ᐅ Floor Plan Design for a Single-Family Home with Approximately 170 m² of Living Space
Created on: 7 Dec 2025 08:54
F
FlynooM
Hello,
We have been planning our own home for a long time now and finally see the start of construction at the end of the tunnel. I actually have an urgent question about the bathrooms, but I thought you could also take a look at the rest of the floor plan to make sure we don't overlook any details during the detailed planning phase.
We are building on a family property in a “gap” within a four-sided courtyard.
Unfortunately, I can’t provide all the requested information. If something crucial is missing, I would have to look through the documents again.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: approx. 2000 m2 (0.5 acres)
Slope: slight elevation difference between courtyard and garden (approx. 0.5–1 m (1.5–3 ft)), but the house will be built at courtyard level, and only the passage to the garden will have a rise; the terrace will then be about 0.5 m (1.5 ft) lower than the rest of the garden.
Site coverage ratio (floor area ratio): approx. 157 m2 (1690 sq ft)
Stories: 2.5 (2 full floors plus a raised bed level and attic above the bathroom)
Boundary construction: up to the neighbor (but with a narrow passage to the neighbor’s house); otherwise integrated into the four-sided courtyard
Roof type: gable roof, very flat
Style: farmhouse with brick veneer on the facade
Orientation: north-south
House design
Planner: independent architect
Why does the design look like this?
The final design is the result of many compromises and multiple revisions, with which everyone is satisfied. Unfortunately, due to closing the gap in the courtyard and building regulations aimed at preserving the village’s character, we are somewhat restricted, but most issues could still be resolved satisfactorily.
My main question concerns the bathrooms on the upper floor and basement.
I want a masonry walk-in shower in both bathrooms, with a 1 to 2 cm (0.4–0.8 inch) step down to prevent water from running out. The current design is still incorrect: the sauna and shower on the upper floor were switched for better plumbing layout.
The architects recommend a shower entrance at least 60 cm (24 inches) wide and strongly advise a door to prevent water splashing out.
In the basement bathroom: shower length is 143 cm (56 inches) minus 60 cm (24 inches) entrance = 83 cm (33 inches) wall segment
On the upper floor: shower length is about 153 cm (60 inches) minus 60 cm (24 inches) entrance = 93 cm (37 inches) wall segment
I actually don’t want a door. Is the remaining wall enough to act as a splash guard? Do you have experience with how long such a wall must be at minimum to prevent flooding the bathroom? And how narrow can the entrance be? Is it possible to make the sauna smaller?
And regarding the kitchen: do you think the space will be sufficient? We don’t need a huge kitchen, but it should have room for the usual appliances, like a toaster and kettle, and enough countertop workspace.
Thank you very much for your help!
We have been planning our own home for a long time now and finally see the start of construction at the end of the tunnel. I actually have an urgent question about the bathrooms, but I thought you could also take a look at the rest of the floor plan to make sure we don't overlook any details during the detailed planning phase.
We are building on a family property in a “gap” within a four-sided courtyard.
Unfortunately, I can’t provide all the requested information. If something crucial is missing, I would have to look through the documents again.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: approx. 2000 m2 (0.5 acres)
Slope: slight elevation difference between courtyard and garden (approx. 0.5–1 m (1.5–3 ft)), but the house will be built at courtyard level, and only the passage to the garden will have a rise; the terrace will then be about 0.5 m (1.5 ft) lower than the rest of the garden.
Site coverage ratio (floor area ratio): approx. 157 m2 (1690 sq ft)
Stories: 2.5 (2 full floors plus a raised bed level and attic above the bathroom)
Boundary construction: up to the neighbor (but with a narrow passage to the neighbor’s house); otherwise integrated into the four-sided courtyard
Roof type: gable roof, very flat
Style: farmhouse with brick veneer on the facade
Orientation: north-south
House design
Planner: independent architect
Why does the design look like this?
The final design is the result of many compromises and multiple revisions, with which everyone is satisfied. Unfortunately, due to closing the gap in the courtyard and building regulations aimed at preserving the village’s character, we are somewhat restricted, but most issues could still be resolved satisfactorily.
My main question concerns the bathrooms on the upper floor and basement.
I want a masonry walk-in shower in both bathrooms, with a 1 to 2 cm (0.4–0.8 inch) step down to prevent water from running out. The current design is still incorrect: the sauna and shower on the upper floor were switched for better plumbing layout.
The architects recommend a shower entrance at least 60 cm (24 inches) wide and strongly advise a door to prevent water splashing out.
In the basement bathroom: shower length is 143 cm (56 inches) minus 60 cm (24 inches) entrance = 83 cm (33 inches) wall segment
On the upper floor: shower length is about 153 cm (60 inches) minus 60 cm (24 inches) entrance = 93 cm (37 inches) wall segment
I actually don’t want a door. Is the remaining wall enough to act as a splash guard? Do you have experience with how long such a wall must be at minimum to prevent flooding the bathroom? And how narrow can the entrance be? Is it possible to make the sauna smaller?
And regarding the kitchen: do you think the space will be sufficient? We don’t need a huge kitchen, but it should have room for the usual appliances, like a toaster and kettle, and enough countertop workspace.
Thank you very much for your help!
ypg schrieb:
Gathering dust? Mine is used every day and is therefore kept within easy reach in the kitchen. We have an open-plan kitchen and living area; where the kitchen ends, the living room cabinet begins.
ypg schrieb:
No! That is your responsibility. YOU need to engage with the floor plan; the architects have done their part. It’s your job to deal with the rooms and your daily routine so you develop a sense of what works and what doesn’t.
It’s like having children – some things you simply can’t delegate to others. I furnished and planned both bathrooms and the kitchen on the computer to check if the space fits, only to receive a counterproposal from the architects because my planning was off or because I simply didn’t realize that the shower needs to be mirrored to add boxing (stud walls) for pipework, which works better that way.
I haven’t found a good planning program yet for the living room, and I think if they can easily add furniture into their drawings, they should do so; otherwise, I’ll plan something again that won’t work for various reasons.
I didn’t realize how important all these small details are. What I mainly need are practical tips like: “The kitchen is too small,” “The showers need doors,” “Get rid of the sauna,” and so on.
Our current daily routine in 100m2 (1,076 sq ft) with a shared bedroom and open-plan kitchen in the middle of a big city is simply not comparable to a rural 170m2 (1,830 sq ft) detached house. A lot will change that I can’t yet foresee.
To help you evaluate the designs even better, I will add the questionnaire again above.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size approximately 2000m2 (0.5 acres)
Slope height difference to garden approximately 0.5–1m (1.5–3 feet), house will be built at courtyard level, terrace then about 0.5m (1.5 feet) lower compared to the garden
Building footprint approximately 140m2 (1507 square feet)
Building envelope, building line and boundary
Edge development, building gap, 4-sided courtyard
Number of parking spaces: none
Number of floors: 2
Roof type: gable roof, about 30 degrees
Architectural style: clinker brick slip, farmhouse
Orientation: north–south
Additional requirements: numerous, as it must fit the village appearance, the adjacent church is a listed building, and the remaining buildings and wishes of the other courtyard residents must be taken into account
Client Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: gable roof, “nice facade” with slight decoration (e.g., clinker brick slips), not modern, inspired by traditional buildings yet fitting well in the courtyard
Basement, floors: 2 floors, no basement
Number of occupants, age: 2 children (1 and 4 years old), 2 adults (around 35 years old)
Room requirements on ground and upper floors (kitchen, bedroom, 3 children’s rooms, 1 study, large utility room, 2 bathrooms (both with showers), living room
Office: family use or home office: both
Guest rooms per year unclear, not relevant as guest rooms are available in nearby buildings
Open or closed architecture: mixed opinions, ultimately decided on closed
Conservative construction method
Closed kitchen, which can be opened for events if needed
Number of dining seats: 1 in the kitchen, space for larger groups in the living room
Fireplace: chimney flue to be prepared, but no fireplace installed yet
Music / stereo wall: still undecided
Balcony, roof terrace: terrace at ground level
Garage, carport: not needed
Vegetable garden, greenhouse: not needed
Other wishes / special features / daily routines, including reasons for certain preferences or exclusions:
Absolutely important to us: attractive facade, study + reading nook, lots of living space facing south, kitchen and living room separated, short distances within kitchen (no need to carry everything through half the house daily for breakfast), ability to separate events (even if there is a game night in the living room someone can cook and eat undisturbed in the kitchen), bathrooms not next to bedrooms, washing machine not next to bedrooms
Daily routine: shared breakfast, work/daycare, usually staggered dinners, currently no home office but expected to increase significantly in the new house, including some night/weekend work, so a quiet bedroom and good soundproofing from the study are important
House Design
Designer:
- Architect
What do you particularly like? Why? They incorporated nearly all requirements despite many demands
What do you dislike? Why? Lots of hallway space. No window in the guest bathroom. Bedroom next to bathroom, washing machine next to bedroom (children’s room), but at least the plumbing will not run through shared walls and possibly a service wall will be added for better sound insulation
Price estimate according to architect/planner: about 800,000€ (880,000 USD), rather 900,000€ (990,000 USD) as many items could not yet be included (excavation at neighboring dilapidated barn?, renewal of all courtyard drainage, etc.)
Preferred heating technology: differing opinions (gas because currently cheap, but it must be a heat pump)
If you have to give up on which details / extensions
- can be given up: sauna, fireplace
- cannot be given up: attractive facade, study
Why is the design like it is now?
Individual design with lengthy planning and several compromises
Plot size approximately 2000m2 (0.5 acres)
Slope height difference to garden approximately 0.5–1m (1.5–3 feet), house will be built at courtyard level, terrace then about 0.5m (1.5 feet) lower compared to the garden
Building footprint approximately 140m2 (1507 square feet)
Building envelope, building line and boundary
Edge development, building gap, 4-sided courtyard
Number of parking spaces: none
Number of floors: 2
Roof type: gable roof, about 30 degrees
Architectural style: clinker brick slip, farmhouse
Orientation: north–south
Additional requirements: numerous, as it must fit the village appearance, the adjacent church is a listed building, and the remaining buildings and wishes of the other courtyard residents must be taken into account
Client Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: gable roof, “nice facade” with slight decoration (e.g., clinker brick slips), not modern, inspired by traditional buildings yet fitting well in the courtyard
Basement, floors: 2 floors, no basement
Number of occupants, age: 2 children (1 and 4 years old), 2 adults (around 35 years old)
Room requirements on ground and upper floors (kitchen, bedroom, 3 children’s rooms, 1 study, large utility room, 2 bathrooms (both with showers), living room
Office: family use or home office: both
Guest rooms per year unclear, not relevant as guest rooms are available in nearby buildings
Open or closed architecture: mixed opinions, ultimately decided on closed
Conservative construction method
Closed kitchen, which can be opened for events if needed
Number of dining seats: 1 in the kitchen, space for larger groups in the living room
Fireplace: chimney flue to be prepared, but no fireplace installed yet
Music / stereo wall: still undecided
Balcony, roof terrace: terrace at ground level
Garage, carport: not needed
Vegetable garden, greenhouse: not needed
Other wishes / special features / daily routines, including reasons for certain preferences or exclusions:
Absolutely important to us: attractive facade, study + reading nook, lots of living space facing south, kitchen and living room separated, short distances within kitchen (no need to carry everything through half the house daily for breakfast), ability to separate events (even if there is a game night in the living room someone can cook and eat undisturbed in the kitchen), bathrooms not next to bedrooms, washing machine not next to bedrooms
Daily routine: shared breakfast, work/daycare, usually staggered dinners, currently no home office but expected to increase significantly in the new house, including some night/weekend work, so a quiet bedroom and good soundproofing from the study are important
House Design
Designer:
- Architect
What do you particularly like? Why? They incorporated nearly all requirements despite many demands
What do you dislike? Why? Lots of hallway space. No window in the guest bathroom. Bedroom next to bathroom, washing machine next to bedroom (children’s room), but at least the plumbing will not run through shared walls and possibly a service wall will be added for better sound insulation
Price estimate according to architect/planner: about 800,000€ (880,000 USD), rather 900,000€ (990,000 USD) as many items could not yet be included (excavation at neighboring dilapidated barn?, renewal of all courtyard drainage, etc.)
Preferred heating technology: differing opinions (gas because currently cheap, but it must be a heat pump)
If you have to give up on which details / extensions
- can be given up: sauna, fireplace
- cannot be given up: attractive facade, study
Why is the design like it is now?
Individual design with lengthy planning and several compromises
FlynooM schrieb:
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size approximately 2000m2 (0.5 acres)
Slope height difference to the garden about 0.5–1m (1.6–3.3 feet), but the house will be built at yard level, terrace then about 0.5m (1.6 feet) lower compared to the garden
Building footprint about 140m2 (1507 square feet)
Building window, building line and boundary
Edge development, gap building with four-sided courtyard
Number of parking spaces: none
Number of floors: 2
Roof type: gable roof, about 30 degrees
Architectural style: brick slips, farmhouse
Orientation: north-south
Additional requirements: numerous, as it must fit into the village scene, the adjacent church is a listed building, and the other courtyard residents’ buildings and wishes must be respected
Client Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: gable roof, “nice facade” with slight decoration (e.g., brick slips), not modern, based on traditional buildings but still fitting into the courtyard
Basement, floors: 2 floors, no basement
Number of occupants, ages: 2 children (1 and 4 years old), 2 adults (35)
Room requirements on ground floor and upper floor (kitchen, bedroom, 3 children’s rooms, 1 office, large utility room, 2 bathrooms with showers in both, living room)
Office: for family use or home office: both
Number of guest sleepers per year unclear, irrelevant as guest rooms are available in neighboring buildings
Open or closed layout: differing opinions, but decided on closed
Conservative construction method
Closed kitchen that can possibly be opened for events
Number of dining seats: 5 seats in the kitchen, space for larger groups in the living room
Fireplace: chimney shaft to be prepared, but no fireplace installed yet
Music/sound system wall: still under consideration
Balcony, roof terrace: ground-level terrace
Garage, carport: not needed
Utility garden, greenhouse: not needed
Other wishes/particularities/daily routine, including reasons for preferences or exclusions:
Absolutely important for us: attractive facade, office + reading corner, plenty of living space facing south, kitchen and living room separated, short distances in the kitchen (no daily carrying food across half the house for breakfast), ability to separate events (despite game nights in the living room, someone can eat and cook undisturbed in the kitchen), bathroom not adjacent to the bedroom, washing machine not next to bedroom
Daily routine: shared breakfast, work/kindergarten, usually staggered dinner times, currently no home office but there will be significantly more at home work later, sometimes night/weekend work, so quiet bedroom and good sound insulation to the office is important
House Design
Planner: architect
What do you especially like? Why? They incorporated almost all requirements despite many demands
What do you dislike? Why? Long corridors. No window in guest bathroom. Bedroom next to bathroom, washing machine next to bedroom (children’s room); however, plumbing lines will not run through shared walls and there may be an additional wall structure for better soundproofing
Estimated cost according to architect/planner: about €800,000 (approx. $880,000), rather €900,000 (approx. $990,000) as many items were not yet included (excavation at neighbor’s dilapidated barn?, renewal of entire courtyard drainage system, etc.)
Preferred heating system: differing opinions (gas, because currently cheap, but ultimately must be a heat pump)
If you have to forgo something, which details/features can you skip?
- Can skip: sauna, fireplace
- Cannot skip: attractive facade, office
Why does the design look the way it is now?
Individual design with long planning process and some compromises FlynooM schrieb:
We have an open-plan kitchen and living area; the living room cabinet starts where the kitchen ends. I would now plan an open-plan kitchen, combining dining and cooking in a suitably sized room (similar to how dining and living might currently be planned in terms of size) and then separate the living area with sofa/TV/reading space. This way, dishes, the dining table, and everything else are all integrated. Placing this close to the terrace also makes it suitable for summer use.
M
MachsSelbst8 Dec 2025 11:52Yes. Your long layout consisting of the living room, dining area, and kitchen practically calls for an open kitchen with a peninsula and a counter facing the dining area.
I also wouldn't separate the living area. We usually stay at the table while the kids are already playing... and sometimes it's helpful to see what kind of mischief they’re planning and intervene before someone tries to jump off the backrest or something similar 😉
I also wouldn't separate the living area. We usually stay at the table while the kids are already playing... and sometimes it's helpful to see what kind of mischief they’re planning and intervene before someone tries to jump off the backrest or something similar 😉
I see it similarly to @MachsSelbst: a large open-plan living area. One dining area, with a clear view of everything. Whether dinner is being prepared and a child is working on school tasks, or the children are playing and the parents are enjoying coffee comfortably. I know the second dining areas mostly being used as storage space. One spot ends up cluttered.
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