advice please open plan or keep room

Rog4632

Hi guys Im thinking of doing some work at my house, current layout is 2 fairly large reception rooms with a small kitchen. I might be looking to sell up in the future, what do you think would be better in terms of selling and more value. keeping the kitchen/reception room as it is or breaking through the 2nd reception and making a large open plan kitchen diner.

Thanks

Doozergirl

You won't add much in the way of value because it costs money to do and you're not creating any more space, but most people seem to like eating in their kitchens these days.

There will be people that don't, so you're always better off pleasing yourself than others. I only know one family that hasn't knocked through or extended to create one big room.

FreeBear

Doozergirl wrote: »

I only know one family that hasn't knocked through or extended to create one big room.

My kitchen was originally 2mx2.5m and was then extended in the 70s to 3.5mx2.5m. Still pretty small and very limited in space to have an eating area, and certainly not one large enough for a family.

The adjoining dining room is quite spacious (typical of many 1930s builds), and although the wall separating the two rooms is not structural, I wouldn't take it out. Removing the wall would leave a very awkward shaped room and do little to enhance the value or appeal.

glasgowdan

Given that you already have another living room, yes I'd absolutely do this if you're planning to stay a few more years.

getmore4less

To make it work you would probably need to be redoing the kitchen anyway and be able to improve that considerably.

By taking out the wall what will loose those cabinets and with a small kitchen you will need to find space for others in the new bigger room

How does the flow to other rooms and outside work any utility space or could you create something.

What other doors/windows will be restricting layout options

trailingspouse

If you remove a wall you're effectively taking away a kitchen wall that has cabinets etc on it - where are you going to put those cabinets?

Personally I prefer a separate dining room - if we have guests (and even if we don't) I really don't like eating surrounded by either the inevitable mess or the sounds of the dishwasher.

Grenage

As already suggested, just arrange the house to your tastes.

I prefer a kitchen-diner, but I don't have a dishwasher and I don't leave mess.

I would prefer a separate dining room only if my house was so large that I wouldn't miss the space. Most dining rooms are underutilised space.

andrewf75

Open plan kitchen diner all the way. The occasional person like above prefers separate kitchen but that is very much against the trend.

Owain_Moneysaver

I prefer a separate kitchen! I know I'm not typical.

If you are selling soon I doubt you will add value unless the kitchen is really too small to be usable for the size of house.

Can you move the wall between the two so you keep a second reception room, albeit a bit smaller, which may be popular as a study rather than a formal dining room, and still have a larger kitchen ?

Waterlily24

I prefer a separate kitchen too, we are very lucky that our kitchen is big enough to eat in. Our dining room only gets used at Christmas and for special occasions but I like it like that.

mum2one

Separate kitchen for me x