Layout

8 years ago

Hi. I'm planning a single storey extension to make kitchen/diner bigger, add a loo and utility area. We are looking to extend out by 3.5-4m.

I've had help by an interior designer to plan the space but I'm not entirely sure that's it's the best design. The tall units consist of a double eye level oven, integrated double fridge and larder.

We plan to break through from the hallway. The new design incorporates the current kitchen and dining room.

Any suggestions are welcome to make the best use of the space.

Thank you
Dee

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PRO

Amber Jeavons Ltd

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

Hello Dhaksha,
Well hmmmm! I'm not keen at all on that plan.. For me I'd try to link the loo to a corridor or have a double door configuration so you walk into a small area which leads into loo. As opposed to opening straight into kitchen area.
I tend to always suggest free standing range ovens and the island could situate the sink. Thus you have food prep and sink which is rather useful.
With a galley kitchen where all the functions are on one plane as it were the usual configurations don't apply.

My own kitchen is a galley with sink one end and oven further along. Tall units I would situate closer to walk in, so that way you don't actually see tall monoliths which can spoil the eye line. I'll try to enclose a "spatial plan" I had worked on for someone in the past. It's not dissimilar in feel but has a few differences.
I also rather like the idea of an island morphing into dining in an interesting way whether it be cantilever or merely an extended options that flows from one functional use to another.. :))

Here's a glimpse in a mode I think you'll find fairly easy to see.. It's not unlike the space you have.. It's not a full render either but that doesn't matter for this suggestion. The closet and loo shown has two doors so you don't walk straight into "loo" area. Sliding doors helps spatially although my preferred idea was using the cellar space for a closet and loo.. It's boxed in fully on the other side which creates a corridor through one side from kitchen to dining area my client had wanted. Personally I would liked to have designed a slightly different island that morphed into dining and kept the two front rooms as 1 living area.

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Comments (22)

Jonathan
8 years ago
I think your instinct is right that this needs a replan.
If it were me I would consider visiting a kitchen specialist.
I would also consider trying to create more wall space for units by either adding smaller door to the garden or blocking the door to the lounge
Dhaksha Purbhoo
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you. Yes blocking up the lounge seems to make sense. Dee
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HI -- gross635 -- Your right to some degree but you can't move the main floor bath to the other side because then that interfers with the floor plan on the second floor. Would not work . I would have loved to turn the whole plan around but it won't work in this case. Added note to what I posted before is to get rid of anywalls you don't need and also not every room has to have a door. Like the one on the lounge and the one at the end of the hall. I would open the lounge up by not having the walls on the entrance hall . As for a closet , there is space in front of the set back powder room for some coat hooks etc. I also question the fact of , if the lounge is really needed. Everything could have been shifted to the front and the kitchen set back , then that would have made a larger dining/familyroom area . But that would have ruined the resale value . So I think moving the bathrooms was the lest and best for this plan. One question I have , is this an English plan ?, because the English love putting doors on every room ?And usually the doors swing the wrong way.
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Thanks for your ideas, Siobhan. So one of the reasons we want to open up the space is because the back of the house faces due south which results in the living room being pretty dark (despite large window). The space is also not particularly big and we do prefer more open plan living. There would be an RSJ running the width of the house so we could always add doors or a stud wall down the line if we felt we needed it. Our plan for now is to use screening to separate the two areas while keeping them open to one another (floor to ceiling shelves or vertical slats for example). The space with a "B" you see in the original floor plan is actually a small room that used to house the (gigantic) old boiler, but is now a large void in the centre of the house. This will be removed. It's load bearing, hence the RSJ. I can't really think of a kitchen configuration that doesn't need to use some of that space (what you see in the drawing is a fridge and pantry beside one another surrounded by a stud wall). Removing it, even partially, enables us to steal back some of the void for the living room. The living itself room is a nice size and width, but you're right, the off centre fireplace does make it slightly awkward to lay it out in a way that makes sense. The bay window is almost full height and beneath it is a low radiator, so no space for built in seating unfortunately. Our current thought here is to have a corner couch along the hall wall and coming down in front of the winow. Then have a console table behind the couch below the window, plants etc. We've tried it and it makes the room feel a lot better, but you then lose that extra space by the window. Alternative is just to have two 3 seater couches, one along the hall wall, and one under the window. Decisions, decisions :D Plan is indeed to have a WC under the stairs (at some point down the line).
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Setu Shah Manani
8 years ago
At the moment you have too many circulation spaces. Also, the key rule to kitchen design is that there should be triangle between hob, sink and fridge.
PRO
Glass Rose
8 years ago
I would fit the kitchen on a corner angle with an oval isle.
Left side space with dining area and all right side floor area with fitted cupboards for storage and relaxing space. Just my opinion.
Gibstamp
Interior Designer
Dhaksha Purbhoo
Original Author
8 years ago
Yes Setu it's all wrong. My fault really... Thank you for your comment.

Thank you for your comment Gibstamp. Do you agree I should block up the lounge? I left it open for the light to flow through from back to front but I could have a single glass door instead.

For dining room we are keen to have a bench built to save on floor space.

Any sketches are welcome.
PRO
Tiago Faria and Jane Considine Architects
8 years ago
Be aware, that a wc should not open directly into a kitchen, it can open into a hallway or ventillated lobby.
PRO
John McCall Architects
8 years ago
I do wonder if you kitchen extension is the correct shape - for very little extra cost could you make it wider so that it extends further along the rear of the house and might make the layout work much better.
Dhaksha Purbhoo
Original Author
8 years ago
Hi this is the front back of house. Can I go to the side?
PRO
Create Perfect
8 years ago
I am very surprised an interior designer helped you with this and didn't create the triangle with appliances and opened a toilet into the kitchen.
You definitely need to rethink the space. You have a great amount of light so I would keep those windows.. As someone else suggested I would suggest taking a plan of the space to a kitchen fitter or sitting down with another interior designer in a free consultation.
Dhaksha Purbhoo
Original Author
8 years ago
Hi Create perfect

My designer drew up loads of designs but I can't settle on anything. We even did ones where I still went through the lounge to dining room, a design with a 4m extension etc. She mentioned the toilet opening into kitchen and also the triangle with fridge, cooker and sink.

My bright idea was to put the tall units in the current dining room as there will be a tiny dog leg where the new meets old.

We plan to start the build around this time next year so I'm starting early!

Any suggestions as to what I could do with the space?

Many thanks
Dee
PRO
Create Perfect
8 years ago
I would start maybe by thinking what you want from the room. Draw a plan of how you would move around the room yourself. Draw your actions in the morning and try planning it that way.

It really is about making the space right for you and it seems like you have not found that missing thing that makes it right for you.
Dhaksha Purbhoo
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you create perfect. You are so right.... A quick run down is:

During the week I usually come down with a load of washing, put that on, then to the kitchen to make a drink, have breakfast and make my daughters lunch.

On weekends I shuffle downstairs, make a drink, get breakfast then watch a bit of TV on the sofa while having breakfast with my partner.

The sun is lovely at the back during the morning. The sun shines in the front and bottom of garden as it sets.

I will put more thought into this though.

Thank you
Dee
Xx
PRO
OnePlan
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Interesting ... Have the regs changed recently then ? As I was under the impression that a downstairs WC was ok to open off a kitchen provided that it was an outward opening door, disabled friendly, with a timer operated extractor vent and its own hand wash sink ?!

I'd say this one ( see attached ) looks a better plan - maybe take out sofa and put a long thin dining table there, with tv on the laundry room wall, and have the old dining room as partitioned space - that could be a tv nook or gym space etc .
Jonathan
8 years ago
Look at your neighbours and see how the have extended. It might be possible to put your garage on the side of the house and a wider extension on the back
Dhaksha Purbhoo
Original Author
8 years ago
Yes Jonathan need to see what my neighbour has done.

Thank you for sharing your sketch AJ interiors. I did think about the loo where you have it. Will it be problem for plumbing?

One plan I too heard the regs have changed.

Another idea was to ditch the island and have a u shaped kitchen. I'd put the kitchen on the opposite side in the extension.

I would block the lounge off and make the current dining room into a small gym or study. We would love to have our treadmill inside again so we could use it. I usually work out at home as it's easier with having a child.

I'd leave the loo and utility cupboard where it is and have a bench built for siting on with a dining table and some chairs. I would put a door after the loo so it's part of the hallway.

The extension could be 4m. Is this a good idea?
PRO
Amber Jeavons Ltd
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Hello Dhaksha,

Welcome re the design -The bathroom and separate loo on the first floor were roughly in the same place and so for budget and plumbing ease the situation suited the client. :))
Dhaksha Purbhoo
Original Author
8 years ago
Ah ok. Cool. Thank you AJ.
Dhaksha Purbhoo
Original Author
8 years ago
Rough sketch
PRO
Amber Jeavons Ltd
8 years ago
Hello Dhaksha,

Your drawing kitchen wise would feel more open if you kept it as a U shape there and took away that additional piece (I'm sorry I can't read what it says there.. Then you would have free flow direct from kitchen to your dining table and bifold doors..

You could also have an L shape with an island and sink? and perhaps add another set of bifold doors where the sink is currently drawn. : ))
Dhaksha Purbhoo
Original Author
8 years ago
I wanted somewhere to put my recycle bins. It's the sink in front of window with dishwasher next under it.

But yes your idea with island sound cool too.

Thank you so much for your comments.
PRO
Amber Jeavons Ltd
8 years ago
More than welcome Dhaksha :))

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