Please Help... Needing redesign ideas.
Hello all, we need help to see how we can turn this project / layout into a better family home.
Unfortunately although our bid was accepted for the property on my previous post, we did not manage to sell our own property quick enough therefore we lost out on that property - but ever cloud has a silver lining.
The new property that we have found is
a detached built in the early 1900s.
There is enough garden space to extend at the rear (subject to planning permission) - but we are reluctant to do this (straightaway) due to the budget as the whole house already needs total renovating.... you name it, it needs doing (rewiring, plumbing, damp on exterior walls - believed from drainage issues).
The layout of the upstairs isn’t bad but the downstairs layout as it is just doesn’t work.
The lean to will have to be pulled down (see photo.
I’ve had a quick play with layout & moving the stairs and walls to create a different follow downstairs but I’ve got very little experience.
Any design suggestions/ideas is very much welcomed.
Comments (19)
Malcome A
3 years agoOr another option is to have the stairs relocated on the left hand side of the hallway.
PRORavenswood Designs
3 years agoI can imagine what a beautiful house this is.
You have rather a lot of doors and wherever you have a door, you have a corridor of movement and that tends to become wasted space. Your own idea is good apart from that one drawback I would say. There also isn't alot of storage for a house of that size.
You have a number of options actually, depending on your priorities, and I would need more information before I could plan this space in detail, but one would be to create a utility room and new loo from the current kitchen. See attached layout. This would give you a view of a range cooker with an attractive shelving arrangement as you enter the kitchen/dining room, instead of two doors. On the left you would have a run of cabinets with a plate rack and shelf in the centre. If you zoned the kitchen area from the dining area with a pony wall, you could tuck the fridge in that corner and have some kind of iron work screen to conceal it. I'm guessing it's an Arts and Crafts style house. These properties have a lot of grace and character and lend themselves to all sorts of styles. We would always advise updating with a nod to the architectural style of the property. This can be achieved in a number of ways.
I'm a stickler for storage and whilst losing that central room to laundry and storage might seem radical, it really does avoid clutter in the rest of the house. Otherwise, what do you do with your hoover, ironing board and all that stuff you don't want on display. You could create a proper laundry and utility/ boot room, leaving the kitchen area for thing you want and need in the kitchen with minimal loss of space. Hope this helps or at least sparks some further inspiration.
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Comments (16)If you really can’t face applying for permissions then get someone else to do it for you. This is one of the services an architect can do for you. As far as where you extend I think a side return makes the former dining room less light and less useable but people accept this as they are protecting often modest gardens. If your garden is sizeable I say have an internal courtyard to help bring light into the centre of your house as you don’t have to be as economical with the garden....See Morehelp needed to redesign house
Comments (8)Hi Ross, the house has great potential. You will also need to consider your budget. You can extend above the garage and if you wanted more space downstairs you could also convert the garage to a living area. I agree with Jonathon; I would move the door to the front. The external look of the house can be vastly improved by render, cladding etc; You'll need to decide on the type of look that you are after. I would suggest having a look at houzz, pinterest and architect websites for ideas. Look at your local area, what other neighbouring houses have done can provide ideas and inspiration....See MoreMalcome A
3 years ago- PRO
Ravenswood Designs
3 years ago - PRO
Ravenswood Designs
3 years ago Malcome A
3 years ago- PRO
Ravenswood Designs
3 years ago Jonathan
3 years agoI’ll bet the wall marked in red was formerly an outside wall and removing it costly. Also I’m not sure the lean too conservatory will meet building regs meaning it will have to be separated from the main house by an exterior grade door or rebuilt to be more thermal efficient.
If it were my house I would be looking to make as few sweeping changes to ensure you get the best bang for your buck
Malcome A
3 years agoYes you are right about the wall and the conservatory.
My wife isn’t keen on the idea of a project this size.
I would love to see what you would do with this project or would it be a case of, it being way too much work.
- PRO
Ravenswood Designs
3 years ago Jonathan
3 years agoFor me I think i would want the entrance to be more impressive and to avoid moving the stairs because it would require changing the upstairs layout which seems unnecessary.
I also think that making good the lean to is uneconomic and would use the money to put a kitchen extension where the current boiler room is which would also give a better view and access to the garden. Personally I think a brick and mortar extension adds more to a house value than a conservatory although I concede the cost is often more.
There are lots of ways this could be laid out- this is what I would do.
Malcome A
3 years agoMalcome A
3 years agoJonathan
3 years ago- PRO
Ravenswood Designs
3 years ago Malcome A
3 years ago
Jonathan