Property Snakes and Ladders; 2009

PasturesNew

Missed the start.

lostinrates

Why is it always a given ''families'' want open plan space? TBH, although I'd want room in a kitchen to put kids at a table, I'd also like to be able to close a door to keep a smart tidy reception room kid free sometimes, and beable to close a door on kiddy mess if I were too drained/lazy to clear it up. Open plan takes both these option away.

ETA: i like all the workings left in the oast house. Could make ''interesting'' features in a master bedroom!

Phirefly

lostinrates wrote: »

the oast house

One of those, eh? I'm working so got it recording, Mr P is Man Of Kent and likes the idea of converting an Oast House (are there any left that haven't been?) but he knows that I'd rather ingest my own eyeballs that share a county with his parents....

GracieP

lostinrates wrote: »

Why is it always a given ''families'' want open plan space? TBH, although I'd want room in a kitchen to put kids at a table, I'd also like to be able to close a door to keep a smart tidy reception room kid free sometimes, and beable to close a door on kiddy mess if I were too drained/lazy to clear it up. Open plan takes both these option away.

I agree, open plan looks great in pictures and it's fantastic when you are having a party. But it's very impractical for living with if you have a family. Imo, the best family layout has a kitchen/diner and two separate living areas, one as the main livingroom and the second as a playroom/teenagers den. The second room doesn't have to be very big, but having a place to put the kids toys when they are young, and a room for your teenage daughter to watch tv with her boyfriend that doesn't have a bed in it when they are older, is more valuable than a great space for parties.

It's also much more expensive to heat open plan rooms.

GracieP

Why did the oast house people put the kitchen downstairs and the livingroom upstairs? And then the bedrooms are on two different floors. I know the windows were different in the upstairs roundal(sp), but surely there must have been someway to have the kitchen upstairs?

BettiePage

Can't believe the other couple covered up the oven. Plus they put really cheap laminate down with no underlay by the looks of it.
Looks like they want to rent it out.

mewbie_2

I like the large garden solution. Too much work? Fence half off and ignore.

PasturesNew

GracieP wrote: »

Why did the oast house people put the kitchen downstairs and the livingroom upstairs? And then the bedrooms are on two different floors. I know the windows were different in the upstairs roundal(sp), but surely there must have been someway to have the kitchen upstairs?

Beeny told them to put it downstairs.

Personally it would annoy me having to drag all my shopping etc upstairs every time... and the rubbish bags all the way downstairs. At least downstairs in the summer they have the option of spending the time in the kitchen downstairs and wandering in/out the door randomly to sit in the sun, or get a drink.

PasturesNew

I can't believe they didn't buy the parking... I'd have willingly paid £20k to buy that slot!

That slot is the key to its desirability so far as I am concerned... no parking = big problem for everybody now and in the future. Parking = a joy.

lostinrates

PasturesNew wrote: »

Beeny told them to put it downstairs.

Personally it would annoy me having to drag all my shopping etc upstairs every time... and the rubbish bags all the way downstairs. At least downstairs in the summer they have the option of spending the time in the kitchen downstairs and wandering in/out the door randomly to sit in the sun, or get a drink.

We tried a similar think in London, didn't work for us at all, would be even worse with children.

In general even when it works aesthetically I'm not keen on upside down living, again, the shut the door on the mess situation. Especially if you are entertaining and hve to walk guests through the down stairs to the front door where kids are behind doors sleeping, or have left toys strewn around when they sneak out of bed while you are upstairs cooking etc.