Hello everyone,
The planning for our construction project is gradually becoming more concrete, so we would really appreciate your feedback on our floor plan ideas. I have attached our first floor plan concept below. Windows, doors, etc., are not yet finalized; at this stage, we are focusing mainly on the general room layout. The square meterage is probably not yet exact, as after subtracting the sloped ceilings (I believe!), it comes to about 150 m2 (1,615 sq ft), which is likely beyond our budget, but the overall shape and layout of the house roughly match our vision.
Our given conditions are:
Building plot 10x10 m (33x33 ft), one-and-a-half storey construction. The plot is approximately 575 m2 (6,190 sq ft), about 30 m (98 ft) east-west and about 20 m (66 ft) north-south. The house is planned to be positioned in the northeast corner, with the roof ridge running east-west (not sure if this is mandatory, but it seems logical, right?).
We are a family of five with grandparents living far outside our city (Berlin), and therefore we would like:
At minimum: open-plan living-dining-kitchen area, large utility/storage room, one shower bathroom, one family bathroom, four bedrooms
Ideally: an additional room (office/guest) and/or usable extra space in the attic
All this as cost-effectively as possible, since our budget for the house alone is 190,000 EUR.
Based on the previous recommendations, we would like to include a staircase to the attic right from the start, even if we may not finish the attic immediately.
After visiting a 134 m2 (1,442 sq ft) sample house of a well-known manufacturer over the weekend, we found that the six rooms we want are technically accommodated there with some charm, but it felt a bit cramped.
So, we tried creating a floor plan that makes the house somewhat larger overall, allowing space on the ground floor for a shower bathroom and a slightly bigger extra room, as follows:
The middle bedroom in the attic works because it is fully located in a dormer. We actually really like this layout, and a house with such a dormer also looks attractive from the outside. Our concern, however, is that the dormer might be too expensive, and/or that even with somewhat more square meters than the sample house, the rooms might still feel a bit tight.
The alternatives we are considering are as follows:
First, to forgo the fourth bedroom on the upper floor and instead have three equally sized bedrooms plus a bathroom there. In that case, a resident would have to temporarily relocate to another room when grandparents visit or the attic would need to be clearly designated as overflow space. It would then be important that the extra room on the ground floor is large enough to serve as a fully functional private room (which we have tried to plan accordingly on the ground floor).
Second, if we cannot afford the dormer, we attempted to maximize the attic space by moving the bathroom to the center, so that all four bedrooms still have proper windows. This resulted in the following layout:
Aside from the fact that the feeling of cramped space remains here as well, what bothers me about this variant is that, unlike the version with the dormer, it would later be difficult to create 2-3 well-shaped rooms from this space, which would actually be an attractive option for when the children move out.
This is where we are so far! Tomorrow we have an appointment with the architect’s office, into which we would like to go with as clear ideas as possible. Therefore, we would really appreciate any feedback today that could help us to refine and improve the ideas presented here. Thank you in advance for your suggestions!
Best regards,
Kazazi
The planning for our construction project is gradually becoming more concrete, so we would really appreciate your feedback on our floor plan ideas. I have attached our first floor plan concept below. Windows, doors, etc., are not yet finalized; at this stage, we are focusing mainly on the general room layout. The square meterage is probably not yet exact, as after subtracting the sloped ceilings (I believe!), it comes to about 150 m2 (1,615 sq ft), which is likely beyond our budget, but the overall shape and layout of the house roughly match our vision.
Our given conditions are:
Building plot 10x10 m (33x33 ft), one-and-a-half storey construction. The plot is approximately 575 m2 (6,190 sq ft), about 30 m (98 ft) east-west and about 20 m (66 ft) north-south. The house is planned to be positioned in the northeast corner, with the roof ridge running east-west (not sure if this is mandatory, but it seems logical, right?).
We are a family of five with grandparents living far outside our city (Berlin), and therefore we would like:
At minimum: open-plan living-dining-kitchen area, large utility/storage room, one shower bathroom, one family bathroom, four bedrooms
Ideally: an additional room (office/guest) and/or usable extra space in the attic
All this as cost-effectively as possible, since our budget for the house alone is 190,000 EUR.
Based on the previous recommendations, we would like to include a staircase to the attic right from the start, even if we may not finish the attic immediately.
After visiting a 134 m2 (1,442 sq ft) sample house of a well-known manufacturer over the weekend, we found that the six rooms we want are technically accommodated there with some charm, but it felt a bit cramped.
So, we tried creating a floor plan that makes the house somewhat larger overall, allowing space on the ground floor for a shower bathroom and a slightly bigger extra room, as follows:
The middle bedroom in the attic works because it is fully located in a dormer. We actually really like this layout, and a house with such a dormer also looks attractive from the outside. Our concern, however, is that the dormer might be too expensive, and/or that even with somewhat more square meters than the sample house, the rooms might still feel a bit tight.
The alternatives we are considering are as follows:
First, to forgo the fourth bedroom on the upper floor and instead have three equally sized bedrooms plus a bathroom there. In that case, a resident would have to temporarily relocate to another room when grandparents visit or the attic would need to be clearly designated as overflow space. It would then be important that the extra room on the ground floor is large enough to serve as a fully functional private room (which we have tried to plan accordingly on the ground floor).
Second, if we cannot afford the dormer, we attempted to maximize the attic space by moving the bathroom to the center, so that all four bedrooms still have proper windows. This resulted in the following layout:
Aside from the fact that the feeling of cramped space remains here as well, what bothers me about this variant is that, unlike the version with the dormer, it would later be difficult to create 2-3 well-shaped rooms from this space, which would actually be an attractive option for when the children move out.
This is where we are so far! Tomorrow we have an appointment with the architect’s office, into which we would like to go with as clear ideas as possible. Therefore, we would really appreciate any feedback today that could help us to refine and improve the ideas presented here. Thank you in advance for your suggestions!
Best regards,
Kazazi
@ Kisska – If you get a chance to take photos, it would be great to also see the exterior view from the side with the staircase.
@ ypg – Good point, I will follow up on that.
Otherwise, here’s a small update again. We have further refined both stair options and plan to discuss them again with the architect on Monday. Therefore, I’d like to know which of the current versions you prefer and where you still see issues, so we can address them in the meeting:
Thank you very much and have a nice Saturday!
Best regards,
Kazazi
@ ypg – Good point, I will follow up on that.
Otherwise, here’s a small update again. We have further refined both stair options and plan to discuss them again with the architect on Monday. Therefore, I’d like to know which of the current versions you prefer and where you still see issues, so we can address them in the meeting:
Thank you very much and have a nice Saturday!
Best regards,
Kazazi
Yes, I’ll do that tomorrow. Then we have lunch again at grandma and grandpa’s.
@Grundrisse: I prefer the floor plan with the staircase in the middle over the one with the stairs directly next to each other. Although I find the stairwell a bit too dark in this layout, I would choose this option for the following reasons.
1. The utility room is larger, and the shower bathroom is smaller. I think that’s very good because having more storage space in the utility room is much more important, and the shower bathroom is still well planned and completely sufficient.
2. I find the hallway much more inviting in this version. There is plenty of space for a coat rack and cabinets, yet still enough room to welcome and say goodbye to guests. In the east gable version, it feels too narrow and corridor-like.
3. The living/dining area is the same size. However, if I were you, I would consider adding a bay window where you could push the dining table. This way, the table wouldn’t stand in the middle of the room and would create a nice feature. It should be about 3m (10 feet) wide and around 1m (3 feet) deep to avoid having to move the table in and out for every meal. I would have someone calculate what this would cost.
4. Upstairs, the bedrooms are comparable, but the bathroom near the central staircase is much better. It’s nicer to design and organize. The bathroom in the east gable layout feels too narrow and corridor-like to me.
I hope I could help.
Best regards
@Grundrisse: I prefer the floor plan with the staircase in the middle over the one with the stairs directly next to each other. Although I find the stairwell a bit too dark in this layout, I would choose this option for the following reasons.
1. The utility room is larger, and the shower bathroom is smaller. I think that’s very good because having more storage space in the utility room is much more important, and the shower bathroom is still well planned and completely sufficient.
2. I find the hallway much more inviting in this version. There is plenty of space for a coat rack and cabinets, yet still enough room to welcome and say goodbye to guests. In the east gable version, it feels too narrow and corridor-like.
3. The living/dining area is the same size. However, if I were you, I would consider adding a bay window where you could push the dining table. This way, the table wouldn’t stand in the middle of the room and would create a nice feature. It should be about 3m (10 feet) wide and around 1m (3 feet) deep to avoid having to move the table in and out for every meal. I would have someone calculate what this would cost.
4. Upstairs, the bedrooms are comparable, but the bathroom near the central staircase is much better. It’s nicer to design and organize. The bathroom in the east gable layout feels too narrow and corridor-like to me.
I hope I could help.
Best regards
I completely agree with Kisska.
In the first case, the hallway width (entrance) is crucial, so it’s important not to choose one that’s too narrow. Also, if you do reduce the size of the room upstairs, make sure it’s done in a way that you don’t constantly bump into a wall when you reach the upper floor.
Kisska’s suggestion about the bay window is also a good one.
In the first case, the hallway width (entrance) is crucial, so it’s important not to choose one that’s too narrow. Also, if you do reduce the size of the room upstairs, make sure it’s done in a way that you don’t constantly bump into a wall when you reach the upper floor.
Kisska’s suggestion about the bay window is also a good one.
Thank you very much for your feedback, Kisska and Yvonne! You are absolutely right, the gable staircase option with the stairhead running into the wall in the attic is definitely not acceptable!
We have spent a lot more time yesterday and today considering and experimenting, including the gable option, but for various reasons, we didn’t quite like any version of it.
However, we have now slightly revised both options. In the gable staircase version, the hallway downstairs is now wider and the attic hallway is mirrored; the latter now gives the bathroom an extra shower niche and makes it less narrow. In the central staircase version, we have only slightly enlarged the kitchen and windows.
Tomorrow (Monday) we will be giving feedback to the architects. If anyone still has time and interest to comment on the latest versions with a view to our following assessment, we would really appreciate it. Thank you very much!
Gable staircase option:
+ Better entrance now
+ Living area and room 1 better shaped
+ All living rooms in the attic better shaped
+ Both bathrooms offer more storage and/or space for a washer and dryer
+ Attic space more usable since the area is not divided by the central staircase; a drywall partition shortly after the stairs would be needed to separate a storage gallery from the “living area.”
+ Sub-apartment theoretically separable
- Narrower bathroom in the attic (but maybe better now?)
- Narrower hallway right at the entrance (same)
- Smaller utility room (but compensated by more space in bathrooms and attic?)
- Smaller kitchen (mainly at the expense of circulation space)
Exterior views?
Central staircase option:
+ Larger utility room
+ More spacious foyer at the entrance
+ Larger kitchen
+ Exterior view probably works for sure
- Staircase cuts into every living room corner (I’m usually tolerant of corners, but keep tripping over them)
- Attic space awkwardly divided by the staircase, so when splitting into storage and living areas, only a small part remains for the latter, and without a garden view (see third image below)
We have spent a lot more time yesterday and today considering and experimenting, including the gable option, but for various reasons, we didn’t quite like any version of it.
However, we have now slightly revised both options. In the gable staircase version, the hallway downstairs is now wider and the attic hallway is mirrored; the latter now gives the bathroom an extra shower niche and makes it less narrow. In the central staircase version, we have only slightly enlarged the kitchen and windows.
Tomorrow (Monday) we will be giving feedback to the architects. If anyone still has time and interest to comment on the latest versions with a view to our following assessment, we would really appreciate it. Thank you very much!
Gable staircase option:
+ Better entrance now
+ Living area and room 1 better shaped
+ All living rooms in the attic better shaped
+ Both bathrooms offer more storage and/or space for a washer and dryer
+ Attic space more usable since the area is not divided by the central staircase; a drywall partition shortly after the stairs would be needed to separate a storage gallery from the “living area.”
+ Sub-apartment theoretically separable
- Narrower bathroom in the attic (but maybe better now?)
- Narrower hallway right at the entrance (same)
- Smaller utility room (but compensated by more space in bathrooms and attic?)
- Smaller kitchen (mainly at the expense of circulation space)
Exterior views?
Central staircase option:
+ Larger utility room
+ More spacious foyer at the entrance
+ Larger kitchen
+ Exterior view probably works for sure
- Staircase cuts into every living room corner (I’m usually tolerant of corners, but keep tripping over them)
- Attic space awkwardly divided by the staircase, so when splitting into storage and living areas, only a small part remains for the latter, and without a garden view (see third image below)
Whether one entrance width or another…
An entrance width of 1.47 meters (4 feet 10 inches) is manageable… we had 1.45 meters (4 feet 9 inches) in our townhouse, if I remember correctly. That’s why now 2 meters (6 feet 7 inches). But it works. Do you still need to push a stroller back and forth? Then it would be a hassle.
Washing machine and dryer: I would not place them in the guest toilet. Although I have seen this done before and thought it was fine, I think the toilet bowl would be somewhat in the way when filling the machines. Alternative: upstairs in the bathroom. There is enough space there (under the sloped ceiling).
Then you could probably also adjust the dimensions of the guest toilet slightly to benefit the entrance area?
However, I noticed that in both versions the toilet is placed under the sloped ceiling. It needs to be in an area with 2 meters (6 feet 7 inches) ceiling height. Both alternatives offer options for this. Please pay attention!
In option 1, you could move the kitchen entrance to the middle of the staircase (or?). There is already space for a coat rack. Then plan a pantry under the stairs – which could be practical and necessary for 5 people (this would reduce the size of the kitchen furniture).
I would not place the bathtub opposite the door – it is a bit uncomfortable – but that can also be changed (in option 1, bathtub at the same level as the shower, with the toilet in between – instead of the original toilet position, install the washing machine and dryer under the slope with doors in front, like a dresser… above that would be shelf space).
These would be my suggestions.
By the way, I always find that, even through many detours, a straightforward floor plan is still the best.
Regards, Yvonne
An entrance width of 1.47 meters (4 feet 10 inches) is manageable… we had 1.45 meters (4 feet 9 inches) in our townhouse, if I remember correctly. That’s why now 2 meters (6 feet 7 inches). But it works. Do you still need to push a stroller back and forth? Then it would be a hassle.
Washing machine and dryer: I would not place them in the guest toilet. Although I have seen this done before and thought it was fine, I think the toilet bowl would be somewhat in the way when filling the machines. Alternative: upstairs in the bathroom. There is enough space there (under the sloped ceiling).
Then you could probably also adjust the dimensions of the guest toilet slightly to benefit the entrance area?
However, I noticed that in both versions the toilet is placed under the sloped ceiling. It needs to be in an area with 2 meters (6 feet 7 inches) ceiling height. Both alternatives offer options for this. Please pay attention!
In option 1, you could move the kitchen entrance to the middle of the staircase (or?). There is already space for a coat rack. Then plan a pantry under the stairs – which could be practical and necessary for 5 people (this would reduce the size of the kitchen furniture).
I would not place the bathtub opposite the door – it is a bit uncomfortable – but that can also be changed (in option 1, bathtub at the same level as the shower, with the toilet in between – instead of the original toilet position, install the washing machine and dryer under the slope with doors in front, like a dresser… above that would be shelf space).
These would be my suggestions.
By the way, I always find that, even through many detours, a straightforward floor plan is still the best.
Regards, Yvonne
Thank you for the additional tips, Yvonne, I will include all of them.
Does that mean you prefer the gable staircase option now, or do you find both options straightforward?
Best regards and good night,
Kazazi
ypg schrieb:
By the way, I keep noticing that, even with many detours, a straightforward floor plan is still the best
Does that mean you prefer the gable staircase option now, or do you find both options straightforward?
Best regards and good night,
Kazazi
Similar topics