hi - with this new door configuration it opens up further possibilities - safety wise it's best to move your hob in from the edge of the island - so pan handles are less 'knock able ' designing to suit rooms is ok - but much better to design to suit the people using the room too ! to do this effectively a good designer will need to find out as much as possible about you and the members if your family - how you cook/ shop how often you entertain etc etc it takes time and when done well provides the best results for the room. this is what I do for a living - I don't sell product - purely design !- so instead of offering 'free design ' like studios do ( then making margin on the products you buy) - I charge a fee to design and then you shop around and get the best deal saving much more than the design fee in the process ! so you can see with this in mind - I can't design it for free for you on this thread - but happy to take it further in a professional capacity if you want to drop me an email ! ( nb we are concept designers who can take on whole houses too - so could look at the project in entirety too if needed - as what you do with each room has a knock on effect on the next ! ) kind regards Karen OnePlan

Hi ED. There is maybe not quite as much cubic feet of storage as the client didn't feel they needed quite as much. However we have created much more easily usable and practical storage space and carefully discussed the necessary storage elements with the client. What you don't see in these pics is that the Fridge freezer is surrounded by pullout pantry cupboards also meaning virtually all the food is stored in this zone (which was previously unused space). Sometimes less may not be more but it might be enough. It depends on the individual clients priorities.

I'm in Jonathan's camp re splitting the lounge, I'd also think before doing it about your lounge furniture. The wall that you are thinking of having a hatch in looks like a prime sofa wall. Therefore, where will you put sofas? Also, why would you want a serving hatch going through in to a lounge anyway? They traditionally go through to the dining room, which, here is not the case. Not sure why you would want one on that wall, and what you would be passing through it? I don't like to pooh pooh peoples ideas, but it does sound just a little odd. I think that a lot more could possibly made of the space in general, with the help of a good concept planner maybe, as they're worth their weight in gold for using all available space to the utmost. Here's one idea:- Bearing in mind it's not to scale, just 'an idea' .

Yes we needed an RSJ and all of the walls underpinning as there were no foundations. Was very costly but definitely worth it as we live in that end of the house. I think that With having an older property, costs do just spiral. I can’t remember how much the RSJ was, sorry. i think our building work was about £25000. Can you leave the fireplace in and have it open so you can see it from both sides? Then have your kitchen and dining in the current lounge and your living area where it is at the moment but open it up apart from the firePlace? We’ve left in our old exposed stone work and cleaned it up.