Hi Paul, There is very little you need to do to reconfigure the downstairs for what you've said you want. Here is how to get everything you want: Use the current Sitting Room as a play room Knock the wall down between the current Dinning Room & Kitchen. Add large windows, ample doors, sliding doors or concertina to this area to face the garden. You can either stagger those to go with the current footprint of the house, or shave off the small back portion that protrudes, or add to level that area out (which will require moving the downstairs bathroom window). Optional : put sliding doors or pocket doors or concertina doors in between the current Lounge & new Kit - Diner space to give you self the option of opening up the lounge to views of the back garden and closing it to be separate when you want to. Keep the Lounge as a Lounge Use the current downstairs Bedroom as a Study - adding double doors out onto the garden for more light and better views. Removing the Outside Store or utilizing that space better is of course optional. Looks like a lovely home that will work how you want to live with very little structural changes overall - just some glass at the back, knocking down one wall, optionally installing some doors here and there, and configuring a new kitchen. Otherwise, it is really just about all the cosmetics and putting your own stamp on it. Best wishes & good luck!

Hi My first thoughts on your proposed plans are could you create a corner dining area with upholstered bench seating in the corner (top right of kitchen plan)? Could you also steal some of your study space for the utility thus allowing kitchen units to run down from the hall by the new doorway and stairs, facing the corner dining area so you could face the family when doing key cooking? I’m imagining that to be prep and hob cooking so a small rinsing sink as well. (You may need to reconfigure the glass doorway entrance, I personally, budget allowing, would have the dimensions in line with the new sitting room doors and the patio doors even if there needs to be a half wall to accommodate the bench seating). Having two entrances would be good with young children I feel. The run of kitchen units you currently have could then be tall housing for ovens, fridge/freezer and pantry stores culminating in a wet area for dishwasher and main sink, freeing up the window for another set of french doors out perhaps. The sofa could then be against the wc wall and a tv on the wall where the hoover currently is. You could also make a feature of the post (I’m assuming the arch part will disappear) perhaps a high breakfast bar connecting to your prep area if you need more work surface. I hope this gives you a few ideas

Hi, If you open the plan (big beam below existing rear wall) then I would move the kitchen in the new extension, put the toilet and utility where the kitchen is now, but to be honest the options are endless.. Feel free to get in touch if you need help with the design and drawings. Cheers

Hi Liam, when you start your home making journey, there are steps to follow; big steps and little ones in between. Getting ahead of yourself is risky and potentially costly. Houzz is an amazing platform and you can get some incredible, valuable advise here, but in order to solve the problems you need to ask the right questions. If you focus too early on what the solution is without properly identifying main problems you will probably end up with a bad design. Take your time with identifying core issues. List the problems that need solving. Is your space practical, is it functional, is it light, dark, warm, cold, too big, too small, too messy, too busy? Is it connecting or is it isolating. Is it interacting, is it supportive of your life. How do you want your house to serve you? Is your house supportive of your and your family lifestyle? What user experience are you trying to achieve? It is the function of the space that will make your design successful. At the moment your possibilities are endless. Prepare your brief well and then hire a professional that will help you find solutions. You can't do this on your own. Good luck with your project. Best wishes Suzanne & Joseph