Hello,
we have been living in our own single-family house for a long time and now want to build a new one. I did not expect it to be so difficult to design a suitable floor plan. Every change affects another requirement. We are now at an impasse and can’t think of any further improvements. I hope your fresh perspectives and honest feedback will help us here.
Thank you in advance for all comments.
Development plan / restrictions
Plot size 1,220 sqm (13,130 sq ft)
Slope no
Floor area ratio (FAR) – not specified
Building coverage ratio – not specified
Building envelope, building line and boundary – none
Edge development – detached double garage 7 m (23 ft) (optional triple garage)
Number of parking spaces – 3
Number of storeys – 2
Roof type – hipped roof 25°, 80 cm (31.5 inches) overhang
Architectural style – classic
Orientation – entrance = northeast
Maximum heights/limits – none
Additional requirements – none
Owners’ requirements
Style, roof type, building type: city villa, subtly modern, low hipped roof, KfW55 standard
Basement, number of storeys – 2 storeys, no basement
Number of occupants, ages: 4 persons – 2x 40 years, 1x 11 years, 1x 7 years
Space requirements on ground floor (GF) and upper floor (UF) – see design
Office: family use or home office? – yes, 2 days per week
Guest sleepers per year – 5–6 times per year
Open or closed architecture – GF open, UF closed
Traditional or modern construction – somewhere in between
Open kitchen, kitchen island – yes/yes
Number of dining seats – 6–8
Fireplace – no
Music/speaker wall – no
Balcony, roof terrace – no, but covered terrace on ground floor
Garage, carport – detached garage
Utility garden, greenhouse – no
Additional wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons for specific choices
Open living-dining area, lots of light, no narrow spaces, harmonious proportions and symmetry, cozy
Smooth roof tiles
House design
- Do-it-yourself planning
What do you particularly like? Why?
- Upper floor layout, stairwell
What do you not like? Why?
- Children’s rooms vary in size
- Office could be larger
- Orientation not quite optimal
- Ground floor lacks a bit of flair
Cost estimate according to architect/planner: €480,000 without garage
Personal budget for house including fixtures: €500,000
Preferred heating system: ground-source heat pump
If you had to do without anything, which details or expansions?
- Could do without: basically nothing, most things are already optimized (open space, fireplace, and other extras)
- Cannot do without:
Why is the design as it is now? e.g.
A mix of many examples from various magazines...
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
How can the ground floor be better designed, and are there any major design errors?
In the aerial photo, it is the lower house on the right.
The shaded area roughly represents the paved surface.
Driveway passes two L-shaped bungalows in grey.
we have been living in our own single-family house for a long time and now want to build a new one. I did not expect it to be so difficult to design a suitable floor plan. Every change affects another requirement. We are now at an impasse and can’t think of any further improvements. I hope your fresh perspectives and honest feedback will help us here.
Thank you in advance for all comments.
Development plan / restrictions
Plot size 1,220 sqm (13,130 sq ft)
Slope no
Floor area ratio (FAR) – not specified
Building coverage ratio – not specified
Building envelope, building line and boundary – none
Edge development – detached double garage 7 m (23 ft) (optional triple garage)
Number of parking spaces – 3
Number of storeys – 2
Roof type – hipped roof 25°, 80 cm (31.5 inches) overhang
Architectural style – classic
Orientation – entrance = northeast
Maximum heights/limits – none
Additional requirements – none
Owners’ requirements
Style, roof type, building type: city villa, subtly modern, low hipped roof, KfW55 standard
Basement, number of storeys – 2 storeys, no basement
Number of occupants, ages: 4 persons – 2x 40 years, 1x 11 years, 1x 7 years
Space requirements on ground floor (GF) and upper floor (UF) – see design
Office: family use or home office? – yes, 2 days per week
Guest sleepers per year – 5–6 times per year
Open or closed architecture – GF open, UF closed
Traditional or modern construction – somewhere in between
Open kitchen, kitchen island – yes/yes
Number of dining seats – 6–8
Fireplace – no
Music/speaker wall – no
Balcony, roof terrace – no, but covered terrace on ground floor
Garage, carport – detached garage
Utility garden, greenhouse – no
Additional wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons for specific choices
Open living-dining area, lots of light, no narrow spaces, harmonious proportions and symmetry, cozy
Smooth roof tiles
House design
- Do-it-yourself planning
What do you particularly like? Why?
- Upper floor layout, stairwell
What do you not like? Why?
- Children’s rooms vary in size
- Office could be larger
- Orientation not quite optimal
- Ground floor lacks a bit of flair
Cost estimate according to architect/planner: €480,000 without garage
Personal budget for house including fixtures: €500,000
Preferred heating system: ground-source heat pump
If you had to do without anything, which details or expansions?
- Could do without: basically nothing, most things are already optimized (open space, fireplace, and other extras)
- Cannot do without:
Why is the design as it is now? e.g.
A mix of many examples from various magazines...
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
How can the ground floor be better designed, and are there any major design errors?
In the aerial photo, it is the lower house on the right.
The shaded area roughly represents the paved surface.
Driveway passes two L-shaped bungalows in grey.
Marco180 schrieb:
Alternatively, having no fireplace at all seems unfinished to me. Where would you place the fireplace, and what style are you considering?
This question shows how thoroughly you engage with the answers. That really annoys me!
A
Alessandro23 Dec 2020 11:08better do something like this:
then your guests can choose the fish for cooking themselves :-P
then your guests can choose the fish for cooking themselves :-P
Marco180 schrieb:
Mhh, I see it differently.Well, then we have different opinions. No problem. Still, the impression remains that despite the house’s quite substantial floor area, some areas feel somewhat cramped. Blocking both sliding doors with furniture is just as undesirable as an oversized sofa that obstructs pathways and from one side offers a perfect view of the room’s walls.
ypg schrieb:
This question shows how thoroughly you engage with the answers. That really annoys me! In my opinion, the missing solution is the reason for my inquiry. I do not see how that leads to a lack of proper consideration. Even less so to any personal annoyance derived from it.
AxelH. schrieb:
Well, then we have different opinions. No problem. Still, the impression remains that despite the house’s not insignificant floor area, there is a certain tightness in some places. Blocking both sliding doors with furniture is as unattractive as an oversized sofa that obstructs pathways and from which one half offers a wonderful view of the room’s walls. The sofa is a placeholder by the architect. Only a 120cm (47 inch) ottoman from our sofa fits into the room. The longer part extends to the fixed element of the tilt-and-slide door system. The 1.5m (59 inch) operable section remains free.
Marco180 schrieb:
In my view, the missing solution is the reason for my inquiry. Drawing a conclusion of insufficient expertise from this does not make sense to me. A resulting personal annoyance even less so.incorrect floor plan!
If it were my house, I would furnish the open space as shown. Two large, beautiful plants placed to the right and left of the glass door would visually separate the kitchen a little. The fireplace is nicely visible from all positions, and from the sofa (which now feels much more protected and cozy) you can also look out into the garden instead of just facing a wall. I wouldn’t be concerned about where the chimney exits the roof; the correct placement inside is much more important to me.
I would remove the access to the utility room from the kitchen and instead install four tall cupboards. Your kitchen is quite large, and for the items that still end up in the utility room, you can just add an extra door.
I wouldn’t separate the wardrobe area like that; I’d rather enclose the staircase and use the space underneath. This creates significantly more openness in the entrance area. Also, the current setup looks a bit asymmetrical.
Regarding the sauna: 200 x 200 cm (79 x 79 inches) or 180 x 220 cm (71 x 87 inches) would be more practical, as two people can lie diagonally across from each other. With 250 x 150 cm (98 x 59 inches), that becomes difficult.
Alternatively, the kitchen could be arranged like this: the back could have a recess in the tall cupboards. The window could be floor-to-ceiling.
I would remove the access to the utility room from the kitchen and instead install four tall cupboards. Your kitchen is quite large, and for the items that still end up in the utility room, you can just add an extra door.
I wouldn’t separate the wardrobe area like that; I’d rather enclose the staircase and use the space underneath. This creates significantly more openness in the entrance area. Also, the current setup looks a bit asymmetrical.
Regarding the sauna: 200 x 200 cm (79 x 79 inches) or 180 x 220 cm (71 x 87 inches) would be more practical, as two people can lie diagonally across from each other. With 250 x 150 cm (98 x 59 inches), that becomes difficult.
Alternatively, the kitchen could be arranged like this: the back could have a recess in the tall cupboards. The window could be floor-to-ceiling.
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