ᐅ Floor Plan Review for a Single-Family Home of Approximately 200 sqm
Created on: 10 Aug 2022 13:23
S
Stadtvilla2023
Hello everyone,
I’m only moderately satisfied with our floor plan because the relatively square staircase causes the surrounding rooms to become quite awkwardly shaped. I’ve accurately transferred the floor plan into a program and created an alternative. Essentially, the alternative floor plan is more open, and with the staircase being more elongated, the rooms are less compartmentalized. I don’t want to burden the architect with many more changes that might not be implemented. Therefore, I ask for your understanding that I cannot provide the architect’s drawings for this alternative. We could definitely consider the concept of a staircase integrated into the living area. I know this might not be an option for many. I would really appreciate your opinions on this or perhaps suggestions for changes.
Development plan / restrictions
No development plan / no planning permission
Plot size: 620m² (0.15 acres)
Slope
Site coverage ratio
Floor space index
Building envelope, building line and boundary
Edge development
Number of parking spaces
Number of storeys:
Roof type: hipped roof
Architectural style: urban villa
Orientation: south/west
Maximum heights / limits
Other requirements
Owners’ requirements
Style, roof type, building type: single-family home urban villa, hipped roof, plastered façade
Basement, floors: 2 floors with finished attic and basement
Number of occupants, ages: 2 adults, 2 children
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor
Office: family use or home office? 1x home office
Guest bedrooms per year: 2 guests
Open or closed architectural style: undecided, leaning towards closed
Conservative or modern construction: mix
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: yes
Music / stereo wall
Balcony, roof terrace: balcony
Garage, carport: garage, unclear whether attached or detached
Utility garden, greenhouse
Other wishes / special features / daily routines, also reasons why some options are preferred or excluded:
House design
Who designed the plan:
- Architect: standard design adjusted by us
- Do-it-yourself
What do you particularly like? Why?: large living area with big window fronts, spacious master bedroom with bathroom, pantry
What do you dislike? Why?: staircase – no highlight, space issues causing overly fragmented rooms, elongated guest WC and pantry
Cost estimate according to architect/planner: 620,000
Preferred heating system: air-source heat pump
If you have to give up something, which details / features
- Can give up: fireplace
- Cannot give up: kitchen island, number of rooms, open space above the living area
Why does the design look as it does now? For example:
We adapted the standard design to meet our needs. It was especially important that the rooms upstairs be as large as possible, and the hallway area small. That’s why we had to choose a smaller staircase. Since our plot is a corner lot and quite tightly built around, we planned an open space in the corner. This space is basically oriented toward the center of the gardens of the housing block.
What is the most important / fundamental question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
Basically, I would like to know what you think of the alternative I created. Do you perhaps have other ideas? We have already submitted the building application, as timing is an issue in Cologne. We will probably have to submit a change later because the window in the office should be larger and the window in the pantry removed. In principle, it would also be possible to modify additional windows. On the street side, we would like to maintain symmetry.
Thank you very much to anyone who can assist us here.
Corinna
I’m only moderately satisfied with our floor plan because the relatively square staircase causes the surrounding rooms to become quite awkwardly shaped. I’ve accurately transferred the floor plan into a program and created an alternative. Essentially, the alternative floor plan is more open, and with the staircase being more elongated, the rooms are less compartmentalized. I don’t want to burden the architect with many more changes that might not be implemented. Therefore, I ask for your understanding that I cannot provide the architect’s drawings for this alternative. We could definitely consider the concept of a staircase integrated into the living area. I know this might not be an option for many. I would really appreciate your opinions on this or perhaps suggestions for changes.
Development plan / restrictions
No development plan / no planning permission
Plot size: 620m² (0.15 acres)
Slope
Site coverage ratio
Floor space index
Building envelope, building line and boundary
Edge development
Number of parking spaces
Number of storeys:
Roof type: hipped roof
Architectural style: urban villa
Orientation: south/west
Maximum heights / limits
Other requirements
Owners’ requirements
Style, roof type, building type: single-family home urban villa, hipped roof, plastered façade
Basement, floors: 2 floors with finished attic and basement
Number of occupants, ages: 2 adults, 2 children
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor
Office: family use or home office? 1x home office
Guest bedrooms per year: 2 guests
Open or closed architectural style: undecided, leaning towards closed
Conservative or modern construction: mix
Open kitchen, kitchen island: open
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: yes
Music / stereo wall
Balcony, roof terrace: balcony
Garage, carport: garage, unclear whether attached or detached
Utility garden, greenhouse
Other wishes / special features / daily routines, also reasons why some options are preferred or excluded:
House design
Who designed the plan:
- Architect: standard design adjusted by us
- Do-it-yourself
What do you particularly like? Why?: large living area with big window fronts, spacious master bedroom with bathroom, pantry
What do you dislike? Why?: staircase – no highlight, space issues causing overly fragmented rooms, elongated guest WC and pantry
Cost estimate according to architect/planner: 620,000
Preferred heating system: air-source heat pump
If you have to give up something, which details / features
- Can give up: fireplace
- Cannot give up: kitchen island, number of rooms, open space above the living area
Why does the design look as it does now? For example:
We adapted the standard design to meet our needs. It was especially important that the rooms upstairs be as large as possible, and the hallway area small. That’s why we had to choose a smaller staircase. Since our plot is a corner lot and quite tightly built around, we planned an open space in the corner. This space is basically oriented toward the center of the gardens of the housing block.
What is the most important / fundamental question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
Basically, I would like to know what you think of the alternative I created. Do you perhaps have other ideas? We have already submitted the building application, as timing is an issue in Cologne. We will probably have to submit a change later because the window in the office should be larger and the window in the pantry removed. In principle, it would also be possible to modify additional windows. On the street side, we would like to maintain symmetry.
Thank you very much to anyone who can assist us here.
Corinna
You should definitely take a close look at the improvements made by @ypg. For example, I also noticed that the open space on the upper floor had the best and most favorable sun position, assuming the north arrow in the first drawing is correct. With Yvonne’s improvement, one of the children’s rooms benefits from this.
You’ll also need to reposition the windows. Pay particular attention to the master bedroom and carefully check how the bed and other furniture will actually be arranged to ensure that a balcony door, preferably towards the left side (as viewed on the plan), fits properly. Also, I recommend asking to see the detailed planning for the balcony exit. I suspect there is a step up from the inside onto the balcony area, or at least a threshold approximately 20 cm (8 inches) high.
The adjustments on the ground floor also allow for a much better kitchen layout.
You’ll also need to reposition the windows. Pay particular attention to the master bedroom and carefully check how the bed and other furniture will actually be arranged to ensure that a balcony door, preferably towards the left side (as viewed on the plan), fits properly. Also, I recommend asking to see the detailed planning for the balcony exit. I suspect there is a step up from the inside onto the balcony area, or at least a threshold approximately 20 cm (8 inches) high.
The adjustments on the ground floor also allow for a much better kitchen layout.
If the exterior is to remain unchanged and only a few windows are to be repositioned, you might consider a quarter-turn staircase (with a straight staircase to the basement). This creates a tidier layout, with larger children’s bedrooms and bathroom, while the master bedroom becomes smaller (which I also find unbalanced in your case). The upstairs hallway benefits from more natural light and doesn’t feel like a small, dark space. I also find the entrance area more inviting, with additional space for the kitchen, dining area, and pantry.
M
Myrna_Loy11 Aug 2022 13:53I would swap the parent and children’s areas and allocate the terrace to the children. Use the open space as a gallery instead of the walk-in closet.
Würfel* schrieb:
If you want to keep everything outside unchanged and just move one or two windows, you could also try a quarter-turn staircase (straight basement stairs). That was along the lines of what I was thinking. However, I find the staircase exit at the top a bit tight in your design. I would also position the open space more like Yvonne suggested.
K a t j a schrieb:
I would also place the double-height space more like Yvonne suggested. I find it pointless there because you can’t look up from the dining table. I actually have a similar corner double-height space myself, and it feels completely different than one that opens in just one direction. I know this from friends. Otherwise, you had exactly the same thoughts. I also considered the alternative with the kids’ bathroom downstairs and the bedroom, dressing room, and bathroom on the right. It has its pros and cons and is definitely worth considering 🙂
Myrna_Loy schrieb:
I would switch the parents’ and children’s areas and give the kids access to the terrace. Use the double-height space as a gallery instead of the dressing room. However, then one children’s room would have to be at the top of the plan and the other at the bottom. That leaves only the former children’s rooms (on the left side of the plan) for the master bathroom, kids’ bathroom, bedroom, and dressing room. How did you envision that? I failed with this approach ;-)
M
Myrna_Loy12 Aug 2022 12:56Würfel* schrieb:
I find it pointless because you can’t look upwards from the dining table. I have a similar open space "around the corner," and that gives a completely different feeling than just to one side. I know this from friends. Otherwise, you had the exact same thoughts. I also considered the alternative with the kids’ bathroom downstairs and the bedroom, walk-in closet, and bathroom to the right; it has its pros and cons and is definitely worth considering 🙂
However, a child’s room would then have to be accessed at the top of the plan and the other at the bottom. That leaves only the area of the former kids’ rooms (to the left of the plan) for the master bathroom, kids’ bathroom, bedroom, and walk-in closet. How did you envision that? I failed with that approach ;-)Why should you look upwards from the dining table? You only get a sound funnel going up, you need lighting directed down from almost 6 meters (20 feet) high, and in social gatherings you end up with the acoustics of a university cafeteria. Centrally located, you get the airy spatial feeling of both the living and dining areas, while still feeling sheltered and cozy.
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