Might be worth contacting velux as there's something very wrong. The conservation velux windows they offer are either pivot or top hung, maybe they offered side hung in the past but the black inner doesn't look like their finish. http://www.velux.co.uk/products/roof-windows/conservation-roof-windows Are you sure it's velux, there are other companies such as Fakro that also offer them, I think they do side hung ones for habitable rooms too. Good luck, let me know how you get on as I'm about to spec 13 veluxes for our new house...

@kikamack, many thanks for your thoughts. My kitchen layout was just a quick one - it's not finalised but the fridge/freezer would go with the tall oven unit is and I would probably just have the oven underneath the hob instead for ease. We didn't want high wall units as we want to go for a more Industrial style and less kitchen looking. We are considering a peninsula depending on the outside door location though. Re the plan - we are looking to add perhaps an extra wc downstairs & making a wider hall, but, after having spent a full day/evening yesterday going through all different options ie kitchen in the dining room, we decided that we really prefer the lounge in that section as I have it on the plan with the larger bathroom. Main reasons being:- we don't have to remove the chimney breast, we still have access to all the storage space under the stairs (not shown on the pic) and it means we can have 2 sides of windows/doors at the back if the dining table is there (which we couldn't if it was the living area due to needing space for a log burner and tv wall) which will overlook a wrap around garden. We have an entire house to pretty much rebuild (needs a new roof, upstairs all re-doing as not insulated and a new bathroom/dressing room) plus gardens to landscape and the outbuilding renovating to use as a home office/granny flat. Phew. So we need to do the least disruptive amount of work to gain the best plan for us. I quite like the kitchen idea of in the dining space but my husband hates it and he rarely hates things so I don't want to push him on it

Wow some great advice here, sorry I have not responded for a while. So far I've decided to definately have a deep single bowl under mount sink, I will take the advice to hide the machines behind doors. Also I am going to have the stacking kit as the folding board will give me additional useable space. I don't know if the cupboards in the middle will make the space look heavy? at 5"11" I fear I might be constantly bumping my head against it. My kitchen cabinets are pale cream from Howdens, do you think it would look odd if I have the utility cupboards a light grey with a bold tiled backsplash? Thank you all for showing my your utility rooms really appreciate your advice all your advice and would really like to see some more pics of your space saving ideas and how you made your utility rooms more functional. Did not imagine such a small space would give me so many considerations on how to get the space right.

It's a really nice room, I just think you may have a bit too much 'stuff' in it. An idea would be to remove all the 'stuff' and just be left with the furniture. Do all the pieces have room to breathe in the space? If not, remove some. Once you are happy about the space between them, take a look at your stuff and introduce bits back one, or a group of three at a time. Then see if the breathing space is still there. As an example, the reading chair is pushed too far back into the corner and is crowded by the other stuff you have around it. If you need the speaker, put the 2 unit bookcase on top of the speaker to move the speaker left, remove the decorative lamp from beside the fireplace totally and pull the chair forward. This may give it room to 'breathe'. Get a standard lamp to pop behind the chair for lighting. Remove the little table too. Use the top of the bookshelf for a couple of smaller books. Your mantle is lovely above your fire but is again too crowded in my view. Lovely things but too many of them. Remove either the grey lamp or the vase with twigs. Remove either the pic or the flat bowl. Then have either (from the left): twig vase, candle holder, picture, candle holder, grey vase. Or grey lamp, candle holder, flat bowl, candle holder, grey vase. If you see what I mean. Great idea from Sonia too. Swap the lamp behind the chair for the standing lamp. Put the lamp from behind the chair on you lovely sideboard. That then gives that piece room around it too. Doggie box can then be centered under those pics as well. Lovely doggie too :)