How do I bathroom / kitchen / extension? etc.

It’s defo quite nice, but don’t think the traditional style and open plan really gel.

It's an interesting comparison to your predecessor's extension. This one would have cost a lot whereas your place was done to a price point with some smart tricks to get bang for their buck.

Imo in terms of light, the inspiration e.g. has too many light related improvements/differences to be comparable. So if you're knocking through I still think you want to consider other tricks to increase the brightness in the dining room - new lighting, floor, paint, mirror on the back wall, etc. I'd be really wary about letting that olive green continuing into the dining room if you're worried about light.

Yes that's true, I'm planning on getting the ceiling vaulted as well to follow the angle of the roof (12d pitch) and add a fixed skylight where there is the least amount of light coming through to try and add a bit more.

Agreed on the olive colour in the darker area, that's why I've painted a sample on the wall to show my partner that it would likely be too dark there on the wall etc ...

Another option could be to bring more unity to both rooms like you're saying with same floors, paint colour scheme etc ... and maybe remove the bit of the wall that's under the old window space so we can walk through and bring both lintels up to the same level.

If anyone has any examples of keeping those two rooms separate but making it work I'm all ears, struggling to find good examples of this where there's plenty of knock-through ones.

Just found a load of jazz mags from 1979 under the floorboards, whilst preparing to rip everything up and install underfloor insulation.

Also found about 4x skips’ worth of rubble from various eras, some of which is piled so high it’s touching the floorboards. This is in addition to the 7 tons of concrete lurking in the old ‘flower beds’ that I smashed up and carried out by hand during covid.

Obviously not identical because one doorway leads to a utility room, but this is a nice example of that type of transition. https://www.shacklewellarchitects.com/cassiobury

I may be bias towards keeping the window as is as we have a similar one (although floor heights are different etc).

Running out of budget for ceiling is a feature not a bug right?

I like that ceiling, especially the profile. I do wonder if there's a nicer way of detailing the connections than exposed joist hangers.

Yeah it was a bit tongue in cheek with all this threads architect budget inflation chat.

Just found a load of jazz mags from 1979 under the floorboards, whilst preparing to rip everything up and install underfloor insulation.

When are Antiques Roadshow next coming to town?

I like the honesty of using normal joist hangars etc here - it has been done neatly and it actually would save a bit of money(maybe) . Truth to materials and all that guff.

Edit. Rattle can the joist hangars a bright colour would be next level

What's the best (free) software for designing/imagineering the layout of a new kitchen. After much umming and ahhing I've decided that I deserve a new kitchen. There's nothing actually wrong with the old one, but it's tired and dated (hardly surprising seeing as it hasn't been touched in 25 years) and there are things about it which really annoy me.

Home.by.me (website)

Home.by.me or ikea planner both worked for me.

DIY Kitchens planner is good.

DIY kitchens is less frustrating than the ikea one for my money - plus wider range of units to represent/cover slightly odder dimensions.

Trying to find a way to say this without coming across as rude: It feels to me like the new design isn't a design, more an exercise in what units they can get to fit in the space.

It's going to feel cramped and claustrophobic squashed between the island and the hob/full height units. Especially once you have a door open and are bending down to reach whatever is inside. Not even sure drawers on the island would work without trapping your legs!
The hob feels squashed in because of the 2 full height units. Your idea of a range would definitely help with this.
The larder units on the left hand side of the RSJ in the 'dining room' feel out of place and don't really flow naturally at the moment. From the plan it looks like they're set back and there's a false wall along that side (wall B)?

Would you consider losing the island and having a peninsular in place of the the wall you want to remove?

Is the sliding door going to be in 4 sections or is that just a representative illustration? If it's 4 section each pane will only be 450/500 mm wide?

Forum approved toilet? Coupled, modern, white. Cheers

Roca stuff is rated here. But I think to be modern it needs to be off the floor but that's not coupled, also needs to be rimless.

We got a Roca Una.

I hate our rimless toilet

How come?

The flush doesn't reach the front of the bowl, no rim means more splashes on the underside of the seat and it just generally feels small.

Thanks. I bought a rimless bog blind, yet to fit it though. Might have to find a showroom and curl out some tusks in theirs…

I did too, it's one of these: https://www.grohe.co.uk/en_gb/wall-hung-wc-set-39351000.html
I do have the big flush set quite low, probably around 4.5l which might be why it's not reaching the front of the bowl.

I've got a rimless one and like the reduced cleaning and no flushing issues

Picture window fitted.

I specced the left sash with a 180deg hinge, which allows it to fold against the brick pier. Got the measurements correct, it fits perfectly.

The aim is to have an unencumbered opening with a bench underneath and a completely flush threshold for inside/outside sEnSaTiOnS.

The unit is asymmetrical, with the right-hand-side master sash being wider, so it can be opened on its own when you just want to lie on the interior bench seating and look out of a big opening.

2 Attachments