ᐅ Final adjustments / optimization for the floor plan desired
Created on: 10 Aug 2018 13:55
M
markusb83M
markusb8310 Aug 2018 13:55We are planning to build a single-family house of about 170 sqm (1,830 sq ft). We want to build without a basement. The plot has a southwest orientation. We are quite satisfied with the current room layout.
An important room in the house would be a study/office.
One point we are unsure about is the layout of the living/dining area and the kitchen. Does anyone see a way to make the kitchen larger? It seems a bit small in its current form. We have already tried swapping the living room and the kitchen, but then the living room ends up with the same problem.
Upstairs, we find that the two children’s rooms are quite large. Is there a way to better divide and use this space?
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 598 sqm (6,438 sq ft)
Slope: the property slopes about 1.8 m (6 ft) downward to the south
Site occupancy index (Grundflächenzahl):
Floor area ratio (Geschossflächenzahl):
Building line/setback line and boundary: 3 m (10 ft)
Edge development:
Number of parking spaces
Number of floors: 2 full stories
Roof shape: -
Architectural style: -
Orientation: -
Maximum heights/limits: -
Other requirements: -
Client Requirements
Architectural style, roof shape, building type: hip roof, gable roof
Basement, floors: no basement, 2 full stories
Number of occupants, ages: 2 adults, (2 children)
Room requirements on ground and upper floors
Office: family use or home office? Office
Overnight guests per year
Open or closed floor plan: open
Conventional or modern building style: modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open with island
House Design
Who planned it:
- Planner from a construction company
What do you particularly like? Why?: Storage room next to the kitchen
What do you dislike? Why?: The kitchen
Price estimate from architect/planner:
Personal price limit for the house, including equipment:
Preferred heating system: heat pump
If you have to give up anything, what details/extras
- can you give up:
- can you not give up: office
Why is the design as it is? E.g.
Standard design from planner? Standard design + additions suggested by us
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan, summarized in 130 characters?
Can the living/dining area and kitchen be better arranged? Is the location of the utility room (HAR) sensible there?
An important room in the house would be a study/office.
One point we are unsure about is the layout of the living/dining area and the kitchen. Does anyone see a way to make the kitchen larger? It seems a bit small in its current form. We have already tried swapping the living room and the kitchen, but then the living room ends up with the same problem.
Upstairs, we find that the two children’s rooms are quite large. Is there a way to better divide and use this space?
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 598 sqm (6,438 sq ft)
Slope: the property slopes about 1.8 m (6 ft) downward to the south
Site occupancy index (Grundflächenzahl):
Floor area ratio (Geschossflächenzahl):
Building line/setback line and boundary: 3 m (10 ft)
Edge development:
Number of parking spaces
Number of floors: 2 full stories
Roof shape: -
Architectural style: -
Orientation: -
Maximum heights/limits: -
Other requirements: -
Client Requirements
Architectural style, roof shape, building type: hip roof, gable roof
Basement, floors: no basement, 2 full stories
Number of occupants, ages: 2 adults, (2 children)
Room requirements on ground and upper floors
Office: family use or home office? Office
Overnight guests per year
Open or closed floor plan: open
Conventional or modern building style: modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open with island
House Design
Who planned it:
- Planner from a construction company
What do you particularly like? Why?: Storage room next to the kitchen
What do you dislike? Why?: The kitchen
Price estimate from architect/planner:
Personal price limit for the house, including equipment:
Preferred heating system: heat pump
If you have to give up anything, what details/extras
- can you give up:
- can you not give up: office
Why is the design as it is? E.g.
Standard design from planner? Standard design + additions suggested by us
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan, summarized in 130 characters?
Can the living/dining area and kitchen be better arranged? Is the location of the utility room (HAR) sensible there?
Hmm ..
2 offices?
How is the house supposed to fit on the sloping plot? Build up on the south side?
How does the plot integrate with the surroundings? Corner lot? A site plan would be useful.
The west/southwest side, which is nice for summer, is not well usable here.
Especially Child 1's room, with a depth of almost 6m (20 feet), could be quite dark. In general, I would arrange the children’s rooms more toward the south.
2 offices?
How is the house supposed to fit on the sloping plot? Build up on the south side?
How does the plot integrate with the surroundings? Corner lot? A site plan would be useful.
The west/southwest side, which is nice for summer, is not well usable here.
Especially Child 1's room, with a depth of almost 6m (20 feet), could be quite dark. In general, I would arrange the children’s rooms more toward the south.
You will probably get more detailed answers… but at first glance, a few questions/comments:
Is there a specific reason why the utility room is located there? I would tend to switch the utility room and the office.
I also wouldn’t like the position of the sofa. Could the fireplace be placed on the exterior wall between the living room and dining room? Then just rotate the living room?
What do you mean by better using the space on the upper floor? If you think the children’s rooms are too large… where would you prefer to have more space?
The house has a small window on the north side? Am I seeing that correctly? It must look quite funny from the outside ;-)
Is there an attic? If the garage is meant for the car, the available storage space seems very limited.
Is there a specific reason why the utility room is located there? I would tend to switch the utility room and the office.
I also wouldn’t like the position of the sofa. Could the fireplace be placed on the exterior wall between the living room and dining room? Then just rotate the living room?
What do you mean by better using the space on the upper floor? If you think the children’s rooms are too large… where would you prefer to have more space?
The house has a small window on the north side? Am I seeing that correctly? It must look quite funny from the outside ;-)
Is there an attic? If the garage is meant for the car, the available storage space seems very limited.
I would place the children's rooms mostly square-shaped on the upper floor, splitting the office space between the two rooms. The master bedroom with a walk-in closet would be located on the lower left, and the office placed between one of the children’s rooms and the bathroom.
I find 14 sqm (150 sq ft) to be a good size for a children’s room; smaller is possible but would require creative furniture arrangements.
The kitchen layout can work as is, but I would avoid an island. Instead, I would prefer a U-shaped kitchen and add a small breakfast bar later if it turns out that there is enough space.
I would also swap the office and utility/technical room on the ground floor.
Are two offices really necessary, or is the lower one intended more as a guest room?
I find 14 sqm (150 sq ft) to be a good size for a children’s room; smaller is possible but would require creative furniture arrangements.
The kitchen layout can work as is, but I would avoid an island. Instead, I would prefer a U-shaped kitchen and add a small breakfast bar later if it turns out that there is enough space.
I would also swap the office and utility/technical room on the ground floor.
Are two offices really necessary, or is the lower one intended more as a guest room?
The living room is 3.68 meters (12 feet) wide... most sofas (considering a new purchase) are over 3 meters (10 feet) wide. While the kitchen might just barely work in terms of width, the open-plan area overall has two narrow wings, with the main space for dining in the center. I don’t find the wings well designed, and therefore I’m not satisfied with the overall open-plan layout. All paths lead past the sofa; even the delivery person in the evening gets to have a look at it. On the other hand, the route to the pantry with groceries is very long... front door – hallway – sofa – dining table – kitchen – finally pantry!
For improvements, the site plan is definitely important.
Why was the house designed the way it is?
No basement or lower ground floor despite a 1.80-meter (6 feet) slope????
I see a southeast orientation... and potentially a flooded garage in the future
For improvements, the site plan is definitely important.
Why was the house designed the way it is?
No basement or lower ground floor despite a 1.80-meter (6 feet) slope????
markusb83 schrieb:
The plot is southwest-facing.
I see a southeast orientation... and potentially a flooded garage in the future
I can only agree with all of the above… overall, it all seems poorly thought out. In addition to the points mentioned:
- Children’s room too large? I don’t think so. But the layout is bad and the orientation to the north should definitely be swapped to southwest—nobody wants a dark, narrow room like the current one.
- Storage room next to the kitchen is impractical and limits the possibility of a well-designed, integrated kitchen. It’s better to have more storage within easy reach.
- T-shaped bathroom on the upper floor… this is a controversial topic, but I don’t find it attractive.
- Bedroom is too large compared to the children’s rooms.
- Bathroom on the upper floor is very inconvenient to reach—having to go around the staircase means it’s farthest from the bedroom, which I also find impractical.
- Such a small cooking island is great for TV chefs, but as planned, it’s totally impractical for you. Who wants to sit there while something is frying at the same time? Check the forum discussions on cooking islands versus work or sink islands.
- Children’s room too large? I don’t think so. But the layout is bad and the orientation to the north should definitely be swapped to southwest—nobody wants a dark, narrow room like the current one.
- Storage room next to the kitchen is impractical and limits the possibility of a well-designed, integrated kitchen. It’s better to have more storage within easy reach.
- T-shaped bathroom on the upper floor… this is a controversial topic, but I don’t find it attractive.
- Bedroom is too large compared to the children’s rooms.
- Bathroom on the upper floor is very inconvenient to reach—having to go around the staircase means it’s farthest from the bedroom, which I also find impractical.
- Such a small cooking island is great for TV chefs, but as planned, it’s totally impractical for you. Who wants to sit there while something is frying at the same time? Check the forum discussions on cooking islands versus work or sink islands.
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