Tap the wall if it's hollow then its probably just a stud wall, swing in the slegehammer and rip it out, it'll only be a bit of plasterboard and timber. It will make a hell of a mess though, but it's good fun.

nah its load bearing for sure, as part of the wall i want to take out is chimney breast so its all brick.

Not everyone likes stairs in the living room but open plan appeals to the young prof market. It's probably a supporting wall so get the pros in to advise. Only way to go with this. I'd prob go the whole hog and take the kitchen walls out too, creating one large living space but his would depend on the area and local market.
You'd sadly have less walls to hang you Banksy's on though. Swings n roundabouts.
You could also consider extending.
Good luck with the project.

Edit: Yeah the porch would be a must.

front door leading into the lounge is a big no-no, so defo have a porch if you go ahead with knocking down the wall.

Also, you do realise that with that wall gone you'll have less hanging space for art?

oh, and all the heat from the living room will vanish up the stairs

BONGO HAD EXPERIENCE OF SMALL POMME DE TERRE WORKS IN PROGRESS

BONGO KNOW THAT TO WORK ON ARTEX, YOU NEED TO SPEAK TO COUNCIL, DUE TO HIGH LEVEL OF ASBESTOS CONTAINED WITHIN ARTEX. SIGNIFICANT ARTEX REMOVAL REQUIRES REGISTERED ASBESTOS REMOVAL COMPNAY TO BE CONTRACTED AND MAY REQUIRE YOU TO LEAVE PROPERTY.

BONGO DOES NOT JOKE ABOUT ASBESTOS.

....and the award for most surreal post this year goes to...

Bongo on safe asbestos/artex removal

Wiseblood

I agree with CBL on the two doors from the kitchen into the living space. Definitely close one over to allow for modification in the kitchen.

Also a front door straight into the living room is not a good idea. Putting a porch in would resolve this or you could narrow the hall in width and put a half wall (length) in using glass bricks thus giving the effect of an entrance but maximizing light and space.

As someone who has ripped virtually every wall in my house down to create an open space environment I can assure you it is worthwhile. Heat will be a problem as will wall space for art. You can be creative with new ways to hang and display art and you can always put more clothing on or off..... ;D ;D ;D

Some pictures of my originally standard country detached dwelling after 3 years of deconstruction and reconstruction!!!!!!

Plucker - I had to let my wife pick something....... ;D ;D ;D

Great concept having walls that look like floors and plants stuck with velcro to the vertical shelves.

Lovely house
Wiseblood, is it not easier to plaster over the artex?

Haha fair enough, although i think the extra thickness would be negligible

It's definitely easier to plaster over artex, you'll probably have to replaster when the artex comes off with half the plaster behind it anyway ! Size the wall up with pva and water leave it to dry out then plaster the bleeding lot

Sheeesh!
I've seen it all today....Harveyn's house and Bruts (check out the Get Yer Banksy's Out thread) art collection have me looking like a yawning hippo.

Jaw dropping.

I'm in the wrong line of work here.
Harrumph!

Agree, plaster is the way forward.
Those bits on artex are called snots - that's the technical term.
We've just had the entire lower ground of the house done, that's the place people notice it more, entrance to the house, the entertaining space, living space.
Just doing the downstairs seems to have opened the whole place up.
Messy job though mate, I recommend doing that before anything else (carpets etc).