Houzz Tours
Room Tours
South West Room Tour
Room Tour: A Broken-plan Ground Floor is a Sociable Family Space
Some interesting and cost-efficient solutions gave a family this light-filled ground floor hub in their 1960s home
A bright, spacious family room was high on Lucy and Ross Orton’s wishlist when they approached designer Simon Heckford to help redesign their 1960s home. As part of a full-house renovation, Simon planned a rear ground-floor extension to create a kitchen, dining and living space. He also connected the front living room via a sliding pocket door, which transformed the whole area into one broken-plan layout.
The kitchen is located in its original spot, but with a new layout designed by a local carpenter around the American fridge-freezer and range cooker.
Simon reconfigured two existing cupboards next to the kitchen to make one large walk-in larder. “It’s a brilliant use of space,” Lucy says. “We have an extra freezer and the bins in there, as well as lots of shelving.”
The extra storage space allowed the couple to do without wall units. “It was a deliberate choice to not have high cabinets,” Lucy says. “We’re not a tall family, and I find [they make the space] a bit cluttered.”
Fridge-freezer, Smeg.
Simon reconfigured two existing cupboards next to the kitchen to make one large walk-in larder. “It’s a brilliant use of space,” Lucy says. “We have an extra freezer and the bins in there, as well as lots of shelving.”
The extra storage space allowed the couple to do without wall units. “It was a deliberate choice to not have high cabinets,” Lucy says. “We’re not a tall family, and I find [they make the space] a bit cluttered.”
Fridge-freezer, Smeg.
“I’m also really keen on drawers, as they’re much more practical than cupboards,” Lucy continues. All the base units are drawers of differing widths but the same height for a uniform finish.
The dishwasher next to the sink is the only cabinet that differs, but the door has been made to look like drawer fronts.
Keen to progress your renovation? Find out how to work remotely with an architect.
The dishwasher next to the sink is the only cabinet that differs, but the door has been made to look like drawer fronts.
Keen to progress your renovation? Find out how to work remotely with an architect.
The smaller opening along the internal wall made the perfect spot for a breakfast bar, which has proved popular with the three kids.
Next to the breakfast bar are more base units, but these are cupboards and are used to store the children’s art supplies.
Find architects near you on Houzz.
Next to the breakfast bar are more base units, but these are cupboards and are used to store the children’s art supplies.
Find architects near you on Houzz.
Two rooflights bring extra illumination into the middle of the room and through to the kitchen. There was no need to have a larger one going across the entire width, as the masonry pier would have blocked any light from entering the cooking area.
Downlights have been fitted in the kitchen, but the rest of the space features pendants and wall lights. The couple designed the fitting above the dining table themselves. “We chose the cords, base and bulbs,” Lucy says. “There are five bulbs, as there are five of us, and they’re all different sizes. I designed it with Andrew, the builder. I’m not the most spatial person, but I’m proud of myself for coming up with the idea.”
Downlights have been fitted in the kitchen, but the rest of the space features pendants and wall lights. The couple designed the fitting above the dining table themselves. “We chose the cords, base and bulbs,” Lucy says. “There are five bulbs, as there are five of us, and they’re all different sizes. I designed it with Andrew, the builder. I’m not the most spatial person, but I’m proud of myself for coming up with the idea.”
The back wall has been fitted with a 5.8m sliding door. It has minimal vertical lines so as not to obstruct the view.
“They’re lift and slide doors, which makes them easier to open,” Simon says. “They’re on a bearing, so you’re not fighting against the weather seal.”
Mural, Love Frankie. Dining table, Danetti. Hester dining chairs, Habitat. Engineered wood flooring, Kahrs. Composite sliding doors, Internorm.
“They’re lift and slide doors, which makes them easier to open,” Simon says. “They’re on a bearing, so you’re not fighting against the weather seal.”
Mural, Love Frankie. Dining table, Danetti. Hester dining chairs, Habitat. Engineered wood flooring, Kahrs. Composite sliding doors, Internorm.
The original dining room was alongside the kitchen, but the space is now a place to walk through or to play the piano (see photo 3). “It feels like a real luxury to have an airy space like this,” Lucy says. “It’s a really nice thoroughfare.”
Sliding pocket doors into the living room are kept open most of the time to enable a connected feel.
Discover everything you need to know about pocket doors.
Sliding pocket doors into the living room are kept open most of the time to enable a connected feel.
Discover everything you need to know about pocket doors.
Simon created more space at the front of the house with a clever angled porch extension. The living room pinches some of this triangular section, which means the window wall is on an angle, creating a little more breathing space.
“We never would have thought about the angle, but it’s brilliant,” Lucy says. “It feels really nice, as it gives some extra space to the living room.”
The angle means it doesn’t look obtrusive from the outside, but, as well as extra inches in the living room, it gives the family plenty of valuable storage space in the hall.
The couple decided to keep the original glazed section next to the living room door, but replaced the panels with safety glass.
“We never would have thought about the angle, but it’s brilliant,” Lucy says. “It feels really nice, as it gives some extra space to the living room.”
The angle means it doesn’t look obtrusive from the outside, but, as well as extra inches in the living room, it gives the family plenty of valuable storage space in the hall.
The couple decided to keep the original glazed section next to the living room door, but replaced the panels with safety glass.
Simon had suggested an orange front door and was pleasantly surprised when the couple went for it. “We’ve had a good number of complements from elderly residents on the modern design,” he enthuses.
Tell us…
What do you like about this family-friendly ground-floor space? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Tell us…
What do you like about this family-friendly ground-floor space? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Sponsored
Who lives here? Lucy and Ross Orton with their three children
Location Gloucestershire
Property A 1960s house with three bedrooms and two bathrooms
Dimensions Kitchen-diner: around 6m x 6.5m; living room: around 5m sq
Designer Simon Heckford of Oasys Property Solutions
Builder Andrew Sperring of JAS Building Services
Photos by Faye Hedges
Lucy and Ross had originally planned to remove the whole internal wall between their newly extended dining room and the kitchen, but Simon came up with a more budget-friendly solution. “They actually had good openings along the original back wall, so, to keep costs to a minimum, we left the masonry pier in place,” he says. “[That meant] there was no need to install steel supports.”
“We’re pleased with the result,” Lucy says. “I think it adds a nice structure and helps to zone the space.”