I’m struggling to find a way to have a kitchen/island (really would like an island to have useable counterspace), generous dining table (seating for at least 6 people) and a sitting area in the same room if we don’t open up the wall between the current front and back living rooms. Would it make more sense to have part of the garage incorporated into the kitchen? There is a slight difference in floor level though between the garage and kitchen (Step down into the garage). Or block up the current kitchen door and have the access to a dining/kitchen through the current back living room space and then somehow fit in a dining table and seating area?

I think to make the most of your budget but add to your space is to look at a garage conversion. This would be around £20k+ depending on the spec of kitchen you choose so you'd have spare money to splash out on other renovations. I think the simplest layout would be similar to your sketch. Put the utility by the garage door, then I like your long kitchen idea with perhaps doors into the garden with then lots of space for a dining area, perhaps island or pantry unit. I often help with these sort of layout projects if you need any more help. We can bounce some ideas around and work out the best plan for you and your family 😊 Good luck

Because of the location of the toilet soil pipe, the logical place for the downstairs toilet is below, next to the garage wall. The utility is also good to keep towards the middle of the house as this will keep the lightest area of the room for the kitchen. (unless you have a muddy family and need to get them clean before letting them in the house in which case it goes near a door!) With the snug by the lounge, it puts a lovely kitchen and dining area right at the garden end of the extension to be in the brightest and most garden connected side. If you want to play with some ideas to develop the shape of the extension further and get a real feel for the new space, feel free to give me a shout. Emily x

Its hard to give a full breakdown of options without studying the full plans, your requirements and budgets. This is something you need to do with your chosen Architect. However, there are many options for adding windows and ways of making light bounce around the house, but if your architect has said you can't add more glazing you should ask why. I would suggest it is because it will start to impact the thermal efficiency of your house. North facing windows get no solar gain so by adding too much you could end up with a house that is difficult to keep warm especially if your house is older. You could upgarde to super energy effiecient glazing but of course that will come at a cost. Having looked at your existing plans it looks like your house has already had extensive work done. Unfortunately it doesn't appear like an architect was involved. A lot of the cost of your renovation will be in correcting previous mistakes and even then you will end up with columns in ever room unless you are willing to pay to have that corrected too. The cost could make the option of moving more viable? Did the previous owners also extend upstairs?