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!

If I'm being honest, I'm really not sure on this layout. You have services on both sides of the extension, which even with my limited knowledge of building is expense that you could avoid. Do you need a laundry and a utility, or could you combine them.? Also I hate the idea of a toilet off the kitchen. The garage also looks small. Could you take out the door on the garage and make that the bathroom off your corridor, and make the corridor your utility. Then you have all the space free where the new bathroom and utility are. If you want more space for the utility and bathroom I would suggest bringing that wall in (make kitchen and dining narrower) and that would have the advantage of making your study wider. One other point is that leaving the study there with a window to the side will make the kitchen very dark.

If you are worried about the hallway being dark why not have a fully glazed door into the open plan area at this bottom of the stairs. This would allow you to see straight through the house when you walk in the front door and make the hallway feel much brighter and less closed in?

Hi there I’m building a new house and need to buy furniture as we are about 12-16 weeks out now. I have struggled with furniture layout as had originally been thinking of a corner couch in the middle or the roof so fire and tv would be visible when you sat down, but I drew it on floor in chalk and all it did was create a walkway around the couch with no real space for anything else - eg additional chair at the back end of the room etc. Felt to me like a waste of space and no function. I seem to have a lot of window and not so much wall to work with and as the ceiling is vaulted at the end where I have the fireplace seems to me would be odd not to orientate the furniture towards that view! I’ve drawn an alternative option in a programme I found online which I set out below with some pictures. The ceiling is vaulted to about 4.5 metres or so at the wall where the plant is in the picture below. Inset fire on that wall and tv on wall opposite over a sideboard. Any suggestions / improvements would be greatly appreciated- many thanks I’m advance!