Finalizing our extension layout - last thoughts please?

5 years ago

Before work starts, I'm just going over our final layout to make sure I have thought about everything. (

**PLEASE NOTE:- the allocated rooms are staying where they are so I'm not moving the lounge/kitchen etc from their current position)

I've added back in half of the old bathroom we were knocking down (to the right of the new bathroom on the far left of the pic) to give us just over 2ft slither of storage space which would give us a coatroom nook from the hallway, bar area in the lounge (oh yes!) and extra space for either a freestanding Fridge/Freezer or storage for the hoover/brushes or extra pantry room in the kitchen side).

As I've taken the space from the lounge, I hope the remaining 14' x 12' area will be enough for seating?? It can expand of course as plenty of space to move seating back into the dining area. ...

- Only other query are the bi-folds across the back....

ie the traffic door will be by the kitchen so easier to take bins out around the back (which will be to the left of the kitchen) but I'm just wondering if they are wide enough?? The space is 8m across and the doors really need to be central so when you enter the room you can see the garden and it gives light into the living area. However I'd only planned for a 3m set of doors due to cost but should the traffic door really be set between the rear units and the kitchen island???

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Tani H-S
Original Author

4 years ago

Oh and one last one of the bifolds. Forget to take one yesterday when it was sunny so it’s a bit drab here so hasn’t come out that way on my phone :0/

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Comments (75)

Tani H-S
Original Author
5 years ago
So our current dining table is 5’ x3’ and that would seat 6 if we needed it to. (4 central and one either end)
Just not sure if would fit in the middle of the room by the kitchen and leave enough space for a reading nook at the far end or if it’s definately better right up against the far end wall

Would have made the room shorter but then we wouldn’t have the utility sink area access so we left it as it was.

Yes the karndean’s parquet are small planks apparently so take a long time to fit
Tani H-S
Original Author
5 years ago
Oh no! what have I done! LOL. only had another idea (after 7 months of messing around with the rooms!!! urgh) and thought .. well if we have all this spare central room space, what about sticking the utility room behind the kitchen.... can have a large window and door to the outside there as originally planned.

With the size of the kitchen it would mean it leaves around 11' of space for the dining table in the far corner. (That's with a utility room of around 1.6-1.8m depth)

Was thinking that it's very long so the last metre we could use as a walk in larger from the kitchen that looks like a standard cupboard from the outside but has bi fold doors to a deep cupboard. (not shown on the drawing).

It also means a larger bathroom so we could carve some hall space from this perhaps and the original larger lounge again.

But I don't know if this will be very cramped and hard to walk through the kitchen to get outside into the garden with all the stuff in the way???? What do you guys think??
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Hello and thanks for your prompt reply. The drawings provided show that the support beams are 203mm depth and therefore they will be too big to sit inside the ceiling void. As the weight per linear m is 23Kg as detailed on the drawings it may be worth asking the engineer to reduce the depth and and increase the weight so the beam can be inserted into the ceiling void. I note that there is also a couple of posts in the stud wall and these could be upgraded if necessary. I do not make these suggestions lightly. The main benefit of inserting the beam inside the ceiling is the removal of the shadow cast on the ceiling. The return nibs on either end could be cut back and if needed posts could be fixed direct to the brickwork to provide vertical support. There may need to be a spreader plate welded to the bottom of the post in order to mitigate the point load on the foundation. Obviously this is more of a structural design issue. Is there a good reason for not centring the bifold doors to the external wall? You have so much height on the flat roof why not put a warm deck roof on instead of a cold deck with in cross ventilation? Can I also suggest a warm pitched roof too. You may find Web Dynamics TLX Goldto be a very useful form of insulation as you will only need about 75mm of PIR insulation in between the rafters. I've never been fortunate enough to meet a building control officer willing to accept a heavy duty Catnic lintel over a 4M bifold door. I thought the under stairs might be the position of the meters. I would consider relocating these to an outside wall. Then turn the WC through 90 degrees and design it under the stairs. If I was planning a kitchen diner extension with a beautiful bi-fold door looking out into the rear garden would try and create a direct flow from front of house to the back. I would move the utility room into the middle of the house to provide a direct line of sight from the front door to the rear garden. GD3 would provide access into the utility room. I'd consider moving the door along the living room wall so it could open into the hallway. This would allow a 950mm wide fully glazed door to be placed between the hallway and the kitchen diner. With regard to the position of the new extension wall which is adjacent to your adjoining neighbour I suggest that you look up the party wall act 1996 booklet online here - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/523010/Party_Wall_etc__Act_1996_-_Explanatory_Booklet.pdf The part that is of interest is "Line of junction - building astride the boundary". If you build across the boundary you should gain at least 150mm of additional internal floor space along the length of the outside wall. Also if in the future your neighbour decides to build an extension they can utilise your wall for if they pay half of the cost of its construction. I'm sure you know that you are responsible for paying all of the costs from all sides relating to the party wall agreement. If the neighbour on the other side is within 3/6m then you will need an agreement with them as well. The architects drawing indicates that the drain is not adopted or shared and therefore you will not require a build over agreement with the water authority. Best wishes Andrew
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A B
5 years ago
It feels a little cramped to me compared to the previous layout. But understand completely the sudden ideas that keep coming even after you’ve fully decided!
PRO
Hampstead Design Hub
5 years ago
Looks fabulous!
Tani H-S
Original Author
5 years ago
@Jen - yes I see what you mean. Was just something I hadn't even thought about but I will stop re-designing now and just concentrate on trying to work out the window situation, haha
Jonathan
5 years ago
I think you can drive yourself mad looking at these things so at some point you have to bite the bullet and resolve yourself to it being the best thing for you.
However no artillery has been eaten yet so I offer an alternative should you want to better use the secret garden at the side (which looks lovely btw)
Tani H-S
Original Author
5 years ago
@Jonathan I know, it’s driving me crazy worrying about missing something out and not making the most of the rooms. Ha ha.

Thanks for the redesign but I have to keep the supporting wall in between the bathroom & lounge as we have a room upstairs spanning the whole floor. Also the bathroom needs to stay where it is because I have two downstairs bedrooms the other side so that bathroom serves those. It’s a pain but nowhere else to move it!
Also again - chimney in the lounge has to stay as joining next doors

Next time I’m getting a blinking detached house again! LOL.

The side garden won’t look like that once we renovate the granny flat as we will have fencing around it now for privacy, so might not be left with much space except for bin storage!!
LTS
5 years ago
Hi Tani it is looking amazing. Are you having 3 or 4 door configuration bifolds? We have 4 door Origin bifolds but unfortunately the supplier didn’t suggest a restrictor so our traffic door is already scuffed where it has touched the corner of the house bricks. Good luck with it all :)
Tani H-S
Original Author
5 years ago
I've seen a pic on here where they have put the dining table right under the island. So it's a cross between a formal dining space and breakfast bar...

We liked the idea of having some informal seating in the extension where we can chill out and read/have coffee whilst having a garden view - whereas the formal lounge at the back would be used for evening T.V watching.

Do you think this would work in our space or still feel too cramped? I know it's nice to have some empty floor space for dancing (ha ha) but it's an option I will put to my OH if you think it would work. Bit like this one...

Or do you think it looks odd.
Contemporary Kitchen · More Info
minnie101
5 years ago
I think you've got the space but I think it would work better with a thin island as shown. It means you're losing potential cupboard space though and also bar stools which I thought you were keen on?
Tani H-S
Original Author
5 years ago
Yes the OH is keen on them but if the table was right there then I wonder if it would have the same effect? He’s also keen on a sofa in that end of the room as well so he will have to decide what is more important

We have the island at present at 1.2m but no back units as I don’t think we will really need them.
With the sink and dishwasher being in the utility room (have made that 120cm now ) we will have a 2.4island and 4.2 worth of cupboards across the back. Also got the option to add loads of wall cupboards if we really need more storage.

Obviously if we didn’t have stools then we could cut the island down to say 900.

Only thinking about it know as trying to plan the lighting and rooflights and ceiling infra heater positions zzzz
Ribena Drinker
5 years ago
Have you thought about having the table at right angles to the island? I don't know how weird that would be, but I think it would avoid having everything crammed into the kitchen bit if you''re keen on linking the table with the island in some way.

You could still have handle less cupboards on the "table" side to give you your extra storage.

I think having some informal seating may be too cluttered, but you could fill that end of the room with some sort of storage unit or cupboards - I don't know how fashionable sideboards are these days - but it would certainly give you more storage.
Tani H-S
Original Author
5 years ago
Do you mean like a T shape?
Yes thought about that but it would take up more space length wise really.

I would only be putting the table by the island to give us a reading nook where the table is on my plan but if we can’t fit it in then will just stick to our original plan.

We don’t need to have such a large table to b honest so it might be that we have a smaller 4 seater one for us and out some tub chairs/coffee table in the space as well.
At most it’s only my parents who come over for dinner and there is only two of us living in the house
Emily
5 years ago
Can’t help but think less is more here. I think the dining table will be a nice place to enjoy the sun if you get either a couple of comfortable dining chairs or a comfortable upholstered dining bench? And actually I think 1.2m deep island is too deep. You don’t need 60cm knee depth for bar stools and you can’t wipe that deep. It would irritate me to have to go to both sides to clean island top which you do umpteen times a day I think?? Maybe try out some mock up islands for depth to see the dimensions you need/prefer?
Ribena Drinker
5 years ago
Yes, a T shape. I quite like your original plan of having a separate table.
Tani H-S
Original Author
5 years ago
@Emily the island might have shrunk now we removed the rear units so I will need to double check the size. Yes 600 is a lot of space and I’m sure it got reduced as the top will be quartz so will need some extra support otherwise! It must be 900 now
Ribena Drinker
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
The overhang of our island for stools is 40cms, which seems quite adequate knee wise. But more crucially, it's really at the top end of the limit for an unsupported overhang in Corian and I think the same would apply for most worktops materials.
Tani H-S
Original Author
5 years ago
Ok thank you. I will check that with him then
minnie101
5 years ago
I agree with Emily re a banquette seat, it would work with the more glam look you wanted for the dining area too. Are you definitely sure re dishwasher location? When open that leaves just a foot for you to stand behind to load/unload ( I think from memory!). Where will the bin go?
Ellie
5 years ago
To me, one of the main reasons for the large doors is to be seated and look out the doors, but looks like you might not actually be able to do that while seated at the table or island?
minnie101
5 years ago
Tani, I meant to say to you earlier on the post you created today re rooflights the doors show at 4m (?) rather than 6m
Tani H-S
Original Author
5 years ago
It was an old pic @Minnie - sorry. I need to send myself the updated version

But the bifolds we will have are kitchen to dining area full width so sitting at the island or dining table we will see out over the whole garden.
Done so many posts and pics now that I’m totally confusing everyone
Tani H-S
Original Author
5 years ago
love that type of seating!

I do want really comfy padded seats for the dining table and not the ones we have in our picture as they are NOT comfy at all (the black ones!)
Tani H-S
Original Author
5 years ago
@Minnie. No the dishwasher isn’t a definate there ... I thought it would be ok but yeah, didn’t think about the space behind it LOL.

I will have to put it on the back next to the boiler side.
Tani H-S
Original Author
5 years ago
Ps not thought about bins yet either omg.
Was going to have a pull out one somewhere by the single back sink or in the island for when I’m cutting veg etc.
Juliet Docherty
5 years ago
Make space for somewhere to put all of your recycling (such as an empty space under sink in utility). It's amazing how much there is. All looking very lovely.
Tani H-S
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you. Was hoping to have the recycling under the sink but I’m just starting to work on the kitchen plan now so I can finalise the layout with the kitchen people. Hoping they will advise me on what’s wrong with it, ha ha
Tani H-S
Original Author
4 years ago
Well, I thought I would finally update this thread for anyone else struggling with the layout. It’s taken a long time and I do have a few possible regrets now it’s done. Not massive ones but I think I could have used the space better had I had some idea of how large it would actually be. (Doh!)

Will upload some images.

MAIN REGRETS:
1. traffic door on bifolds should be the other way around ie opening left to right.
2. wish we had put a log burner in the extension part as I wanted to - meaning we could have left the old bathroom (used it as a utility) and kept that area a dining space. Then the current small bathroom and small utility could have been one larger bathroom and cloakroom! Plus it would have saved us £2k from knocking a wall down.
  The darker cosy space is nice though at night for sitting in so ...
3. there would have been space to put a small office where the kitchen is and pull the kitchen forward so I could work in a light filled room as now, with my office in one of the back north facing bedrooms (brrr) I end up working on the dining table so it’s constantly messy, ha ha. I like watching the birds in the garden as well as opposed to the street.
Guess it all looked smaller on the mock up so it was hard to know.

THINGS I LIKE:
1. glad we went with full bifolds as they just let so much light and heat in which is great for colder months. In the days here I’ve not been cold (in fact it’s the warmest part of the house!!) and only put the log burner on when it’s cold at night as no radiators fitted yet.
2. love my dark walls and kitchen as it adds some much needed drama to what would have been a bland room. Love the colour (not so much the beading on the doors as it catches all the dust, ha ha)
3. SO glad we had LVT put in as it’s just so easy to live with and warm underfoot. Especially with dogs in the house
So there you go.

Still lots to finish ie some lighting and skirting/paint utility door and I have to finish the day seating area off with some throws and tropical cushions and sort out the prints on the wall as they aren’t in their proper places yet.
Brick wall needs lights putting on and of course we still need to get a load of shelving on the kitchen wall for glasses etc.
Ellie
4 years ago
I really like posts like this! From what I remember it is a great space and I do love the dark kitchen with dark wall!!

Can you upload some recent pics? I am still trying to decide on lighting!
Tani H-S
Original Author
4 years ago
Some of the kitchen area - taken with my phone so not the best photos!
Tani H-S
Original Author
4 years ago
Some of the living and dining areas
Tani H-S
Original Author
4 years ago
Better one, lol
Tani H-S
Original Author
4 years ago
Garden view. Still a work in progress though
Tani H-S
Original Author
4 years ago
Oh and re the kitchen - I did put the dishwasher next to the sink and @Minnie - I have a whole pull out drawer for a large bin & 2 recycling bins. Best thing ever, ha ha
Ellie
4 years ago
Major house envy!! Love your stools, where did you get them?

We have just fitted lvt too, do you have little pads under stools/furniture?
minnie101
4 years ago
Wow Tani, it's looking fab, so much character and personality ! I love all the plants. Is that a banana leaf in the top right corner? Can I ask where you got it from and is it easy to keep? I was literally about to order a kentia palm but considering I've killed one huge one already and about to kill another maybe I should try something else :)

It's a shame you've got a few regrets but lots you love too. Are you still planning on the studio in the garden for work?

it's nice to see a few old faces from the last house too but such a different look!

Glad the bins worked so well lol!
Tani H-S
Original Author
4 years ago
@ellie - the stools were from Dunelm and I love them. Cheap as well! . They have rubber fixings on the bottoms to protect the floor. The dining table is on a rug and I will put pads on the little sofa but only just bought it.
Tani H-S
Original Author
4 years ago
@Minnie - yes it’s a banana plant I believe. I bought the 2 off Facebook selling group for £25 as someone had died. I’ve not even checked how to look after them properly yet - except I know they like a lot of sun so it’s an ideal spot, ha ha.
I want more plants ie hanging ones so I can feel like I’m living in a garden. ;0)

Not sure what we are doing with the garage now. It has planning permission but will probably cost us £25k to convert and we have exhausted funds. Still got the hall and bathroom to do before we think of that. Shame really.
minnie101
4 years ago
Oh that was a bargain. They'll definitely get the sun there lol! It's so hard to find big plants that don't cost a fortune.

that's a shame re the garage :( maybe in a few years though. I didn't realise the bathroom wasn't done. So is it just a shell or do you have the old fittings in there?
Victoria
4 years ago
Looking great Tani!
Tani H-S
Original Author
4 years ago
Try looking on your local selling groups and Facebook marketplace as they come up all the time. People sell then when they get too big for their hours or when they move and they can’t be bothered to take them with them, ha ha.
The new bathroom is still a shell :0(

It’s been delayed because it’s now an internal room and we have been trying to work out about putting an outside window in ie cost (around £600!) vs is it worth it because it’s easy facing with a house opposite so gets no sun. Would always have to turn the light on - plus it would be above the shower so can’t open etc. Seems a lot of hastle!
I have a separate thread on it somewhere...
But anyway, we might create an internal window into the utility and borrow the light from the kitchen?? Not perfect but it’s some natural light at least.

Will update the bathroom thread as need help with the shower anyway ;0)
minnie101
4 years ago
Good idea, I will try that!

Oh no, tricky with guests then :(

it doesn't really sound worth it if it doesn't get any light anyway, then you'd need to deal with privacy, water from the shower etc. You don't often get windows in luxury hotel bathrooms!
Gabby Wong
4 years ago
OMG I love it Tani!! It’s gorgeous! No wonder you’re so pleased with it
Carolina
4 years ago
It looks great, Tani :-)
Juliet Docherty
4 years ago
Looks great. Love how the outdoor paving connects with the dark interior walls.
Gabby Wong
4 years ago
I keep looking back at your photos Tani - it’s gorgeous! I love your finishing touches.. When we finish getting ours painted and have some furniture back in can you style it for me?? Hahaha (there is soo gonna be a post asking for help!)
rachelmidlands
4 years ago
Great work Tani :-) It’s looking fab!
Tani H-S
Original Author
4 years ago
Ha ha, I’m rubbish at styling @gabby. Still so much to do on mine still.
Might paint the art wall in that pinky plaster colour I started a thread on ages ago to warm it up as it’s a bit stark and I think it will be nice with all the green. Or just off white even to make it stand out a bit :0/

Need more plants and need to cover the dining chairs . Just realise that I have to live with it for a while before I decide what to do as I get inspiration months down the line.
Gabby Wong
4 years ago
Dont put yourself down Tani! Yes there may be other bits you want to add, however it already looks fabulous!