Help with layout ideas

flyingv

Hi All

I'm buying a house with my mum but we'd like separate living areas.  We've seen a house we really like that has a large open plan layout, but I'm struggling with how we could possibly carve up the downstairs to make it work for us.  Any ideas @Doozergirl hopefully?

Gosh, sorry this has pasted really large!  Any ideas welcome Thanks!

Doozergirl

I think you're going to struggle somewhat there, as there's only two walls with windows.   Unless you go to the effort of moving the kitchen to the middle space, which in theory could be windowless.  Then one takes the front room and the other the back. 

Maybe one person lives upstairs and the other lives downstairs, including sleeping area. 

flyingv

Thank you @Doozergirl appreciate your response.  My idea was to extend the existing kitchen into the narrow bit of the lounge, creating an eat-in kitchen and maybe folding doors separating the remaining lounge from the existing dining area at the back.  Maybe we keep looking...thanks anyway!

GentleGiant01

I agree, you’ll be struggling with the windows there. 

I assume by the floor plan that you’re looking at something relatively small? 

If you find somewhere with a good garden - would planning permission work for a second living space in a garden pod? You’d have a decent separation then. Failing that; a 3 bedroom which includes a downstairs bedroom or lounge / dining room 

SMcGill

What’s behind the fireplace? If it’s outside space then a couple of windows either side of the fireplace would work, then create a corridor to the rear reception room from the kitchen.

Doozergirl

flyingv said:

Thank you @Doozergirl appreciate your response.  My idea was to extend the existing kitchen into the narrow bit of the lounge, creating an eat-in kitchen and maybe folding doors separating the remaining lounge from the existing dining area at the back.  Maybe we keep looking...thanks anyway!

You're looking at a fairly typical
layout there for a smaller house.  Is the house terraced? It looks it until you get the the extension which has glass to one side.  

What you're suggesting seems okay if you're both fine that the rear reception room isn't totally private, otherwise you need something that isn't attached on at least one side so that you can punch windows in to the side.  

Co-existing in a house like that shouldn't really be a problem as you also have your own bedrooms, though a house with the kitchen already at the original rear of the house would be preferable if you're trying to avoid hassle.  

flyingv

Thanks @SMcGill and @Doozergirl the house is an end terrace, so the wall behind the fireplace is an external wall.  The whole house is about 95sqm, so not huge, but also not the smallest we've seen!

I also wondered about moving the kitchen to the rear extension, but wasn't sure that would be possible/worth the money and hassle.  Maybe it's just not the right house.  A shame, we love the area.

Thanks for your suggestions

Ramouth

What about this?  A fair amount of demolition (you would need to take advice from a structural engineer) and a new kitchen but it would give you two good living areas;

TripleH

Can't help with amending the layout but a friend of ours' mum and aunt share a house.

They have a communal kitchen and lounge and 2 shared guest rooms but their own bedrooms and lounge/offices. They are rurally based.

flyingv

Ramouth said:

What about this?  A fair amount of demolition (you would need to take advice from a structural engineer) and a new kitchen but it would give you two good living areas;

Thanks, this was kind of what I was thinking, but hadn't thought about the windows either side of the fireplace until Doozergirl and SMcGill suggested it.  You're right, seems like a lot of work but will keep it in mind.  Thank you for responding.

eddddy

Is it important that both of you have your living room downstairs?

As it's a 3 bedroom house - you might find it a lot easier if one person used a bedroom upstairs as a living room. 

e.g. The "upstairs person" uses Bedroom 1 as their lounge and bedroom 2 becomes their bedroom.


Then the "downstairs person" can either use bedroom 3 as their bedroom - or maybe make the lounge or dining area into a studio room with a bed.

Then share the existing kitchen and bathroom.

Then there might be no conversion costs at all.