5 Genius Layout Rejigs That Unlocked More Space
Architects and designers can often improve flow and make a home feel bigger without extending, as these projects show
Does your home feel cramped or awkward to navigate? It may be possible to rework it to feel bigger without having to add any new rooms.
There’s a skill to being able to look at a floor plan and see how the space could be used more effectively, and the professionals who tackled these projects had it in spades. Take a look at how they moved openings, created more useful hallways and thought laterally about room use in these inspiring renovations.
There’s a skill to being able to look at a floor plan and see how the space could be used more effectively, and the professionals who tackled these projects had it in spades. Take a look at how they moved openings, created more useful hallways and thought laterally about room use in these inspiring renovations.
Looking at the original floor plan, architect Chantal Forzatti saw that the only way to give the living room a cosy feel and create a better flow throughout the flat was to switch the side entrance from the hallway (marked with an arrow) to one straight ahead and reposition the rooms.
To do that, Chantal needed to steal space from what was once the kitchen and the flat’s only bathroom to create a corridor.
But far from losing rooms, her rejig has resulted in an additional bathroom, a spacious bedroom suite, including a dressing room, and a slightly smaller kitchen, but one that now opens onto a tiny balcony with a beautiful view of Lake Como.
See before and after photos of the whole of this flat.
But far from losing rooms, her rejig has resulted in an additional bathroom, a spacious bedroom suite, including a dressing room, and a slightly smaller kitchen, but one that now opens onto a tiny balcony with a beautiful view of Lake Como.
See before and after photos of the whole of this flat.
2. Improve flow
In this renovation of a 1930s home, moving the entrance to the kitchen, seen here on the right, not only unlocked a well-functioning kitchen-diner, it added a useful new study, too.
In this renovation of a 1930s home, moving the entrance to the kitchen, seen here on the right, not only unlocked a well-functioning kitchen-diner, it added a useful new study, too.
When designer Josephine Lecoufle-Vinet of JLV Design first saw the floor plan, it revealed a long trek from the kitchen round to the dining room, a layout that also made the middle room (below the kitchen on this plan) more or less useless.
The dining room was largely being used as a study by the couple’s three teenagers, and everyone would take turns to eat at the tiny peninsula in the kitchen at mealtimes.
The dining room was largely being used as a study by the couple’s three teenagers, and everyone would take turns to eat at the tiny peninsula in the kitchen at mealtimes.
Now the kitchen and dining room are linked, with glazed bifold doors across a wide opening between them. Blocking up the original door into the middle room allowed Josephine to design a full wall of storage in the kitchen, which more than made up for the loss of a couple of units to insert the new door.
She also reduced the size of the cloakroom and turned the now much more useable middle room into a cosy home office where the children can spread out their homework.
She also reduced the size of the cloakroom and turned the now much more useable middle room into a cosy home office where the children can spread out their homework.
Here you can see the opening being created between the dining room and kitchen, and the door into the former middle room - just seen on the right - being blocked up.
It’s worth asking your architect or designer whether they’re signed up to Houzz Pro, as Josephine is, as a number of tools, including 3D Walkthrough floor plans, can help you easily visualise your potential new space.
See more of this project, including further layout tweaks that made the family home even better.
It’s worth asking your architect or designer whether they’re signed up to Houzz Pro, as Josephine is, as a number of tools, including 3D Walkthrough floor plans, can help you easily visualise your potential new space.
See more of this project, including further layout tweaks that made the family home even better.
3. Don’t be afraid to switch room use
When it comes to reconfiguring your home, it’s worth looking at the whole floor plan – don’t automatically dismiss spaces such as hallways or corridors.
The kitchen in this flat sits in what was once the hallway, and it works nicely here to create an open-plan kitchen-diner and living space.
Such a long hallway was unnecessary and architect Amélie Colombet shortened it to create the vestibule, just seen on the left, freeing up this stretch.
When it comes to reconfiguring your home, it’s worth looking at the whole floor plan – don’t automatically dismiss spaces such as hallways or corridors.
The kitchen in this flat sits in what was once the hallway, and it works nicely here to create an open-plan kitchen-diner and living space.
Such a long hallway was unnecessary and architect Amélie Colombet shortened it to create the vestibule, just seen on the left, freeing up this stretch.
Before Photo
The original kitchen, top right on this plan, was disconnected from the dining and living area.
In addition, the second bedroom could only be accessed through the first.
In addition, the second bedroom could only be accessed through the first.
Amélie moved the bathroom down to the far end, where the kitchen was previously. By creating a small separate room for the toilet, she managed to fit in a door to the second bedroom.
The kitchen was then moved into the original hallway and any storage that was lost was fitted in outside the bathroom.
Tour the whole of this cleverly reconfigured flat.
The kitchen was then moved into the original hallway and any storage that was lost was fitted in outside the bathroom.
Tour the whole of this cleverly reconfigured flat.
Before Photo
4. Address wasted space
The entrance to this duplex apartment was badly thought out. Having the doorway from the hallway opening into the body of the room, as seen here, meant the whole area in front of it couldn’t be used.
The entrance to this duplex apartment was badly thought out. Having the doorway from the hallway opening into the body of the room, as seen here, meant the whole area in front of it couldn’t be used.
Interior architect Marie Le Magueresse of Murs et Merveilles switched the doorway to the side, which not only freed up space for a dining area, it gave anyone entering the kitchen a magnificent view of the River Seine through a glazed door onto a terrace opposite (not shown).
This ‘before’ floor plan shows how the space in the old hallway was wasted and having the entrance to the flat next to the staircase made the area immediately inside unusable.
Rotating the cloakroom 90 degrees has made better use of the hallway area, while moving the doorway not only allowed for a dining area in the main room, it made space in the hallway for a built-in upholstered bench for putting on shoes.
The changes are surprisingly small, but they’ve unlocked more storage and a more spacious living area.
Have a proper look around this transformed apartment.
The changes are surprisingly small, but they’ve unlocked more storage and a more spacious living area.
Have a proper look around this transformed apartment.
5. Sacrifice underused spaces
A workshop and general dumping ground behind the far wall of this kitchen held the key to the family being able to fit a much-wanted island into their new kitchen.
A workshop and general dumping ground behind the far wall of this kitchen held the key to the family being able to fit a much-wanted island into their new kitchen.
Designers Alicia Held-Morris and Jillian Lare of Morris Lare repurposed the workshop space as a laundry room and boot room (through the pocket door, back right), allowing them to incorporate the old laundry – which was formerly behind the fridge wall and awkward to access – into the kitchen.
The husband had been using the unfinished utility room as a workshop, but it wasn’t the best use of space and the family ideally wanted a bigger kitchen-diner where they could entertain.
Getting rid of the old laundry room widened the kitchen, allowing Alicia and Jillian to include the desired island and more storage.
It also made room for a doorway into the old workshop, which was turned into a good-sized laundry room and a boot room, which provides a buffer between the garden and kitchen – perfect for a family with two young children and a couple of dogs.
See more photos of this renovation.
Tell us…
What do you think of these layout changes and the spaces they’ve unlocked? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
It also made room for a doorway into the old workshop, which was turned into a good-sized laundry room and a boot room, which provides a buffer between the garden and kitchen – perfect for a family with two young children and a couple of dogs.
See more photos of this renovation.
Tell us…
What do you think of these layout changes and the spaces they’ve unlocked? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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This living room was once the thoroughfare for the whole flat, with people forced to troop through what should have been a relaxing area to access any other room.
The key to improving the space lay in creating the corridor seen to the left, which allowed the original door from the hallway (now the niche holding the TV) to be blocked up, creating more useable wall space for furniture placement as well as a more peaceful room.