Hi Daisy, Thanks for your comment - my thoughts about your thoughts: I wouldn't put the washing machine next to the oven. By doing that it leaves you with a straight corner base (in which you have the sink) which means the right hand door will provide you with access to the corner only by crawling on your hands and knees. In this corner try to replan using a 900 L shaped base which means both doors can be opened to allow full and easy access. How far away can the plumbing stretch for a washing machine? Would you recommend to put it in any particular place instead? I understand that the corner cabinet would be wasted space but I can't really think of anywhere else to put it - the plumbing is directly behind the sink. A definite no no to the microwave in the wall unit for me. Dangerous to lift hot liquids out of. A sure hazard. Don't forget you'll also be stretching over the worktop to reach this. Good point! My partner isn't happy with that either, she's sure she'll end up spilling something! It's likely we'll get a freestanding microwave. Is there any way you can make a window seat in front of the low sash window? It would be nice to see the view while dining. Perhaps a window seat for 2 people a square table and then 2 chairs on the other side? That sounds good - it would not obstruct the window and kind of be like a low bench, I've mocked it up using the kitchen planner (obviously need to rethink the table and doors). Where the table currently is would you have room for a couple of tall units ..... this could be fridge/freezer, single oven and integrated microwave over or larder unit (that's if you're happy with the window seat idea). I think if we did the window seat idea - there still wouldn't be enough room on that chimney breast unfortunately. From the outside on the Ikea and Magnet plan you will be able to see the worktop so you could have the bottom of the sash windows with frosted glass. You can buy a film to do this yourself. Most worktops are only 600mm deep. I know Ikea's are deeper but that's taking up essential space and providing a bigger hangover at the front. Thanks for that, if we go with the breakfast bar idea - then we will look into frosting the glass. We're on the 1 & 2nd floor so it's not really overlooked.

It’s probably not damp. It’s probably loose plaster. The picture shows some wall paper with some modern plaster stuck to it. I would bet that at some point the plasterwork wasn’t great, they patched the bad bits and then skimmed the lot. A few years later it needs doing again. Take off the lining paper and call a plasterer.

The picture shows blown plaster which is pretty common in old houses. All it means is the plaster has separated from the wall. It's a cosmetic issue. To get it sorted, you need a good plasterer, they MAY be able to chop out the blown section and patch it, but if they find lots of other blown areas they will probably advise replastering the whole wall. The wallpaper is probably holding the plaster together tbh. As to the hollow sound, this might be due to the blown plaster as it makes a different sound when you tap sound plaster vs blown. Have you got any documentation from when the two buildings were knocked together?

I don't like the idea of a courtyard as it feels like wasted space. I'm okay with having the room at the back. I've played with having the dining room as you walk in the front door but breaking it up with a waist high wall to create a kind of hallway and storage area. I could also move into this area by 60cm to allow for a bigger master (to take the space of the wardrobes. I think knocking yet another wall down could get pricey I guess. what are the opinions on this design attached? (doesn't inc. master bedroom.at the bottom) it should be fairly to scale.