Does size really matter?

To get an idea of what this Bungalow is, a summer Bungalow at that, and what I am working with, I have decided to show everyone a (pretty much) to scale floor plan. The first plan is the way it is configured now.  There are no appliances or fixtures in the house now so the kitchen and bathroom are blank.  There are no divisions between the bedrooms – it is now one long room – and the Foyer and office/bedroom are also one long room.  There is a boiler “room,” meaning a walled off section that hides the boiler and hot-water heater, in the corner of the Kitchen.  And between the Dining room and the Master Bedroom is a thin closet that is too thin to hang clothes in and opens to the Bedroom and the Dining room with a thin divider between the two "closets".  (dashes are doors, dot/dash are windows)

My plans are to add two walls – one in the front room to make a Foyer and an Office/Bedroom and another to divide the bedrooms into two (which is actually how the house was built originally).  I will expand the closet between the Bedroom and Dining Room so that I will actually be able to hang things in it and, more importantly, to fit a stackable Clothes Washer/Dryer (opening into the hallway).  I will add a small coat closet in the Foyer.  And finally I will completely remove the Boiler room by moving the boiler into the attic and using a Tankless water heating system (yes, its more expensive, but I NEED the room, and there are energy savings as well).  This will create enough room to have a real refrigerator in the kitchen and more cabinet space. 

To get some sense of size, the entire house is approximately 18 ft. x 40 ft.  I know people who have living rooms bigger than that.  The rooms are small – Master bedroom is 10 ft. long by 9 ft..  The girls bedroom is 8 ft. x 9 ft..  The living room is 13 ft. x 11 ft. (at its widest into the bay window – 9 ft. for the rest).  The largest area is the Dining room/Kitchen which is 16 ft. (to the cabinets) by 8 ft..  I think I will be able to seat no more than 6 people at a time (just kidding, at least 8!).  

Before you think I have completely lost my mind, or even have any room to change it, get a tape measure and look around you. 

Let’s take one room ferinstence . . . my bedroom.  I have a quite large brass bed, it is a monstrous 7 ft. by 5 ft..  The bed will sit with its foot by the door (allowing an ample 3 ft. for the door – most doorways are 2 ½ ft. wide, add 3 or so inches for the frame) and 4 ft. for the width of the room.  Dressers stick out about 20 inches, leaving about 2 ½ ft. between the bed and the dresser or whatever furniture I place there (book case, small desk, night table, etc.).  It’s not expansive, but there is room to walk, turn around, and so on. Take the tape measure and compare it to some of the spaces in your own rooms, and see if it really is too cramped.

If done right will be cozy.  I hope . . .