Hi. Your kitchen to me looks large, certainly big enough for a table and maybe some seating (from what I can see in the pic anyway!). I personally wouldn't knock through unless rooms were small and needed space for furniture. I cook a lot and would hate the smell travelling, the noise and the mess etc. if the house has 2 living areas it's also nice for family members to have their own space at times. That's just my opinion though and what works for me and not you! ! Have you looked at pics where people have done the same thing with similar size rooms? Or is there anyone in the road with a similar house? Re paint, are you painting the units or just the walls? I would probably change the kitchen floor regardless if you knock through as its absorbing some of the light.

You should probably think of the floor covering in the overall plan as a light colour or dark colour may have an impact on whether you choose a light or dark colour for the worktop. Two different worktops, one on the island and one on the rest of the units might look well too. I like timber for an island but only if you don't need the worktop to be heat resistant and it's not near the sink. We've picked a dark grey for our island and will probably choose an off white worktop with a vein in it to contrast with it. Good luck with your decisions!

We are in the design stage of building a new home. I like the traditional Georgian feel to a home with high ceiling, coving, wood panelling but all like huge window for light. Preparing design brief for architect does anyone have any photo ideas ? My husband and I are no designers and this process is new to us both ? Appreciate your feedback

Hi, we are planning a renovation for our downstairs. We want to make best use of our existing space without extending. We have 2 toddlers so a big family/ kitchen space is key, as well as a downstairs bathroom. Love to hear any feedback/ problems on our draft plan. We haven't engaged any professionals as of yet. Here is our existing floor plan: And this is our proposed plan