ᐅ Walk-in Closet/Bedroom Issue – Floor Plan Discussion

Hello everyone,

I have been following this forum for some time now and would like to share a preliminary floor plan for discussion.
Here is the starting point: We want to start building this year. Our goal is to submit the building permit / planning permission application in the next few weeks and begin construction as soon as the weather allows, so that we can move in by the end of the year. A few weeks ago, we signed a contract with a local builder and are now working together on the final floor plan. Unfortunately, the builder doesn’t have their own architect, so the creativity in terms of proposals is somewhat limited, in my opinion. We have now received an interim version of the floor plan. The design is based on our wishes, which are:

• approximately 160 m² (1,722 sq ft) for four people in the future, no basement
• ground floor and first floor
• standard layout: common areas downstairs, private rooms upstairs
• no modern architectural style, more like a half-hipped roof or gable roof
• bay window
• office
• separate walk-in closet
• rooms as spacious and bright as possible
• kitchen facing east
• dining/living area facing south or west
• children’s rooms facing west
• semi-open kitchen with a sliding door to the dining/living area
• utility room reasonably sized

I have attached all the documents we have (file names starting with "Entwurf02"). At first glance, this floor plan seemed quite okay. However, I am now not happy with it at all. The following points bother me:

• entrance area too narrow, you stand directly in front of the staircase upon entering
• no cloakroom
• utility room too small and not very spacious
• would prefer a smaller office and a larger utility room instead
• guest toilet probably too small
• upstairs hallway could be smaller, with the rooms larger instead
• upstairs hallway feels like a corridor

I have now considered whether it could be done a bit better. After many hours and attempts, I have a preliminary result, which I have attached. The file names start with "Haus." The staircase is the same as the builder’s design but rotated 90° clockwise. The arrows indicate the walking direction. What I think I have improved in my design:

• larger and more spacious utility room
• larger and more spacious entrance hall with cloakroom
• larger and hopefully cozier guest toilet

Of course, I had to make compromises and redistribute the space. The dining/living room might be too small for four people (at some point). The office is quite small. But I think we can live with that. The single-panel window in the office might make the room too dark. Upstairs, what bothers us most is that the bedroom can only be accessed through the walk-in closet. What is still missing is the chimney flue. So far, I haven’t found a good spot for it.

What do you think about all this? How do you find the original design? How about my revision? Is it going in the right direction? Is there a smart way to solve the issue with the walk-in closet and the bedroom? Any other suggestions for improvement? We are open to any kind of feedback.

Best regards,
Alex