Please help with Renovation Floorplan Layout ideas for new house

4 days ago

Hi everyone!

My family and I are in the process of buying a new home. We’re in the preliminary stages of brainstorming layout options for renovating the main floor.

This is the floorplan that was provided with the listing info. Since we don’t own the house yet, we haven’t been able to take our own detailed measurements.

I’d love anyone’s feedback, suggestions and help on the best space plan for this level of the house.

As I said, just in the preliminary general planning stages at this time, until I have detailed plans.

About our life and family:

- my husband and I currently have a 4 year old boy, and will want to have more children in the near future

- pre-Covid, we enjoyed entertaining, but it wasn’t an extremely frequent part of our lives

- my husband tends to put things wherever is the easiest location, despite my attempts to establish designated places for his “things“. There is frequently an issue with his shoes being left in the middle of the floor right in front of the door. It drives me insane lol

We have renovated other houses twice before. I’m not intimidated by changes. We’re open to changing the location and uses of rooms, removing walls, adding walls, relocating plumbing etc. There is an unfinished basement under the entire house, so easy access for running plumbing, electrical etc changes. I like to think out of the box.

Must Haves:

- dining room must either be open or large enough that tables can be added to regular dining table on holidays and occasions that we’re hosting a large group

- dining room must have access to some sort of serving surface like a buffet, kitchen peninsula, butlers pantry etc

- large kitchen island with bar stools. Previous kitchen had 8x3 island (2 feet deep cabinets w over-hang) that worked very well for us. I wouldnt want it to be so large that it requires a countertop seam, so 8-10 feet long max. I do the vast majority of my food prep at the island, and cook a LOT. My house is like a never-ending buffet given that I have a 4 year old boy and very hungry husband lol

- kitchen in back of house overlooking yard

- microwave not over the stove

- a mudroom for storage coming in and out of house. Storage of kids backpacks etc for school, and husbands work stuff. He’s a salesman and his job requires him to store and have access to a rolling bag and briefcase on a daily basis. He has many cases of wine that must be stored, but most will go in the basement. A few that are being actively used, will need to be stored on the main floor so he can bring them in and out of the garage.

- make a room that functions as a playroom, but can technically be counted as a bedroom w dedicated closet

- a family room for tv watching, plus a secondary seating area that could be as simple as 4 armchairs around a table. That could be open to dining room, and could move these furniture pieces to expand dining table when entertaining

Wants, but not 100% need

- breakfast table in kitchen

- some sort of pantry. Whether a walk in pantry, a regular closet pantry, or shallow floor to ceiling cabinets for pantry storage. In a previous house, I had 12 or 15 inch deep floor to ceiling cabinets for pantry storage and I loved them

- 2 ovens (could be 1 oven as part of stovetop with range, and 2nd oven as part of micro-wall oven combo)

- sink plus additional prep sink

Once we actually close on the house, I’ll be able to make detailed diagrams that have all dimensions and opening locations etc, as ive seen recommended on other threads.

But for now, just looking to brainstorm with you all. I’d love to hear anyone’s ideas and creative feedback.

Ive drawn out so many ideas, but once you stare at a floorplan for too long your brain and creative juices kind of shut down.

I appreciate everyone’s help & a fresh eye with this!

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Comments (9)

jbmail
4 days ago
Ooh! I love a good floorplan rework! I err on the side of doing less work, so I'm not going to suggest major moves, but I do think your living room should have more than one exit/entry. Otherwise I think it will be a dead space/never used. Perhaps a 2nd door over by the stairs, or opening up that small closet to make an exit at the back of the living room.
Pam K thanked jbmail
isabellagracepan
4 days ago
I really recommend living in the home for a full year before making changes. We have bought and sold several homes, and it is amazing how changes I am certain I am going to make when I first buy the home end up changing once I actually live there and see how we use the space. It is such a valuable lesson and can save a lot of heartache!
Pam K thanked isabellagracepan
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BeverlyFLADeziner
4 days ago
It's not going to be possible to meet all your demands. There is only so much space in each area.
- You may have to settle for a range with two ovens below.
- No room for a prep sink
- You can't take away any of the cabinets next to the fridge for ovens because you will need the cabinets for pantry items.
- As it is, I think you will have to supplement your storage with some type of large cabinet in the dinette area to just store dishes and small appliances.
- You can take away the wall that divides the Family Rm from the kitchen and add an over-hanging countertop with barstools.
- Be happy that you have a dinette and a dining room. Many don't have even that
- The only area you have for a mud area is the back door. You'll get a few hooks on the wall but that's about it for space.
- Select a dining table that expands to seat more people. There is room for an 84 inch buffet on the narrow wall.
- I doubled the size of your closet in the entry
- Your actual Living Room could be turned into an office.
Pam K thanked BeverlyFLADeziner
3onthetree
4 days ago
+1 on living there for a while, especially understanding how you use the outdoors.
Pam K thanked 3onthetree
Pam K
Original Author
4 days ago
jbmail thanks for your feedback. I totally agree with you that adding another entry point to the living room will help the flow.

We were thinking of opening it through where I marked in orange.

Thanks again for any other ideas and thoughts you have!
Pam K
Original Author
4 days ago
Thanks isabellagracepan for the suggestion.

However we‘re living in a rental apartment temporarily in the interim between selling our previous house and closing on our new house, and will continue to stay in the rental during the renovation before we move into the house.

This is how we did it too when we renovated our previous house, and it was a whole lot easier to live elsewhere during a renovation.

So unfortunately living there first isn’t an option. So I’m planning the renovation based on knowledge of how we use a space in this temporary apartment and in our previous 2 homes.
Pam K
Original Author
4 days ago
BeverlyFLADeziner

thanks for your feedback and attached layout!

I just wanted to clarify regarding the kitchen, we’re completely gut renovating it. We’re not working within the confines of the current layout and cabinet space.

The only confines we’re working within is the exterior footprint of the house because we won’t be doing an addition.

Within the house, anything can be re-jigged.

Love the bigger entryway closet!
Pam K
Original Author
4 days ago
3onthetree

Thanks so much for your feedback!

as I explained above to isabellagracepan, the renovation will happen prior to moving in because we’re already in a temporary apartment and don’t want to live in the house with the dust etc created during a renovation.

I agree with you entirely about seeing how we use the outside space.

i love what you did about bumping a mudroom next to the garage! We’re seriously considering that.

It’s tough bc we’re trying to balance living space vs more utilitarian spaces that are practical.

For example, we have no need for an informal tv family room plus an entire room used for a formal living room.

I wanted to clarify something on the floorplan that I realized wasnt on it from the listing

green is the location of the laundry, side by side washer and dryer

Purple is a full bathroom for the downstairs level. Vanity, toilet and shower.

I was thinking since there’s currently a living room and family room, i could make 1 our tv watching space and the other a combo of dining room and small seating area (a couple of armchairs) that could be easily moved when entertaining a larger crowd.

Thanks again for your help!
3onthetree
4 days ago
If you put Dining into the old Living, then the Kitchen wants to move over with it. That leaves the Family room unconnected. Having only one Great Room doesn't appear to work well with this house, as when you do have one you want direct/visual access from the Entry, Kitchen, and Dining. This footprint is a little small, especially to fit in an island. The structure may play in how you lay out your re-arrangement as well, 2 probable scenarios where typical 2x10 joists are kept around 12'-14' spans: