katrinatkd

Help please with ground floor layout

Katrina Prescott
2 years ago

Hello,


We need help with the ground floor layout of our bungalow, specifically the kitchen and family bathroom. As part of the loft conversion works, the architect has included in the drawing the removal of the kitchen walls to open up the space to a multi-function living/dining/kitchen area which will also let in more light the current dining area and to embrace the view of the garden.


The kitchen was renovated by the previous owners approximately 5 years ago. For the moment, to save money we are only going to remove half the wall to create a half wall between the current living area and kitchen. Keeping the floor cupboards and losing the wall cupboards. The architect at the time suggested converting the family bathroom to a utility but we are now against this idea.


Also we have an American fridge / freezer in the garage which we'll move into the kitchen when the kitchen work is carried out and have it plumbed up so we can use the water/ice dispenser. This means we will 'mess' up the look of the kitchen as it means removing the integrated fridge freezer and another cupboard to house this.


We will live with this half wall and 'messy' kitchen temporarily until we save up enough to do it properly.


We are struggling with the ground floor plan...


- Kitchen layout. Ideally it would be nice to keep the dishwasher / oven / hob / sink layout as is to save cost


- Family bathroom

  1. Keep the layout as is and not moving the water tank up to loft
  2. Move the tank to upstairs to free up space for storage per the original plan
  3. Or use the extra space gained and bring the bathroom wall forward to house the toilet and sink on the same wall as the bath so that when you walk in from the front, you have a clear sight line into the garden with a tall window opening behind the staircase instead of just be greeted by a staircase and a wall in the background.

- Last option is extension, the most costly. Extend the back wall of kitchen and living space out (by 3/3.5m?) and use this as a utility / pantry. The other end from the living area can be flexible, thinking reading or desk area for kids homework or when I work from home.


I've played around with the layouts, would welcome your thoughts / ideas.


Thank you!






Comments (23)

  • Ellie
    2 years ago

    Your sightline from entering front door out to garden, is that a sightline through the bathroom window???? If so, I'd have that door permanently closed, sorry!

    Katrina Prescott thanked Ellie
  • Jonathan
    2 years ago

    Short term I wouldn’t destroy your kitchen for a fridge. However you could add an extra area outside the kitchen for additional cabinets and the fridge

    Katrina Prescott thanked Jonathan
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  • Jonathan
    2 years ago

    If you did later extend I think it would be better to extend on this side. You could have a huge kitchen as I have shown or you could turn the original kitchen into a utility

    Katrina Prescott thanked Jonathan
  • Jonathan
    2 years ago

    And I agree with the earlier comment about sight lines from the front door.
    If you post the upstairs plan perhaps there is an alternative solution

    Katrina Prescott thanked Jonathan
  • Katrina Prescott
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Ellie, got it and thank you!


    Jonathan, adding an extra area outside the kitchen would work perfectly but I don't think it would be possible as we need to connect the fridge/freezer to the water line. Not entirely sure if the water line can be hidden?


    Extending out to the side is not possible unfortunately as we have a pond running parallel to the bungalow about 4 meters away from our external wall.


    Extending in the back from the kitchen seems to be the only option, however I think this will make our current dining area even darker. We have a drain outside the bathroom just over 1 m away which I think we can't build over.


    Seems limiting!

  • Katrina Prescott
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Upstairs plan. Dormer in the shower room only.


  • Jonathan
    2 years ago

    Water pipes can often go under the floor so can be easily hidden.
    Frankly it would be easier to move a pond than a drain.

    Katrina Prescott thanked Jonathan
  • Katrina Prescott
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Jonathan, agree. However, the scale of the pond is big (it was a swimming pool which has been converted into a pond) so to touch this would be expensive.


    Good to know that water pipes can go under the floor. This results in us destroying one side of the kitchen only instead of the entire kitchen! I should have mentioned removing the left wall to open up the space means the kitchen worktop will very likely need to be replaced. There is a tall wall kitchen cabinet in the lower left corner fixed to the worktop. I don't know what is under this tall cabinet so likely once this is removed there will be a huge chunk missing from the work surface.


    If we don't extend, do you think the below plan could work?


    I'm not sure the kitchen will be big enough to house a dishwasher, sink, washing machine and hob? The fridge freezer could go on the bottom wall as you mentioned.


    Is there too much wasted space between the kitchen area and fridge area or is it okay?




  • Katrina Prescott
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    rinked, thank you. Your plan is nice but looks expensive! We'd also have to convert the family bathroom to an en-suite and use the new bedroom on your plan as the master bedroom. Also, the dining area drawn on your plan leads directly to a bathroom, not sure how I feel about this!


    The below floor plan is our current layout before the loft conversion so it doesn't include the stairway which is why I didn't post it originally.


    The front bedroom is used as the master bedroom with an en-suite. We'd prefer to keep the master bedroom as is at our place of escape away from the kids. We have been spoilt by the size.


    What did you think of the plan I drew out with the blue cupboards, could this work? Or no?


  • rinked
    2 years ago

    By turning the bathroom into an ensuite and the lounge into a bedroom, you would lose your downstairs loo and your sitting room. Why?


    And with a separate sitting room and some seats in your kitchen-dining, plus all kids their bedroom, you don't need to retreat to your own bedroom now, do you?



    Katrina Prescott thanked rinked
  • Katrina Prescott
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    rinked, I was referring to your plan where you have turned the separate sitting room into a bedroom and combined the master bedroom with en-suite into one large open space kitchen-dining living. This means we lose the en-suite master bedroom and the only way I could think to work around this is to convert the family bathroom to an en-suite.


    The bottom shower room is our current en-suite which may not be appealing if you have to access it from the kitchen-dining area?



  • rinked
    2 years ago

    It could become a utility, but yes you'd lose the ensuite.


    When making the layout, I did not know there was an ensuite. :)

    Katrina Prescott thanked rinked
  • Katrina Prescott
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Really appreciate your idea and the time you took to draw out this plan rinked!


    What do you think is realistic with our plan?


    - Extend out in the back slightly to get the overall needs similar to my original post. The drawback is an even darker dining area

    - Don't extend. Keep to the current layout, lose the wall cabinets on the left wall and leave the rest of the kitchen intact (minus the work surface which will need replacing)

  • Jonathan
    2 years ago

    Alternative for inspiration

    Katrina Prescott thanked Jonathan
  • Katrina Prescott
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Jonathan, thank you for the inspiration :) Sadly I believe there isn't sufficient headspace for the stairway to be placed in that area without making big alterations to the roof :(

  • PRO
    Nest Estimating Ltd
    2 years ago

    Hi Katrina, once you have decided on a layout, we can provide you with a budget cost estimate. The budget cost estimate provides a detailed breakdown of works and expenses as well as highlighting potential areas where you can save money. If this is something of interest please send the plans and photos to hello@nestestimating.co.uk and we can provide you with a quote

  • rinked
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    What's realistic about my floorplan? It provides a welcoming open plan living (if that's your thing), with natural light coming in from 3 directions. And kids will grow up and leave the nest, so if this is your 'forever home' i'd work towards the life goals you have, as major renovations don't happen often.

    Like my questions about the bedroom retreat, how badly will you need it when they all have their own bedroom and you have a spacious dining-kitchen-lounge and separate small sitting room? Does it outweigh losing the XL bed and ensuite?

    Katrina Prescott thanked rinked
  • Jonathan
    2 years ago

    According to your plan of the first floor the highest part of the roof is in the middle?

    Katrina Prescott thanked Jonathan
  • PRO
    OnePlan
    2 years ago

    I’ve had a play with this - please feel free to use any elements you like ! But obviously where I’ve removed /moved walls a SE will need to be involved ! This is just a rough idea …

    I’ve expanded on your great idea for sight line and created a study nook with window over desk area to give that view out, as you enter the home.. I’ve reduced the bathroom to a shower room with laundry appliance cupboard too … also stolen some space from master bedroom for hall storage - moving the entrance door to that bedroom, and the wall, in the process … I’ve kept the lounge with fire place and added book shelving to reduce noises from lounge to bedroom.

    I’ve worked with your current kitchen space to put in a USA ff ( but can’t be in the corner as the doors wouldn’t open well - so moved the hob to accommodate it)
    You mentioned moving a cupboard and existing int FF to get the USA in - if the cupboard is 600mm could you simply buy another int FF and have it next to the original instead ?
    I added a window seat at the end of the kitchen … you mentioned taking down the top part of the internal wall to dining - so I’ve run with that too.

    It’s just tweaking what’s there really . But as I say - just some ideas to get you thinking - and to add to the other ideas on this thread.
    Oh - and I opened up the area below the kitchen to a seating area and added sofas and tv too.

    Hope you like some bits !! Although I do appreciate its now significantly open plan - and although that suits some - not everyone likes it !

    Katrina Prescott thanked OnePlan
  • Katrina Prescott
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Thank you all for your thoughts and ideas, really appreciate them!


    OnePlan, you have certainly done an amazing job combining all the ideas together! You've given us a lot to think about.


    I can live without the American f/f but the husband can't, he bought it especially for the water / ice dispenser. If only there was an affordable integrated f/f with dispenser then it would certainly solve part of the kitchen problem :)


    I love the practicality and new areas you have created, especially the window seat at the end of the kitchen. I think this would really transform the space and bring in that extra light into the seating area.


    Love the study nook, something we are missing and need.


    I will need to ponder how we are going to live in this space as not 100% certain about losing the family bathroom and the separate living space...this idea pushes us, but thank you for introducing this idea...

  • PRO
    OnePlan
    2 years ago

    Check out Amazon or similar for stand alone ice and water dispensers! I’ve just spotted these ( heading out for supper - so this is from my phone !)

    Katrina Prescott thanked OnePlan
  • Katrina Prescott
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Wow, Amazon sells everything you could think off!


    After some careful thinking of OnePlan's incredible idea and creative outlay, it may prove too challenging and open for us to make it work. I have done some minor adjustments to the plan...keeping the separate lounge which could change its purpose in the future and keeping the bathroom (regrettably losing the study nook/sightline to save on cost).


    The water tank cupboard has been entirely removed to free up space in the family bathroom.


    The submitted plan to the council for this water tank cupboard covers the removal of the chimney stack hidden behind the water tank and relocating the tank to the loft as we originally wanted to keep this space for storage. However, OnePlan's idea of a utility appliance cupboard / storage is one I'd like to keep.


    My question here is, can this water tank cupboard be removed completely or will we need to make another appointment with a Structural Engineer/Architect to have these walls removed? The removal of the chimney stack in the cupboard didn't need any clearance from the SE, so does this mean I don't need to consult with him or would we need to?





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