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
I have considered it, but the rooftop terrace might be a bit too exposed to fully enjoy it. However, having a cocktail in the hot tub in the evening sounds nice...
Also, I’m not sure if it would be structurally significant.
I do use the sauna a lot in winter, but always together with an adjoining spa area and so on. And I’m quite uncertain whether I would enjoy a standalone sauna.
Also, I’m not sure if it would be structurally significant.
I do use the sauna a lot in winter, but always together with an adjoining spa area and so on. And I’m quite uncertain whether I would enjoy a standalone sauna.
B
Bieber081519 Jul 2017 07:27Dressing Room
What you get from a Google image search for this term is probably something few here will actually build. We still like our "walk-in closet" (which the developer, of course, called a dressing room).
Second Bathroom
We don’t have one; in the end, it’s also a matter of budget.
Sauna
If you have a sauna, it should include a plunge pool. It doesn’t require much space (which we still don’t have). If I had the money, I would rather build a sauna than a second bathroom.
What you get from a Google image search for this term is probably something few here will actually build. We still like our "walk-in closet" (which the developer, of course, called a dressing room).
Second Bathroom
We don’t have one; in the end, it’s also a matter of budget.
Sauna
If you have a sauna, it should include a plunge pool. It doesn’t require much space (which we still don’t have). If I had the money, I would rather build a sauna than a second bathroom.
Walk-in Closet
We wanted one but don’t have a proper one. We can separate the bedroom with wardrobes and that’s sufficient.
Children’s Bathroom
At first, the children are too young, and it’s also uncertain how long a teenager will live at home. There is a complete second bathroom on the ground floor anyway. Then only the rain shower in the master bathroom is really good enough, or the bathtub gets used once a week, or the lighting in the master bathroom is better for makeup, etc.
Sauna
Steam sauna with infrared is still firmly planned. It helps tremendously with my extremely dry skin.
The hot tub is postponed. It might go into the garden one day, or not. There’s nothing better than sitting outside in a warm hot tub in winter. We really loved that in Iceland.
The natural swimming pond has been canceled indefinitely without replacement.
We wanted one but don’t have a proper one. We can separate the bedroom with wardrobes and that’s sufficient.
Children’s Bathroom
At first, the children are too young, and it’s also uncertain how long a teenager will live at home. There is a complete second bathroom on the ground floor anyway. Then only the rain shower in the master bathroom is really good enough, or the bathtub gets used once a week, or the lighting in the master bathroom is better for makeup, etc.
Sauna
Steam sauna with infrared is still firmly planned. It helps tremendously with my extremely dry skin.
The hot tub is postponed. It might go into the garden one day, or not. There’s nothing better than sitting outside in a warm hot tub in winter. We really loved that in Iceland.
The natural swimming pond has been canceled indefinitely without replacement.
I can think of a few more current "trends":
1. The pantry cabinet
When you open it in a show kitchen -> very nice. But once it’s fully stocked with supplies, you might feel frustrated every time you just want to grab a can of the same beans, but have to move several kilograms (kilograms) along with the sliding shelf.
2. The oversized bathtub
Big enough for 4 people, but how often do you actually use it? It consumes endless liters (liters) of water when you want to relax alone. We chose one sized for 2.
3. The fireplace
It looks stylish and divides the room, but gets extremely warm once it’s blazing. We love it and then open all the windows [emoji41].
4. Open gallery or mezzanine
Super stylish and spacious – but if you have and love it, you probably don’t have children [emoji6]. Sound also easily travels upward, so there’s no peace and quiet. It also consumes valuable living space, so if you can afford it... we don’t [emoji23].
5. Vaulted rooms up to the gable
Again: a sense of spaciousness. However, you should consider that the room isn’t too narrow and the roof pitch not too steep. Otherwise, the room can quickly feel uncomfortable.
6. Arrow-slit windows
They barely allow a view outside. But the advantage is that no one can look in, while still providing light and ventilation. I personally like these small windows, for example 50 x 50 cm (20 x 20 inches), and had them installed on the north side.
7. Skylights
I find them brilliant: even when all the blinds are down for privacy, you still get natural daylight, for example in corridors or living rooms.
Best regards, Yvonne
1. The pantry cabinet
When you open it in a show kitchen -> very nice. But once it’s fully stocked with supplies, you might feel frustrated every time you just want to grab a can of the same beans, but have to move several kilograms (kilograms) along with the sliding shelf.
2. The oversized bathtub
Big enough for 4 people, but how often do you actually use it? It consumes endless liters (liters) of water when you want to relax alone. We chose one sized for 2.
3. The fireplace
It looks stylish and divides the room, but gets extremely warm once it’s blazing. We love it and then open all the windows [emoji41].
4. Open gallery or mezzanine
Super stylish and spacious – but if you have and love it, you probably don’t have children [emoji6]. Sound also easily travels upward, so there’s no peace and quiet. It also consumes valuable living space, so if you can afford it... we don’t [emoji23].
5. Vaulted rooms up to the gable
Again: a sense of spaciousness. However, you should consider that the room isn’t too narrow and the roof pitch not too steep. Otherwise, the room can quickly feel uncomfortable.
6. Arrow-slit windows
They barely allow a view outside. But the advantage is that no one can look in, while still providing light and ventilation. I personally like these small windows, for example 50 x 50 cm (20 x 20 inches), and had them installed on the north side.
7. Skylights
I find them brilliant: even when all the blinds are down for privacy, you still get natural daylight, for example in corridors or living rooms.
Best regards, Yvonne
B
Bieber081519 Jul 2017 18:12Hypes:
- Anthracite-colored windows (we don’t have those).
- "Urban villas" (we do :P)
- Anthracite-colored windows (we don’t have those).
- "Urban villas" (we do :P)
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