No entrance hall?

Davesnave

bucksbloke said:

I would never buy a house without a hallway. No thanks!

I might not either, depending on other circumstances, but there are still millions of people around, looking at modestly priced houses, who may see it as the least important of their compromises.

......And there will be compromises!

GaleSF63

I've lived in 2 houses where the front door opened straight into the living room - one was the first house I bought, and one was rented. I didn't find either of them a problem at all. Don't remember really thinking about it. 

Additionally, both of them opened straight off the street, and I think that is very  common in a lot of areas. However in both my cases it was a short quiet street, but I think the kind of street is something that should be seriously taken into account.

A_Lert

I would regard it as a negative. Like others have mentioned, it's not as bad being the kitchen rather than the living room though.

Wouldn't stop me buying, but given two otherwise identical houses, one with a wall dividing the hallway from the kitchen-diner and another with that wall removed, I would prefer to have the hallway. I don't much like "open plan".

Bossypants

It's not ideal, but it's a compromise I've made in the past and would make again in future. I had a small wardrobe to take the coats and shoes, with one of those little dehumidifier boxes at the botton.

in_my_wellies

My previous house had a porch, 4' square, which opened directly into the dining room and the lounge. I would not want visitors coming straight into the kitchen

phoebe1989seb

Like a few previous posters I wouldn't buy a house if the front door opened into the living room, but if it opened into the kitchen that would be fine. 

We've previously owned houses with many different layouts, but have always discounted those where the front door opened directly into a living room. One previous house had a massive hallway (big enough for a dining table although there was a separate large dining room), plus a porch which was a great set up, but overall the house was really too large (3500 sq ft)  for just three of us.....

A couple of houses back we bought a reasonably large (2500 sq ft) five bedroom period village house with four reception rooms. The previous owners had the tiny kitchen in a former annex that was furthest from the entry point into the property which didn't suit us. We built a large extension on the back of the room with the front door. This had a double height window overlooking the rural garden. We moved the kitchen into the extension and knocked down the wall between this and the room with the front door. In the front half of the room we had our breakfast table, a larder and dresser. There was no porch and our front door opened straight onto the pavement. Although it was a village, the road was an A road, but we had very few pedestrians passing by.

Our current - much smaller - cottage has a tiny hall and was previously set up so that the first room you entered off this was a living room. We reconfigured the space, moving the kitchen into this room (and knocking through into a smaller reception room behind) which we feel is a better layout.......

On the rare occasion that someone comes to our front door, they can only see into our kitchen not the main living room which is now at the back 

silvercar

Comment overheard on a new build viewing "this is a nice big hall", estate agent "this is actually the lounge".

Marvel1

FtbDreaming said:

My house opens straight into the livingroom. I would absolutely love a hallway so people weren't looking into my livingroom when they knock on the door, however it is liveable and wouldn’t let it put me off a house.

This is me, and yes it would be put me off - however if front garden or something then I would be ok with it then.

Okydoky25

Personally no. With dogs and kids I need the hallway and storage in that hallway for when we all come in. Especially in the colder wetter months. There’s some lovely 4 beds been built near me I went to view but past the v small porch led straight into the dinning room. Totally put me off. 

knightstyle

We are looking to move and we see so many houses, new and second hand that you have to walk through the sitting room to get to the kitchen, imagine carrying the shopping in when it is raining!  many of these new houses have cream carpets in the show houses as well!!!