# Upsizing



## lalala (Aug 13, 2009)

No, not our campervan. We downsized our house, though still to a reasonable size. Lately we have become increasingly sure that this downsizing business isn't necessarily for the good. So we have been looking for a larger house but one that has more living space rather than a large number of bedrooms. Very difficult. We've looked at loads of houses online and so many have five bedrooms and not enough living space for two let alone five. Has bedroom space become the new utopia?
Lala


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Try looking at 3/4/5 bedroom bungalows, leave the bedrooms you want upstairs and then expand the living room.:wink2::wink2:

cabby


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Our worry too

We have four bedrooms

But downstairs we have a large 1st lounge

A good second lounge

A large U shaped kitchen dining room with patio doors from the dining room and kitchen onto the garden
A utility room as big as many kitchens
A fully converted loft full of things we will never use again

But!!!!!
I think the kids will need to empty it all when we depart

Time they did something

Aldra


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## lalala (Aug 13, 2009)

We have looked at some bungalows but we don't want a lot of separate rooms. At the moment we are quite open plan (I don't like the way doors cut into space). It is usual for bungalows to have separate rooms. We are looking at a compromise of chalet bungalows, with a large downstairs and a smaller upstairs. What we really really want is a huge open plan room!
As for all that stuff well yes, we seem to have amassed a large amount. We have started throwing stuff out and now we have NOTHING in the loft. Amazing!
lala


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## Storageman (Feb 2, 2008)

Have you looked at converted churches?

John


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

We have done what you want to do.


We have a 4 bed detached house and started thinking of smaller houses. When we weighed everything up, we reckoned the present house ticked all the boxes apart from having a smallish kitchen.


We have extended out into the back garden, made a large Kitchen and knocked out a wall to make the downstairs Open Plan but not resembling a Barn. :smile2:
We enjoy the house even more now.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

LaLa

A barn conversion that has not had walls erected downstairs might suit. Even if there are walls they may be non-structural and could be easily removed.

Geoff


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## MEES (Apr 20, 2006)

We were lucky and downsized into a barn next yo our farmhouse so we can still enjoy our garden.
Daughter and her family. Live in our old house 

However we did get rid of loads of junk ( often returning it to it's rightful owner  

We treated ourselves to new smaller scale furniture to suit us including leather recliners.

We have not missed the bigger house.. we still have two decent bedrooms with huge bathrooms baths, walk in showers etc. two smallish living rooms a neat kitchen open plan to living room 1.

We had all floors stairs window ledges covered in Karndeem flooring an underfloor heating.

It's worked out fantastic for us and only takes a couple of ours to clean the whole place.

It's ideal to lock up and leave when we are off in motorhome fir months and hopefully will see us through old age 

For us bigger is not better.

It's design is a bit like the accomodation at centre parks.

Good luck in your search

Margaret


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## lalala (Aug 13, 2009)

Agree that it is not necessarily bigger that is better, but more spaciousness with a free-flowing arrangement would be to our taste. A barn conversion is a possibility, though I don't think we'd go so far as a old church. We have looked at a few barn conversions but I really don't want all those beams (we've had them before and spiders seemed to love them). Margaret. we like the idea of Karndeem on the stairs and will certainly look into this. What you have sounds great, the big open plan space but other rooms when quietness is wanted. Thanks to all for your suggestions,
Lala


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

You would PROB like ours downstairs Lala 

The hall flows into the dining room

The dining room is open to the kitchen on one side 

And into the smaller lounge on the other

Only the main lounge and the utility room have doors

Aldra


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Lala

If you don't want exposed beams in a barn conversion you could put a false ceiling in.

The reason for suggesting a barn converson is that originally there were only the outside structural walls and a huge open floor space, which is what you are after.

Would you contemplate buying a barn and having it converted to suit you?

Geoff


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## MEES (Apr 20, 2006)

The house has beams but the barn is all newly plasterboarded and painted clean lines- no dust traps. Karndeem on window ledges is great too - just a quick wipe over - no ring marks etc edges like the stairs with aluminium strip.


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## lalala (Aug 13, 2009)

We have looked at both buying a barn and buying a plot of land. It all seems quite difficult because developers seem to be leaping at everything that becomes available. One reputable estate agent told us that if we wanted to buy a plot we would be in competition with many others, people like us and developers. Margaret is the karndeem on the stairs at all slippery? We have wooden stairs at the moment and they aren't slippery but we have had another house with wooden stairs and they certainly were.
lala


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## MEES (Apr 20, 2006)

Not slippy wish I could attach photo


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Well I'm jealous

I love my house but it's far to big for one
The family come
Meals are provided

14/16 every Friday 

But I can't do it alone

Yes I can cook the meals

I just can't see it without him

Sorting the grandkids
Sorting out the kids

Sorting out anything really

Aldra


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## lalala (Aug 13, 2009)

Aldra, your house and garden sound really lovely and hopefully you and Albert will have a lot of time together to enjoy them. How long have you been together? We have been together more than twice as long as we have been apart and it would be devastating to either of us to lose the other. thinking of you,
lala


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## MEES (Apr 20, 2006)

Now you are both getting morbid - are you on the gin?


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## lalala (Aug 13, 2009)

Hi Mees,
obviously a bit more tonic is called for!


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## MEES (Apr 20, 2006)

Tee hee lul


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Lalala 50 yrs

Really 50 yrs

You just get into a habit of being together 

He is not perfect

I am

It's how it is

Aldra


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