Granny Annexe Floorplan Ideas

2 years ago

Our granny annexe is looking smaller than expected. Ideally we would like 2 rooms. One a bedroom and one a playroom for the grandchildren with a sofa bed/area to nap. The open plan living room and kitchen seems too close together and we unsure of the best layout to provide as much open space to fit the family for visits. Windows and door cannot be moved at this point. Any ideas would be much appreciated.
Ideas:
Layout
Storage
Utilise as much space
Space for grandchildren to play/sleep
Thank you.

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Comments (14)

hedgehog99
2 years ago
Are you the Granny? Is this going to be your permanent and only home? Is it just you, or will a partner be living there with you? How old are the children and how many of them are there? Is the annex connected to the home in which the children live? How often will they be in the annex? (Sorry for all the questions but they all make a difference - eg if it's three days a week of all day childcare, you'll need much more space for them than if it's occasional visits).
Jen Lance thanked hedgehog99
Jen Lance
Original Author
2 years ago
Permanent home for my parents. Grandchildren will be visiting occasionally staying. Grandchildren are young. My parents would like the space for visitors too.
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I've had a trainee in this morning - we've been playing with your layout !! We treated this like a paid project - as if you were a family with two children around 6-10 ish age, with occasional Granny and Grandpa type visitors to stay - who entertain guests with similar age kids at home most weekends - two cars that park outside - all comings and goings via the front door. We wanted to offer an idea of what might work well, as a long term home. Dependent on lots of structural things obviously - so need an architect /SE to confirm what can and can't be done - but it's an idea to get you started maybe ! A = open porch leading to front double doors and hall with built in storage each side ( coats boots etc etc ) B = kitchen with built in laundry area ( keep window in here ) with shelving for laundry sorting and space for ironing board etc Island kitchen with rounded bar seating - ceiling extraction over hob and sink and wet goods at window . Tall cabinet either side of window for pantry's /ff /ovens etc space for dining table centred to external doors . C = lounge with new folding sliding external doors to garden area - suggest tv in movable cabinet that can be used in front of doors opposite fire place or even turned around for outside tv viewing. D = snug / sofa bed / guest room / study - it's a little bit far from bathrooms - but great for guest who snore, older kids hangout room or to use as hobby room etc E = generous sized master suite with dressing area and ensuite shower room - (might) need sun pipe in en suite and extractor. Suggest double glass doors into this room, to allow daylight into hall area, ( curtained at night ) and to view cars approaching front of house from living area. F & G = child's bedrooms .... if you want to in cooperate children's rooms into living space during the day is as their supervised play space - sliding walls to these two bedrooms could achieve this - only worth it it they are pretty young to be honest - past 11 and they want their own space ! H = day time / children's shower room need sun pipe in here and extractor [ marketing note - this is an example of the sketch consult service OnePlan provide... We happily provided this for free to this Houzzer, on this occasion . Normal rates would be £35 p/h. Full CAD images available too, at either an hourly rate or fixed room rate. We are freelance concept planners, selling only design ! ] . . . Nb. This project took 2hours so would have only been £70 ! We can't do every job for free - but it might not it be as expensive as you think to hire us !! Drop us a line and ask !
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I also think it looks plenty big enough. Personally I am not sure you need that study with no natural light instead I would have a laundry cupboard and a larger wardrobe plus an additional cloaks cupboard. Additionally the shower room could be planned to allow for a door so that guests don't have to go through your bedroom. To save space I might design the kitchen without an island. You could have sliding doors to save space. Lastly don't feel the living room has to be the same width it's whole length. I would consider a narrow dining area near the front allowing a hall/porch at the front. The living room in the middle could be wider and then a narrower kitchen. I will try to sketch what's in my head when I get chance or you could take advantage of some of the brilliant professionals on here and pay to see a range of space options to help you visualise the best option.
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@kikamack, many thanks for your thoughts. My kitchen layout was just a quick one - it's not finalised but the fridge/freezer would go with the tall oven unit is and I would probably just have the oven underneath the hob instead for ease. We didn't want high wall units as we want to go for a more Industrial style and less kitchen looking. We are considering a peninsula depending on the outside door location though. Re the plan - we are looking to add perhaps an extra wc downstairs & making a wider hall, but, after having spent a full day/evening yesterday going through all different options ie kitchen in the dining room, we decided that we really prefer the lounge in that section as I have it on the plan with the larger bathroom. Main reasons being:- we don't have to remove the chimney breast, we still have access to all the storage space under the stairs (not shown on the pic) and it means we can have 2 sides of windows/doors at the back if the dining table is there (which we couldn't if it was the living area due to needing space for a log burner and tv wall) which will overlook a wrap around garden. We have an entire house to pretty much rebuild (needs a new roof, upstairs all re-doing as not insulated and a new bathroom/dressing room) plus gardens to landscape and the outbuilding renovating to use as a home office/granny flat. Phew. So we need to do the least disruptive amount of work to gain the best plan for us. I quite like the kitchen idea of in the dining space but my husband hates it and he rarely hates things so I don't want to push him on it
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As a vague vision, (can help on detail if you think ok In principle) Ideally I’d reclaim the annexe for play/music/ kids room and annexe bed add ensuite as use for students. Turn cloak room to downstairs loo access from hall. current student bed into cloak/boots storage and utility. Open up current utility to access new cloak room and if you need extra kitchen space could put larder where wash machine etc is at moment, I would avoid too much wall movement as expensive assuming you need to save the money for new chalet in garden (friend achieved chalet style for around £65-70k). If you have budget I would certainly extend upstairs one side of house to make use of eades and up to full height so you could have as a minimum bunk bed arrangement or 2beds depending ages of your children. Pending budget could look into whether can get another bedroom up there. Obviously this is just a vision would need more detail to confirm, hope you can see mark up on plan attached
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hedgehog99
2 years ago
I think the plan actually manages to achieve a lot in a not-huge space - basically a one-bed flat in less than 50 square metres isn't bad going. Initial comments would be:

- Is the dressing room necessary? Seems like a luxury in a small space. Could it be put to better use for a nap/overnight room, and a place for some toy storage? Or could it be dispensed with altogether so the shower room goes there, making more space in the living area?

- The sofa could be a sofa bed, but then when the grandchildren are staying, the grandparents will pretty much have to go to bed at the same time, unless they gave up their own room. So another argument for the dressing room to be a nap/sleep room. Though if it's mainly naps (rather than sleeping over), I would also point out that the age when they have naps goes in the blink of an eye and the next thing you know they're smelly teenagers who don't go to bed until 2 am :) So creating a space for that might not really make sense - they could just nap in the main bedroom, perhaps?

- The plan shows a 6-seater dining table. Depending on how often the grandparents want to entertain, it could be smaller - say a 4-seater extendable table which usually sits up against the wall and is only pulled out occasionally.

- Sorry I know you haven't asked about this aspect, but I'd be a bit concerned about natural light levels - the windows all seem quite small and there aren't many of them. Especially the seating corner doesn't seem to have much. Are there any skylights or ability bring in more light in another way, eg with sun tunnels? Natural light always makes a place feel more spacious, luxurious and pleasurable.

I'm sure the clever folk on here will have lots of other ideas.
Juliet Docherty
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
A sensitive issue but possibly a necessary one....would a larger bathroom be better and also would it be better as a wet room? I say this after having helped to look after my elderly father, we converted his bathroom into a wetroom with plenty of space for more than one person if help was required. I think I would combine the dressing room and bedroom into one room and make the bathroom larger.
Jonathan
2 years ago
I also think this space is tight and your plan gives over about 20% of the space to the grandchildren. Would it be just as easy for granny to watch them at your house?
I also think the bathroom needs to be bigger and I think they will need far more storage space, ideally a cupboard to put a noisy washing machine in, some room to have space away from each other, and room for their own belongings such as books and memorabilia. So I offer an alternative.
katlucy
2 years ago
Hi,
As it is to be a permanent home for two adults I would consider:
Having the kitchen along the entire length of the left wall, ideally a small peninsular coming down from the back wall for prep, facing towards the dining table area which I would keep in the same position.
I would widen the bedroom wing by 60cm, with a mixture of cupboards facing into the living space ie 1.8m beside the dining table for storage and the rest to be blank wall and door to bedroom giving more space for the bedroom allowing for a much larger bathroom with walk-in shower with seat to move along the front wall and become part of the bedroom wing. I would place two huge sofas facing each other, either side of the French doors with a tv above one to the right of the doors, one could be a sofa bed for guests.
Jen Lance
Original Author
2 years ago
Hi, thank you. Sounds amazing but I am having a hard time visualising this! If you have time would love a brief design please
Ellie
2 years ago
By annexe I assume this is attached to another house, your own? If it's your own house it's attached too and the grandchildren are your own kids why does the annexe need to be able to accommodate them sleeping?
Jen Lance thanked Ellie
katlucy
2 years ago
Hi Jen,
I’ve put a hand drawn plan on my idea book for you as I only have an iPad or iPhone so can’t upload at the moment,
Jonathan
2 years ago
Katlucys idea
katlucy
2 years ago
Thank you jonathan
Jen Lance
Original Author
2 years ago
Thank you so much this is so helpful! Really appreciate it!
Jen Lance
Original Author
2 years ago
Ellie there are other grandchildren in the family.
Jonathan
2 years ago
I slightly tweaked mine to make sure the windows are in the right place.

And I agree with earlier comments that rooflights would be a necessary addition given the size of the windows.

Granny Annexe Floorplan Ideas

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