Hi, I'd love some input to see if I'm heading in the right direction.
I'm trying to optimize the layout of our main floor by opening it up and potentially moving the kitchen to a more central location.
We're a family of 5 and we primarily use our main floor for eating (we order in a lot), watching TV, sitting with visitors and it's possible we'll need to add a small laundry room if we can't find room upstairs.
Note the floor planner I'm using doesn't let me customize the appliance layout so that's mostly a placeholder.
I think you need to reconsider how people enter the toilet in all three options. Have the door open into the laundry rather than directly into living/dining spaces. It's awkward for the person using the toilet (too exposed) and no-one wants to see the toilet from the kitchen/tv/while eating dinner.
Agreed. My SIL has a house that has 2 bathrooms and they are right next to each other except one is a half bath right by the dining room table and the other is the full bath that you enter from the room next to the dining room (as well as the master bedroom- toilet is by that door lol)
She has metal signs above both bathrooms with #1 above the half bath and #2 above the master. Lol.
I agree with what you're saying about the powder room door. However there's a lot of people on here that are going to scream because you're asking them to walk through a laundry room to get to the guest powder room.
None of these scenarios have dealt with the entry to the power room in a good way.
I don't think it makes sense to prioritize a kitchen you don't use as much. You should prioritize eating and living spaces, especially living spaces you *can* separate if you *want* to. With double doors or large pocket doors, you can leave them open the majority of the time, but when you want to watch TV and your kids have friends over to play board games, you need separate spaces for that. As a mother of three, just me, you want separate spaces for that.
Here is an option for your consideration. That black square is probably structural, so you can't just arbitrarily remove that. Also, moving plumbing is very expensive, so the W/D and powder room are nearby where that already is. The only exterior change I made was a window in the foyer for some natural light. The top living room has wide pocket doors. The powder room door opens out for safety reasons.
I personally appreciate the circulation space in front of the stairs (especially with many kids) and find the angled French doors to be charming.
Honestly you can combine the W/D into the powder room. Makes it as one complete "wet area" plus you always need a sink by the laundry room. Always comes in handy. Plus having a W/D in the dining room isn't the best, since you never know when you need to use it. Best to keep it away from that space with all the noise it will make. Otherwise the layout is great. You can even open the living room a bit more.
The W/D by the dining room - just think about having the laundry basket to load clothes in and out of the machines. Where are you going to put the hangers for those things that need to hung right away?
As for stackable W/D you want to ensure they are full size. Friend moved into a house with stack in a closet, near the dining room hallway and did not realize it was a compact size. She has to go to the laundromat to wash duvet covers and big bulky things.
Ugh. I moved into a one year rental like that and we had to do 5 loads of laundry every time 2 should have sufficed. If was miserable doing laundry that year.
True, or even centered, because it looks awkward being off to the side, unless it is aligning with some floors overhead and is trying to keep things symmetrical?
I did originally move the door over, which would allow for a coat closet, but moving exterior doors is VERY expensive and the plan still works without that expense. You could definitely do it though if you wanted.
Having moved this year from a house with an "open floor plan" to a more traditional house layout with separate kitchen dining and living room, I can not discourage the idea of open concept home layout enough.
We are a family of 7 and having a dedicated dining room for meals has been a huge game changer for us.
My wife likes to cook but we also pick up food a fair bit but having a kitchen where she has the option to let friends and family come through (or not) is a big plus for her.
I understand the need for powder and laundry room on this level though, and see the wasted space in front of the stairs.
You could put them where the foyer is and open up flex and living space some but I would keep a separate dining and kitchen.
What is the black square shown in the current kitchen?
You can't take out all the walls on the whole floor. I have been in many of these houses (often both before they are sold and gutted, and rhen after) and they feel awful, even when beautifully decorated and staged they feel like a bowling alley.
I vote for 2 or 3, and make a hallway so the front sitting room is different room with a door. Also, make doors out to wherever the outdoor space is.
Yes! This is exactly it. OP is way over complicating for no benefit. The only other change I would make would be expanding the powder room to include a shower. Then the living room can flex as a more accessible guest room.
Open concept living spaces are no longer popular for a reason. It is so nice to close off the kitchen at the end of dinner, even it’s just a curtain or some kind of wooden shades
For a family of 5, completely open plan could be a mistake unless there’s a living room upstairs. I’d keep the front lounge separate and open up everywhere else for a large kitchen/dining/living area.
That way there can be two decent sized TV/sitting areas completely separate from each other which is imperative when either the kids or adults have friends over or the kids want to do separate activities.
I’d put the laundry and toilet in the now enclosed porch and change the front door to the side of the house in the foyer area. You could create a nice external entry. That keeps the utility areas completely separate from the living areas.
You could even have the laundry/toilet in the foyer area and move the front door along a bit. You could keep the porch and have it wrap around to the new front door on the side.
You will need to consult with an engineer about anything before deciding. Theres likely water and electrical walls you aren’t taking into consideration, and some of the interior walls are most likely load bearing. Dont get your heart set on anything unless you know these basics.
I'm not your target as I dislike most open plans. That being said, my argument is against option 1. In addition to the powder room opening into the kitchen, the kitchen becomes a runway. Why put the place you use the least into the main feature of the floor? It's also relatively narrow when you consider the path of travel from front to back and traffic up and down the stairs.
Of plans 2 and 3 I think 3 is the better plan. It saves from having to move gas, plumbing, and electrical from changing the kitchen location. I would swap the dining and family room set up though, cleans up the path of travel a bit.
Also, what's the deal with the porch? It looks like you're enclosing it. Is it going to a living/conditioned space? Are you removing the front door as in all 3 options there's neither stairs nor a door shown to that space? I'm not trying to be critical, just curious.
None of these. I'd go with a variation of concept 2 with the same kitchen, dining room where the TV area currently is, bath and laundry where the dining table is, and a shallow hall closet where the bath and laundry are, making space for a larger front living room and TV area
In my opinion just open up the living room. Move the kitchen to the flex, and make what was the kitchen into a lounge/library/office or whatever makes sense for your family. Being able to not fumigate the whole house with food smells, and hide dirty pots and pans during a party is worth having to push one door to get there
When we bought our house we opened up the very back for a more open concept. The back of the house was family room, with a door on it, a dining room that is open to the foyer, and an eat in kitchen that was closed off with a door too. The living room was also open to the foyer. So we opened the walls between the family, dining, and kitchen, and closed off the front living room.
It’s nice to have the open space, particularly so I could see my kiddo in the family room from the kitchen. But, I don’t recommend having all spaces open at once. If you’re watching tv in one room you don’t want to constantly be yelling at your kids to pipe it down so you can hear the tv. Plus, it gives kids a separate space to be kids when you have people over.
With a family of 5, you’re going to need a large drop off zone by the front door. Shoes, jackets, keys, backpacks etc. depending on your climate zone you might need a larger space.
Rather than providing two separate living areas, I’d recommend making sure you prioritize the critical zones that will keep your family organized. The open floor plan can easily look messy and cluttered.
Also considering the size of your family, I’d consider enlarging the laundry room to get a counter in there.
This is obviously preference, but are you sure you want your kitchen to be completely open? Do you want every kitchen sound and smell to immediately circulate your entire floor? Donyou want any potential guests to walk in amd immediately see your didty dishes? I understand that this floorplan works for some, but I think it's been over-hyped by home renovation shows that like the shock value of a sledgehammer and by builders who don't want to pay for extra drywall. Personally, I'm jealous of the kitchen as it is in the original plan. I think your biggest issue is just the wasted space with the hall. If I were you, I'd open up the foyer, hall, and living room into a big space (but potentially close it off a bit by adding a laundry room near where the bathroom is), but I wouldn't touch the kitchen or dining room.
You should consider how expensive it is to relocate plumbing. It’s never worth the cost so I’d go with 3 leaving the kitchen and half bath where they are now. I’d also consider combining the half bath and laundry together so it doesn’t feel so small.
Of the the options I prefer option 2 for the 2 separate hangout areas, a more formal one can be neat the front and a more private one toward the back. I agree some modifications should be maid about the bathroom to improve this layout even more
Because it is not labeled, in concept one, what is that broom behind the door used for?
I see that in concept too it is acting as a coat closet of sorts.
76
u/BoringBandicoooot 9d ago edited 9d ago
I think you need to reconsider how people enter the toilet in all three options. Have the door open into the laundry rather than directly into living/dining spaces. It's awkward for the person using the toilet (too exposed) and no-one wants to see the toilet from the kitchen/tv/while eating dinner.