I’m struggling to find a way to have a kitchen/island (really would like an island to have useable counterspace), generous dining table (seating for at least 6 people) and a sitting area in the same room if we don’t open up the wall between the current front and back living rooms. Would it make more sense to have part of the garage incorporated into the kitchen? There is a slight difference in floor level though between the garage and kitchen (Step down into the garage). Or block up the current kitchen door and have the access to a dining/kitchen through the current back living room space and then somehow fit in a dining table and seating area?

Your house looks a similar dimension to my house which I just sold. I kept the wall dividing the receptions rooms but took the wall down between the kitchen and back reception room. My kitchen was in a little out rig (original not extension) but i think you could do something similar? https://www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/detailMatching.html?prop=50634231&sale=5936314&country=england

Hi. I wonder if you use the drawing room as your kitchen diner? You could then use your existing kitchen as the utility and include a downstairs toilet in there as well. I was thinking you could extend the hallway so that the door into the new kitchen diner is moved up slightly so that you enter from the area that is currently your kitchen. This would give you a full run of units along the wall between the new kitchen diner and the living room. You could then have an island, peninsula or u shaped kitchen in front of that run and have your dining table in front of the windows. For what is left of the current kitchen (after a square has been taken out for the extended hallway) you could have the toilet on the right (block the current external door) and a new external door in the middle of the back wall with units either side. The alternative is extend as planned and put the utility between the living room and new kitchen diner which would give more light to the kitchen diner area. All subject to plumbing of course!

Hi Catherine! Potentially you could keep your kitchen layout pretty similar to how it is now - this will be beneficial financially from the perspective of service supplies to sink, cooker, etc... Then you could add an island across the room or a peninsula if you don't mind corner units or don't want to be able to get all the way around an island. I would set it a little back from the door to the hall, so that when you come into the dining kitchen from the hall you have the island to your right and are entering into the dining area of the room. This would be the most sociable and welcoming layout for guests, plus easy and practical to bring in shopping to drop on the island, where it can be put away from... Best wishes with your renovation! Jane, i-architect.co.uk