ᐅ Floor Plan Design for a Single-Family Home of Approximately 150 m²

Created on: 12 Feb 2018 18:09
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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!

Lageplan eines Baugrundstücks mit Parzellen, Straßenverlauf und Gebäudestrukturen.


Grundriss: Kochen/Essen/Wohnen, HWR, WC, Diele, Gast, Treppenhaus, Schornstein.


Grundriss Obergeschoss: Zimmer 1, Zimmer 2, Schlafen, Bad, Flur/Galerie, Abstell, Schornstein.
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haydee
15 Jan 2020 11:32
chrisw81 schrieb:

No, I have put so much work into it and now I want to live in it. I’m trying to improve the living room with decoration, curtains, lighting, etc., and I can imagine that this will make a big difference. It might not be especially “open” to the outside, but it could be less oppressive and bare, and definitely cozy.

Give it a try. Some friends of ours have really shut themselves in. Just the thought of someone glancing in randomly is uncomfortable for them. I feel a bit trapped, but the room is very cozy. I think it has about the same amount of window space as your all-purpose room.
Curtains, pictures, wall unit, dining table, rug, plants—nothing special.
11ant15 Jan 2020 11:40
Bare and white simply cannot help but appear ba(re)re (co)ld. I’m not going to look for the resale thread here; instead, I prefer to quote Nina Ruge: everything will be fine.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Y
ypg
15 Jan 2020 13:29
chrisw81 schrieb:

We want to replace the current sofa with a corner sofa whose backrest will then reach up to the west window. Finally, a footstool would be placed under the west window.

I don’t see it that way at all. I see a three-seater or something similar with an ottoman or large footstool, positioned along the west wall with the sofa section on the right side.
A corner sofa would be too cramped in the corner and would not add anything to the room. Are you on FB? If so, I can recommend some furnishing groups to you there.
chrisw81 schrieb:

Yes, it could be, but then half of the people would be facing the hallway instead of the window, which is a bit of a shame, right?

Why should they look that way? That’s nonsense. My guests talk to each other, and my view and furniture arrangement don’t matter at all. That’s the mistake everyone makes: everyone stares at my blemish, and when you ask, they say, “What blemish?”...
chrisw81 schrieb:

What advantage does placing it crosswise have?

Crosswise stops movement, straight keeps it flowing.
It’s just different, and why haven’t you tried it yet before asking? It only takes two minutes to check.
chrisw81 schrieb:

We specifically placed the window in front of the table so you can always look outside there.

What are you looking at all the time? We go into the garden, and if we look, it’s usually right in front of the window or the kitchen island.
The table is for eating or crafting—not for looking outside.
Have you already planted your shrub by the west wall?
kaho67415 Jan 2020 13:50
ypg schrieb:

Are you on Facebook? If so, I can recommend some home improvement groups there.
How can I find them? I would also like some tips.
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chrisw81
15 Jan 2020 14:45
ypg schrieb:

I don’t see that at all. I see a three-seater or so with a footrest or a large ottoman. And that on the west wall with the sofa facing right.
A corner sofa would be too tight in the corner and wouldn’t add anything to the room. Are you on FB? If yes, I can recommend some furnishing groups there.

On the west wall and not the south wall as before? Then you’re always looking down the long room—wouldn’t it make more sense to have the “short” view? (Like before, see the outline.)
I thought with the corner sofa I would cover two things:
- the “short” view and towards the TV
- the “long” view and even out the window (see arrow)

Living room with dark corner sofa, wooden table with red runner, plants, and pendant light.

ypg schrieb:

Why would they look? That’s nonsense. My guests are talking, and my view and my furniture don’t matter at all. That’s the mistake everyone makes: everyone focuses on my pimple on my nose, and if you ask, they say: which pimple?…

Well, we and our guests have always liked looking outside while eating; it’s nice to have a garden in front of you.
But I think both options work and you can just try it out. I don’t think the space-wise difference will be significant either way.
ypg schrieb:

Have you already planted your bush on the west wall?

No, first the landscaper has to level the ground a bit. I think the bush would go away quickly otherwise. But in spring then.
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chrisw81
15 Jan 2020 14:46
ypg schrieb:

Are you on Facebook? If so, I can recommend some interior design groups there.
I am, and I’d appreciate it if you could share them with me.