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Design Dilemma Before & After Kitchens

Advice For an Open-Plan Layout Needed

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

Hoping someone here has the key to fixing this layout. The renovation includes lifting the ceiling height in the main living-dining area from 2.4m to 2.8m+, a new kitchen with an island bench, and small scullery/pantry whilst still keeping some kind of study or study nook. Possible to extend to the rear and include a new patio. We can remove the walls in the living room but would like some kind of divide between the living and front door/home business in the front room.

Thank you if anyone can help. We have had a couple of designers try but it hasn't worked out.

Featured Answer

Kate

4 years ago

With this plan I have created a seperate entry for the business.
The study space is at the rear taking advantage of garden view

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Comments (15)

dreamer
4 years ago
Measurements of the space would be helpful.
oklouise
4 years ago
what are the walls, floor and roof built out of and we need a Google earth picture of the roof and readable measurements and room names
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the wooden floor makes it so much easier to consider moving plumbing and i'm wondering if moving the kitchen next to the laundry has been considered to enhance the indoor outdoor feel with a servery window and use the old kitchen meals area as a sitting tv area (with or without a means of closing off the area) and square up rumpus room and include the old entry to enlarge rumpus and create a new entry more centred along the verandah, having the new walls around the rumpus would allow for sound insulation and the two sets of doors between theh rumpus and living areas should improve separation without losing the separate study (guest room) and access to the other bedrooms and bath...accurate measurements would allow better consideration of this idea
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I'd say it's an easy min. $250K minimum flagfall on a relatively basic/not fancy spec/fit-out in a super good package deal. You're essentially renovating an entire house including moving plumbing, walls replastering, new floors throughout etc....not to mention lights, rewiring etc etc, it goes on and on.......This scope would still cost a builder themselves $150K, not factoring in their own time/labour, paying cash for sub-trades and getting super deals on all materials....and then you could only really potentially roll this type of operation out if you actually have the money in the bank. If you need to borrow then you'd need a building contract which then brings in market rates, profit margins and GST. Take profit and GST out from $150K and there's barely enough left to cover materials alone, when the labour/materials ratio (of a construction cost) these days, particular for renovations is labour being the most significant cost involved.............you can fine tune and perfect a floor plan like you have (which I reckon is pretty good as a plan), but when push comes to shove it always comes back to budget and costs, which is why we always are encouraging people to utilise design professionals who manage the challenge of designing within budget limits. If you separate budget/costs from the design process (rather than integrate it) more often than not it will leads to disappointment and misalignment of your expectations of what is realistic.
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Hello Raised in QLD, This looks like a wonderful Qlder! And with heaps of potential to play with! I suggest planning both ground and first floors even if you are not able to build it all at once... you need to know what you are doing in both areas before you do anything. No spending good money after bad! Therefore knowing where is best for bathroom/laundry placement and kitchen plumbing too is great and best ideas to be followed. However it would seem that the best plumbing corner is also the best north/west corner for the sun entry. The existing family room around the (need to keep post) corner from kitchen does not look very large... is this a problem for you? If you have a master, robe and ensuite, with kit/din/fam upstairs will three bedrooms and bathroom/ laundry down stairs be fine with a sitting area? If this is so then either the the north east or west corner bedrooms could be sacrificed for storage... read pantry and stairs too. I do not know: I am just asking questions.... Trying to gather a firmer idea of how you want your home to function. This sort of playing about with plans is actually my forte' and I would love to assist you further by presenting you with lots of options on paper for you to see and think through. To this end I invite you to look over my website and contact me through it. Plenty to read and pix to look at there and the contact details too. I look forward to assisting you further to create the lovely family home of your dreams for many years of gathering memories!! Cheers Margot
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User
4 years ago
The first question -- if it is so easy to raise the ceiling from 2.4 to 2.8 , why wasn't it built like that in the first place ( the roof sounds like it isn't being raised , so I'd like to know more about the framing , even the 400mm at the top of each wall , etc ) .

And then theres obvious observations , like a study and a playroom that both look bigger than some of the bedrooms , and then you have a bathroom with a toilet in it , then another toilet in the next room , and then a shower through the laundry , in the next room .
- Things like a salon and even a study and playroom probably get a smaller amount of use than say a family room -- some rooms don't seem all that logical . Combined with angled walls and angled hallways , I understand your interest in opening up some areas , but I am wondering if you have had a builder or engineer look at walls and ceilings ?
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Kate
4 years ago
So the salon is home office?
The study is being incorporated into kitchen with a study nook.
Are u having a second living space?
Can you reduce size of salon a little to trim area just passed door?
Going above 2,7m may be more an issue as you may need to change wall studs etc to meet building code. .
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padenhughes
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks Kate, the salon is a home beauty therapy business. This could be reduced in size yes. And yes the study is being merged with the kitchen and keep a small study nook area. Thank you!
oklouise
4 years ago
we need more information to offer specific advice...please clearly show the dimensions of the rooms, what are the walls, floor and roof made out of and we need a view of the roof..but what is the purpose of the raised ceiling?? unless you're prepared to rebuild the whole roof it's unlikely that you can raise the ceiling in part of the house without very expensive substantial changes to the structure of the building and it would be much more cost effective to plan an extension with a raised ceiling but what reason did the designers have for not being able to make a suitable plan for you??
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bargainhunter
4 years ago
Bedroom 3 appears to have more storage than bed 1 and is there no en-suite? I think the sizes of the spaces seem mismatched
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Kate
4 years ago
Bargain hunter, they could put a door on hall to make it an en-suite. Personally I am not a fan of en-suites and prefer two shared bathrooms. Each to their own priorities.
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padenhughes
Original Author
4 years ago
Link to PDF Plan
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padenhughes
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks all for the comments. Link to pdf attached for dimensions etc. The roof is tile and the walls are brick. Kate's plan is on track for what we are trying to achieve - thank you!
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padenhughes
Original Author
4 years ago
Many of you note the spaces have irregular space allocation combined with angled walls is not straight forward design. Pretty much looking at ripping out kitch/living including ceiling and timber roof framing where required to increase ceiling height. Other areas of the house are just in need of cosmetic changes.
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Kate
4 years ago
I think the next stage is to find an architect you like to work with. They can then look at structural issues and costings. A structural engineer will also be needed. Changing roof structure is not simple. Good luck
oklouise
4 years ago
after checking with a structural engineer you might be able to remove some of the internal walls to make the family room and kitchen more open without losing the separate study...an extra door across the entry will retain separation from the salon
padenhughes
Original Author
4 years ago
Wow thanks so much for your plans and advice!
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