Alternative

For such a substantial transformation I would contact a few architects to make sure that you do not miss any clever options that they spend years studying to suggest. Are you freehold or leasehold?

Thank you so so much.
It’s a share of freehold flat. I don’t think we will have the funds to do anything structural- & to keep the value it will need to stay at a 4/5 bedroom flat - although I do wish we could transform it in the way Jonathan so brilliantly drew!!

I was thinking the reception room would make a good kitchen /diner with the hall cupboards as a utility and/or pantry, (you would need a door near the balconies between the two rooms for access to the larger balcony). This room could give island seating and a large dining table

The current bedroom would make a good sitting room.

I would also make the smallest bedroom bigger by including the hallway, which leaves the current kitchen which i would have the right side as a study and the left side storage cupboards with a central hallway up to the bedrooms and maybe a shower room on the right where the inner room is.

Obviously you need to have sufficient funds to do the work but there are lots of postcodes where the quality and square footage makes a bigger difference to the price than the number of bedrooms.

You are so right Jonathan - it’s central London so could go either way I think!

Thanks @katlucy - I was thinking perhaps keep the reception room as it is but make the first bedroom into a kitchen / diner …… but perhaps the other way round would make more sense …..

You also have to be realistic about drains in a flat. It might well be that the only place to have a kitchen sink is near where it is now.

@Jonathan - you are right - the only place there is drainage is the current kitchen. However - I think we can possibly get a pump if we move the kitchen into one of the front rooms……..