ᐅ Floor plan of a family home in an edge location with unobstructed views

Created on: 2 Jun 2021 11:00
K
Kati2022
We are (almost) ready. The desired building plot is reserved, and the house planning can begin.

We will be building with a (related) architect and will tender all trades ourselves. We are aware that this approach involves significant time and financial risks, but we want to take the chance.

It is meant to be our dream house, and we want to be able to decide ourselves how it will look.

Our architect suggested that we first draw our own ideas of how we imagine the house and what is important to us. Afterwards, we will sit down together and analyze the plan step by step.
After days of drawing, I have “designed” a floor plan that our whole family is quite satisfied with.

Here are some details:

Zoning Plan/Restrictions
Plot size: 519m2 (5,585 sq ft)
Slope: no
Site coverage ratio: 0.4
Floor area ratio: not specified
Building window, building line, and boundary – marked with red lines on the picture
Border development
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 1.5
Roof type: gable roof, hip roof, half-hip roof
Architectural style
Orientation
Maximum heights/limits
Additional requirements

Client Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: modern barn style, gable roof without overhang
Basement, floors: no basement, 1.5 floors
Number of occupants, ages: 2+2 (6, 9 years old)
Room needs on ground floor and upper floor:
Office: family use or home office? Office with sofa bed
Guest stays per year: approx. 10 days
Open or closed architecture: open
Conservative or modern construction: modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: yes
Number of dining seats: 6-10 (when guests are present)
Fireplace: not essential
Music/sound system wall
Balcony, roof terrace: not necessary, possibly in the bedroom
Garage, carport: garage
Utility garden, greenhouse
Other wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons why something should or should not be included

House Design
Planner:
- Planner from a construction company
- Architect
- Do-it-yourself: yes
What do you especially like? Why? Office and WC with the possibility to convert them into a separate living unit (for old age), kitchen island in the middle of the room, back kitchen so appliances don’t have to be on the island, large windows on the undeveloped side, stairs in the living room instead of in a hallway, large master area on the upper floor.
What do you dislike? Why? No double garage due to space constraints. We don’t want to shift the house too far south.
Cost estimate by architect/planner: ???
Personal price limit for the house including fixtures: 600,000
Preferred heating technology: air-to-water heat pump (deep drilling is not allowed due to water protection zone)

If you have to give up certain details/features:
- Can give up: slightly smaller office. However, I like the option of converting the office and WC into a second living unit (for grown children, caregiver, bedroom in old age).
- Cannot give up: open kitchen, back kitchen, large windows to the southwest

Why does the design look the way it does?
I created the design completely independently. A modern, open style is important to us. Since there is an unobstructed view to the west of fields and vineyards, we want to make use of this with large windows.
A separate master area would be very welcome. A luxury bathroom as in this plan would, of course, be a highlight.
An attic is planned for additional storage space.

I am quite concerned about the single garage. We need two cars, and the second would always have to be parked outside. Unfortunately, I don’t see a possibility to position the garage differently. If I reserve the minimum 6m (20 feet) on the northern boundary for a double garage, the house would have to move further south. I do not want that.

I look forward to your suggestions.

Floor plan of a house with office, utility room, and other rooms (sketch on graph paper).


Sketchy floor plan of a house on millimeter paper with interior walls.
P
pkiensch
9 Sep 2021 12:41
Tolentino schrieb:

A sliding door usually provides poorer sound insulation, which is typically a key requirement for a door in a bedroom.

Maybe add an extra door to the actual sleeping area (opening inward)? That way you would have a) sound insulation towards the outside, b) sound insulation within the parents’ area in case of different daily schedules, and c) children who feel claustrophobic could use the parents’ bathroom without having to lie half in the bed.
Tolentino9 Sep 2021 12:47
That could be an option. However, it would likely cause more disturbances in the bedroom and limit the furniture arrangement, making the sliding door more or less unnecessary.
A
Alessandro
9 Sep 2021 13:05
Floor plan of a house with stairs and blue furniture (tables, chairs)


...the windows would of course need to be repositioned :p
all openings are obviously doors. For the entrance to the sleeping area, you can now use a sliding door.
K
Kati2022
9 Sep 2021 16:01
Tolentino schrieb:

A sliding door usually provides less sound insulation,

Thanks for the tip. I hadn’t considered that.
11ant schrieb:

I share that concern. However, the door is drawn running in front of the wall and would effectively reduce the usable stair width at the exit.

That was just my internal drawing. The sliding door would be fully recessed into the wall.
Myrna_Loy schrieb:

I always wonder why people plan a children’s bathroom and then keep it as tiny as a guest bathroom at only 3.5 sqm (38 sq ft), while they build themselves a 9 sqm (97 sq ft) spa.

Do you all think the bathroom is really that small? It’s just meant for showering and brushing teeth in the morning and before bed—so we don’t get in each other’s way. The large master bathroom is, of course, accessible to everyone and not just reserved for the parents.
Myrna_Loy schrieb:

I would keep the entrance facing forward as closed as possible and instead plan a large glass area towards the terrace. For anyone entering, the effect is almost the same, but you still maintain privacy.

If I close it off, it will get dark. Half of the window will be operable. This way, the children’s friends can enter the garden directly from the street without having to go through the living room.
P
pkiensch
9 Sep 2021 17:38
Kati.com schrieb:

The large master bathroom is, of course, open to everyone and not reserved just for the parents.
However, I would think carefully about the access situation; as shown here (and also in the nice design by @Alessandro), it would feel far too little privacy for me.
M
Myrna_Loy
9 Sep 2021 17:50
Master bathroom 😱 Please, please not.
Not only is it a terrible anglicism, but the term "master" is now avoided in the real estate sector in English-speaking countries because it implies racist and sexist stereotypes. Unless you are selling Southern mansions to a nostalgic clientele.