ᐅ Floor Plan / Layout Ideas for a Single-Family Home of 180 m² with 3 Children's Bedrooms
Created on: 1 Apr 2018 23:13
D
derJohnson
Hello everyone,
I have been a silent reader for a few months now, and regarding our building project, we have already reached the point where we have chosen a construction company and, most importantly, a floor plan. From our perspective, the floor plan is really good, but we are looking for a more "realistic" view from others on our floor plan idea. By realistic, I mean practical for everyday living. We simply lack experience in building design, so I kindly ask the community to evaluate the floor plan. Of course, we are also open to other suggestions for improvement!
Development plan/restrictions:
Nothing significant
Plot size:
20 x 40 m (66 x 131 feet), see site plan. Approx. 809 m² (8,710 sq ft)
Slope:
Very slight downward slope towards the street front
Site coverage ratio
0.4
Floor area ratio
0.8
Building envelope, building line and boundaries
See site plan
Boundary construction
Garage may be built on the boundary line; otherwise, a 3 m (10 feet) distance to neighboring properties is required
Number of parking spaces
2 according to the development plan
Number of storeys
2
Roof style
Gable roof
Architectural style
Classic
Orientation
?
Maximum height restrictions
Eaves height: 4.50 m (15 feet)
Ridge height: 8.50 m (28 feet)
Other requirements
-
Client requirements
Style, roof type, building type
Classic style with gable roof
Basement, storeys
No basement, two storeys as far as the eaves height allows
Number of occupants, ages
Currently 2 adults, both 30 years old, a 6-month-old daughter, and planning 2 more children within the next 4 years
Space requirements for ground floor and upper floor
No precise square meter expectations. Generally a very generous open living, dining, and kitchen area, as we believe most family life will happen there.
Office: family use or home office?
Currently used as a home office; in old age, it is planned to convert the office into the master bedroom for single-level living
Guests per year
None
Open or closed architecture
Open living, dining, and kitchen area; otherwise closed architecture due to the expected noise level from 3 children
Conservative or modern construction
Rather conservative
Open kitchen, kitchen island
As mentioned above, not necessarily a kitchen island; prefer the stove against the wall
Number of dining seats
Kitchen with U-shape layout, breakfast bar extending into the living area
Main dining table in the conservatory
Fireplace
Not planned
Music/stereo wall
No
Balcony, roof terrace
Not desired
Garage, carport
Garage 4 x 9 m (13 x 30 feet), or possibly 3.57 x 9 m (12 x 30 feet) for cost reasons
Utility garden, greenhouse
On the property, a roughly 100 m² (1,076 sq ft) turtle enclosure and possibly a chicken coop will be established
Other wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons for choices or exclusions
The wife works shifts, so access to the bedroom through the dressing room is preferred
House design
Who is responsible for the planning?
- Planner from a construction company
What do you especially like? Why?
The highlight will be the spacious conservatory in the living area. Anyone who has visited the show home by Stommel Haus in the prefabricated house village in Frechen will understand – it inspired us because we were absolutely enthusiastic about it. My father is a carpenter and will install an open “fake” beam ceiling inside, which will then be finished with a pale whitewash.
What do you not like? Why?
Basement floor plan: Personally, I would prefer the shower access in the upstairs bathroom to be from the side, so water does not splash into the bathroom while showering.
Ground floor plan: Are there options to redesign the staircase (wall), so that one can look directly at the double doors to the living room from the entrance?
Price estimate according to architect/planner:
Not relevant
Personal price limit for the house including fittings:
Not relevant
Preferred heating technology:
District heating mandatory
If you have to give up details/finishes
- Can compromise on: Basically very flexible
- Cannot give up: Conservatory, third gable at the front
Why was the floor plan designed as it is now?
Our wishes were taken into account by the builder.
What do you think makes the floor plan particularly good or bad?
Basically, all our wishes are realized in the floor plan; I do not see much that is bad.
What is the most important/basic question about the desired floor plan, summarized in 130 characters?
As mentioned, I would like feedback on the "everyday practicality" of our floor plan idea. Suggestions for improving the upstairs bathroom and staircase position welcome.
Thank you very much!
Best regards
derJohnson
I have been a silent reader for a few months now, and regarding our building project, we have already reached the point where we have chosen a construction company and, most importantly, a floor plan. From our perspective, the floor plan is really good, but we are looking for a more "realistic" view from others on our floor plan idea. By realistic, I mean practical for everyday living. We simply lack experience in building design, so I kindly ask the community to evaluate the floor plan. Of course, we are also open to other suggestions for improvement!
Development plan/restrictions:
Nothing significant
Plot size:
20 x 40 m (66 x 131 feet), see site plan. Approx. 809 m² (8,710 sq ft)
Slope:
Very slight downward slope towards the street front
Site coverage ratio
0.4
Floor area ratio
0.8
Building envelope, building line and boundaries
See site plan
Boundary construction
Garage may be built on the boundary line; otherwise, a 3 m (10 feet) distance to neighboring properties is required
Number of parking spaces
2 according to the development plan
Number of storeys
2
Roof style
Gable roof
Architectural style
Classic
Orientation
?
Maximum height restrictions
Eaves height: 4.50 m (15 feet)
Ridge height: 8.50 m (28 feet)
Other requirements
-
Client requirements
Style, roof type, building type
Classic style with gable roof
Basement, storeys
No basement, two storeys as far as the eaves height allows
Number of occupants, ages
Currently 2 adults, both 30 years old, a 6-month-old daughter, and planning 2 more children within the next 4 years
Space requirements for ground floor and upper floor
No precise square meter expectations. Generally a very generous open living, dining, and kitchen area, as we believe most family life will happen there.
Office: family use or home office?
Currently used as a home office; in old age, it is planned to convert the office into the master bedroom for single-level living
Guests per year
None
Open or closed architecture
Open living, dining, and kitchen area; otherwise closed architecture due to the expected noise level from 3 children
Conservative or modern construction
Rather conservative
Open kitchen, kitchen island
As mentioned above, not necessarily a kitchen island; prefer the stove against the wall
Number of dining seats
Kitchen with U-shape layout, breakfast bar extending into the living area
Main dining table in the conservatory
Fireplace
Not planned
Music/stereo wall
No
Balcony, roof terrace
Not desired
Garage, carport
Garage 4 x 9 m (13 x 30 feet), or possibly 3.57 x 9 m (12 x 30 feet) for cost reasons
Utility garden, greenhouse
On the property, a roughly 100 m² (1,076 sq ft) turtle enclosure and possibly a chicken coop will be established
Other wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons for choices or exclusions
The wife works shifts, so access to the bedroom through the dressing room is preferred
House design
Who is responsible for the planning?
- Planner from a construction company
What do you especially like? Why?
The highlight will be the spacious conservatory in the living area. Anyone who has visited the show home by Stommel Haus in the prefabricated house village in Frechen will understand – it inspired us because we were absolutely enthusiastic about it. My father is a carpenter and will install an open “fake” beam ceiling inside, which will then be finished with a pale whitewash.
What do you not like? Why?
Basement floor plan: Personally, I would prefer the shower access in the upstairs bathroom to be from the side, so water does not splash into the bathroom while showering.
Ground floor plan: Are there options to redesign the staircase (wall), so that one can look directly at the double doors to the living room from the entrance?
Price estimate according to architect/planner:
Not relevant
Personal price limit for the house including fittings:
Not relevant
Preferred heating technology:
District heating mandatory
If you have to give up details/finishes
- Can compromise on: Basically very flexible
- Cannot give up: Conservatory, third gable at the front
Why was the floor plan designed as it is now?
Our wishes were taken into account by the builder.
What do you think makes the floor plan particularly good or bad?
Basically, all our wishes are realized in the floor plan; I do not see much that is bad.
What is the most important/basic question about the desired floor plan, summarized in 130 characters?
As mentioned, I would like feedback on the "everyday practicality" of our floor plan idea. Suggestions for improving the upstairs bathroom and staircase position welcome.
Thank you very much!
Best regards
derJohnson
11ant schrieb:
A conservatory can also be considered a "protected terrace with a more permanent awning" if you open it on the long side with folding doors. Oh no. I don’t find folding doors very appealing.
D
derJohnson3 Apr 2018 19:5011ant schrieb:
A conservatory can also simply serve as a "protected terrace with a more durable awning" – if you open it along the long side with folding doors.That’s probably true, but the main reason was to have a well-protected storage space for summer furniture or similar items during winter, without using up the limited space in the garage or attic. I don’t think my wife will agree if we store our garden furniture in the conservatory over winter.
11ant schrieb:
What really matters is how good a floor plan is. If it’s good, it might as well have been made by an intern.Sort of. I received this floor plan. If it was a first draft by an intern due to workload, that’s actually good, because then I don’t have to doubt the architect’s competence. But I agree with Katja to some extent that a trained eye should spot small details like the position of the stairs right away.
I’m curious to see what happens.
derJohnson schrieb:
The plan is to have direct access from the garage to a large utility room, for example, so you can bring in groceries and immediately put various items on the small shelves located there. ...
By saving space, we also wanted to use the utility room as a small pantry, so we don’t have to store all kinds of stuff like water crates or similar directly in the kitchen, but also so we don’t have to walk through the garage every time to get water from the larger storage room located there.The room where the heating system (in whatever form) is installed is probably the worst place in the house to store food supplies. After the third warm beer or bottle of water, you’ll wish you had set up a separate pantry, which is usually built without any heating at all. Or you might come up with the brilliant idea to fill the heating room with refrigerators, which is obviously an energy disaster.
A utility room is supposed to handle many functions at once: laundry, heating, electrical and water connections, pantry, secondary entrance, tool storage, and on top of that it ends up storing vacuum cleaners, buckets, brooms, trash cans, and so on.
Then your sweater will start smelling like garbage, your food will either disappear or spoil, your partner will curse because she can’t find the cleaning cloths among your tools, and every time you enter, you’ll be tracking dirt all over the floor. This room will have the highest foot traffic in the house, spreading dirt everywhere. To top it off, your water supplier will come to read the water meter, which by then will be surrounded by dirty laundry.
Of course, this is a bit exaggerated. But I am very glad we have a separate room for laundry, a pantry, a technical room (without an exterior door), and a spacious entrance area with lots of wardrobe cabinets (including seven shoe racks alone :eek 🙂. The rooms aren’t large—just adequate—but each one is designed for its intended purpose.
D
derJohnson4 Apr 2018 08:09You are absolutely right, Katja,
we will definitely give it some thought. With your changes to the staircase, a lot more space has already been created, so it would certainly be worth considering a separate pantry.
we will definitely give it some thought. With your changes to the staircase, a lot more space has already been created, so it would certainly be worth considering a separate pantry.
J
j.bautsch4 Apr 2018 08:34kaho674 schrieb:
Laundry room, heating system, electricity, water connection, pantry, second entrance, storage room for tools, and on top of that, vacuum cleaners, buckets, brooms, trash bins, etc., are all piled up there. My aunt and her husband have the same; it’s a complete mess even though they are quite tidy people. You end up standing at the workbench between clothes and the boiler—not very appealing.
D
derJohnson4 Apr 2018 08:46j.bautsch schrieb:
My aunt and her husband have the same setup; it’s a complete mess even though they are both generally tidy people. You end up standing at the workbench between clothes and the boiler, which isn’t very pleasant.Okay, maybe this sounds a bit more dramatic than I intend.
In the utility room, besides the heating system, there should be a washing machine, with a dryer placed on top, and a shelf on the wall facing the kitchen where I can store canned goods, jars, and other non-perishable items that are still needed occasionally when cooking.
Nothing more was planned for the utility room; I didn’t want to include a proper pantry there.
And definitely no workbench.
But thanks to Katja’s suggestion, maybe I don’t have to, because there is now a proper pantry.
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