ᐅ Floor Plan Design for a Single-Family Home of Approximately 150 m²
Created on: 12 Feb 2018 18:09
C
chrisw81
Hello,
After a long search, we signed the notarized contract for the land purchase at the end of December. We are now actively planning the floor plan. Unfortunately, the plot is somewhat awkwardly shaped (not rectangular), which creates some limitations for the layout from our perspective. We already have a first draft, but there are several areas we don’t like and are unsure how to improve. Maybe you have some ideas; we would appreciate your input.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 601 m² (6465 sq ft)
Building envelope, building line, boundary: Building line with the house on the west side
Peripheral setbacks: 7 m (23 ft) from the street (north), otherwise the usual 3 m (10 ft)
Number of parking spaces: 2 desired
Number of floors: 1 full story allowed
Roof style: Gable roof
Design style: open construction method
Orientation: South
Maximum heights / limits: Ridge height max. 8.5 m (28 ft)
Additional requirements: Max. 100 m² (1076 sq ft) of built-up area
Client Requirements
Style, roof form, building type: Solid construction house, rectangular, no bay windows, no projections, etc., gable roof
Basement, floors: no basement; 1.5 stories
Number and age of residents: 2 people, age between 30 and 40, possibly children later
Space needs on ground floor and upper floor: Ground floor – living/dining room, kitchen, guest toilet, utility room, office
Office: family use or home office?: family use
Guest stays per year: 20 days
Open or closed architecture: open living area, closed hallway
Conservative or modern style: conservative
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open kitchen, island without cooktop
Number of dining seats: 2-4
Fireplace: yes, chimney planned
Music/stereo wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: carport
Utility garden, greenhouse: no
Further wishes, special features, daily routine, and reasons for preferences:
- A wardrobe area on the ground floor is important where coats can be stored relatively out of sight.
- On the upper floor, it would be nice to have an open gallery with a desk or similar (not a must and not necessarily next to the stairs).
- A walk-in closet would be nice but not essential.
- A storage room on the upper floor is very important since we do not have a basement.
House Design
Who created the design:
- Basic design by the construction company (FIBAV Stadthaus Vision Studio)
- DIY modifications based on online floor plans (especially Viebrockhaus Maxime 330)
What do you particularly like? Why?:
- Layout of the living/dining area and the narrowing kitchen reduces the hallway effect a bit
- Many windows in the living/dining area
- Wide hallway on the ground floor
What do you dislike? Why?:
- Few options to place furniture (dresser, wardrobe) in the ground floor hallway due to many doors
- Very large hallway upstairs, considered wasted space
- Bedroom is quite small; should be the largest room upstairs (preferably 16 m² (172 sq ft), children’s rooms rather 14 m² (151 sq ft))
- Stair placement limited by chimney location
- Door placement upstairs limited by chimney
- A staircase rotated 90 degrees (entrance next to front door) would appeal more
- Difficult to align windows upstairs and downstairs on the gable end vertically
- Floor-to-ceiling windows upstairs; wider windows with a sill height around 100 cm (40 inches) would be preferred
Price estimate by architect/planner: 200,000 €
Personal price limit for the house including equipment: 210,000 €
Preferred heating technology: gas heating
What details or expansions could you give up?
- Can do without: gallery next to stairs upstairs. Living area could also be narrower (e.g., 4.20 m (14 ft) instead of 4.47 m (15 ft))
- Cannot do without: storage room upstairs, shower in guest toilet, extra natural light in the ground floor hallway (e.g., side panel on front door or window)
Why was the design made this way? For example, standard plan from planner?
- Since the house has very little space on the south side, the house should be very narrow in order not to waste more space to the south. It should be wider so that living, dining, and kitchen areas face south as much as possible.
Were corresponding wishes from the architect implemented? No architect meeting has taken place yet.
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
How can the ground floor hallway be better designed to fit a wardrobe? Can the stairs be positioned better or replaced? Should the hallway be enlarged and living space reduced? How can the upstairs hallway be better utilized? Can the bedroom be enlarged? Is it possible to swap the bedroom with another room, e.g., move it to the southeast to allow a walk-in closet?
Thank you very much in advance for your criticism and suggestions!
After a long search, we signed the notarized contract for the land purchase at the end of December. We are now actively planning the floor plan. Unfortunately, the plot is somewhat awkwardly shaped (not rectangular), which creates some limitations for the layout from our perspective. We already have a first draft, but there are several areas we don’t like and are unsure how to improve. Maybe you have some ideas; we would appreciate your input.
Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 601 m² (6465 sq ft)
Building envelope, building line, boundary: Building line with the house on the west side
Peripheral setbacks: 7 m (23 ft) from the street (north), otherwise the usual 3 m (10 ft)
Number of parking spaces: 2 desired
Number of floors: 1 full story allowed
Roof style: Gable roof
Design style: open construction method
Orientation: South
Maximum heights / limits: Ridge height max. 8.5 m (28 ft)
Additional requirements: Max. 100 m² (1076 sq ft) of built-up area
Client Requirements
Style, roof form, building type: Solid construction house, rectangular, no bay windows, no projections, etc., gable roof
Basement, floors: no basement; 1.5 stories
Number and age of residents: 2 people, age between 30 and 40, possibly children later
Space needs on ground floor and upper floor: Ground floor – living/dining room, kitchen, guest toilet, utility room, office
Office: family use or home office?: family use
Guest stays per year: 20 days
Open or closed architecture: open living area, closed hallway
Conservative or modern style: conservative
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open kitchen, island without cooktop
Number of dining seats: 2-4
Fireplace: yes, chimney planned
Music/stereo wall: no
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: carport
Utility garden, greenhouse: no
Further wishes, special features, daily routine, and reasons for preferences:
- A wardrobe area on the ground floor is important where coats can be stored relatively out of sight.
- On the upper floor, it would be nice to have an open gallery with a desk or similar (not a must and not necessarily next to the stairs).
- A walk-in closet would be nice but not essential.
- A storage room on the upper floor is very important since we do not have a basement.
House Design
Who created the design:
- Basic design by the construction company (FIBAV Stadthaus Vision Studio)
- DIY modifications based on online floor plans (especially Viebrockhaus Maxime 330)
What do you particularly like? Why?:
- Layout of the living/dining area and the narrowing kitchen reduces the hallway effect a bit
- Many windows in the living/dining area
- Wide hallway on the ground floor
What do you dislike? Why?:
- Few options to place furniture (dresser, wardrobe) in the ground floor hallway due to many doors
- Very large hallway upstairs, considered wasted space
- Bedroom is quite small; should be the largest room upstairs (preferably 16 m² (172 sq ft), children’s rooms rather 14 m² (151 sq ft))
- Stair placement limited by chimney location
- Door placement upstairs limited by chimney
- A staircase rotated 90 degrees (entrance next to front door) would appeal more
- Difficult to align windows upstairs and downstairs on the gable end vertically
- Floor-to-ceiling windows upstairs; wider windows with a sill height around 100 cm (40 inches) would be preferred
Price estimate by architect/planner: 200,000 €
Personal price limit for the house including equipment: 210,000 €
Preferred heating technology: gas heating
What details or expansions could you give up?
- Can do without: gallery next to stairs upstairs. Living area could also be narrower (e.g., 4.20 m (14 ft) instead of 4.47 m (15 ft))
- Cannot do without: storage room upstairs, shower in guest toilet, extra natural light in the ground floor hallway (e.g., side panel on front door or window)
Why was the design made this way? For example, standard plan from planner?
- Since the house has very little space on the south side, the house should be very narrow in order not to waste more space to the south. It should be wider so that living, dining, and kitchen areas face south as much as possible.
Were corresponding wishes from the architect implemented? No architect meeting has taken place yet.
What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
How can the ground floor hallway be better designed to fit a wardrobe? Can the stairs be positioned better or replaced? Should the hallway be enlarged and living space reduced? How can the upstairs hallway be better utilized? Can the bedroom be enlarged? Is it possible to swap the bedroom with another room, e.g., move it to the southeast to allow a walk-in closet?
Thank you very much in advance for your criticism and suggestions!
ypg schrieb:
You also mentioned that you would be willing to give up about 50cm (20 inches) in width in the living room.
Okay, I recommended a built-in cupboard opposite the stairs, which you somewhat mocked. I don’t mind. I didn’t mock it, but the spot where you suggested placing it is where the fireplace needs to be in the living room. With the built-in cupboard there, the space in the living room becomes very tight and this combination of chimney – fireplace – wood storage cannot be realized anymore.
I can give up some width in the living room next to the chimney/fireplace, as shown in my latest design sketch (but only about 25cm (10 inches)), which then creates a niche for the chimney/fireplace.
ypg schrieb:
I had the feeling that everything was moving in the right direction.
Now the whole ground floor is a real mess. Sorry, but there’s no other way to put it.
Waste of space: the hallway becomes more angled, even larger, without any functional benefit. The guest room also becomes almost impossible to furnish.
And yes: you can fix those niches in five minutes, but what does that result in? An even bigger kitchen, with corners nobody wants? I only tried to make the hallway a bit narrower compared to my first layout, and in exchange create an extra closet room. It was just an idea. If the guest room or something else suffers because of that, it doesn’t have to be used.
It was possible that someone might like the idea, take it up, and maybe come up with something more functional.
ypg schrieb:
Yes, a cupboard in the upstairs utility room is a solution for seasonal wardrobe changes, for example. But I would generally advise against storing laundry and coats where you wash and dry. Considering the house price, I assume there will be no mechanical ventilation with heat recovery installed?
That would worry me. It’d be better to use the storage room on the ground floor for seasonal wardrobe changes.
What about using the storage space under the stairs?
P.S. a depth of 60cm (24 inches) should be sufficient. I definitely want the washing machine in the lower utility room. As you said, storing and drying there is not ideal. So only storage will be in the upper utility room. No mechanical ventilation with heat recovery will be installed.
The storage under the stairs can also be used. However, I wouldn’t plan it 100% for that yet, since it might be needed for a stroller, dog bed, etc. That’s why I tried to create an additional closet room in the hallway. Maybe it doesn’t have to be such a large niche.
chrisw81 schrieb:
I definitely want the washing machine in the lower utility room.Ah, okay. I misread that.
However, I now have to realize that in this draft (the original draft with the partial measurements), many things just don’t add up.
I quickly redrew the floor plan using software and wanted to design the staircase with a minimum width of 2.20 meters (7 ft 3 in) to show you the built-in closet. But I realize that the staircase is actually quite small.
Furthermore, I see that you are planning doors with rough brick opening (RBO) sizes of 76 cm (30 in) and 88 cm (35 in), including the one to the living room. This results in door widths of 68 cm (27 in) and 82 cm (32 in). While these sizes are acceptable if space is limited, they are not suitable for a living room.
I want to point out that the draft with the small staircase appears larger than it really is. You are probably trying to fit too much into the house. The kitchen layout is already very tight. I should have noticed from the furnishing that the staircase is small...
chrisw81 schrieb:
The kitchen is not meant to be any larger, and I deliberately included this bend so that the living area narrows slightly with the kitchen and the space doesn’t feel like one long, uniform room. You might be getting a bit carried away with this idea. To me, narrowing the room doesn’t change the fact that it is still long and narrow. In fact, it becomes even narrower at the end. I find it more relaxing to plan a clever layout, use room dividers, or simply accept the space as it is and perhaps emphasize that with the interior design.
You have many requirements for a somewhat tricky space. I’ve shown you a few examples, but I’m not an architect. A professional might still have some tricks up their sleeve. I find your attempts generally underdeveloped. Without an architect, this will likely turn out poorly. Therefore, I don’t see much point in debating individual niches. It’s best if you take your wishes and consult a specialist. Come back with their result, and then we’ll have a basis for discussion.
chrisw81 schrieb:
I will provide the upper floor later. For heaven’s sake, no. The less you fiddle with your recent designs, the better. With those, you’re heading toward an overcomplicated, cluttered layout. What might work as division in a loft can overwhelm a floor plan of this size. Even the middle wall shaped like a key bit is borderline, but adding niches like chocolate sprinkles on top is too much. I already dread seeing the attic continuation without even having it drawn. In a building of this manageable size, “division” needs to be used very sparingly. So: don’t continue down this path, or the result will be overly busy and cramped.
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ypg schrieb:
I quickly recreated the floor plan using a software and planned the staircase with a minimum width of 2.20 meters (7 ft 3 in) to show you the built-in closet. Then I realized that the stairs are actually quite narrow.
Furthermore, I noticed that you included doors sized RBM 76 and 88, including the one to the living room.
This results in door widths of 68 cm (27 in) and 82 cm (32 in), which is acceptable if space is limited, but not for a living room.
I want to point out that the design appears larger because of the small staircase.
You are probably overcrowding the house. The kitchen layout is already quite ambitious. I should have noticed from the furniture arrangement that the staircase is too small... I don’t actually consider a staircase width of 2.20 meters (7 ft 3 in) to be narrow. Of course, there are wider and more comfortable staircases which might fit better in a different layout (for example, a deeper hallway), but as long as the clear walking width is 90 cm (35 in), I don’t think you need a large stairwell that makes the stairs unnecessarily wider. In fact, you could even fit a staircase into a 2 m x 2 m (6 ft 7 in x 6 ft 7 in) footprint, which is realistic.
The door to the living room is indeed the wrong size; it should be at least 1 meter (3 ft 3 in) wide. Otherwise, I find 88 (RBM) acceptable, and for the guest bathroom, 76 RBM might be fine as well.
The kitchen too ambitious? It actually covers almost 11 square meters (118 sq ft) and is well utilized thanks to the central island with plenty of storage. Sure, 12 or 13 square meters (129 or 140 sq ft) could be better, but we have a lot of items we want to place in the living room — a fireplace, a piano. Without those, there would be much more space. But after all, you plan a house around the things you want to have and see...
kaho674 schrieb:
You might be getting a bit carried away with one idea here. A narrowing of the room certainly doesn’t make it feel less long and narrow to me. On the contrary, it actually becomes even narrower at the end. In my opinion, it feels more relaxing to plan practical furnishings, use room dividers, or simply accept the layout as it is and maybe even highlight it with your interior design.That approach can work if you have the option. However, a room divider naturally takes away the concept of "one large living space," which offers a lot of openness and promotes communication. I’ve attached a photo that shows exactly this kind of narrowing. In my opinion, it looks quite good and partly functions like a room divider.
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