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Renovating Design Dilemma Kitchens

Renovating Main Floor - Layout Ideas Needed Please

3 years ago

We have just purchased a house and will be renovating the main floor before we move in with 2 goals in mind:

1. Make it more open plan (We are American don't love the "door on every room" design)

2. Move the lounge to the back of the house because the house has a lovely garden that we want to be able to see from the windows. The house fronts quite close to the street so I really want some privacy.

Requirements for the end result include:

1. Kitchen - ideally at the back of the house as it is quite the hub of activity with 2 adults, 2 teenagers and 2 dogs (with Pantry that I am thinking of putting under the stairs and room for an American fridge)

2. Lounge with TV - situated at the back of the house with windows to garden (garden is east facing)

3. WC

4. Space for laundry (in my tentative design, I have put this in the WC)

5. Dining area - preferable to fit a 6 seat table with enough room around to extend for family gatherings (someday again soon, I hope!)

6. Having a utility area with door to the garden (muddy dog feet...) would be a bonus but I don't see how I can make that happen. We do have a detached garage along the kitchen wall with a

Everything else is pretty optional. I added an office because the extra room would be good as a bedroom backup for guests visiting from America.

I'd like to avoid an extension purely because of cost. Also, I don't really think we need one given that someday in the not too distant future our kids will move out. Storage is important to me as I hate clutter. We are also planning to add a front porch for the clothes and shoes, etc. I'd consider moving the stairs if I could figure out how to make that work as I don't particularly love walking in the house and running right into them.

I am sharing the current floorplan and my first pass renovation floorplan. What am I missing? How could I do it better? Meeting with the architect next week and would love to be able to give him some good directions and starting ideas.

Thank you all!

CURRENT FLOORPLAN

POTENTIAL FLOORPLAN

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Hi Dalida! Yes, your flat needs a renovation, specially in the bathroom and kitchen. The wooden floor looks nice. Before starting the redising, it will be necessary you make a 'wishlist'. I would recommend a bigger kitchen . Have you considered having only 1 bigger bathroom? How many peple wil be living in the flat? How many bedrooms do you need? Is the kitchen entrance as nice as the main one ? Would you consider turning the kitchen entrance onto de main entrance to the flat? Then you'd be able to enter to the kitchen space ( it can be an attractive open-plan design - look at this one we fitted in a small apartment) Imagine that where the mirror is, is where your window is. If you turn this entrance onto the 'main one', you'll be able to have a big bedroom on the other side of the flat ( where the main entrance). You can keep the entrance and use it, but not for guest ( not nice to have visitors entering through your bedroom). As you can see there're a lot of options to discuss. I would recommend you to contact a profesional that helps you with the process, because if you meet him/her you can design together a really nice flat. Which style do you prefer? Would it be posible to change the position of the gas boiler? How much storage space do you need? For the new bathroom I would recomend to have storage space, and a large mirror will help to make the space feel bigger. As you can see, there're a lot of questions and lots of decissitions to take. Don't hesitate contacting a profesional to help you in the process it will sabe you money and headaches! We're based in South of Spain, so we're not close to help you with the renovation, but I hope my comments help you! Good luck with the renovation, Sara Leiva Architect @ Mirasur Proyectos SL PS- My recomnendation is not to divide the flat into 2 smaller ones - it will be much more expensive, messy, and you'll have 2 non- attractive tiny flats
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In keeping with 'budget', maybe the floor and vanity are your key areas. The toilet looks in good nick, no garish color!, and changing it out might just add to budget woes. The tiling looks good, just all a bit too glossy, so wood in the vanity would break it up. Am thinking the warmth needs to be in accessories - under the mirror looks like a good spot for a wooden chair or stool. That might be enough for now, too much more might get too busy. Your floor could go for more pattern, and any color could be in towels, from the pic above you would have wood vanity but could have the charcoal in floor and towels...
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