Downstairs floor plan/layout help

2 years ago

Hi everyone, I have recently moved into a 1970's dormer bungalow with a small downstairs side extension. We have recently updated the living room and dining room and this space works really well for us but we are struggling to think of ways in which the rest of the downstairs can work better for us. At the minute it is split into lots of small dark hallways and individual rooms - we really like the idea of having an open plan kitchen family room but are unsure how we could work this into the space. Currently we only have an en-suite bathroom in the master bedroom but the main family bathroom is downstairs. This could potentially be moved upstairs if this is the best solution in terms of space and value.

Any suggestions in how we could re-configure the layout would be massively appreciated, thank you!

Comments (3)

PRO
Guardian Angel Services
2 years ago
Hi there! Looking at your plan, but without knowing the orientation of your house, I can see you have a porch, entrance hall and hallway all close together, and you say the hallways are dark. I wondered which way your house faces, as north facing rooms can be dark.

If you wanted a larger open plan kitchen, it would mean taking a wall down somewhere, perhaps taking part of the inner hallway, or taking part of the wall to the lounge away subject to checking on where existing supporting walls are. You mention the main family bathroom is downstairs- is that the shower room? If this is taken upstairs, you could have more space in the sitting room.

I can see you have a sitting room, dining room and a lounge. Depending on what your needs are, you could make any of these rooms smaller, or create a larger space. (Your dining room and lounge seem to be separated by 2 cupboards, if I read your plan right.)

Best place to start is probably to decide what you want each room for, which will guide you as to how much space you need. Then find a recommended builder who could discuss your options and cost with you. Hope it all goes well!
PRO
The Kitchen Lady UK
2 years ago
Hiya,
What a fun puzzle. I think like @guardianangelservices have said, there are a lot more questions before working out the "right" answer because there are a million options, it's about finding the right one for your family.

From a first look, I think there is a reasonable easy/least expensive option which would give you the bigger kitchen but without touching the newly finishes left side or moving a bathroom and that would be to move the front door to the centre of the house.

Personally, I love a hallway, not walking through the middle of a room to get to the stairs or to hang your coat is a luxury to me so removing the centre hallway to open the spaces up would actually be a compromise.

However, gaining the extra meter or so of kitchen might be all the difference you need to fit in a table and then it's about decorating the hallway to create the feeling of light. Actually having a glass door will make a huge difference as light doesn't travel around corners very well which is why it is so dark at the moment.

You could keep the coat room space by keeping a little bit of the kitchen still, the hall doesn't have to be a straight line, it could have a coat nook or cupboard built into the new space.

If you want to chat further about how it might work for you, I offer a free zoom chat for bouncing around ideas

www.thekitchenladyuk.co.uk

Good luck
Emily
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Hi, I think you really need to think what your family need. How you will use the space and what's important to you. Start by making a list of these things which will help get your priorities in place. Ultimately you will be living there so it needs to reflect you and *you're* requirements. Do you have an interior designer on board to help with the layout and lighting? They should be able to create a zoning effect with areas using furniture and light fittings/layers which will work part way to this. You could then consider other types of partitions like kitchen peninsula, half walls or large pieces of furniture which can also nicely zone areas for the added privacy which still providing the open plan feel. They can also sort the soft furnishings and flooring etc to help with acoustics in a larger space. If you don't have an interior designer, maybe it's worth sitting with a few to see how it could help you - they can often see things you can't which can save lots of money and time on your build but with the added benefit of trade discounts and help sourcing it's also a great way to make your build less stressful too. I wish you all the best - it looks like it's going to be a great space!
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rinked
2 years ago
Could you post the first floor as well please?

Downstairs floor plan/layout help

Comments (3)

Guardian Angel Services

The Kitchen Lady UK

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