Extension Plans

Keith99

I'm after a bit of advice and peoples opinions on my extension plans.

Hopefully it has appeared below, the basic idea was to get a nice and big kitchen/diner with room for more than just a dining room.

I've also thought around a utility room/WC but not sure if that is a good use of space.

Any ideas welcomed

Hoploz

I would open up that wall between dining room and utility/wc as I don't like the corridor effect.

I did a rear extension similar to yours but had kitchen with breakfast bar and sitting room across the back, and main dining table area in the darker area in the original part of the house. Nice to sit & relax looking over the garden with big doors. Dining table is used mostly in the evening so you don't need the view over the garden.

Keith99

Hoploz wrote: »

I would open up that wall between dining room and utility/wc as I don't like the corridor effect.

I did a rear extension similar to yours but had kitchen with breakfast bar and sitting room across the back, and main dining table area in the darker area in the original part of the house. Nice to sit & relax looking over the garden with big doors. Dining table is used mostly in the evening so you don't need the view over the garden.

Thanks for your input - Yeah that's what I was thinking of doing, the bloke who drew the plans suggested doing it this way but said he can change it if I don't like it the corridor that is.

The edge of the kitchen will be a breakfast bar, so have a couple of seats, not sure if it has enough room for a living area next to the kitchen?

I was thinking of having the utility room next to the stairs, with a door from the hallway (so you can't see it from the main room) and then WC the other side of the utility.

It also has a couple of velux windows over the kitchen/dining area.

Doozergirl

I've done this before. Was this an architect you paid?

Open the existing door from the hallway into the WC.

Erect a full wall across the existing kitchen.

Open up a doorway from the extension into the back part of the kitchen to form
a new utility.

Gives you more space in both and costs less than that design. I hope nobody studied seven years in architecture to produce that.

My best back of a fag packet drawing:



You might even get a full u-shape of units using the left side in the utility if you move the door to the middle of the room, rather than the left side as in my picture. You miss a cabinet from the kitchen but it removes an awkward corner unit and it will keep the kitchen design cleaner.

lush_walrus

It will be worth putting some rooflights in your extension if you are doing this as your existing dining room is going to become pretty dark

Hoploz

:T
Excellent work, Doozergirl!

DRP

Doozergirl wrote: »

I've done this before. Was this an architect you paid?

Open the existing door from the hallway into the WC.

Erect a full wall across the existing kitchen.

Open up a doorway from the extension into the back part of the kitchen to form
a new utility.

Gives you more space in both and costs less than that design. I hope nobody studied seven years in architecture to produce that.

My best back of a fag packet drawing:



You might even get a full u-shape of units using the left side in the utility if you move the door to the middle of the room, rather than the left side as in my picture. You miss a cabinet from the kitchen but it removes an awkward corner unit and it will keep the kitchen design cleaner.

^this is almost exactly what we did recently - except we're a bit narrower than you, so the utility/wc was combined into one room (2mx1.6m) with entry from the hall, and nearly full width (3m) sliding doors at back.

As others have said, get as much light into the dining room (we have 4 velux in a dual pitched roof & a high window on the wall). Also get the opening into the old house as high as possible (in the ceiling if possible) to increase light.

Keith99

lush_walrus wrote: »

It will be worth putting some rooflights in your extension if you are doing this as your existing dining room is going to become pretty dark

Yeah I have said two but he didn't include it in the drawing, so I will ask him to amend.

Keith99

Doozergirl wrote: »

I've done this before. Was this an architect you paid?

Open the existing door from the hallway into the WC.

Erect a full wall across the existing kitchen.

Open up a doorway from the extension into the back part of the kitchen to form
a new utility.

Gives you more space in both and costs less than that design. I hope nobody studied seven years in architecture to produce that.

My best back of a fag packet drawing:



You might even get a full u-shape of units using the left side in the utility if you move the door to the middle of the room, rather than the left side as in my picture. You miss a cabinet from the kitchen but it removes an awkward corner unit and it will keep the kitchen design cleaner.

That is a lot better than what he suggested (he isn't an architect).

My only concern is that I'm not sure it is wide enough to have the tv/sofa next the the breakfast bar?

Thinking of putting the fridge where you suggested the utility door and move it into the centre, again as you suggested.

Doozergirl

Keith99 wrote: »

That is a lot better than what he suggested (he isn't an architect).

My only concern is that I'm not sure it is wide enough to have the tv/sofa next the the breakfast bar?

Thinking of putting the fridge where you suggested the utility door and move it into the centre, again as you suggested.

I have designed one with the kitchen on the other side with an island and the double doors next to the island which frees up more walls for lounging.

I'd also consider putting the kitchen into the old dining room. Utility can then be accessed from the other wall if you want and you should have space for a corner sofa where the bulk of the kitchen is currently.

The problem with big doors is that they immediately limit the available wall space for furniture.

Fashion means that people want the same things at the same time. Everyone wants a living/kitchen/diner with an island/peninsular with breakfast bar, utility and big doors onto the garden. Personally, I'm not convinced that there is genuinely enough space in the average house for all of those things done very well and I would consider removing the least important function from the wish list.

I've arranged the back my house so many ways, taking walls down and putting them up again and none of them compel people to sit on a sofa and watch TV in the kitchen. They sit at the breakfast bar when I'm cooking and they sit at the dining table to eat and chat. For cosy chats, it's always the main lounge.

How many places do people genuinely need to sit down in one room?

If that extension is 3.2 internally by about 7, it will squeeze in.

You have to decide before you design and order any kitchen that you know exactly where things are going.

There are great designs for tables incorporated off kitchen islands or benches that back off them and face a dining table and those can be a great use of space as you reduce the need for circulation pathways.

Try and think outside the box. Pinterest is a good source of inspiration.

Hoploz

What is the width?

If the return on the u shape kitchen doesn't leave enough space for sitting, would an island unit be better?

My similar design was not the trad semi you have here so was a bit different, and prob bigger. I had the kitchen in the opposite corner - the joining side on your house. Then the dining area sort of flows through better, being directly next to the kitchen. Or as Doozergirl suggests, move it to the dining room. I've seen architects on tv say put the kitchen in the darkest area, as you'll usually have to use task lighting anyway.

We use our kitchen sitting area all the time, we have moved house now but still have an open plan room with kitchen/dining/living spaces. We use the separate lounge only in the evenings, but our kitchen sitting area is a square 12' and indeed in the last house it was the same size, so plenty of room for two sofas plus a tv.