Thanks Monica! I am going to pop up a new post with close up pics of the colour of the awful laminate ( sucha mid tone sluggish shade!) that is such a handy picture thank you!! Melissa- hello!! lovely to see a fellow weege. definitely helps to hear that taking it out would have been the big undertaking we fearwed ( and cant afford!) sorry for you though, bet it is starting to look amazing!! are there pics? Ruth thank you I do so appreciate that and you are right once primed we might have better idea, didnt think of that. and will be keeping the idea a room needs finished in mine. and the fun part I am determined to try and maintain.... adventure starts here....!

I agree with everyone saying that open plan is good if you have a dedicated enclosed space for a snug or second living room. My son is an architect and he has seen a major change with people requesting ways to separate spaces to revert back to a more traditional layout. What about privacy for those moments when kids bring their friends over, they really do not want parents listening and being in their space! Designing a space for a growing family means trying to future proof the footprint. No matter how quiet appliances are meant to be, they will end up irritating you. We have a coffee machine, extractor fan, washing machine, tumble dryer, microwave, kettle in our current kitchen and are lucky enough to be able to move the kitchen into a 10sqm study to create a separate utility and then build a rear extension with a kitchen / diner / snug. We also have a ground floor loo and living room on the other side of the house. The noise of appliances we find exceptionally intrusive, partitions and half height walls may help reduce the noise but won’t eliminate them. Have you also thought about where you will store the kids toys, books etc and how easily you will be able to hide food preparation and washing etc from visitor? I do like the idea of having sliding doors if that is at all possible to zone off spaces when you do want a quiet area.

Hi!, as a furniture/kitchen designer for over 30 years I try to come to the clients with a complete open mind. I ask the question that I need to understand how you live and want to live 10 years from now 15 years from now and so on. It's vital to open the time conversations as often families consider that as it is, is how we plan and build. When in reality we all age together and we all keep moving, of we are lucky to be healthy and able. So! Starting from that prospective I'll build a picture based on first the practicals.... How many people living in the house ? Age profile? Special food needs? How do you like to cook Range or oven & hob? 6.Have you a preference of sinks? ie Belfast sink or undermounted sink? Have you a thought on boiling water taps? What's your opinion on worktops? Quartz, Granite, wood, Corian, laminate? After that it down to the nicer things. What colours, textures and layout work best. After that it's lighting and that's a life if its own.

Some ideas: Could leave the front entry as is, just imagine not using it. Moved the side entrance forward a bit, created a hallway with wc door and storage. Kept 'light-line' front to rear with glazed doors and sidelight. Kitchen with dining table and again storage! The largest one could be used as laundry cupboard. And no separate playroom, as small kids long to be near their parents anyway. Toy area behind the sofa. (Tried the corner in the staircase, but then found a door should be at least 40cm away from the bottom step, so ended up with a long hallway instead.) The round thing is a log burner, by the way. There will certainly be other fun and practical ideas, but i'd suggest keeping the lounge opposite the kitchen doorway, straight line, max light.