there is just the two of us, we would use the space to watch tv, eat and read, obviously the kitchen to cook, we love to cook and like to spend time together. Off the existing lounge is a conservatory where we spend most of our time as we like the airy feel it offers. There is a window in the back wall along from the patio doors and at the front for the kitchen. Thank you

Jonathan, I really like your idea. I think you are right about the structural wall. But the wall behind the little toilet is a stud wall! The east window in the hall allows in natural light so I think I should keep it. Building on your idea, how about this version? In this scenario, we re-instate the south facing bedroom door so that there is one less door on the east side. As per Jonathan's idea, we create a shower room from the bedroom in the north-east corner. Does it flow? Dear Houzzers, please share your wisdom . :) Where is the best place for the shower room door: where it is now or in the little corridor? Will you feel claustrophobic in the corridor because it is just over 90cm wide and has walls on both sides? What is the ideal side of that shower room? If take out 1.5m from the bedroom, I get a 2.5 x 2.5m square bedroom/study and a 2.3 x 1.5m shower room. Will these sizes work for shower room and study/bedroom? Thanks a million.

Following on from J's comment about the extractor, if you have the budget and prefer open plan, you should install an external duct extractor... How about installing a sleek glass/top quality wood sliding doors in the partition so you can choose whether to open out the layout or not? The design you choose might be influenced by where your dining table will go. In the kitchen, or in the bedroom that adjoins the lounge (ie creating a full dining room) , or in the lounge? Or, maybe you don't use a dining table... If you are going to carry out expensive work, you need to be sure about how you're going to use the spaces. Once you've knocked through two rooms you've effectively lost a room, but I can understand that if the lounge and kitchen are very small then joining them up would give a very helpful sense of greater space.

Thanks but we're not going to fully renovate the garage, it will still be pretty 'garage-like' inside hence why it will be the gym. (Financial reasons) Plus I want the open plan kitchen/living, it's always been my dream!