Building a Home Renovating Design Dilemma

Remodelling my flat - the best layout?

4 years ago

Hi Guys,

New to Houzz but have found a lot of helpful advice here so far! I've just agreed the purchase of a first floor maisonette in SW London with a view to putting a large L shaped mansard loft conversion on the top.

I'm currently trying to work out if i just add 2 good sized bedrooms, ensuite and roof terrace to the space I create.

Do i go for something different which would be a large open plan kitchen/dinner/living room with the terrace as well, and then remodel the current first floor in to 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1 study?

My biggest concern would be if in the loft the ceiling height would make the space feel small, and if the width of the kitchen at the back would mean the kitchen isn't as good a space as it could be?

Have attached pictures of the current floor plan and then what option 1 and option 2 might look like from other plans i've seen!

Would be really cool to listen to some people's ideas!!

Pete

Current floorplan

Option 1 (with a little terrace at the end)

Option 2

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

Jonathan
4 years ago
So neither of the two options works for me.... but everyone is different.
The option with a study only has 1500mm of outside space and I personally think you would add more value if it was bigger.
I think you should have a reception space next to the terrace otherwise you end up going through a bedroom.
I also recognize the issue of having reduced head height.
So if I were planning it I would want a living room, kitchen, dining space and main bedroom in the grandest areas and put guests in the restricted head height areas.
Jonathan
4 years ago
What I would be considering
Related Discussions
Make my room more impressive
Q
Comments (127)
Lots of ideas....couldn't resist adding my two cents. i copied your photos and did a little cut and paste- it's messy, but hopefully gets the main idea across. i'd put your sofa in front of the large book case, chair by the fireplace, tv on the stand on the wall opposite the fireplace - so you can either look at the fire or the tv. Someone suggested using frames of one color for your photos - an inexpensive way to do that would be to spray paint them all a dark color-black goes with everything. Since your shelves are a medium tone wood, display things that are dark or light so that they contrast against the wood. Limiting your display items pallette to a few values usually helps to unify things. (I think that's why so many people want to paint the shelves or put inserts in the back to help your nice things read more clearly...some get lost). If you want to "splurge" -you may consider having a carpenter make a few solid tall cabinet doors to provide a visual break in the shelving. I'm showing 3 doors - 1 on the right side of the fireplace and 2 on the left to leave two open vertical shelves for display on each side - with things arranged to frame the fireplace as the focal point. To add some height to your big vases, consider stacking some books beneath them. Enjoy experimenting untill you get something you're happy with - good luck!
...See More
Granite, beautiful or not worth the Money?
Q
Comments (18)
ms1zebra, Thanks for your comment and interest! River-rock finished aluminum is a great surface. Its unfinished textured top allows for increased durability for work surfaces. It is resilient with heat, stains, oxidation, but will show signs of use if heavy objects are dropped on or slid across it or cutting is done on it with steel knives. As mainly a lighting manufacturer, we do not heavily promote our tile choices, so we haven't made much of an impact on the tile market. Perhaps when folks think of aluminum as a material, they think about unfinished flat aluminum sheet, which is not a good or even available choice for kitchen surfaces. However, our tumbled finish and thick castings give durability and a great balance between a classic weathered and modern look. Best of all, our aluminum is 100% post consumer recycled, non-mined, locally sourced, made in the USA. We are a Benefit Corporation (B-Corp), triple bottom line company with pioneering experience in sustainable manufacturing. We hope you'll spread the word if you like our product. For more information you can visit our website: http://www.eleekinc.com/tiles/ Thanks again for your interest.
...See More
Help with my living room
Q
Comments (791)
I've been thinking of you,Fragle - I remember those sleepless nights when the babies first came home and everyone was sleep deprived but life-as -always still had to go on, esp for Mommy. So happy for you that you have a 'good' baby, I love the name too:-)
...See More
need help for my rectangular living room
Q
Comments (7)
Hi Emmeline. Have measured as best I could. The room is 9ft wide and 18ft long going right up to the bay window sill.Imagine you are standing in the doorway. The door opens inwards and to the left. The space between the open door frame and the wall perpendicular i.e. facing the bay window is approx 2ft. On that perpendicular wall are cubes for art work, a tv and a flat chrome edged gas fire. The fire is 1ft of the ground.. The cube unit is 2ft off the ground as is the tv. So not much space to play around with there. Still standing in the doorway on the wall to your right is a longish radiator. At a slight diaganonal opposite you is a window. Height from floor is 2ft6in. Length of window is 3ft Distance ofrom fire place wall to window is 8ft4in. . Distance from end of window to alcove wall of bay window is 3ft2in. There are two small alcove wall each 2ft6in in length. The bay window is a square shape rather than curved. The length is 4ft. Depth 3ft. Height 2ft.6in.from floor. We moved house recently so the furniture does not really fit the space. I would like to keep the sofa if possible. It is a standard shape with rounded arms and very comfortable. It is a 2 and 1/2 seater approx 5ft 8in long and 3ft high. In an ideal world I'd like 1920s 30s or mid century scandanavian. But would also like to keep the sofa. The only thing I can think of doing is put the sofa facing the fire and take it from there. What about a window seat which would also provide storage? If the sofa faces the fire what do I do with the rest of the room? Chair angled at small window... ottoman??? As for colours the room is painted chalk white. When you come in the front door ( 1930s with coloured glass) there is a curved polished plaster wall in burnt umber. So am thinking moss green, mustard i.e autumn colours a la Orla Kiely??? Many thanks
...See More
PRO
Open Volume Studio
4 years ago
I agree with Johnathan in that the nicest option would be to have an entertaining space next to the terrace. You could simply flip the location of the kitchen and the living on option 2 obviously taking head heights into consideration. This would probably be the most cost effective change to your option 2 allowing you to maintain the number of bedrooms. Although all your living spaces are now in limited head height space, if it’s designed well it could make the space feel quite interesting and very expressive/individual.
Be aware, though, that it can still be a little difficult to get terraces with planning permission so make sure there is some precedence in your neighbourhood of people doing the same.
Finally, depending on your roof build up, you could also part expose rafters to gain a little more height and express the roof. You will probably have to double up some of the joists of the existing part of the roof and these might be deeper than the victorians so could be made to stick out past the insulation and plasterboard.
Good luck with your extension and I hope you keep us in the loop of the decisions you will finally take. If you need any further help, don’t hesitate to ask.
rinked
4 years ago
Could you repost the current floorplan a bit larger, please?

Remodelling my flat - the best layout?

Comments (4)

Jonathan

Jonathan

Related Discussions

Open Volume Studio

rinked

COMPANY

EXPLORE HOUZZ

CONNECT WITH US