How to make the most of the space in your home

January 23, 2015

How to make the most of the space in your home

Some of the most frequent questions we get asked are:

How can I make my kitchen and dining area feel bigger?
How can I improve the flow of my house?
How can I rearrange my home’s interior to increase its value?

Kitchens and dining rooms

These rooms can give your property its greatest value boost. Many of our clients choose to create a rear and/or side extension to physically increase the space in their dining/entertaining area.

If you have an old, bulky chimneybreast that may not really fit into your contemporary-styled kitchen, you can remove it by first placing a steel beam in the ceiling above and then having it taken down by your builder. (The beam is almost always no deeper than your existing floor, so you probably wouldn’t even notice it’s there.)

Bedrooms

Reorganising, de-cluttering and redecorating are the easiest steps to take in making your bedroom feel more spacious. Hide away as much as possible so surfaces appear clear and flowing, and think about the use of large mirrors to give the illusion of a bigger room.

If you have a chimneybreast you may wish to remove it and increase space that way. Some properties have had the same chimneybreast removed on the ground floor, to improve the kitchen for example, but there is merit to also removing the same chimneybreast above. (Remember to seek structural and party wall advice for this.)

Bathrooms

Perhaps you have a tight space under the stairs that is being used as a rather untidy storage cupboard. You would be surprised how usable such a space can be…imagine it housing your washing machine, or even a small guest WC.

You may be able to create an ensuite if you have a large bedroom. Or if you have two adjacent bedrooms that could each spare some space you could create a ‘Jack and Jill’ (bathroom with a door either end). Picture how this could significantly improve your house, and its value!

Word of advice

Certain extensions require planning permission, and you may need to seek permission from your freeholder.

If your property is not in a conservation area, you may be able to benefit from one of the many permitted development rules. However, even if this applies, you are required by law to submit a ‘Lawful Development Certificate application’ which may take as long as a planning application, but is a much more simplified process.

Removing chimney breasts requires both a structural engineer and also a Party Wall Award.