ᐅ Floor Plan Design Single-Family House approximately 170 m² plus Attic as a Modern Brick-Faced Home
Created on: 3 Jan 2022 18:41
V
Varrader
Good evening,
as previously silent readers, we (a young family with 2 children) are now slowly reaching the point where we would like to ask for help, critique, and ideas here.
We plan to build a single-family house in early 2023 and have already been working with an architect on the design for some time (so far commissioned for phases 1–4).
Here is the forum questionnaire filled out to the best of our knowledge:
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 560m² (6027 sq ft), cul-de-sac location; parking spaces on the west side, wide pedestrian path on the east side, followed by a field (likely to become building land in 10–15 years)
Slope: none
Site occupancy index (Grundflächenzahl): 0.4
Floor area ratio (Geschossflächenzahl): 0.8
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: 3m (10 ft) all around
Border grouping: no
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 2 full floors + attic
Roof type: gable roof
Architectural style: modern brick construction with a simple building shape, no roof overhangs
Orientation: east-west
Maximum heights / limits: ridge height 6.5m (21 ft 4 in), eaves height 10m (33 ft)
Additional requirements: hedge on the left side limited to 1m (3 ft) height, distance from first parking space to street at least 5m (16 ft)
Rooms:
Ground floor: living/dining area with open kitchen, small workspace “corner,” utility/storage room, guest toilet
First floor: 2 children’s rooms, master bedroom (preferably with a separate closet area, main room oriented to the east side of the house!), master bathroom with shower and bathtub, children’s bathroom with shower, small laundry room for washing machine and drying rack
Attic: third children’s room, storage room, hobby/office room
Homeowner requirements
Style, roof type, building type: single-family house with gable roof
Basement, floors: no basement, two full floors, attic to be used as living space
Number of people, age: 2 adults, 2 children (2 & 4 years old, another child planned)
Space needs on ground and first floor
Office: family use or home office? Home office space on the ground floor “close to the main activities,” additional more secluded space in the attic
Guests per year: none expected
Open or closed architecture: open living/dining area
Conservative or modern construction: modern construction
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open kitchen, kitchen island optional
Number of dining seats: 6–8
Fireplace: no
Music/sound system wall: space for a large TV (about 1.9m (6 ft 3 in) wide expected, no additional equipment like speakers planned)
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: garage for one parking space plus storage for garden tools and equipment inside
Utility garden, greenhouse: decorative garden
Additional wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons why certain things are or are not chosen: Our current house has very small windows (timber-frame house), so we especially want more light in the house and attractive sightlines into the garden
House design
Who created the plan:
- Architect
What do you particularly like? Why?
The arrangement of the south-facing rooms on the ground floor and the small study, which can feel connected to the living area when the door is open.
We also like that the staircase on the ground floor faces the living areas rather than the front door.
What do you dislike? Why?
We want to enjoy as much of our garden as possible, so our basic desire was to build a narrow but long house. In this design, however, the current platform staircase is very large and feels overwhelming in the hallway area.
On the practical side, this staircase also allows direct access to the attic with the same stair flight.
Price estimate according to architect/planner: €500,000
Personal price limit for the house, including fittings: €550,000
Preferred heating technology: geothermal heat pump
If you have to give up anything, which details/finishes
- can you do without:
- can you not do without:
Why is the design as it is now? For example:
Which wishes from the architect have been implemented: spatial plan discussed with the architect
A mix of many examples from various magazines...
What do you think makes it particularly good or bad?
We are worried about missing a good idea; we sometimes lack the creative input to find solutions that are a bit outside the box.
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
The arrangement of the staircase and the spatial feeling when entering the house are our main concerns. The staircase shapes the entire concept upstairs.
I’ve attached an alternative ground floor plan, where we try to reach the upper floor with an L-shaped staircase. However, this requires a second stair flight to access the attic, which also takes up space...
We look forward to your critique and suggestions!
Best regards,
Stefan
as previously silent readers, we (a young family with 2 children) are now slowly reaching the point where we would like to ask for help, critique, and ideas here.
We plan to build a single-family house in early 2023 and have already been working with an architect on the design for some time (so far commissioned for phases 1–4).
Here is the forum questionnaire filled out to the best of our knowledge:
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 560m² (6027 sq ft), cul-de-sac location; parking spaces on the west side, wide pedestrian path on the east side, followed by a field (likely to become building land in 10–15 years)
Slope: none
Site occupancy index (Grundflächenzahl): 0.4
Floor area ratio (Geschossflächenzahl): 0.8
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: 3m (10 ft) all around
Border grouping: no
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 2 full floors + attic
Roof type: gable roof
Architectural style: modern brick construction with a simple building shape, no roof overhangs
Orientation: east-west
Maximum heights / limits: ridge height 6.5m (21 ft 4 in), eaves height 10m (33 ft)
Additional requirements: hedge on the left side limited to 1m (3 ft) height, distance from first parking space to street at least 5m (16 ft)
Rooms:
Ground floor: living/dining area with open kitchen, small workspace “corner,” utility/storage room, guest toilet
First floor: 2 children’s rooms, master bedroom (preferably with a separate closet area, main room oriented to the east side of the house!), master bathroom with shower and bathtub, children’s bathroom with shower, small laundry room for washing machine and drying rack
Attic: third children’s room, storage room, hobby/office room
Homeowner requirements
Style, roof type, building type: single-family house with gable roof
Basement, floors: no basement, two full floors, attic to be used as living space
Number of people, age: 2 adults, 2 children (2 & 4 years old, another child planned)
Space needs on ground and first floor
Office: family use or home office? Home office space on the ground floor “close to the main activities,” additional more secluded space in the attic
Guests per year: none expected
Open or closed architecture: open living/dining area
Conservative or modern construction: modern construction
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open kitchen, kitchen island optional
Number of dining seats: 6–8
Fireplace: no
Music/sound system wall: space for a large TV (about 1.9m (6 ft 3 in) wide expected, no additional equipment like speakers planned)
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: garage for one parking space plus storage for garden tools and equipment inside
Utility garden, greenhouse: decorative garden
Additional wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons why certain things are or are not chosen: Our current house has very small windows (timber-frame house), so we especially want more light in the house and attractive sightlines into the garden
House design
Who created the plan:
- Architect
What do you particularly like? Why?
The arrangement of the south-facing rooms on the ground floor and the small study, which can feel connected to the living area when the door is open.
We also like that the staircase on the ground floor faces the living areas rather than the front door.
What do you dislike? Why?
We want to enjoy as much of our garden as possible, so our basic desire was to build a narrow but long house. In this design, however, the current platform staircase is very large and feels overwhelming in the hallway area.
On the practical side, this staircase also allows direct access to the attic with the same stair flight.
Price estimate according to architect/planner: €500,000
Personal price limit for the house, including fittings: €550,000
Preferred heating technology: geothermal heat pump
If you have to give up anything, which details/finishes
- can you do without:
- can you not do without:
Why is the design as it is now? For example:
Which wishes from the architect have been implemented: spatial plan discussed with the architect
A mix of many examples from various magazines...
What do you think makes it particularly good or bad?
We are worried about missing a good idea; we sometimes lack the creative input to find solutions that are a bit outside the box.
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
The arrangement of the staircase and the spatial feeling when entering the house are our main concerns. The staircase shapes the entire concept upstairs.
I’ve attached an alternative ground floor plan, where we try to reach the upper floor with an L-shaped staircase. However, this requires a second stair flight to access the attic, which also takes up space...
We look forward to your critique and suggestions!
Best regards,
Stefan
A
Alessandro4 Feb 2022 11:25The only thing that would bother me is that the master area is directly adjacent to a child's bedroom.
I would also arrange the sink in a T-shape, but apart from that, I like it.
I would also arrange the sink in a T-shape, but apart from that, I like it.
I don't find it very balanced either. In my opinion, these zigzag walls don’t create a sense of zoning yet but just make the space feel unsettled. The recess in the living room also seems more like a desperate attempt. Considering the terrace location, I would rather extend forward than back.
Basically, we feel that the layout of the living area on the ground floor still doesn’t quite work. The kitchen is generously sized, but the space around the dining table feels rather small, and the path to the study at the back, past the sofa, could also be tight. The circulation routes go all around the dining table on every side.
@K a t j a already pointed this out correctly... Regarding the recess in the living room: so far, we see it more as a projection in the kitchen/dining area 😀. However, we also see it as (a necessary?!) cost factor to make the area around the dining table wider. As mentioned, the kitchen does not need to be that large for us. We also view the island more as a room divider rather than an absolutely necessary workspace.
In contrast, the upper floor seems very generous in terms of room sizes. A walk-in closet in the master bedroom is not important to us, and the master bathroom is now extremely large. A sauna is really not necessary, especially considering the rising construction costs.
@Myrna_Loy We’re not too fond of having the bathroom directly adjacent to the bedroom as an enclosed space; if anything, we would prefer at least a walk-in closet as a “buffer” in between. And in that case, I would find the walk to the bathroom quite long, only to find out that it’s occupied 😀.
Overall, I somehow find the architect’s previous floor plan better, except for the master bathroom being too small—I’m just not entirely sure why.
The attic floor doesn’t seem to be properly integrated into the design. Yes, we plan to use it as an extra office, space for the mechanical ventilation system, and a child’s bedroom, but it still offers about 50m² (approx. 540 sq ft) of living space (roof slopes correctly accounted for). We just feel that with clever planning, everything could fit into an 8x12m (26x39 ft) footprint instead of 9x13m (30x43 ft)—probably the truth lies somewhere in between.
@K a t j a already pointed this out correctly... Regarding the recess in the living room: so far, we see it more as a projection in the kitchen/dining area 😀. However, we also see it as (a necessary?!) cost factor to make the area around the dining table wider. As mentioned, the kitchen does not need to be that large for us. We also view the island more as a room divider rather than an absolutely necessary workspace.
In contrast, the upper floor seems very generous in terms of room sizes. A walk-in closet in the master bedroom is not important to us, and the master bathroom is now extremely large. A sauna is really not necessary, especially considering the rising construction costs.
@Myrna_Loy We’re not too fond of having the bathroom directly adjacent to the bedroom as an enclosed space; if anything, we would prefer at least a walk-in closet as a “buffer” in between. And in that case, I would find the walk to the bathroom quite long, only to find out that it’s occupied 😀.
Overall, I somehow find the architect’s previous floor plan better, except for the master bathroom being too small—I’m just not entirely sure why.
The attic floor doesn’t seem to be properly integrated into the design. Yes, we plan to use it as an extra office, space for the mechanical ventilation system, and a child’s bedroom, but it still offers about 50m² (approx. 540 sq ft) of living space (roof slopes correctly accounted for). We just feel that with clever planning, everything could fit into an 8x12m (26x39 ft) footprint instead of 9x13m (30x43 ft)—probably the truth lies somewhere in between.
P
pagoni20204 Feb 2022 16:11I’m not sure if I’m assessing this correctly, but the focus seems to be on the TV. If, for example, the TV could be moved into the adjacent study, the living room could be designed completely differently and with more windows. Maybe also place the sofa against the wall, facing into the room. Is there a reason why there are so few windows in the living room? Do you already have living room furniture or know how you want it arranged? Currently, the living room is practically a walkthrough room to the study, and the recess makes the living room unnecessarily tight in that area.
Regarding the dining table location and the tight space around it: maybe you plan the kitchen so that the dining table is directly next to the island, which would bring it closer to the kitchen. We arranged ours like this, for example. The table can be a bit longer to accommodate enough people and would then be placed across the room, with the long side parallel to the window. Try sketching this out on paper — for us, this decision freed up space in many areas.
Depending on its use, I wouldn’t install a sliding door between the living room and study. If anything, a regular, nice door would be better. Good-quality sliding doors are expensive and are usually left open anyway, so I would just keep this option in mind. Over time, you’ll notice how the space is actually used and how it feels. Some habits and preferences can’t really be predicted in advance — we’ve just realized that again ourselves.
But overall, it’s a nice floor plan. Now you just need to fine-tune it a bit and add your individual preferences.
Regarding the dining table location and the tight space around it: maybe you plan the kitchen so that the dining table is directly next to the island, which would bring it closer to the kitchen. We arranged ours like this, for example. The table can be a bit longer to accommodate enough people and would then be placed across the room, with the long side parallel to the window. Try sketching this out on paper — for us, this decision freed up space in many areas.
Depending on its use, I wouldn’t install a sliding door between the living room and study. If anything, a regular, nice door would be better. Good-quality sliding doors are expensive and are usually left open anyway, so I would just keep this option in mind. Over time, you’ll notice how the space is actually used and how it feels. Some habits and preferences can’t really be predicted in advance — we’ve just realized that again ourselves.
But overall, it’s a nice floor plan. Now you just need to fine-tune it a bit and add your individual preferences.
B
Bertram1004 Feb 2022 16:20If you don’t really need an island in the kitchen, I would go for a nice L-shaped kitchen with a large table in the middle. Like the traditional farmhouse kitchens, but without the rustic style (for those who don’t like that). This way, you sit in the kitchen, it feels cozy, and there is plenty of space around the table.
Then you could separate the space from the living room with a half-height shelf, an attractive piece of furniture, or a partial wall. That would leave a lot of open space between the kitchen and living room, but I wouldn’t find that a problem. The space can also be nicely decorated with plants using a room divider. 🙂
Then you could separate the space from the living room with a half-height shelf, an attractive piece of furniture, or a partial wall. That would leave a lot of open space between the kitchen and living room, but I wouldn’t find that a problem. The space can also be nicely decorated with plants using a room divider. 🙂
@pagoni2020 Honestly, TV is not important to us at all. Just relaxing in the evening to watch a series from the sofa, or some kids’ shows on the weekend.
We currently have a 55" device at a viewing distance of 3.8m (12.5 ft), which is enough for us. If I consider a 65" for the future, that puts me at just under 1.5m (5 ft).
We have a south-facing corner seating window, which we see both as a usable extension of the seating area when we have more guests, and also as a way to enjoy a nice view of the garden.
We have living room furniture, but not a single piece takes up even half a square meter of living space—if it fits, great; if not, no big deal.
I really like your idea of placing the dining table near the kitchen island. If we did that now, it would just mean walking straight from the hallway into the table, or looking up from the table into the hallway. If we were to do it, we’d probably have to swap the kitchen and the sofa area (I’ve attached what I think is a great floor plan from Baufritz (Musterhaus Heimat) that shows this setup, except for the entrance coming from the “wrong” direction). Apart from that, Baufritz really has some amazing floor plans—nice clean lines, yet very cozy, and we often really like their style.
@Bertram100 We’ve thought about it too, but we find it rather uncomfortable to be “boxed in” by the kitchen like that.
We currently have a 55" device at a viewing distance of 3.8m (12.5 ft), which is enough for us. If I consider a 65" for the future, that puts me at just under 1.5m (5 ft).
We have a south-facing corner seating window, which we see both as a usable extension of the seating area when we have more guests, and also as a way to enjoy a nice view of the garden.
We have living room furniture, but not a single piece takes up even half a square meter of living space—if it fits, great; if not, no big deal.
I really like your idea of placing the dining table near the kitchen island. If we did that now, it would just mean walking straight from the hallway into the table, or looking up from the table into the hallway. If we were to do it, we’d probably have to swap the kitchen and the sofa area (I’ve attached what I think is a great floor plan from Baufritz (Musterhaus Heimat) that shows this setup, except for the entrance coming from the “wrong” direction). Apart from that, Baufritz really has some amazing floor plans—nice clean lines, yet very cozy, and we often really like their style.
@Bertram100 We’ve thought about it too, but we find it rather uncomfortable to be “boxed in” by the kitchen like that.
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