. I do agree that pattern would be good- perhaps you could add a blind? In my opinion the layout looks good with the exception of the cabinet over the sink which looks disjointed

Hi Colette, in answer to your questions; American fridges are great if you have a family and need to refrigerate a lot of produce however they are quite bulky and tend to stand proud of the depth of the worktops and cabinets. An integrated fridge freezer may be enough in terms of storage and this will free up some space for you. The sink looks great where you have it. If you have the drainer on the left then it will give you some elbow room. Downdraft extractors are great for islands as they as so discreet. Personally I don't like large canopy extractors, they're a fairly ugly feature. The run of skinny wall units above the sink looks a little odd, especially with the one longer unit to the right. Also, the units above the fridge freezer will be very hard to access. If you can bear to lose this storage space I think it would look better without the cupboards and maybe have some bespoke shelves instead, something a little different....there's plenty of inspiration on Houzz. Happy to help again if you're stuck, I know how tricky some kitchens are to plan as there's a lot to consider. Best regards Caroline

Hi Rosey, Hope these answers help: There are plenty of different ways you could redesign the space so it would be good to get really clear on what you want to base designs on. For the drains this is not that unusual, and is likely to mean that it is a shared drain, so it's owned by your water utility company. This might be worth checking. Yes any raised external platform / patio would need planning permission and may be refused on the grounds of overlooking and reducing the neighbours privacy. I am running my Free 5 Day Get Ready to Redesign Challenge in a few weeks. You will find this useful because I created it to help people in the situation that you are in - feeling overwhelmed and not sure where to start. So if you'd like to join in that you can do that here: https://www.i-architect.co.uk/readytoredesign.html I hope this helps! Jane, i-architect.co.uk