Improve ground floor layout - Victorian House
Hello,
We have recently bought a Victorian semi detached (originally one house) that is in desperate need of renovation. We want to get an idea of what to do with the ground floor before we start!
This is the floor plan..
Living room.
Kitchen
Dining room
Gloomy staircase
Pantry
Our budget is fairly low, and will be taken up mostly on a new kitchen, new fireplaces. However, we do have some ideas, like to knock down the wall to the staircase adjacent the dining room to have an open staircase. My wife would like to knock through the chimney in the dining room into the kitchen to create a large dining kitchen , however this is probably not possible as this is the gable end, the kitchen is an extension as seen below.
Our house includes the extension and the windows to the left handside, which is a window to the living room.
Comments (20)
Jonathan
5 years agoAs well as adding the much larger porch/ hall and changing the windows in the extension (all discussed on an earlier thread) I would swap the kitchen and dining room over
Steve Mac
5 years agoRelated Discussions
Any suggestions for our ground floor layout?
Comments (14)Jen, are you sure everything is in proportion? I'm asking, because that store seems to be just a bit wider than a door (so about 1 m) which is fine, but doesn't give much space to manoeuvre inside it. Also, a bit too many doors in a small space, but I'm afraid I can't offer you a remedy for that. You have two wide, massive windows and a door in between, I think that will give plenty of light. Personally, I'd just add skylights or a glass roof. Or a long strip of glass all along What you don't seem to have is ventilation windows. Trust me, you're going to want one in the utility, or at least a good fan. Transom style windows could work too if you can open them. I really wish you'd see an architect... there are lots of different, small things that a professional can spot from miles away that you wouldn't even consider. As I said, I regret we didn't; our house is great, but it could've been even better!...See MoreNew house kitchen layout
Comments (12)I see what you mean, It's a good idea in theory, however, practically, I don't think it's going to work, and you will end up ruining the nicest room in the house. There are no walls that remain unbroken by doors or windows, so where are you going to put units and unbroken worktop space. They can't go on the left as there are three doors. There's a door on the right, which although you could put a unit and a bit of worktop back right, it wouldn't be very big, and the biggest run of wall goes straight down to the glass doors, so you probably can't and wouldn't want to go straight up to them. You could move the door into the hallway from the front end to the bottom end by the patio doors and this would give you a better run of wall. If you put an island in the middle, 5' into the room to give yourself room to walk in and gain more worktop, it'll only leave you with around 6' at the other end for a dining space. However, i'd still advise getting a kitchen planner onboard before you start, as i'm not convinced the room is big enough to achieve what you want with the available wall space, and it stands a good chance of spoiling a very nice and elegant entrance to a house. The other big problem is the plumbing, there isn't any currently in that room, so you'll need to dig up the floor for drainage and almost definately that of either the utility or one of the bathrooms! I vote for keeping the house exactly as it is!...See MoreLayout dilemma/ possible kitchen extension or remodel
Comments (0)Hi, advice gratefully received. Love our new house, but the ground floor layout is not great. Long narrow kitchen facing east, garden is big so scope to extend. As it stands you come in from the hall into the lounge to get to the kitchen. I would like to have some separation so that the lounge can be closed when desired. Perhaps some double doors? I was thinking to use a chunk of the lounge and knock through into the kitchen which would also allow more light. Lounge is lovely and light, kitchen is dark after lunch. Ideal solution would be a side extension, but drains and pipes in the way so worried about the cost.. Would only require about a metre wide along the actual kitchen which I would then face towards the garden and create a sitting area. Any ideas welcome P.S. Conservatory is a junk room at the moment, facing a fence on the right hand side. The garage is used as a utility....See Moreground floor layout - stuck on how to reconfigure!
Comments (11)I don’t think your plan for a playroom is an economical plan. Firstly it’s an additional small room- this house has enough rooms for any family- what you need is larger rooms. You have stated you want a kitchen with an island- the space you currently have won’t accommodate an island but if you did extend the kitchen this will likely add far more to the resale value. The rooms at the back of this house have two doors to the patio- you intend putting the playroom just here meaning you loose the best route to your garden most likely resolved by replacing the Dining room window with French doors….. and moving the radiator, replacing the floor and building a new patio! The living room at the back of the house could be a playroom for the next few years- perhaps you should make an aperture to the dining room to keep an eye on the kids....See MoreJonathan
5 years agoIt it were me I wouldn’t take out the wall by the stairs- partly because it it tricky, would most likely need a steel so will challenge the budget and also it is out of keeping with the house. If you want the stairs to be less gloomy I would add great LED lighting to the area- this lighting can be very low energy so you can run it all the time.
Jonathan
5 years agoSince budget is an option I wouldn’t touch the porch now. Assuming the heating and wiring don’t need attention I would prioritise the work you want to do and try to do the dusty jobs first.
I would first strip out the decorating to see so that any replastering needed is known about. Then I would tackle the windows in the extension - In my opinion reducing their width and swapping to sash windows and a French door to the garden would massively change the character of the house and how you use the garden. I would then pull out the pantry and check the insulation levels for the extension adding some more as necessary.
I would then get an electrician for clever lighting and sockets as necessary and a plumber to add water to the current dining room in readiness for the new kitchen. Then replace the fireplace in the front room and add period style coving to the kitchen and dining room. Then I would replace kitchens and bathroom, redecorate, add flooring, light fittings and window treatments before turning your attention to the outside.
When the budget allows it would be good to rerender the extension, build a patio and then build an extension to help move your front door towards the front boundary and add an additional room.
PROBetterSpace: The Floor Plan Experts
5 years agoSteve Mac thanked BetterSpace: The Floor Plan ExpertsSteve Mac
5 years ago
PROMarina Drobot at Cinnamon Space
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoI don't know if you can, but it would be able to access the garden from the kitchen / utility room
if you swap kitchen and dining, you will have a really spacious kitchen / breakfast / family room.you can create a really comfortable island for the family to gather around for informal meals, snacks, games etc.
The Chimney breast can fit a range stove and that will bring a traditional country house charm to the kitchen.
Open the stairs as you suggested on the kitchen side and create an office / command centre nook under the stairs.
Pantry in the new dining room can be used for a closet to be accessed from the hallway and as a feature in the dining by creating a beautiful built in cabinets. i know there is an obstruction on the bottom, which can be made look like a door but not used. you would have a good on the top part though.
Steve Mac thanked Marina Drobot at Cinnamon SpaceSteve Mac
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoThanks for all the advice so far, really great ideas! Underneath the stairs is access to a cellar, great for storage.
This pic below is inside the utility room. There is a peculiar area on the deeds that suggest we own a room beyond this , what was a clearly once a doorway. It doesn't appear on the floor plans, but it is with our solicitors at the moment to investigate,
Here are the deeds for next door, the area in blue, ground floor only, belong to us apparently! Sadly the owner died fairly recently, and his daughter doesn't know anything about this area. We live too far away to immediately check what this area is, but will know more this weekend when we visit. I'm suspecting an outside shed, or old coal room. But still, could lead to further possibilities for the house.
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Marina Drobot at Cinnamon Space
5 years agolast modified: 5 years ago Jonathan
5 years agoJonathan
5 years agoBtw- don’t forget if you do open both sides of the dining room fireplace this limits where you can put kitchen cabinets. The easiest solution is to keep the stair wall which might have been insisted upon by building (fire) regs
Jonathan
5 years agoSteve Mac
5 years agoThanks Jonathon, the bulkhead in the pantry is actually the top of the outside storeroom, red door can be seen on the front of the house. The ceiling here makes up the bulkhead.
The deeds do state the area in blue is ground floor only, there is another floor above this which belongs to next door and I'm presuming the roof as it says floor above.Jonathan
5 years agoEmily
5 years agoSteve Mac
5 years ago
PROi-architect
5 years ago
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