ᐅ Floor Plan of Urban Villa / Structural Engineering Feedback, Layout Arrangement
Created on: 11 Jan 2014 16:07
N
NZiege
Hello,
we are currently planning our house construction in a rural area, classified as a redevelopment site.
The design is intended to be an urban villa style, with two full floors and a hip or pyramid roof. The exterior will be plastered, possibly combined with natural stone slabs.
The county regulations limit us to a maximum of 160 sqm (1722 sq ft) of living space, plus additional rooms such as a utility room and a storage room.
It is important for us to have an open living/dining area with an open kitchen and a fireplace functioning as a room divider. Additionally, a home office on the ground floor is needed since my partner works independently from home as a media designer. On the upper floor, we wanted a connected "master suite" consisting of a bedroom, dressing room, and bathroom. Since we wake up at different times, the dressing room and bathroom should be located together but separated well. A bathroom for the children was also important to us.
Another requirement was to avoid too many straight, high walls so that the house does not appear too blocky from the outside. We tried to achieve this by incorporating two projections in the living area and a recessed entrance.
Do you have any ideas or feedback regarding the layout, room sizes, or do you see any issues that definitely won’t work (e.g., structural concerns)?
I appreciate all input!
Best regards and many thanks in advance!
we are currently planning our house construction in a rural area, classified as a redevelopment site.
The design is intended to be an urban villa style, with two full floors and a hip or pyramid roof. The exterior will be plastered, possibly combined with natural stone slabs.
The county regulations limit us to a maximum of 160 sqm (1722 sq ft) of living space, plus additional rooms such as a utility room and a storage room.
It is important for us to have an open living/dining area with an open kitchen and a fireplace functioning as a room divider. Additionally, a home office on the ground floor is needed since my partner works independently from home as a media designer. On the upper floor, we wanted a connected "master suite" consisting of a bedroom, dressing room, and bathroom. Since we wake up at different times, the dressing room and bathroom should be located together but separated well. A bathroom for the children was also important to us.
Another requirement was to avoid too many straight, high walls so that the house does not appear too blocky from the outside. We tried to achieve this by incorporating two projections in the living area and a recessed entrance.
Do you have any ideas or feedback regarding the layout, room sizes, or do you see any issues that definitely won’t work (e.g., structural concerns)?
I appreciate all input!
Best regards and many thanks in advance!
Why don’t you continue posting your updated designs here? Anyone who still looks at them before you say “yes” might notice something you or the architect (who is also only human and can make mistakes) might have overlooked.
In my opinion, a certain symmetry in the exterior dimensions and the arrangement of windows is important for a townhouse or villa, but of course, that’s a matter of personal taste. In your latest design, the bathroom is again located next to the bedroom, which I personally find inconvenient: usually, one is disturbed when the other is showering, flushing the toilet, or opening a noisy can lid, etc.
Please keep us updated!
In my opinion, a certain symmetry in the exterior dimensions and the arrangement of windows is important for a townhouse or villa, but of course, that’s a matter of personal taste. In your latest design, the bathroom is again located next to the bedroom, which I personally find inconvenient: usually, one is disturbed when the other is showering, flushing the toilet, or opening a noisy can lid, etc.
Please keep us updated!
Ground floor:
1.) I don’t like the layout of the kitchen with fitted units; I find it not very practical for everyday use.
One idea: Remove the terrace door in the kitchen, maybe replace it with a window, and create a U-shaped kitchen (from the utility room door up to where the breakfast bar currently is, integrating the breakfast bar into the kitchen). Keep the cabinets facing the WC as they are.
This is just one of many ideas on how to improve the fitted kitchen design.
2.) Do the doors to the appliance and utility rooms open outward?
3.) Would it be better to orient the house more towards southwest?
Upper floor:
4.) I find the option with a children’s bathroom more practical for everyday life, especially once the kids are teenagers.
In the version without a children’s bathroom, the bathroom seems too large. I would consider adding partition walls to make it feel cozier.
5.) The chimney is missing at the top in the upper floor plan with the children’s bathroom.
6.) No direct access to the master bathroom from the hallway might be inconvenient in the morning, but that’s a matter of personal preference.
7.) Is there no storage room on the upper floor?
1.) I don’t like the layout of the kitchen with fitted units; I find it not very practical for everyday use.
One idea: Remove the terrace door in the kitchen, maybe replace it with a window, and create a U-shaped kitchen (from the utility room door up to where the breakfast bar currently is, integrating the breakfast bar into the kitchen). Keep the cabinets facing the WC as they are.
This is just one of many ideas on how to improve the fitted kitchen design.
2.) Do the doors to the appliance and utility rooms open outward?
3.) Would it be better to orient the house more towards southwest?
Upper floor:
4.) I find the option with a children’s bathroom more practical for everyday life, especially once the kids are teenagers.
In the version without a children’s bathroom, the bathroom seems too large. I would consider adding partition walls to make it feel cozier.
5.) The chimney is missing at the top in the upper floor plan with the children’s bathroom.
6.) No direct access to the master bathroom from the hallway might be inconvenient in the morning, but that’s a matter of personal preference.
7.) Is there no storage room on the upper floor?
In all cases so far, there would be a lack of workspace and storage areas, meaning: Where will laundry be dried, ironed, and washed? Where will winter clothes be stored during the summer? Where will outgrown toys or baby items, skateboards and surfboards, Christmas decorations, etc., be kept?
Drying laundry in the tumble dryer, ironing in the utility room (or in the nursery or dressing room as long as there are no children yet), washing in the utility room. A door will be installed under the stairs for small items. The utility room will be significantly larger than shown in the plan, essentially combining the space for the utility room and appliances. The appliances will be placed further back separately, along with a garden shed and a shelter for drying firewood.
There is also plenty of storage space available under the hip roof for items that are needed at most once a year.
Upstairs, the architect will add a storage room for the vacuum cleaner and cleaning supplies.
Construction:
We really like the kitchen layout as it is. Currently, we have a U-shaped kitchen and dislike it because it’s difficult for two people to work together (doors and drawers block each other, both often need access to the same corner, and when unloading the dishwasher, you can’t just leave everything open).
We find the island with the door leading to the terrace perfect for us. Between the island and the wall, there will be a small bar where two people can have a cappuccino in the morning. The stools can be tucked under the bar when not in use.
The doors will also open outwards.
The terrace will extend all around the kitchen, living, and dining area so that you can sit in the sun at any time. The angled orientation results from the fact that this is an infill plot and we need to align with the street and the existing building line. Since the land stretching about 1 km (0.6 miles) to the south/southwest is flat apart from trees, this arrangement works well.
There is also plenty of storage space available under the hip roof for items that are needed at most once a year.
Upstairs, the architect will add a storage room for the vacuum cleaner and cleaning supplies.
Construction:
We really like the kitchen layout as it is. Currently, we have a U-shaped kitchen and dislike it because it’s difficult for two people to work together (doors and drawers block each other, both often need access to the same corner, and when unloading the dishwasher, you can’t just leave everything open).
We find the island with the door leading to the terrace perfect for us. Between the island and the wall, there will be a small bar where two people can have a cappuccino in the morning. The stools can be tucked under the bar when not in use.
The doors will also open outwards.
The terrace will extend all around the kitchen, living, and dining area so that you can sit in the sun at any time. The angled orientation results from the fact that this is an infill plot and we need to align with the street and the existing building line. Since the land stretching about 1 km (0.6 miles) to the south/southwest is flat apart from trees, this arrangement works well.
Regarding the kitchen again. The cabinets facing the restroom are all tall units housing the oven, steam oven, etc. The cabinets along the exterior wall are therefore entirely countertop space, including the sink. The countertop extends into the window recess. Only in one corner does the coffee machine still need to be placed.
The island will contain the induction cooktop. The layout should ensure that people don’t get in each other’s way, and the route to take food outside to the terrace is short.
The island will contain the induction cooktop. The layout should ensure that people don’t get in each other’s way, and the route to take food outside to the terrace is short.
Hello,
I’m not quite satisfied with the overall design yet, sorry:
Ground floor:
- The TV is placed in front of the window? The sofa is partly under it as well. I don’t find that attractive.
- The utility room won’t have any usable storage space. There is a door in every wall. On top of that, the heating system and hot water tank will be installed there, as well as all utility connections (electricity, gas, water, etc.). Our electrical panel is about 1.40 m (55 inches) long—just as a reference. You also can’t really place anything in front of the water connections. And near the doors, there’s no space either. It’s a large room without usable options.
- I think the kitchen is fine. Perhaps the peninsula could be turned into a proper island and shifted closer to the tall units. That way, the distance to place a hot baking tray wouldn’t be so far.
Upper floor:
- I really don’t like the sloped walls. They don’t create any usable space but are just there. You can’t put anything against them in either the bedroom or the children’s bathroom. You’ll also have issues sitting on the toilet in the children’s bathroom because you have to account for the installation wall behind the toilet and sink.
- Two sinks in front of a window won’t work either. Where would you put the mirror?
- The table in the dressing room won’t work unless the cabinets in the corner are purely decorative and don’t serve a practical function.
- The children’s bedrooms are a good size, in my opinion.
I’d make the hallway bigger by taking space from the bathroom if you drop the children’s bathroom. It’s huge—a bit like a ballroom! Also, sinks in front of windows won’t work here either.
Try to design it without these corners. It will feel much more spacious immediately!
I’m not quite satisfied with the overall design yet, sorry:
Ground floor:
- The TV is placed in front of the window? The sofa is partly under it as well. I don’t find that attractive.
- The utility room won’t have any usable storage space. There is a door in every wall. On top of that, the heating system and hot water tank will be installed there, as well as all utility connections (electricity, gas, water, etc.). Our electrical panel is about 1.40 m (55 inches) long—just as a reference. You also can’t really place anything in front of the water connections. And near the doors, there’s no space either. It’s a large room without usable options.
- I think the kitchen is fine. Perhaps the peninsula could be turned into a proper island and shifted closer to the tall units. That way, the distance to place a hot baking tray wouldn’t be so far.
Upper floor:
- I really don’t like the sloped walls. They don’t create any usable space but are just there. You can’t put anything against them in either the bedroom or the children’s bathroom. You’ll also have issues sitting on the toilet in the children’s bathroom because you have to account for the installation wall behind the toilet and sink.
- Two sinks in front of a window won’t work either. Where would you put the mirror?
- The table in the dressing room won’t work unless the cabinets in the corner are purely decorative and don’t serve a practical function.
- The children’s bedrooms are a good size, in my opinion.
I’d make the hallway bigger by taking space from the bathroom if you drop the children’s bathroom. It’s huge—a bit like a ballroom! Also, sinks in front of windows won’t work here either.
Try to design it without these corners. It will feel much more spacious immediately!
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