ᐅ Floor Plan Design – Two Options – Single-Family Home, 166 sqm

Hello everyone,

After thoroughly considering our ideas and space requirements, we found an architect who has brought our vision to life. She created two design options, and we are still unsure if these are optimal. We hope for your input!

Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 554 sqm (5959 sq ft)
Slope: slight incline, survey not yet conducted
Floor area ratio: 0.4
Site occupancy index: 0.6
Building envelope, building line, and boundary: see attached excerpt from the development plan. There is a building boundary on the north and west sides. The garage may only be built on the building boundary, while the carport may also be built on the property line. Hence our solution with a combined carport/garage.
Edge development
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of stories: 2 full floors
Roof type: gable roof
Architectural style: -
Orientation:
Maximum heights/limits: max wall height 6.50 m (21 ft 4 in), max ridge height 9 m (29 ft 6 in)
Additional requirements: garage exit to street > 6 m (20 ft)

Homeowners’ Requirements
Architectural style, roof form, building type: North American or Swedish-style house, with divided light windows, wood facade, etc.
Basement, floors: basement plus two full floors
Number of occupants, ages: 2 adults, currently 2 children, planning a total of 3
Space requirements on ground and upper floors: 160–170 sqm (1722–1830 sq ft)
Office: wife is a teacher, so a study/workroom is planned
Guest bedrooms per year: few to none
Open or closed layout: open living and dining area, but separated from hallway and stairs
Conservative or modern construction:
Open kitchen, kitchen island: yes
Number of dining seats: 5–8
Fireplace: no
Music/stereo wall:
Balcony, roof terrace: no
Garage, carport: combined solution planned due to development plan regulations
Utility garden, greenhouse:
Other wishes/particularities/daily routine, including reasons why certain things are preferred or avoided:

House Design
Designed by: architect
What do you like most and why? All rooms were arranged exactly as we wanted, see below.
What don’t you like and why? The living/dining area feels small; question if the entrance area is too narrow, especially with the stairs right at the door.
Price estimate by architect/planner: no price estimate given
Personal price limit for house including fittings: about €620,000 (about $670,000) with basement
Preferred heating system: heat pump

If you had to give up something, which features/finishes
- could you do without:
- could you not do without:
--> All rooms are needed

Why does the design look the way it does? For example:
We had clear ideas: study and kitchen on the east side, open living and dining area, mudroom to garage, shower/toilet on ground floor; three children’s rooms, master bedroom in the east, central entrance, symmetrical facade appearance with veranda, roofed terrace with overhang on east and south sides. The architect implemented these accordingly.

What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?

Which option would you prefer? Would you want more space in the entrance area like in option 2 or more space in the dining area like in option 3? Which solution would you favor for the upper floor?

What other ideas or suggestions do you have?

Many thanks!
Markus

I find some rooms to be less than ideal. Unfortunately, the interior dimensions are missing. However, you can compare the square meters with the room measurements for reference.
Obviously, the kitchen layout doesn’t work: it’s too narrow, the island is too far away, and it’s unclear where the tall cabinets would go.
What are the corridor widths in the bedroom area? The walk-in closet also seems too narrow. The bathroom could become cramped with an oversized shower and accent bathtub.
None of this surprises me, since nothing optimal has ever been achieved with these symmetrical houses featuring bay windows.
You basically have to follow the layout dictated by the house dimensions and the bay window. Structurally, the grid probably has to be maintained.

220 sqm (approximately 2,370 sq ft) plus basement — over 620,000.
With all the exterior decorative elements on the facade — even more.

Am I understanding correctly that you always have to go around the stairs to get to the bathroom on the upper floor???
😀
I would suggest looking at the floor plans of American houses of this type. My grandparents’ house was a classic neo-Gothic style with a front porch and a central main entrance. However, the floor plan was completely different.

Myrna_Loy schrieb:

Am I understanding correctly that you always have to go around the stairs to get to the bathroom on the upper floor???
😀

Exactly: I forgot to mention that in my list. We think it’s too long, or do you, @Myrna_Loy? 🙂

ypg schrieb:

Exactly: I forgot to mention that in my list. To us, that's too long, right @Myrna_Loy? 🙂

As a mother, I would say just one word: norovirus.

Myrna_Loy schrieb:

Am I correct in understanding that you always have to go around the staircase to reach the bathroom on the upper floor???
😀

Yes, and to get to the living room, you even have to go downstairs 😀
...Seriously: we are aware of that. The alternative would be version V3, which means moving the children's rooms to the south, shifting the bedroom into the bathroom area, and relocating the bathroom. However, that would mean the bedroom is only 14 sqm (150 sq ft) and no walk-in closet would be possible, so wardrobes would have to be in the bedroom instead of separate.
According to the architect, due to the staircase and the access points, there is no other solution... Or do you have any other ideas?

ypg schrieb:

I find some rooms less than ideal. Unfortunately, there are no interior dimensions provided. But you can compare the square meters with the room sizes.
Obviously, the kitchen layout doesn’t work: it’s too narrow, the island is too far away, and where would the tall cabinets go?
What are the hallway widths in the bedroom? The walk-in closet also seems too narrow. The bathroom could become cramped with an oversized shower and accent bathtub.
None of this surprises me, as symmetrical houses with bay windows rarely result in optimal layouts.
You basically have to follow the pattern defined by the house dimensions and the bay window. Structurally, you probably have to stick to that grid.

220 sqm (2,375 sq ft) plus basement -> more than 620,000.
With all the exterior decorative elements on the facade -> even more.

It’s actually 166 sqm (1,787 sq ft) plus basement, not 220.

I think I will ask the architect to add the dimensions so we can see the hallway widths and whether the room widths are sufficient, including in the walk-in closet. Thanks for the suggestion.

Regarding the kitchen, the distance between the cooking island and the countertop is indeed too large. I will review that again. You can also see it at the terrace door. Thanks for pointing that out as well...

We currently live in a small apartment. Do you think 45 sqm (485 sq ft) for living/dining/kitchen is enough? It’s always hard to imagine.

Thanks!