Floorplan help!

[Bournbrook]

Hi everyone. We are currently going through the planning process for a 2 storey new build in our current garden. I am now starting to think this could actually be a reality and looking into the finer details and beginning to worry. We have an open plan kitchen/living area at the rear of the house with a reception room attached with pocket doors so the area can be closed off for kids tv room/guest bedroom if needed. 
 

I am concerned that the sofa area near the kitchen is a bit too small and the whole area may feel a bit too cramped. I also feel that the walls that the pocket doors at the entrance to reception room may make the space feel too small and perhaps internal bifolds would work better? However, if these were taken out then where would we put the tv??

 

essentially I feel like this space could work a bit better. We are now through the consultation process with planning and don’t want to make any material changes, but would appreciate people’s input on internal configuration of that area and suggestions of furniture placement. I’m keen to have a sofa near to the kitchen area. 
 

thanks!

[BotusBuild]

Hi,

First off, rejigging interior walls/partitions during the build is not unheard of, so don't worry too much, unless you are making huge fundamental changes.

 

That lounge/dining area is approx 4m x 6m? Correct? If so, then I would consider that to be ample space (assuming you are an average sized family). The pocket door walls would seem to be a reasonable solution. Another option might be, lose the bottom pocket door, change the upper pocket door to a stud wall and have some sliding glass doors in the remaining space? (with a lock to shut the kids in ) 

[Bozza]

I really like what you’re trying to do with your layout, but also see straight away the issues you are concerned with. Normally I’m the first to make suggestions for layout changes, but as you wish to retain the overall building  shape I’m really struggling to come up with anything.    The challenge in the open plan area is the TV location due to lack of spare wall space.    
 

The only thing I can suggest is to to put a TV in the reception room, but that rooms pocket doors would probably have to be replaced with a hinged door bottom left to allow tv to go on that wall, to facilitate suitable sofa location the fit in with the main window.
 

then just have some comfy seats in the open plan area as opposed to a sofa, and ditch the telly.

 

If it’s a must to have a sofa and tv in the open plan the only thing you could do is extend the wall area upwards and reduce glazing there so the tv sits central to sofa area.  Having that tv off centre to sofa is not good.

 

Though I appreciate that tweaking the exterior is not desirable don’t forget you spend more time living in a house than you do looking at it.  No point in building a bespoke house with a layout you’ll always be unhappy with.   You’ll always regret not making those changes even if it delays things. 
 

in my last house we had an an open plan kitchen living dining with a single sofa and TV,and separate lounge with TV.   Our layout wasn’t perfect, like yours fairly compact, and we ended up removing the sofa.  The TV was rarely used TBH.  In terms of kids when they reach about 12 they live in their own rooms with iPads etc anyway.  
 

if you really must stick to the external design make sure the reception room has a telly and perfect layout, and if it were me I’d ditch trying to squeeze a second living area in the open plan and think more about have comfy chairs by the big glazing.

 

I would also suggest you think about making your utility room galley layout or L shaped.  Thus will create perfect wall hanging space / dumping area etc for coats and shoes.   Very important in the absence of hallway storage.

 

good luck with your decision.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Alan Ambrose]

You are the best judge of your lifestyle and likely use, so it's tricky to make recommendations. I'll throw these out:

 

+ have the kids TV in the kitchen area where you can keep an eye on and interact with them while you're cooking and put the grown-up's TV on the end wall in the reception?

+ does a lowering screen and projector instead of a TV help any?

+ replace the sofa in the kitchen with a couple of arm chairs, one can be used for reading/looking aimlessly out of the window? Could one of those swivel so someone can sit and chat to the cook?

+ try something other than 90/45 degrees for the sofa / dining table position?

+ do you really need 3 sofas? Which one will get used the least?

+ spend a few hours using masking tape to tape out the dimensions on a big floor somewhere to make it easier to feel/visualise?

 

 

[AppleDown]

We've gone through the exact process you are. This really helped us 'visualise' the spaces and see what they would all look like with furniture, people in etc. https://planner5d.com/

 

You need to pay for the upgraded version to get access to all elements and change the size of things, but for us it was well worth it. We ended up adding a downstairs cloakroom, making the other bathroom smaller and adding more space between the kitchen island.

[JohnMo]

Best thing we did, was to go to the beach with the drawings, a tape measure, and a stick. Draw the house in the sand, full size.  Made adjustments until it felt right. Did this a few times until completely happy.

[JohnMo]

Just looking at your basic plan, the external walls are all over the place, with sticky out bits for the kitchen and ensuite. Could these lines be simplified? Makes build the house easier, reduces heat losses etc.

 

Do you really want a utility room at the front door?

[Bournbrook]

10 minutes ago, JohnMo said:

Just looking at your basic plan, the external walls are all over the place, with sticky out bits for the kitchen and ensuite. Could these lines be simplified? Makes build the house easier, reduces heat losses etc.

 

Do you really want a utility room at the front door?

The shape is very much dictated by the tiny plot. It works around car turning areas, RPAs and overshadowing etc. I know it looks a bit odd, but a more standard shape just wasn’t an option!!

 

utility room near front door was because we’d like it act as coat storage/small bootroom area. 
 

I love the beach idea!!

[Bournbrook]

29 minutes ago, AppleDown said:

We've gone through the exact process you are. This really helped us 'visualise' the spaces and see what they would all look like with furniture, people in etc. https://planner5d.com/

 

You need to pay for the upgraded version to get access to all elements and change the size of things, but for us it was well worth it. We ended up adding a downstairs cloakroom, making the other bathroom smaller and adding more space between the kitchen island.

Thanks for this. Is this better than floorplanner.com?

[Kelvin]

We have a utility room by the front door as it also doubles as the dog room so we can put them straight in there after walks to dry off etc

 

As for the sticky out bits. Building squares and rectangles is the easiest, most cost effective, and efficient way to build houses. But it’s less interesting atheistically plus  you might be constrained by the plot space. Our house is two simple rectangles largely driven by our plot shape. You could push the wall out by the kitchen out the 750mm of return you have. Keep the corner glass bit the same size but move the wall out 750mm giving you more floor space and wall space for the TV. Obviously it would have an impact upstairs too. 

Edited February 12 by Kelvin

[Bournbrook]

12 minutes ago, Kelvin said:

We have a utility room by the front door as it also doubles as the dog room so we can put them straight in there after walks to dry off etc

 

As for the sticky out bits. Building squares and rectangles is the easiest, most cost effective, and efficient way to build houses. But it’s less interesting atheistically plus  you might be constrained by the plot space. Our house is two simple rectangles largely driven by our plot shape. You could push the wall out by the kitchen out the 750mm of return you have. Keep the corner glass bit the same size but move the wall out 750mm giving you more floor space and wall space for the TV. Obviously it would have an impact upstairs too. 

Good idea but unfortunately the return is due to a RPA so absolutely no wiggle room!!

[JamesP]

I fitted 3 pocket doors on our new build and have just replaced the one into the living room with a hinged door due to poor sound insulation and the rest of family unable to ever close them.

Would suggest looking at quality glazed French / sliding doors for reception if you do want a quieter space.

[AppleDown]

1 hour ago, Bournbrook said:

Thanks for this. Is this better than floorplanner.com?

Haven’t used floorplanner, but we got everything we needed from the planner5d one.

[Mr Punter]

I don't like the ground floor rooms being open to the stairs.  Upstairs habitable rooms will all need escape windows.  Heat, noise and cooking smells will all go up the stairs.

[Bournbrook]

3 hours ago, Alan Ambrose said:

You are the best judge of your lifestyle and likely use, so it's tricky to make recommendations. I'll throw these out:

 

+ have the kids TV in the kitchen area where you can keep an eye on and interact with them while you're cooking and put the grown-up's TV on the end wall in the reception?

+ does a lowering screen and projector instead of a TV help any?

+ replace the sofa in the kitchen with a couple of arm chairs, one can be used for reading/looking aimlessly out of the window? Could one of those swivel so someone can sit and chat to the cook?

+ try something other than 90/45 degrees for the sofa / dining table position?

+ do you really need 3 sofas? Which one will get used the least?

+ spend a few hours using masking tape to tape out the dimensions on a big floor somewhere to make it easier to feel/visualise?

 

 

Thanks for all these

 

i think we probably only need one sofa in reception (a sofa bed to also be a guest room). We will definitely want a tv in that room too. 
I had thought about a nice couple of armchairs by the kitchen. I like the idea of being right by the kids watching tv when I’m cooking so it feels like we are all together. 
I had also thought about only having 4 chairs around dining table for most of the time and have a couple of fold away ones in a cupboard for when we need them just too add a little more room and make it feel less cluttered