Based on the suggestions already mentioned. You might want to consider: Moving the furniture around to get a feel for the layout. Before purchasing the new sofa, cushions, tv wall bracket. Maybe change the pin spot bulbs to a colder tone-if they are LED. This will provide a whiter light. If the entrance door is adjacent to the kitchen, is it worth considering a half glazed door to let in natural light? Assuming their is a hallway leading to the kitchen end of the room. If the TV is wall mounted you will still need the table under it, to house the sky box etc. so the visible viewing angle will reduce if you do not have a swivel wall bracket (mentioned earlier). The extractor hood-is it vented through the wall? If so is their an option to install a small window next to it to let in some daylight? If the room faces North, the hood faces East (I think). So a port hole window would provide light in the morning for the kitchen. Hope this helps with the planning. Good luck.

Thanks for your comments so far; it’s really helpful to get other points of view. Maths Wife, I’m with you on the pantry idea! In fact, I spent a long time trying to work out if we could put one there by getting decent-width access to the garden via another route. But coming through from the front door involves a narrow hallway and getting through several internal doors, and coming via the utility room would involve losing washing space to add a door, and a sharp right-hand turn. Apart from the fact that we’ll ultimately re-landscape our entire garden, which will all need to come through the house, I also sometimes use a mobility scooter, and although I don’t intend to take it into the house, I’d rather be safe than sorry in terms of access. We’re compensating for the lack of pantry by planning on turning the area outside those doors into a little shaded patio with small table/chairs. So in theory we could have those doors wide open in the summer, and have garden views from both ends of the kitchen. minnie101, I didn’t explain the meals for 30 very well . We set up another table in the playroom in those cases, so about half the people in each room. So in the kitchen I just want to make sure that we can have table fully extended whenever we need it, which seats about 14. For the drinks area, yes we’re debating having bifold doors so there is max countertop space for a small sink, kettle etc. As you say, it makes sense and saves the countertop space elsewhere, just makes for an expensive cupboard The roof lantern size is indeed limited by the fact that’s the only area of the kitchen that isn’t double storey. Other than squaring out a corner, we are keeping to the current footprint, as it’s just about on maximum extension already. That area, in a bizarre design choice by the previous owners, is currently the utility room, which just about blocks any view onto the garden - we need the lights on even in summer, despite that being a south facing view. I’ve spent most of the last 6 years trying to understand WHY someone would choose that layout as part of a fairly substantial extension, even going so far as to move the kitchen, which was south facing, to the other end of the room. I’ve yet to think of a sensible explanation…. We are going for a fairly timeless/modern country look, hence the orangery rather than bifolds, and also want to maximise the light as it’s a long room. Fingers crossed, it will look something like this, although with a lot more planting around it and step-free patio.

@Maggie Youngson I was happy with price and time frame. I live in a 1930s semi so walls are lat and plaster, was a messy job. All walls had to be boarded and plastered before units were fitted, the angular parts were custom built. Electrics had to be fitted and the floor matched in with rest of hall and then he painted walls before finishing. I’ve used this joiner many times before and he always does an excellent job

Thank you all for your thoughts / advice! We are yet to move in but we know the house needs rewiring and a few new windows etc so we are keen to get started as soon as we get the keys. I agree the bay window is a lovely feature and I’ve been looking at creating a bench seat with a small table for our every day family dining and then I am wanting something larger to host dinner for our extended family as we have quite a large family and would love to host Christmas and birthdays etc. The kitchen is clean and well looked after, just needs modernising to our taste. There is no immediate rush to replace it unless of course we extend / move things around. I also have my own business that involves cake decorating so creating an island or space so that I could work from home would be a reason for us to extend the kitchen. I think you’re right in that we need to live in the house for some time and get a feel of which areas we are wasting / not utilising and decide from there.