ᐅ Floor Plan Design for a Single-Family Home with Approximately 170 m² of Living Space
Created on: 7 Dec 2025 08:54
F
FlynooM
Hello,
We have been planning our own home for a long time now and finally see the start of construction at the end of the tunnel. I actually have an urgent question about the bathrooms, but I thought you could also take a look at the rest of the floor plan to make sure we don't overlook any details during the detailed planning phase.
We are building on a family property in a “gap” within a four-sided courtyard.
Unfortunately, I can’t provide all the requested information. If something crucial is missing, I would have to look through the documents again.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: approx. 2000 m2 (0.5 acres)
Slope: slight elevation difference between courtyard and garden (approx. 0.5–1 m (1.5–3 ft)), but the house will be built at courtyard level, and only the passage to the garden will have a rise; the terrace will then be about 0.5 m (1.5 ft) lower than the rest of the garden.
Site coverage ratio (floor area ratio): approx. 157 m2 (1690 sq ft)
Stories: 2.5 (2 full floors plus a raised bed level and attic above the bathroom)
Boundary construction: up to the neighbor (but with a narrow passage to the neighbor’s house); otherwise integrated into the four-sided courtyard
Roof type: gable roof, very flat
Style: farmhouse with brick veneer on the facade
Orientation: north-south
House design
Planner: independent architect
Why does the design look like this?
The final design is the result of many compromises and multiple revisions, with which everyone is satisfied. Unfortunately, due to closing the gap in the courtyard and building regulations aimed at preserving the village’s character, we are somewhat restricted, but most issues could still be resolved satisfactorily.
My main question concerns the bathrooms on the upper floor and basement.
I want a masonry walk-in shower in both bathrooms, with a 1 to 2 cm (0.4–0.8 inch) step down to prevent water from running out. The current design is still incorrect: the sauna and shower on the upper floor were switched for better plumbing layout.
The architects recommend a shower entrance at least 60 cm (24 inches) wide and strongly advise a door to prevent water splashing out.
In the basement bathroom: shower length is 143 cm (56 inches) minus 60 cm (24 inches) entrance = 83 cm (33 inches) wall segment
On the upper floor: shower length is about 153 cm (60 inches) minus 60 cm (24 inches) entrance = 93 cm (37 inches) wall segment
I actually don’t want a door. Is the remaining wall enough to act as a splash guard? Do you have experience with how long such a wall must be at minimum to prevent flooding the bathroom? And how narrow can the entrance be? Is it possible to make the sauna smaller?
And regarding the kitchen: do you think the space will be sufficient? We don’t need a huge kitchen, but it should have room for the usual appliances, like a toaster and kettle, and enough countertop workspace.
Thank you very much for your help!
We have been planning our own home for a long time now and finally see the start of construction at the end of the tunnel. I actually have an urgent question about the bathrooms, but I thought you could also take a look at the rest of the floor plan to make sure we don't overlook any details during the detailed planning phase.
We are building on a family property in a “gap” within a four-sided courtyard.
Unfortunately, I can’t provide all the requested information. If something crucial is missing, I would have to look through the documents again.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: approx. 2000 m2 (0.5 acres)
Slope: slight elevation difference between courtyard and garden (approx. 0.5–1 m (1.5–3 ft)), but the house will be built at courtyard level, and only the passage to the garden will have a rise; the terrace will then be about 0.5 m (1.5 ft) lower than the rest of the garden.
Site coverage ratio (floor area ratio): approx. 157 m2 (1690 sq ft)
Stories: 2.5 (2 full floors plus a raised bed level and attic above the bathroom)
Boundary construction: up to the neighbor (but with a narrow passage to the neighbor’s house); otherwise integrated into the four-sided courtyard
Roof type: gable roof, very flat
Style: farmhouse with brick veneer on the facade
Orientation: north-south
House design
Planner: independent architect
Why does the design look like this?
The final design is the result of many compromises and multiple revisions, with which everyone is satisfied. Unfortunately, due to closing the gap in the courtyard and building regulations aimed at preserving the village’s character, we are somewhat restricted, but most issues could still be resolved satisfactorily.
My main question concerns the bathrooms on the upper floor and basement.
I want a masonry walk-in shower in both bathrooms, with a 1 to 2 cm (0.4–0.8 inch) step down to prevent water from running out. The current design is still incorrect: the sauna and shower on the upper floor were switched for better plumbing layout.
The architects recommend a shower entrance at least 60 cm (24 inches) wide and strongly advise a door to prevent water splashing out.
In the basement bathroom: shower length is 143 cm (56 inches) minus 60 cm (24 inches) entrance = 83 cm (33 inches) wall segment
On the upper floor: shower length is about 153 cm (60 inches) minus 60 cm (24 inches) entrance = 93 cm (37 inches) wall segment
I actually don’t want a door. Is the remaining wall enough to act as a splash guard? Do you have experience with how long such a wall must be at minimum to prevent flooding the bathroom? And how narrow can the entrance be? Is it possible to make the sauna smaller?
And regarding the kitchen: do you think the space will be sufficient? We don’t need a huge kitchen, but it should have room for the usual appliances, like a toaster and kettle, and enough countertop workspace.
Thank you very much for your help!
First of all, I never like it when a driveway passes directly in front of the main entrance. In my opinion, there should at least be a larger entrance platform there. I actually know of two terrible incidents involving small children, both professionally and privately, which give me this feeling every time I see such a layout.
Inside, I see a straight staircase, which I would have placed differently rather than directly along this hallway wall. You essentially walk towards the underside of the stairs, which I don’t like, and nearly 20sqm (215 sq ft) of hallway seems, in my opinion, too much compared to the other areas. In contrast, the living/dining area of 31sqm (334 sq ft) feels somewhat tight, and the separation or double door to the kitchen makes the space visually and practically even smaller.
I can't quite understand the wide space in the middle of the kitchen. Okay, there are two extra chairs that are probably rarely used, and even if not, they cause unnecessary width and thus wasted square meters. If I really wanted an open-plan kitchen-living space, I would prefer a large sofa, a big table, and only a visual separation from the living room. Even without these chairs, the corner bench currently fits 4-5 people plus dining chairs, so the wide hallway is redundant. For a quick coffee or breakfast for two, I don’t need four or more seats, nor does this floor plan provide them; the curve is nice, well, it can be done if you like it.
The kitchen size and furniture are definitely too small; we are two people without children with rather average cooking skills, but even for us, this would not be sufficient, and we are certainly not collectors. In the living room, I see a chimney in an already very tight corner with a sofa and sideboard. While it fits on the plan, in reality, only sliding doors would work on the cabinet since nobody could stand in front of it. Is a fireplace planned there? Did I miss that?
The kitchen “throws in the towel” with space, while the hallway and straight staircase unnecessarily consume area that is clearly missing here. I also don't like when the dining table isn’t centered in front of the large window, especially if it could be, but I guess that’s just my personal quirk.
Upstairs, in the bedroom, the window is obliquely in front of the bed, which I find unattractive; I would also probably want to hang a picture there. In the bathroom, you seem to want everything but end up with neither fish nor fowl. No storage space at all, no cabinet for towels (sauna, personal items, laundry, etc.), a sauna that is, in my opinion, far too small (one should comfortably lie in it with at least two people), and the shower only works with a glass door (which I would not want).
For a household of five persons with children who will eventually be teenagers, having a bathroom with a sauna — often blocked by one thing or another — accessible only through the walk-in closet of the master bedroom, and a tiny shower room/WC on the ground floor seems like poor planning to me.
Like another forum member here, I think you have “fallen in love” with certain features like the straight staircase, sauna, and nice secondary dining room, and as a result, have lost sight of some fundamental issues; by the latest, the (at least two) of you should have seen that.
You surely have enough options in your yard or garden for a great, large sauna with all the extras, which would free up space in the upstairs bathroom. Maybe you could enlarge the kitchen and create a really stylish and spacious open-plan kitchen-living area without a separate dining room.
You don’t have to swing from one extreme to the other with a spiral staircase, and you’re obviously not building something unsuitable today for a stairlift that might rarely be installed years down the line anyway. If that were the case, you should be planning the house entirely differently.
Sorry, but the furniture in my opinion looks rather random. Imagine setting it up exactly as shown using boxes or similar. Correct dimensions in the plan are always important. The architect should demonstrate how five people can actually watch TV with this arrangement.
…and where exactly would the five people sit, and how? I’m currently sketching this in the living room with real measurements to see how it would work out.
I find 13sqm (140 sq ft) for a child’s room sufficient, but if you want monster hallways and space-consuming staircases, you have to wonder whether 2-3sqm should not have gone to the children. My main issue here would be the open-plan area plus kitchen for five people.
Inside, I see a straight staircase, which I would have placed differently rather than directly along this hallway wall. You essentially walk towards the underside of the stairs, which I don’t like, and nearly 20sqm (215 sq ft) of hallway seems, in my opinion, too much compared to the other areas. In contrast, the living/dining area of 31sqm (334 sq ft) feels somewhat tight, and the separation or double door to the kitchen makes the space visually and practically even smaller.
I can't quite understand the wide space in the middle of the kitchen. Okay, there are two extra chairs that are probably rarely used, and even if not, they cause unnecessary width and thus wasted square meters. If I really wanted an open-plan kitchen-living space, I would prefer a large sofa, a big table, and only a visual separation from the living room. Even without these chairs, the corner bench currently fits 4-5 people plus dining chairs, so the wide hallway is redundant. For a quick coffee or breakfast for two, I don’t need four or more seats, nor does this floor plan provide them; the curve is nice, well, it can be done if you like it.
The kitchen size and furniture are definitely too small; we are two people without children with rather average cooking skills, but even for us, this would not be sufficient, and we are certainly not collectors. In the living room, I see a chimney in an already very tight corner with a sofa and sideboard. While it fits on the plan, in reality, only sliding doors would work on the cabinet since nobody could stand in front of it. Is a fireplace planned there? Did I miss that?
The kitchen “throws in the towel” with space, while the hallway and straight staircase unnecessarily consume area that is clearly missing here. I also don't like when the dining table isn’t centered in front of the large window, especially if it could be, but I guess that’s just my personal quirk.
Upstairs, in the bedroom, the window is obliquely in front of the bed, which I find unattractive; I would also probably want to hang a picture there. In the bathroom, you seem to want everything but end up with neither fish nor fowl. No storage space at all, no cabinet for towels (sauna, personal items, laundry, etc.), a sauna that is, in my opinion, far too small (one should comfortably lie in it with at least two people), and the shower only works with a glass door (which I would not want).
For a household of five persons with children who will eventually be teenagers, having a bathroom with a sauna — often blocked by one thing or another — accessible only through the walk-in closet of the master bedroom, and a tiny shower room/WC on the ground floor seems like poor planning to me.
Like another forum member here, I think you have “fallen in love” with certain features like the straight staircase, sauna, and nice secondary dining room, and as a result, have lost sight of some fundamental issues; by the latest, the (at least two) of you should have seen that.
You surely have enough options in your yard or garden for a great, large sauna with all the extras, which would free up space in the upstairs bathroom. Maybe you could enlarge the kitchen and create a really stylish and spacious open-plan kitchen-living area without a separate dining room.
FlynooM schrieb:
A spiral staircase was discussed, but it was said they are difficult to retrofit with stairlifts for older age and require more width space, which we don’t have due to the long narrow floor plan. I trusted the architects that this is correct.
You don’t have to swing from one extreme to the other with a spiral staircase, and you’re obviously not building something unsuitable today for a stairlift that might rarely be installed years down the line anyway. If that were the case, you should be planning the house entirely differently.
FlynooM schrieb:
The living room furniture was proposed by the architects.
Sorry, but the furniture in my opinion looks rather random. Imagine setting it up exactly as shown using boxes or similar. Correct dimensions in the plan are always important. The architect should demonstrate how five people can actually watch TV with this arrangement.
FlynooM schrieb:
Then there would at most be a couch and the rest would be cabinets, possibly one cabinet as a room divider in the middle. I am not that far in my planning yet.
…and where exactly would the five people sit, and how? I’m currently sketching this in the living room with real measurements to see how it would work out.
FlynooM schrieb:
Most children had or have significantly smaller bedrooms, and apparently, it works out.
I find 13sqm (140 sq ft) for a child’s room sufficient, but if you want monster hallways and space-consuming staircases, you have to wonder whether 2-3sqm should not have gone to the children. My main issue here would be the open-plan area plus kitchen for five people.
ypg schrieb:
It looks similar on the ground floor: formal living room, everyday kitchen table. Removing the latter creates lots of linear storage space and countertop area. Many good tips and suggestions for improvement!
Two questions about the kitchen: would it be better not to include any seating there at all?
And can the "pantry" compensate for the lack of space? The kitchen planner said that two narrow tall cabinets and a wall cabinet above could be installed there.
ypg schrieb:
A large hallway area, expensive and poorly usable storage under the stairs, another entrance area no one really needs... overall, a lot of square meters are used for something without significant benefit. What activities are supposed to take place in the hallway that justify such a large size? They could also enlarge the kitchen with a wide bay window. I also think the large hallway area is a disadvantage, but after a long process of brainstorming together and individually, we haven’t found an alternative solution. Since the house is so long and narrow and many things are fixed to preserve the village’s character (for example, we are not allowed to build bay windows or extend further into the courtyard or garden), we have somehow accepted this now.
The architects’ first design had the hallway intended as a useful space with a play area and work corner (especially on the second floor). But that’s no option at all. How could anyone work when children are playing in the open stairwell?
MachsSelbst schrieb:
Do you already have the three children? This is important for your assessment of the kitchen, children's rooms, etc. We currently have 2 children. They are still small and mostly play in the living room rather than their own small children’s room.
Our kitchen currently consists roughly of this one wall (without the planned pantry). However, we store the “good” dishes in the living room cabinet.
ypg schrieb:
That’s why the plan should also be furnished by the homeowner with accurately scaled furniture to check if everything fits. The furniture isn’t really available yet, but that’s a great point. While reading and thinking it over, I remembered an important cabinet that definitely needs to be in the living room, and I couldn’t immediately find a good spot for it. I’ll forward this tomorrow. The architects should try to include it.
ypg schrieb:
Which left or right do you mean? The left side on the plan? The one you face when standing in the kitchen? Which window are you referring to? And a stove in front of a window is not practical. I currently see 4.55cm (1.8 inches) length. That’s just about half of what we have for a two-person household. Uff, directions are tricky for me. I mean the window facing south, where the kitchen unit is currently planned. From the right side of the plan to the left side should be two tall cabinets, a sink with base cabinet, a dishwasher, a wall cabinet, a window with stove top plus base cabinet, and another base cabinet with wall cabinet.
ypg schrieb:
One 60cm (24 inch) dishwasher, one 60cm (24 inch) waste bin, three tall cabinets for oven, fridge, and food storage, one 60cm (24 inch) cabinet for small appliances, one 60cm (24 inch) for pots and pans, one 60cm (24 inch) for Tupperware, two 60cm (24 inch) wall cabinets for cups and glasses, one 60cm (24 inch) cabinet at head height for dishes, one 40cm (16 inch) for oils and spices. One 60cm (24 inch) for reserve/expansion when food habits change/special foods, one 60cm (24 inch) for drawers, one 40cm (16 inch) for auxiliary containers. Also cabinets for napkins, trivets, covers, foils, miscellaneous, etc. I think that’s going to be extremely tight. That’s an excellent list. When I count through, I only get up to the cupboard at head height for dishes.
FlynooM schrieb:
Two questions about the kitchen: would it be better not to include any seating there at all? No idea what you actually need or how your daily routine looks.
FlynooM schrieb:
It’s planned for 2 adults and 3 children. Ah, and are the kids already born? Are they 2 or 12 years old? Are you in your mid-20s or are your children already 15, and you’re in your late 40s, which would justify planning an elevator?
It’s a bit disappointing: individual questions, but not even providing the ages. What’s the problem?
Are you afraid someone might ambush you?
At least a minimum set of key data should be provided for this free advice so that the quality of the reply is better than the initial post.
FlynooM schrieb:
I also think the large hallway area is useless, but we have all thought about it together for a long time and also tried individually, and couldn’t find another solution. The hallway is not the problem.
FlynooM schrieb:
Because the house is so long and narrow. And the shape of the house is not the problem either. Sure, you have to make compromises, but most people here won’t judge the design based on there being no windows on the west side or along the partition walls.
But there’s no need to exaggerate or criticize something that isn’t bad just to forget about the real issues.
If you’re considering an elevator, you could use the void space for it. If you want a stair lift, you can forgo the void.
If you’re concerned about the hall, just skip the void entirely.
No one here has criticized the narrowness — that’s only you making it an issue. The house shape is not to blame for having two dining tables or a dysfunctional shower in the bathroom.
What about the idea of a sauna in the garden? The garden is big enough, isn’t it?
Place the stairs so that with a fixed simple staircase you can reach the upper floor and create a play area for the children upstairs. Or you could put pallets there for sleeping. But don’t reduce the size of the children’s rooms by adding a staircase that only provides playful value. Make more of the kitchen than what’s currently drawn.
If you don’t provide more input here, then I’m out. Half the questionnaire is missing... oops. The questionnaire makes sense, and without input you’ll just get trivial advice of mediocre quality.
FlynooM schrieb:
However, we store the "good" dishes in the living room cabinet. To collect dust? Mine are used every day and are therefore kept within easy reach in the kitchen.
FlynooM schrieb:
I’ll forward that tomorrow. The architects should try to include it. No! That is your responsibility. YOU need to work with the floor plan; the architects have done their part. It’s up to you to engage with the rooms and your daily routine to develop a sense of what works and what doesn’t.
It’s like having children – some things you simply cannot delegate to others.
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