Hi Fiona. I agree that the current kitchen seems undersized for the space. I'm not sure if the cost of removing the load bearing wall would be the best use of resources and space though. Your sketch seemsvto show two islands?

How do you use the downstairs place in general? Is it necessary to have two sitting rooms? Would it be viable to move kitchen and dining into the largest room, smaller sitting room you tv and current dining room area for the 'second sitting' purpose. That would leave the utility area large enough to add a downstairs shower, maybe moving the loo out from under the stairs. All this should cost less than the disruption of knocking one wall just to build another beside it.

I thought mobile islands, two different tops, that can be moved around, pushed against walls etc. more like prep tables on wheels with one layer of deep drawers or stacked single drawers and on legs. This would keep the weight down and bounce the light underneath. The loo cant be moved, much as I’d like to stop it jutting into the kitchen. We use the small sitting room as a study but the big living room we live in one end. I don’t know about moving the whole kitchen into the big room as all the utilities are on one side and we have a septic tank, well and oil fired heating all on that side.

I could leave the wall in and just move the door to the dining area a bit but I am worried it would feel cramped without opening it up completely. I am happy to lose one island, but dont want a big blocky built-in thing in the middle of the floor. We are 3-7 adults in the house, usually 3.

Was doodling.

I hadn’t even considered moving the office to the back of the house. That double door faces the garden and gets the most sun so would be bright. I don’t know if moving the kitchen all the way over would be better or worse than taking down a wall. It makes a lot of hallways but I will have a look at moving things further over and see what comes up. Thanks for the option and another view to consider!

If I leave the load bearing wall between kitchen and dining room I come up with this. Would it be too cramped? Would prefer to enlarge utility/laundry as well. I could leave the door into the small sitting room/study and take some of that space for cloak/utility which would give more laundry area. I really need the big pantry as we live in very rural area and minimal shop visits.