14 years ago

Hi I am just about to begin building but I am worried about the layout of my downstairs. I cant change the outside of the house due to huge planning issues but I'd like to get the inside right. Area of concern is living room running into kitchen/dining. Worried about how the area flows (including sunroom). Was thinking about open plan kitchen dining & living room but think it's too big a space. Also thought of double pocket doors between those rooms. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Hope you can see the downstairs plan!

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PRO
Buckenmeyer Architecture
14 years ago
What about keeping the wall between the living room and dining area, but widen the opening between the two rooms and eliminate the doors. As a cased opening, it would still provide definition to each room, but not chop up the space.

You might want to also consider eliminating the doors from the openings off the entrance hall to the Living Room, Sitting Room, and Dining/Kitchen, as it's likely they would be open most of the time anyway.
bepsf
14 years ago
I concur with the above comment: Just have archways installed rather than doors - not only will it be more open but it will be less costly...
...tho to open the living room even more, consider relocating the LR fireplace to the opposite wall and centering a larger archway to the hall opposite it - where the fireplace is located now.

I might also consider installing an archway or doorway to the left of the fireplace in the sitting room - It will make your sitting room less of a dead end and passage to your study, kitchen and powder room more direct.
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Liam Lyons
Original Author
14 years ago
last modified: 14 years ago
Thanks for the feedback. I'm going to get an interior designer to have a look at these and more ideas before I do start. I'd be a bit afraid of leaving things too open as it may make it difficult to heat. Must go look for pics with arches linking rooms now to better visualise your ideas. I had actually intended moving the fireplace in the living room to the other wall. Felt it'd be easier to lay out the rooms tv & furniture that way because of doors & windows...
bepsf
14 years ago
Open floor plans don't make a house difficult to heat - insufficient insulation and poor weather proofing of exterior walls and windows is what makes a house difficult to heat.
Liam Lyons
Original Author
14 years ago
Ya I know that but I suppose I'd be afraid the house would lose some coziness. House design is almost to passive standard so not worried about heating too much. I am concerned about getting the layout right first time though. I can see how openings like
Old Farm · More Info
would open up my plans. Looking for more like this now. This site is incredible for ideas but I find my limitations by house design limit my own creativeness. Thanks for the help

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