I've had a trainee in this morning - we've been playing with your layout !! We treated this like a paid project - as if you were a family with two children around 6-10 ish age, with occasional Granny and Grandpa type visitors to stay - who entertain guests with similar age kids at home most weekends - two cars that park outside - all comings and goings via the front door. We wanted to offer an idea of what might work well, as a long term home. Dependent on lots of structural things obviously - so need an architect /SE to confirm what can and can't be done - but it's an idea to get you started maybe ! A = open porch leading to front double doors and hall with built in storage each side ( coats boots etc etc ) B = kitchen with built in laundry area ( keep window in here ) with shelving for laundry sorting and space for ironing board etc Island kitchen with rounded bar seating - ceiling extraction over hob and sink and wet goods at window . Tall cabinet either side of window for pantry's /ff /ovens etc space for dining table centred to external doors . C = lounge with new folding sliding external doors to garden area - suggest tv in movable cabinet that can be used in front of doors opposite fire place or even turned around for outside tv viewing. D = snug / sofa bed / guest room / study - it's a little bit far from bathrooms - but great for guest who snore, older kids hangout room or to use as hobby room etc E = generous sized master suite with dressing area and ensuite shower room - (might) need sun pipe in en suite and extractor. Suggest double glass doors into this room, to allow daylight into hall area, ( curtained at night ) and to view cars approaching front of house from living area. F & G = child's bedrooms .... if you want to in cooperate children's rooms into living space during the day is as their supervised play space - sliding walls to these two bedrooms could achieve this - only worth it it they are pretty young to be honest - past 11 and they want their own space ! H = day time / children's shower room need sun pipe in here and extractor [ marketing note - this is an example of the sketch consult service OnePlan provide... We happily provided this for free to this Houzzer, on this occasion . Normal rates would be £35 p/h. Full CAD images available too, at either an hourly rate or fixed room rate. We are freelance concept planners, selling only design ! ] . . . Nb. This project took 2hours so would have only been £70 ! We can't do every job for free - but it might not it be as expensive as you think to hire us !! Drop us a line and ask !

I think your idea of moving the shower room is spot on. Move it to where the utility room is and then open the entire back area and make a large kitchen dining area. You could open the entire wall with glass doors leading to the garden. As to the first floor, You can turn the small bedroom 4 into an en-suite and connect it to the large bedroom 1, as long as there is headroom for that (does bedroom 1 have a pitched roof? its hard to know without pictures). You can make a long and narrow (120cm wide) walk in closet at the back of bedroom 1, the door to the en-suit will be through the walk-in. Check out what we do, we specialise in house layout design and are always happy to help if you need any further advice. visit our website: www.betterspace/hmhzf We offer a package that include tailored design, furniture layout recommendations and a professional floor-plan drawing as well as a 3D package which includes a 3D floor-plan and photo-realistic images that will help you visualise your new design. You can use promo code ‘houzz’ for a further 15% discount!

Tani - The garden is all to the rear (outside bedroom one) and there's a driveway the whole length of the right side of the building. If I were to eventually extend I was thinking of going to the right or even building out bedroom 2 to be level with the rear of the house (it's a semi so the left is another bungalow). I'd therefore have to utilise some light from above as I'd loose the window of bedroom 2! But as Roger says I think it would be good to put the bedrooms at the front of the property and maybe having French doors or something to the garden!

So if I understand correctly, you're suggesting the sink where I propose it (north wall), then the east wall with the tall units and the hob in the south wall? I think there's always an issue when cooking with your back to the window, in terms of lighting it's less than ideal. Also, I can't seem to find an elegant way to fit tall units all the way to the corner, as the joining with the worktop creates an access problem. If you're saying to stick to the original, don't get me wrong, it's very functional, and yes, I could get tall units on the south wall just as easily. It creates a bit of a corridor effect, as you go into the kitchen and have this 60cm deep "wall" to your right (the full height panel of the last unit), but that's the concession to make. I fully agree it's the layout that's there, and it's there for a reason: it's very workable and least offending for most people. I really am just trying to explore other options and do the proverbial head scratching exercise whilst there's a couple of months before I go at it with the demolition hammer. And coming to this community for a bit of feedback, thanks everyone so far :)