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Design Dilemma Exteriors Kitchens

Floorplan/layout help - kitchen/dinner/familiy room

catherineanns100

5 years ago

Hi

We're in the process of finalising our bungalow extension/ reconfiguration plans and I'm posting to see what people think/get some advise. This is the 2nd set of plans we have done as we were originally going to raise the roof and add a 2nd story but the planning department were opposed to it and it was proving very costly so this single story option is a comprise to give us what we would like without making such major structural changes.

Our main requirements are to add a fourth bedroom (keeping the bedrooms to one end of the property), add a separate study (we both work from home occasionally), add an ensuite and create a big kitchen/dinning/family space and add a utility. We have two small children. We think we have a plan we're happy with (see photo) but welcome any thoughts - we're particular struggling with the kitchen/dinner/family space and if this works. This is an extension into the current car port and to the rear. It is a large space 5468m wide and 9522m long but I'm struggling on layout. We would like a kitchen area, dinning area and sofa TV area - I was thinking we would have them one then the other as its not wide enough to have side by side. I can't see where we would have the TV if we have the corner bi folds but these work for the patio area. We can still amend the layout - I was wondering whether it is too big and to make the garage a foot or two wider. The current roof on the carport and garage is flat - our planner has drawn us a flat roof option (which he favours), pitch at the front and flat at the back and a full pitch option. We prefer the pitched we think.

I've also attached the current floor plan.

Any help, thoughts would be much appreciated.

Comments (4)

PRO
Lime Showrooms Ltd.
5 years ago
Hi Catherine, please feel free to give us a call 0208 335 1818 - Space Planning is something that we specialise in - we are based in Surbiton, Surrey. Kind regards Laura
catherineanns100 thanked Lime Showrooms Ltd.
Jonathan
5 years ago
I think if you want a kitchen/ family room that is easy to lay out an L-shape is easier. If you want a pitched roof on the rear extension it needs to attach to a higher roof which in turn means you have to build the garage forward.
Personally I would want to make the front door more prominent by making the roof gable over it wider and adding a bay window to make the smallest bedroom a shade bigger. I would also add a dressing room to the main bedroom so there is more storage.
I enclose one idea which has a slightly smaller extension at the back to help make up for the garage coming forward.
But there are lots of ways this could be laid out- it might be worth consulting someone who specialises in design.
catherineanns100 thanked Jonathan
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Hi, It's a decent plan overall, maybe shuffle the kitchen around a bit, it seems a bit small to me and the layout is not perfect. Try rotating the island, see how that works for you. Also maybe use as much as you can for worktops and storage, especially that you want to use part of it for access Annex - Bed right next to utility is an arguable solution. Also there's no window nor natural light or ventilation to the bedroom. Good effort but try to play a bit with these, see how it goes. My humble opinion as a pro.
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PRO
i-architect
5 years ago
Hi. It looks like you're getting there.

To make the layout really work well for you, you need to consider your typical movement patterns and the type of furniture you want in there and how you plan to spend time in the space. One way to do that is to cut out to-scale pieces of paper for each item of furniture that you will have and then rearrange them in the space. Then think about how you're likely to move from one thing to another and draw the lines in that show that movement - for example if you're putting dinner on the table how would you move from cooker to table. You want your movement routes to have no obstacles in the way.

If you want a TV in there then you will probably want a wall for it to go on, if you don't want a TV then perhaps you want a group seating area as well as a dining table.

Think through different times of the day and how you're likely to use the space - breakfast, weekend lunchtimes, big family gatherings, daily dinners, relaxing after dinner, different types of entertaining, etc...

If you're planning to live there when your little ones are teenagers as well, then you might also want to consider what it will be like having teenagers in the house and if that's likely to change the way you'll want to use the space. If you're thinking long term then make sure the layout is going to work as your family grows and changes.

I have a free checklist with support emails to help with getting your project off to a good start and making the right decisions for you. You can get a copy of that from my website: www.i-architect.co.uk
catherineanns100 thanked i-architect
catherineanns100
Original Author
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Hi

Thank you all for your help/advice.

Jonathan - thanks for drawing us a plan option. Ideally we would have an L shape kitchen/diner/lounge but we would like the utility at the back of the house and keep a separate toilet - (I always call it the downstairs loo but we have no stairs!!) basically so people don't have to use our main bathroom. So don't think we can do it. We like your ideas for the master bedroom storage and bathroom and layout and see you've moved the study door which is great.

The elevation drawings I posted were when we were planning a rear extension the bedroom end - we moved this to the front and feel it works better. This means we'll have a gable roof over this extension and are thinking of having a brick porch with a gable room to balance it out. We think a pitch roof for the kitchen/garage with a flat roof at the rear maybe the best option now and less dominating.

Thanks I-architect. We'll check out your checklist. We have been trying to pace out the space. My other half really wants a TV comfy sofa area for him and the kids, I'm less bothered. We think we'll spend most of our time in this room as a family and with friends whereas our lounge is our sanctuary.

We agree with you all that it may be best to enlist the help of a pro kitchen designer, space planner that can give us a few options. We naively didn't realise concept planners/designer existed and have gone around the houses a lot already. All a leaning curve. We really can't wait to get it done - we've been living in the bungalow as it is for 5 years and although perfectly liveable - its in desperate need of updating.

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