Hello,
My wife and I visited a model home park for prefabricated houses yesterday, and we noticed that each house offered various features and floor plans whose practical benefits I don’t quite understand. That’s why I’m starting this thread, hoping you can explain the advantages of these choices or point out what I might be missing and why it still makes sense to design a house that way:
1. Almost every house had floor-to-ceiling windows installed. What’s the purpose of these? I imagine they would be terrible both in summer and winter. Wouldn’t it get extremely hot in summer? And in winter, don’t you constantly have to lower the blinds so that anyone passing by can’t look directly into the living room or inside the house? Also, isn’t the effort to clean those windows huge? Am I missing something? Do they have advantages that I don’t see?
2. There wasn’t a single house where the kitchen and dining area were separated from the living space; at best, the kitchen was separated from the dining area. I understand that having everything open makes the space appear larger and is better for hosting many people, but isn’t it very impractical? If I’m frying or cooking something in the kitchen, doesn’t the whole living room end up smelling like food? It would also bother me that as soon as my wife or I have guests over, the other person couldn’t sit in the living room and watch TV quietly, for example. This might sound a bit picky, but for me, it’s important that everyone can invite their friends without the other person always being within earshot or needing to get out of the way somehow. Why are open-plan ground floors so common? What are the real advantages?
3. The balconies on the upper floor are always accessible from one of the children’s bedrooms and the parents’ bedroom. Doesn’t that significantly affect privacy? I can’t imagine it’s great if my child can constantly knock on our bedroom door via the balcony, for example. Also, if you have two children, wouldn’t the one without a balcony be at a disadvantage?
I don’t want to bias you with my opinions here—I’m completely open to your views because I’d like to be convinced of the benefits. So I would like to know your reasons for including such features in your plans. Alternatively, has anyone built in a more “traditional” way and can speak to the practicality of these layout choices?
Best regards
My wife and I visited a model home park for prefabricated houses yesterday, and we noticed that each house offered various features and floor plans whose practical benefits I don’t quite understand. That’s why I’m starting this thread, hoping you can explain the advantages of these choices or point out what I might be missing and why it still makes sense to design a house that way:
1. Almost every house had floor-to-ceiling windows installed. What’s the purpose of these? I imagine they would be terrible both in summer and winter. Wouldn’t it get extremely hot in summer? And in winter, don’t you constantly have to lower the blinds so that anyone passing by can’t look directly into the living room or inside the house? Also, isn’t the effort to clean those windows huge? Am I missing something? Do they have advantages that I don’t see?
2. There wasn’t a single house where the kitchen and dining area were separated from the living space; at best, the kitchen was separated from the dining area. I understand that having everything open makes the space appear larger and is better for hosting many people, but isn’t it very impractical? If I’m frying or cooking something in the kitchen, doesn’t the whole living room end up smelling like food? It would also bother me that as soon as my wife or I have guests over, the other person couldn’t sit in the living room and watch TV quietly, for example. This might sound a bit picky, but for me, it’s important that everyone can invite their friends without the other person always being within earshot or needing to get out of the way somehow. Why are open-plan ground floors so common? What are the real advantages?
3. The balconies on the upper floor are always accessible from one of the children’s bedrooms and the parents’ bedroom. Doesn’t that significantly affect privacy? I can’t imagine it’s great if my child can constantly knock on our bedroom door via the balcony, for example. Also, if you have two children, wouldn’t the one without a balcony be at a disadvantage?
I don’t want to bias you with my opinions here—I’m completely open to your views because I’d like to be convinced of the benefits. So I would like to know your reasons for including such features in your plans. Alternatively, has anyone built in a more “traditional” way and can speak to the practicality of these layout choices?
Best regards
C
chand198618 Jul 2017 09:58Addendum regarding Climbee’s insightful experience report:
And that’s exactly what happens when guests are entertained with home-cooked food, homemade drinks, etc. Often, the host moves away from the guests’ area, leaving lively conversations, as the desire to communicate with guests as much as possible while serving homemade items comes into conflict.
Guests solve this themselves in large open kitchens by avoiding the living room. The step of simply leaving out the dividing wall is a logical consequence.
This is THE argument for the open-plan design, provided that the corresponding preferences for entertaining exist.
And anyone who says they don’t do any of this and therefore see no problem and can stick with traditional layouts should at least ask themselves what is cause and effect here before making a decision for the future. Climbee’s report beautifully illustrates the evolution that frees a rigid mindset—while the fundamental needs have remained the same.
The usual scare stories around odors have also been nicely put into perspective.
Climbee schrieb:
But I had guests who sat alone in the living room while I was still finishing up the last tasks in the kitchen.
Climbee schrieb:
The next apartment had an open-plan kitchen and a separate living room. […] The guests invariably sat in the kitchen; the living room was never used.
And that’s exactly what happens when guests are entertained with home-cooked food, homemade drinks, etc. Often, the host moves away from the guests’ area, leaving lively conversations, as the desire to communicate with guests as much as possible while serving homemade items comes into conflict.
Guests solve this themselves in large open kitchens by avoiding the living room. The step of simply leaving out the dividing wall is a logical consequence.
This is THE argument for the open-plan design, provided that the corresponding preferences for entertaining exist.
And anyone who says they don’t do any of this and therefore see no problem and can stick with traditional layouts should at least ask themselves what is cause and effect here before making a decision for the future. Climbee’s report beautifully illustrates the evolution that frees a rigid mindset—while the fundamental needs have remained the same.
The usual scare stories around odors have also been nicely put into perspective.
Man, how formal. We don’t have guests, we have friends visiting. Either I grill and my wife puts out some salads and things. Or we have a pizza. Often, there’s nothing to eat at all. Or we order a few takeout boxes from the Chinese restaurant... you shouldn’t overestimate the importance of the food. When we have visitors, we just want to have fun. Karsten
Nordlys schrieb:
....this food shouldn’t be overestimated. When guests come, we want to have fun. KarstenOr not less!
Nowadays, nutrition holds an important place in society, and it should be that way. It’s enjoyable to prepare a GOOD piece of meat, to experiment with herbs and spices, and to use some fine ingredients. This can be done together, as it is a form of communication.
Besides, we all know from kindergarten that community strengthens us, and working together or teamwork brings happiness.
There are so many illnesses and conditions caused by poor nutrition, so anyone who will eat later naturally wants to know what’s in their food.
Food isn’t just served. Food is made. I do eat fast food from delivery services sometimes, but a homemade pizza made together or a pizza made with love is worth so much more. I gladly leave services like Lieferando and Wagner out.
Nordlys schrieb:
Man, how formal. Man, how boring.
C
chand198618 Jul 2017 10:29Nordlys schrieb:
this food should not be overrated. when guests come, we want to have fun.The (often shared) preparation of the "food" is part of the fun. At least when you meet exactly for that reason, which happens quite often with us.
Of course, friends also come just for the barbecue or to play, without any cooking involved.
However, the derogatory term "food" already shows that meals have different levels of importance for different people. Those who expect to get something delivered from the (average) Chinese takeout or pizzeria (not that we don’t have that sometimes ourselves, don’t get me wrong) that is equal in quality to homemade dishes, see eating as nothing more than basic nourishment.
When you say, "[...], we want to have fun." I conclude that cooking is not necessarily part of the enjoyment for you, eating probably isn’t either, and the fun begins elsewhere.
With that, you naturally have different needs and have chosen a fitting home design accordingly.
I just observe that the relationship to food and cooking can be significantly different, often is different, and therefore a different home concept is more suitable to those needs.
Nordlys schrieb:
Man, how formal. We don’t have guests, we have friends visiting. Just wait until the mayor shows up at your door to congratulate you on your birthday.