You can't. Push the kitchen into the dining space. You're bound by the stair, and anything beyond that needs an architect.....or you need a different house.

A drawing with no dimensions is not much information.

Zero chances of that and not devaluing and ruining the house. With way too much money spent to do that.

Talk to a local contractor. It looks like you could take half the garage as a dining room or den through the kitchen.

But that will depend on local building codes and the foundation and electrical and hvac available to the garage. Short term, You can fix up the space asan extra room with a rug and furniture, if you need it. As kids, it was normal for families to spruce up the garage as a play room or ping pong table room without construction. We weren't picky!

For now, my advice is to live with your house for awhile to see how livable it is. It is a small house, meant to be a small house.

I agree that with the stairway, the garage does not look like a convenient expansion target.

The garage may be a great space to maximize storage, even with cars parked in it, of things that don’t need to be inside the house— using appropriate shelving and containers and other garage storage systems . Seasonal equipment and decor, bulky non- perishable pantry items.

And, if a common entry point, a place for shoes/ jackets.

Then if you cook and dine I. your house for awhile you will get a better idea of what you might like to change, if anything. Also you’ll have a much better idea of sunlight patterns and views.

Remember also that one reason kitchens have “ walks” is to provide areas for the appliances and cabinetry and countertops. Or for TV wall in a living room. Sometimes that is improved by “ opening up” , but sometimes much is lost. So you’ll have time to get to know those issues.

Your home is what it is. You will devalue it by trying to make it into something that it isn’t. I would suggest that you consider opening up your kitchen completely to the dining room (that will require a structural beam across that area) and moving the entire kitchen back into your nook area. What is in your utility area? Could those utilities be relocated into the back of the garage, elevated on a platform there so they don’t impede car storage? In that way, the entire back of your home is less compartmentalized.

If you were to expand, it should be out the back. But that is a big undertaking and shouldn't be done if it would cause your house to be over-improved for the neighborhood. You should probably consider moving before doing that. Changing your garage from two bays to one will devalue the house even if you pick up more interior space because the space would be awkward. Since this house is new to you, give it some time before you decide what to do and don't do anything that is financially a bad idea unless you can see yourself living there 20 years.

I think when people take over garage space to make living space it is just awkward and very expensive. I would just open up kitchen to DR and treat that all as eating/cooking space.

The garage isn't to blame for the house having tight living space! The photos don't give enough information, but I'll guess that the house has maxed out the setbacks for the lot and whoever built it believed that a garage was an important feature to include for that geographic area.

Any chance you can expand out the back?

Is it feasible to move the back door? If it is, I would move the kitchen into the breakfast area. One larger eating area would do a lot to maximize space. Back door opening off dining area (french doors connecting dining room to back yard would be lovely).

Please post a drawing with full dimensions, including garage dimensions. People here will sketch some great ideas if they have enough information to work with.

CPArtist's layout is what I was going to suggest. However, I suspect you will need to change out windows in the Dining Room to do this.

Don't waste space on two different table spaces -- just have one and use it for all meals.

And, before you ask, unless you take down the wall coming off the stairs, an island will not fit. Without actual measurements, I don't know if an island would fit even if you did take down the wall.

Thank you all for the feedback! Will sit on this and make a decision.