ᐅ Renovation of an Older Building: Experiences with Floor Plan Layout

Hello from the north,

we are now the proud owners of a house built in 1959 with a living area of about 100 sqm (1,076 sq ft). The house has been in the family and holds a lot of sentimental value to me. Therefore, I would prefer not to demolish and rebuild but to modernize it. The house was originally designed by an architect.

So far, a structural engineer and an energy consultant have visited. The structural engineer was called because I would like to remove the wall on the ground floor (number 3 on the floor plan is the kitchen) to create a large open-plan kitchen and living area. However, it is currently load-bearing, and significant costs are expected because the steel beam would also require supports on both sides. Additionally, 50 cm (20 inches) on each side of the walls cannot be demolished. The energy consultant will send me the renovation roadmap in the coming days. At the moment, there is an oil heating system (23 years old, made by Viessmann). I would like to switch directly to a heat pump and photovoltaic system. On the first floor, room 9 no longer exists because the wall was removed, but we would likely put a wall back there.

Neither of us has extensive knowledge, but I learn quickly and with interest. This post is meant as a form of support since we are unsure how best to divide the spaces.

Another point: On the first floor, each room has knee walls (dormers), which I would like to remove as they take up a considerable amount of space. These are also marked on the floor plan. The house is partially basemented. The basement area starts at number 5, covering half of the living room toward the garden. There is no basement under the kitchen.

What do you think? How would you arrange the rooms? I was considering creating a large open-plan kitchen at number 5 left and then planning a utility room in the current kitchen area. For the future, two children's rooms should be planned, although one room is enough for now since life often has other plans 🙂. I’m also not very happy with the hallway and entrance area yet, but after many hours on YouTube, at exhibitions, etc., we’re a bit stuck.

I look forward to your ideas and discussion.

Best regards,
Anni