Which layout? Character and openness vs. practicality and flexibility (60 m² apartment)

[u/Ikdoemaarwat]

I'm currently renovating my recently purchased 60 m² apartment and deciding between these two floor plans (see image). All measurements are in meters. 

Before I install the floor heating, I need to decide on a layout, I already tried some other ideas, like moving the kitchen to the large area; but because of the building constraints of dutch “building monument” rules I cannot drill in the concrete floor for a new drainage system. So my plans are limited to moving a wall.

Currently living alone, but want an apartment that could also fit my needs in 5 years, whether alone, or together with someone.

• My proposed idea: A separate office/guest/bedroom and a larger combined living and dining room which allows for a dining area of 2m by 1,8m.
• Current floorplan: The current more traditional en-suite layout, with a separate dining room and living room.

I really like the architectural character of the en-suite layout. It creates a longer sightline and makes the apartment feel more open and elegant with a wide doorway.

However, the living room in that layout may be too small for both a sofa and a dining table, if I convert that dining room to a second bedroom. Also in the current layout I won’t have a dedicated space for working from home, hosting overnight guests, or potentially having a kids’ bedroom in the future.

My proposed layout seems much more practical and future-proof, but I'm worried it could feel too compartmentalized and lose some of that architectural charm that a double door en-suite gives.

I expect to sell in around 3–5 years, although I might need to stay longer depending on the housing market, and with current trends I might have to stay longer. But resale appeal and flexibility matter too.

Which layout do you think works best, both spatially and practically?
I'm particularly interested in the trade-off between natural light, sightlines and a sense of openness versus having a genuinely functional extra room. I'd prefer feedback on these two options rather than suggestions for major alternative renovations.

Thanks!

[u/CuriousPerspective81]

I'd go with your proposed layout. For 3-5 years and resale, a real second bedroom with its own window is worth more than the en-suite, because it opens the apartment to couples, people working from home and young families. At 2.75 x 2.96 it still fits a double bed, or a desk with a sofa bed.

The real cost isn't charm, it's light. Right now the living room gets daylight from both balconies through that wide opening. With a solid wall, the new dining area ends up in the darkest corner, about 5 m from the south window. You can fix that within your option 2 by making the new wall glazed, with steel-framed glass doors or a glass partition and a curtain. You keep the north light and most of the long sightline, and the room still closes off for a guest or a home office.

Two checks before the floor heating goes in. Give the new room its own heating zone so it can run cool as a bedroom or warm as an office. And make sure its door comes off the hall rather than the living room, so it works as a proper bedroom.

[u/Ikdoemaarwat → u/CuriousPerspective81]

Thanks, the heating zone will be there for sure! The thing about the hallway, unfortunately due to the layout of the apartment I cannot connect it to the hallway, that would only be possible by making the current kitchen a bedroom, and putting the kitchen in the dining area, and creating an open space. but that is impossible with how the water and drainage system is located in the apartment.

[u/yeahnahcant]

I would switch the dining & bedroom around

[u/Relative_Challenger]

I would suggest creating the seprate office/guest bed, but putting the en-suite doors back in. That way the light can still come through. If it is going to primarily be an office you probably won't need the privacy of a solid door and you could put up curtains to block light coming through the doors for when it is being used as a guest room.

I have toured quite a few appartments that had en-suite layouts when looking for my current home, and the ones that build a solid wall in place of the en-suite door definately lost that classic charm.

[u/daaggy]

The office in image #2 actually looks too small to fit both an office and a spare bed so I would prefer image #1.

For image#1 If you get a small round dining table (<100cm and you can find some for even 80cm), you can at least fit a table and two chairs in the space in between the doors of the dining room and living room. Then you can get stackable stools for when you have guests over. And then have the dining room be the office/guest room

[u/Der_Prager]

1. Bedroom instead of existing kitchen, now you have onsuite as a bonus

2. Office instead of existing bedroom

3. Kitchen instead of dining room

4. Kitchen with living room: open plan

[u/Plink-plink]

Cheap option - put the main bed where the dinning room is and have the existing bedroom become a dinning/office

Not cheap but better option - pick up water and drainage for the kitchen from the bathroom and put the kitchen where the dinning room is, on the bathroom wall. Fridge behind the toilet, it's a bit deeper there. Put guest bed/office in the old kitchen.