Rotating the island is much better. But there is still the dual hallways next to each that are a waste is space. The WIRs in the minor bedrooms waste space. The cellar will be difficult to temperature control as its in the middle of the house. The study is quite pokey - what will it be used for?

As drawn this is going to be more expensive to build than it needs to be.

Yes to sketch. In bed 2 the wardrobe has a blind corner. Might be better using corner space as a cupboard off the hall. I’m a bit worried about the theatre. Not sure what is proposed in relation to walls as plan is not clear, but it appears to be a liveable space with no natural light or ventilation. Same with cellar. Check with a building surveyor or planner

This plan is from Pinterest. I think it is from a company called Lewis. It had almost the same list of accommodations as your friends plan but laid out in a much more cost effective and functional way.

I also have issues.
The two hallways next to each other leading to the same place.
The WIR in the dining room, when the cellar is given so much space. Can the cellar be reduced, and the WIR be incorporated into the cellar, giving more room in the dining room.
As mentioned previously, the island is in the middle of too many other walk throughs. As mentioned turning it 90 degrees would be better.

Looking at the plan. Is this a renovation to an existing home??
This would then explain the unusual placement of rooms, instead of a plan that flows.?

thank you everyone. The reason the house plan is laid out this way is because its a renovation. They are trying to work within the existing footprint without moving around too many wet areas etc. The cellar isn't actually a cellar. It is a games room for the teens to hang in and play their xbox etc. She liked the design of the two hallways to incorporate storage in each like a drop zone area from the garage. Guests will just use the main entrance. My friend asked what you would amend to the design if you didn't have the 2 hallways? thank you.

We have all seen and offered suggestions previously on your friends renovation and I'am sorry to see that they are still confused with choices, but can totally understand as it can be a daunting task. I wonder if their chosen professional is letting them down or is having trouble guiding them to make better decisions.

The Pantry is the kitchen and the kitchen is more like a Bar/wet area and will need a sink. This layout is strange unless they have employed help who will work in the Pantry/Kitchen and they, only use the token kitchen/Bar. Rotating the island which could mean swapping the dining and living due to space would work better and that space could become a kitchen.

The Media room should be swapped with the study so that the Media room becomes a legal liveable room with a window for ventilation and natural light, this room can be Multi function if needed ie: guest bedroom for parents etc

The Powder room as is doesn't work by creating the second passageway which was originally suggested as a semi Mudroom to be used when family enter from the garage or front door. This Powder room needs to be able to be accessed by those using the Media/guest/MFR. Possibly even adding a shower for use with the MFR or just by teenagers returning from sport and dumping their dirty togs.

The study could open up to the family room with full height sliding doors.

I have added a rough diagram as it's too difficult to read the actual plan details and can't remember what name your friend posted with

If its a renovation this extensive and going to cost well over $100k, I wouldn't be taking the advice of well meaning people with no skin in the game. I would be engaging a talented designer who can really do something with the concept. It's always strange to me that people are willing to sink thousands into a renovation but worry about consult fees, which in the end result will save them big $$$. This doesn't look like the work of a designer, but of a draftsperson just drawing up a clients laundry list. Good advice isn't free most of the time. But do you got to work expecting not to be paid? Design talent is worth the cost.

unfortunately, she has consulted with a designer and worked through her ideas. Perhaps, there are designers and good designers. Like anything in life. The only thing the designer raised was the issue with the double hallway as wasted space but everything else got the green light 🙃

The renovation is $300k

As shown in my rough floorplan the "second Hallway" was meant as a Mudroom, long narrow storage space with access from "THE hallway" into it opposite the Media room to give access to it, the laundry and the much needed powder room. I think the kitchen pantry needs to be reconsider for better flow and use of space.

It should have a door on that space as well to shut it off from the kitchen

I don’t mind the double hallway with the kitchen rotated as it is just a mudroom/laundry extension. You could close it somehow and create access into the scullery and main hall but I don’t know all the existing constraints and the change may have negaitvies

We would need better plan details to try and make changes for the better, it just makes it less time consuming to work with, floorplans can take quite a lot of time to configure

From asking a simple question, as to where to put a sink, has opened a can of worms. This is a wonderful forum with great ideas, from all different points of view, and different family needs.
It appears you and your friend are indecisive and have now made your life even more complicated with asking for opinions, on your and your friends renovation lay outs.
You need to look how you and your friend live. Not how we do, and decide, yes be strong and make a decision. We can all offer options and various thoughts, but you are the ones that live in YOUR homes.

Houzzers including OKL and myself have spent a lot of time on beaus friends house and yes the question was about a sink, but to see the 2nd passageway misinterpreted by the designer in their drawings is a mistake, it was always meant to be a mudroom situation that worked very well before access to the powder room was over looked and negated

We only offer suggestions to be taken to a Pro for finalizing and proceeding through to council. The Pro should offer their client 2 & 3D vision to ensure it is understood. Perhaps it might be time to bring in another Professional opinion to help make that decision. Spending $300k is worth it .Renovating and building isn't for the faint hearted and shouldn't be rushed. Perhaps it would be even better to take a step back and wait a bit longer except government grants won't last for ever.

And it's not unique when someone posts a dilemma we all find other things that we think need considering and possibly changing for the better

siriuskey thank you so much. hopefully this pic is more clear for you. I will pass on the suggestions. In the clearer pic attached, could you suggest any other changes?

thank you but can you enlarge it so the dimensions are easier to read so I can have a look at it and make suggestions

What about the original floorplan, can you post that as well

dimensions

original, no measurement

the designer has her original plan with measurements. he is on holiday.

Thank you for all the info, I will look through it for possible ideas that might suit your friend better

It does make more sense seeing the existing plan but there still has to be a way to make it work better than that as drawn.

Your friend needs to assess whether she is happy with this design . If not ,and I wouldn’t be , she should consider consulting an architect and cutting her losses . Three hundred thousand dollars is not petty change , but perhaps she is happy with the design . You should not be putting yourself in the firing line . Good luck !

thank you all so much for all the time, effort and feedback you have provided my friend. I have passed on all comments to her. She is going to reasses her design and take on your advice. I will let you know how it pans out. 👍👍👍

It has proved too difficult to easily read the plans, so the following. I agree that the current floorplan looks like it has been done by a draft person who are good at drawing up designs but this to me is all over the place.

I don't agree with pushing the wall out to line up with the garage at what cost for very little gain, The fridge can still be set back into the WIP or at the end of the benchtop.

The bedroom with the WIR jutting out into the family room is wrong so I have reduced the size of the games room enlarging the bedroom and taking space for a robe

Can you combine the study and games or Theatre and games?

Totally disagree with the Theatre being an internal space when it can easily be made into a MFR by swapping it with the study.

I would be happy to draw this up if given access to readable dimensions, cheers

without extending you already have a large space for WIP, Laundry mudroom & Powder room

@siriuskey T H A N K Y O U so much. is it possible on here to post a pdf of the plan for you? I'm not sure how to do this. I have her pdf she emailed.

Not sure, have you tried, or could you take a photo of it if it doesn't work

hope this works

are you able to zoom in on just the left hand measurements and post

this ok?

Sorry I can read the 24100 and the next line but when I enlarge it all the others become blurred can you enlarge it further in two sections

hope ok. thank you

hope ok

YES I can read!!, so if you can do the others, pls mark what they are, you could add them to the ideas book so as not to bore everyone else with my lack of vision

The two hallways feels like a lost opportunity to utilise space better. I would consider only having one hallway (the entrance one) and rejigging the other hallway and then you could pull the island bench back toward into the scullery area. That would enable a more spacious entrance and a slightly bigger kitchen/dining/living area.

I love the idea of coming in from the garage to the laundry then kitchen. I’m not a fan of sculleries so I’d kind of use the laundry a bit like a scullery. Eg. Big pots and pans into the laundry trough to soak, store big stuff in there. I’d have a big pantry instead of a scullery. If the plan is what’s happening with only minor changes then the only suggestion I have is to put the sink nearer to the hot plate so dirty dishes can go straight into it when you’re cooking. I’m not sure how the small sink in the main kitchen would be used otherwise. It’s an expensive drinking water tap.

Thank you so much Houzzers! for all your support for my friend

A simple sketch of my thoughts. No double hallways. Powder room out of hallway. Position of doors, appliances and storage determined by home owner.


The placement of the sink in my suggested new floorplan is to keep clean up out of the kitchen as requested and is still in easy reach of the cooktop, with or without the Nib wall. If this sink is carefully considered it will accommodate large pots and pans The smaller sink in the Island is to facilitate veggie prep and salad making plus drinking water for family and guests,

I prefer to keep the WIP and Laundry as separate spaces as shown but still allow both access to outdoor for clothes line and rubbish bins.. The Linen room can be an Airing room which are popular these days, either way it's a good space attached to the laundry.

I also prefer the powder room not having to be accessed by guests via the Laundry, this powder room will also be used when the Media room is in use. The Media room and study have been swapped so that the Media room now has Light and ventilation via a window.

@beaumitchell, if your friend prefers to have the powder room within the laundry my floorplan is easy to adjust, as follows. I have lengthened the kitchen cabinets behind the powder room but if preferred that extra depth can remain within the PR

I think the whole design needs professional assessment and re-thinking. Generally poor quality but then I’ve been designing commercially for well over fifty years. Just start again and I’m sure you’ll succeed in the end.

@Nick Percival can we please see your ideas

I would need to see the client’s brief first.

Nick Percival people often post on HOUZZ because they can't get suitable professional help so would love to hear some of your ideas based on information that beaumitchel has already provided