I’m confused about what you are trying to achieve. You say the kitchen includes the principal living space- in which case why are there two more Living rooms and why is this the smallest?

I think you might get better answers to your question if you state what you are trying to get from the new plan that the original is missing. I think you also shouldn’t be afraid to go back to the drawing board and start again because I suspect there may be planning limitations to you building on the boundary on each side and it could cause future problems with maintenance. I think the entrance and hallway are appropriate to a modest house but given the final house will be significantly bigger you may well find you add more value by making the entrance better with a long sight line to the garden. If you ever intend to extend upstairs it may be worth moving the stairs now. If you use the utility room as a second kitchen it needs to be closer to the principal kitchen, and I find this new plan sprawling and I don’t like that the largest room is a cut through to an annex and that you have reduced the size of one of the principal windows at the front.

So please state what you are trying to gain with the new plan and likely post the upstairs plan too.

Thanks Jonathan. Appreciate your comments. I've removed one of the pics so as to not confuse with the annex as that structure already exists.

The Plan on the right is the existing structure. The one on the left is the proposed plans. We don't currently have a garage, so bed 4 and utility would become a 1.5 sized garage. Then a small extension on the back of this to create a new utility. The new plans include extending out to the right from the existing kitchen to be in line with the existing living room as you view the plan from above. The existing living room will be split creating a small study and a smaller living room that would essentially be used as a playroom for the kids. The architect brief was to create a better flow through the house (mainly downstairs) where our main living space is incorporated into the kitchen with a media wall/sofa/fireplace etc. I agree that I'd quite like a clear line of sight from the entrance to the back which we have asked if possible (he's suggested moving the glazed double doors into the kitchen further down the corridor in line with front door to create this). He will also be adding a small porch to increase the entrance. He thinks the living area should be at the back to enjoy the vast garden and we agree. However, the sofa would need to be facing the other way (180 degrees turn) to get the best aspect of the garden. The utility shouldn't feel too separate from the main kitchen and you wouldn't want to squeeze past the sofas to get to the dining table. Our preference would be an island rather than a breakfast bar.

I guess I'd like to see if there are any alternatives to his proposed design to create what we want to achieve looking at the original plans? We just want the house to flow better and I know that sounds a bit like waffle, but I'm sure most people understand! Appreciate any further input you might have to help with ideas. Many thanks

I think the architect had failed to deliver on your brief. The new living space as part of the kitchen is not big enough for what you want and for circulation to the garden and utility. Personally I would want the new bigger house to have a better kitchen than the existing one not a smaller one and if the utility it is also going to be a fry kitchen I think it should be right next to the kitchen. You describe the plan for a second living room as a secondary space but it’s more than twice the size of the one with the kitchen and I’m not sure it will get much use. I think the study is too small as a playroom but suspected the kids will just want to be wherever you are so it won’t get much use. Again I think that unless you are going to rip off the front of this house and reconfigure the face of it changing this one window will adversely affect its character.

And I think you are missing a trick by not considering the annex. Who is going to use that? Do you have a dependent relative? If you need an annex does it have to be that side of the house and would you actually be better turning the annex into the big kitchen you are envisaging. You describe it as an existing structure…. Is it a garage? By the time you have added floor insulation will you have to raise the roof?- if so I say make this space part of your home and you enjoy the money you are spending on it.

It would also be useful to understand if the upstairs goes over the whole of the house (excluding the current kitchen which is clearly an extension). Or if it stops over the current downstairs wc

Without all the measurements for the extension and jonathan’s points would you consider swapping the utility with the kitchen and removing the current outer kitchen wall to have a 3m island facing the garden and the dining area in the centre of

the house?

Thank you both! ill add 1st floor plans too as it might help provide further context. the annexe already exists and will be remodelled for an elderly relative. The playroom is the larger sitting room with a pool table/ table for creative play.

I love the re-design Katlucy! Thank you! I know I really need measurements. There is a scale and I’ll see if I can provide approximate ones! Thank you!

@katlucy can you see a way of having a line of sight from the entrance of the property through to the back of the garden/bi-folds? Whilst keeping the flow each zone still looking 'normal' as you enter the house and walk around?

Like this?

Only issue here is the utility feels a bit separated from the kitchen itself. I'm so grateful for your efforts here though. I'm wondering if we can use a slither off the back of the garage to create a small utility room therefore creating more kitchen or living space. The garage would be quite small in length though (I think it measures about 6m in length on the proposed plans).

Here are some internal wall measurements if it helps:

This is amazing thank you! may I ask what software package you use? Really grateful for the effort. Could I ask for some tweaks? In the main house, could the dining area and living area be swapped? also we'd need a bigger playroom or a separate study. I know its a lot to ask and we love what you've done here and the upstairs! Any way to get a 2nd ensuite in one of the rooms? Thank you for the inspiration 😀

@Jonathan Your designs are the first ones that are actually getting me excited about this project for the first time! Thank you so much 😀

I’ve had a crude go at finding space for the downstairs. I just have a few questions and favour to ask:

1. Are your plans based on the measurements I provided? Therefore it’s entirely possible to create this? Especially the smaller 4th bedroom upstairs, I think is a particularly brilliant plan.

2. Could you kindly re-do the ground floor based on my changes attached. In addition flip the stairs 180 degrees and relocate the WC to under the stairs instead? Also the 2nd reception you created would not be the full width of the garage as we’d need access from the rear of the garage to the back of the garden - hence the black line to make room smaller. This room could serve as the home office.

3. What is your trade of work as you’re very good at this and understanding the brief. Are you UK based?

A cheap as chips alternative.

I’m glad you are excited about your new home- you are spending a lot of money so you should be excited. And I’m pleased you like my alternative- I really wasn’t keen on the first plan. In fairness to the architect though they may have been designing to a specific budget and my original plan was a fraction bigger- if you want more still that means building bigger again. so the revision below is bigger.

I use an app called HouseDesign but it’s no longer available on the App Store. It does however illustrate you can get good amateur results when exploring creative options. Although you are of course going to check the measurements I think I have correctly shown the size- so yes that upstairs arrangement does fit. You should just satisfy yourself that you will get planning permission to build that close to the boundary.

And I’m not a professional but since you are looking at creative options it may be cost effective to explore these with a designer or a concept planner before returning to your architect.

In the meantime I have interpreted your requested changes here: