Help Us Design Our Home - Maisonette Extension Planning

We've been working on house renovations for a while but now we are considering some more drastic changes, and we need your help. We are looking to add a single-storey rear extension to our maisonette in the UK. Our aim is to turn our 1 bed flat into a 2 bed, with an improved living space and kitchen.
We would love to see your ideas. You can download the floorplan below and share them with us via email at [e-mail] or via Instagram at @naomicbc
Download a copy of the floorplan at this link: drive.google.com/file/d/1O-nl...
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Help Us Design Our Home - Maisonette Extension Planning
Publish date: 10/04/2023
Film date: 08/04/2023
Subscribers: 47,800
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Any questions? [e-mail]
Naomi's Instagram - naomicbc
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#naomiandjack

[@ajdarc880]

Thats lovely asking people to think with you. You will be surprised what another pair eyes and brains can add

[@jbills3000]

This looks so cute though! perfect size for you two! 🙂

[@pattir8616]

I think it would depend a lot on where the load bearing walls are. Given the space, the windows and the flow (and, of course, the budget) - I think it makes the most sense to have the living room at the very front (where the current bedroom is) as it is at the front and you can hear the traffic. It gets a good amount of light, which would be perfect for the living room. I would also get rid of the wall between what is currently the bedroom and the living room, if possible, as it would really open up the space. Where the living room currently is, I would make that the kitchen. And have it open to the living room, making both spaces feel much larger. Instead of a dining table, you could instead have a kitchen island - which could act as your eating/puzzle area. When I say kitchen island, I mean a large one (ie, American style) with cabinets, possibly sink and very functional. You could also potentially have room for a dining table in the area where your patio doors currently are. In the back would be the two bedrooms and they could both connect to the bathroom. That way, they're in the back where it's quieter and the flow just makes more sense. If you plan on using the 2nd bedroom more as an office/workspace, this would also work because this room should also have really good light (depending on how many windows you put in). Where the current utility room is, you could expand that space and add a toilet and sink, so that it is a combo powder room/hall bath. I wish you could attach pictures in comments, I would post a visual of the floorplan. :)

[@laurieross]

THIS is exactly what I saw too. That front room needs to become the living room, then the kitchen, bedrooms in the back. All depending on the ability to move the plumbing etc.

[@krewetkaaaa]

If they don't like kitchen island idea... smaller extendable dining table can be easily fit in place of kitchen island

[@Rens27]

A foldable or extendable dining table works great in small spaces. Maybe watch a few tiny house videos, they always have amazing ideas on maximising small spaces

[@FunksyenSg]

Was abt to say the same thing~ The table can be mounted to the wall and be folded (murphy bed style)

[@catherinemacdonald7953]

So happy you are both doing videos again, missed you guys x

[@jacquelinemadoo2616]

Great idea to ask your subscribers. Good luck

[@thomas-jc1ce]

The thing that helped me is to look at boat interiors especially sail boats! A place for everything and everything in it's place😊

[@NaomiandJack]

Great tip!

[@keciabrown7455]

Suggestion:Do a fold down murphy bed (fits into wall) in second extra room and when bed not in use maybe a collapsible table and bar chairs (extra seating in the living room). Txs. for sharing.

[@MaudMargretheRex]

Lovely to have you back..🎉

[@juliettebarton8467]

Love this progressive couple.

[@cynthial5901]

I am looking forward to seeing the reconstruction of the house.

[@ruthgreene3100]

Can you take the kitchen and incorporate it into the living room. Can a garden room be added to the patio area. Needing planting permission can get sticky. How long are you staying there? Remember keep it simple.💚

[@hplm16]

In my experience doing an extension like your suggesting will make your current lounge space very dark. I would make that into a second bedroom and do a kitchen/ living room in the extension. If you were clever with furniture in the second bedroom and had a Murphy bed type set up and a folding table you could have a dinning room at times!

[@enidclarke6258]

U guys ❤ love your thinking.. Hope things go to plan.. not sure how u it can be improved.. I'll wait and see 🎉

[@marilynroseboro8163]

Go for it.

[@JHPetway]

Hi, very ambitious plans for adding an addition. Had to laugh with Naomi's comment about too old to not need a dining room. She can borrow our's which we only use once a year for thanksgiving dinner.

[@krewetkaaaa]

So where do you eat your meals? On a sofa? Or you have some other table in the kitchen

[@JHPetway]

@@krewetkaaaa Good question, we do have a table in our kitchen, but during the week we eat our main meal of the day which is supper while watching the evening new in the family room.

[@widaadhartley6658]

I would definitely knock out the kitchen wall and have open plan lounge and kitchen. In that way you can fit in a fold away dining table. Or setup a greenhouse adjacent to the lounge and place your dining table in there. It could be quite magical. Move the WC from the area it is and make a WC under the stairs area.

[@robine916]

Just a thought, they make coffee tables that you can raise and lower the height. Many people use them as dining tables when necessary, having the sofa as some of the seating and adding chairs as needed. You could then have what other posters have mentioned as a drop leaf table where you sit at either end on a daily bases, then open the "dropped-leaf" up for additional seating. The Master BR is tight, and you would need to be creative for storage. I've seen upper cabinets use above the head of the bed, with slim cabinets/shelves coming down the sides/corners for storing clothes. Looking at how caravans/campers/tiny homes address their storage needs would be of great help. Perhaps you can add a walk-in closet in the original BR for use for the "new" BR? Access could be from the hall.

[@miadifferent7306]

Hm. I‘d need more information. You are still on a tight budget right? Then maybe going the extension route isn’t that reasonable. Do you want to use the second bedroom as an office? For which kind of activity do you like having a lot of natural sunlight? Do you have/need to have a fixed tv? I’m which room? Are you open to using your bedroom for lounging? The first thing I’d do is having a critical inventory of all your furniture. Especially the current sofa seems very chunky. What about a lounge space in the alcove in your bedroom? If you still want a sofa in the living room, try a smaller sofa combined with a dining table. Is there a way to separate an office space in the living room in a harmonic way?

[@TranslatorTuber]

Always tempting to try to turn that one-bed flat into a six-bedder with three garages. Maybe you've outgrown the place already!?

[@melsparkles]

OK so do a breakfast bar/bench along the wall in the kitchen that has a section that can extend out for dining. So it could be a T-shape where the extended section is...so the top of the T is the part fixed to the wall and the bottom of the T folds down...make sense? Then you can have chairs either side of the fold down part. There may be a better plan but an extension would help save space when you need it.

[@juliebulie7587]

How about an island in the kitchen that can be used as a dining table but also provides additional counter space?

[@NaomiandJack]

I would love to add a kitchen island just not sure about the space😭😭😭

[@juliebulie7587]

@@NaomiandJack I was looking at the plan showing a table in the kitchen and imagining an “island” against the wall. You could have four bar stools round it…

[@krewetkaaaa]

​@@juliebulie7587 but island against wall is not island...and not table It is just like cupboard next to wall Why would it be better than table? Than 4 people cannot seat comfortable there having dinner

[@ijeomaiheke6451]

Hello guys, love your videos and how hands on you are about enhancing your properties. So very impressed about how you manage to make it your own, great job so far. Quick question I’ll like to use your link to sign up for Nord VPN, if you are still affiliated with them, so you can get the credit. Can you please send it to me, thanks.😊

[@Tyla473]

How about this: remove lounge walls and turn the now open space into a dining and kitchen room, turn bedroom into lounge, turn kitchen into bedroom. Then you can either extend the house and have 1 big bedroom and maybe walk in closet, or have two snug bed and bath.

[@dogcatdogable]

You could push the internal wall back to create a larger space for a kitchen/diner where the lounge is, then extend the current kitchen wall out a little and convert that to your master bedroom/en suite. Current bedroom could then be a smaller spare room. Perhaps you could add a WC under the stairs or in the utility space. Realistically I don't know if an extension is worth it unless you can knock through that kitchen wall. A bad extension can make a home worse.

[@krewetkaaaa]

But your idea is not 2 bedrooms from what I understand ...about spare room. Correct me if I am wrong. But sounds like it would be to small for bedroom

[@t.carchie2083]

I always look forward to your videos and it's even more exciting with the home improvements going on. Congrats on all that you've achieved so far :) p.s. Is it just me or is Jack looking like Jamie Dornan when he acted as Christian Grey?

[@MsJanmarie]

I can understand the extra room and having two bathrooms the room can be small but long as you have a small window and painted with a bright color like white might make it look bigger

[@jvgl2024]

Can you keep the layout you had planned but put the kitchen and dining area in your current lounge and have a small lounge making the most of the close proximity to the garden. Easier to be clever with a sofa then with a kitchen

[@vanillamint7854]

🤔 why not (ensuite) one bath & one shower instead??? ...dining table? IKEA has super ideas for small spaces

[@deborah4645]

If the upstairs flat is the same as yours, put a offer on that if available. Food for thought, just a idea.

[@kookietherapy9398]

This is when you rent out your place and move yourselves into a bigger rental.

[@deltalima8947]

Is your flat a leasehold (flats/maisonettes usually are)? Very important that you get permission from the leaseholder before you do any work! Could impact your ability to sell if you don’t.

[@krewetkaaaa]

I believe it is obvious that you need owner permission if you are not owner 😂

[@sikugord03]

Your kitchen worktop could become part of your seating if one side is free and add stools. Not a dining table but at least you can eat there.

[@annblake3993]

Scap the dining room table idea. It invokes formality. You need a good size coffee table with seating that can be pulled up to dine on. A small kitchen is cozy but I’d say a pantry is necessary to store gadgets like air fryer pressure cooker microwave oven rotisserie and groceries. (Utilise the height of your kitchen for storage don’t let the space go to waste) I’m seriously considering getting rid of my stove. With all the modern gadgets what’s the necessity of an actual stove? A nice size backyard grill would suffice. What is the sq footage of the house? For the living room think modern Asian multipurpose/ double duty furniture. They’re into convenience and simplicity. It’s doable. Can you extend off the bedroom to give you a luxurious powder room or a small bathroom? I think the most important thing is to get the bedroom off the back. It must have tall ceiling that can be utilised for storage.

[@krewetkaaaa]

How do I live without pressure cooker and air fryer 😂

[@bazodee2]

No house is complete without arcade cabinets!

[@Brooklyn-oj3sx]

where is the main entry door?

[@just42tube]

You definitely don't look too old. But my mother and grandmother wanted to have a 🛁, and I am a retired old senior person myself, so you must be older much beyond your chronological years.

[@clairebrighton2468]

Who owns the freehold? Won’t you need their permission too?