ᐅ Floor plan of a single-family house for 4 people with issues on the ground floor

Hello,
we recently submitted a preliminary building inquiry with this floor plan. However, we are still not satisfied with the layout of the ground floor. Is the design still salvageable, or have we gone down the wrong path?

Development Plan / Restrictions
Plot size: 2000 m² (0.5 acres)
Slope: none
No development plan; all roof types are present in the neighborhood

Owners' Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: country house style (mullioned windows), hipped roof, town villa
Basement, floors: no basement (due to cost), 2 full floors
Number of people, age: 2 people (25 and 33 years), 2 children planned
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor: approx. 100 m² (1,076 sq ft) each
Office: home office
Overnight guests per year: very few
Open or closed architecture: open on the ground floor
Traditional or modern construction: modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: yes
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: no
Music/stereo setup: 2 floor-standing speakers at the TV
Balcony, roof terrace: 1 balcony in the parents’ area
Garage, carport: double garage
Utility garden, greenhouse: no
Other wishes: laundry room on the upper floor

House Design
Designer: architect
What do you like most? Why?: We really like the upper floor due to its layout
What do you dislike? Why?: The living and dining areas cause problems. Although there is plenty of space, both the architect and we fear that the many corners prevent efficient use of the space. We would prefer the dining area to be smaller and the living area larger. The staircase also worries me. According to the architect, the ceiling height on the ground floor cannot exceed 2.50 m (8 ft 2 in) because otherwise the staircase would be too long. Since it is a large house, he recommends keeping a rise-to-run ratio of 18/27 cm (7/10.5 inches). A steeper staircase should only be used if there is no other option. The architect also pointed out that the staircase leads to a wall on the upper floor, where there should ideally be more space.
Estimated cost according to architect/designer: over 750,000 €
Personal price limit for the house, including fittings: 1,000,000 €
Preferred heating system: heat pump with photovoltaic system

If you have to give up something, which details/extensions?
- Can give up: replace garage with carport, omit bay window at rear, terrace does not have to extend into the building volume, different staircase design
- Cannot give up: bay window at the front, home office

Why did the design end up like this?: I created a floor plan myself based on others from the internet. The architect then tried to create a feasible floor plan while staying as close as possible to my design.
What do you consider particularly good or bad about it?: We like the relatively efficient corridors on the ground and upper floors to give the other rooms more space. The exterior shape appeals to us a lot. The orientation of the rooms is also good, especially the kitchen and home office facing the street side. We have no complaints about the upper floor except for the narrow area in front of the stairs. We like the 45° wall in the dining area because it makes the space feel more open. What we like less is the division between the living and dining areas, the “too long” staircase, and the ground floor ceiling height of “only” 2.50 m (8 ft 2 in).

What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?
Can the ground floor layout be improved so the living area is bigger, the dining area smaller, and ceiling height 2.62 m (8 ft 7 in) achieved?

Thanks a lot!
metin88

At first glance, it seems unnecessarily complicated and, in my opinion, often impractical.

• The toilet should be near the entrance... washing hands with children, quickly coming in from the garden, etc., without having to walk through the entire house.
• The setback doesn’t help you at all. It’s far too small to provide protection from rain, sun, or other weather.
• Why not place the terrace on the west side? It’s much too small if you want to put a few things there.
• I like having an exit (on the side with a decent setback) because the roller shutter can stay up there, and the setback provides shade. At least for us, it’s a cool effect.
• The storage room should also be more easily accessible.
• Why place the technical room above the workspace? In my opinion, that makes no sense, especially considering the noise from the heating or other systems.
• All the corners and bay windows could probably be handled better with good planning and, if needed, the right concept for use.

I would suggest completely redesigning the plan. Generally, it’s not a good idea to give an architect a self-made floor plan beforehand, as they tend to stick too closely to it and can’t express their creativity. Therefore, please let the architect start fresh (they should completely forget your current floor plan). You have a good budget, so you should definitely get a well-thought-out and practical layout instead of a “clumsy” and awkward one.

Here are the issues I see as really problematic:
- unnecessary recess for the terrace, which just wastes space
- long and narrow entrance area that doesn’t feel spacious at all
- very narrow dining area (3m (10 feet) wide?)—many apartments have more space than that
- similarly too narrow toilet and storage room—both are very impractical with hardly any usable room
- home office serving as a passage to the utility room is not practical
- garage too narrow and short (better to plan 7x9m (23x30 feet))
- upstairs, the main bathroom is too small compared to the oversized laundry room (better to have a 15m² (161 sq ft) bathroom and a 5m² (54 sq ft) laundry room)
- also on the upper floor, a hallway that is way too long (not an efficient use of space)
=> better to have larger rooms and less circulation space (hallways)
=> overall, many square meters are poorly utilized (what about the 4m² (43 sq ft) behind the stairs upstairs? Not a room, but not enough space for a small workstation with a PC, etc.)
=> the house unfortunately has too many poorly planned recesses that do not make effective use of the 200m² (2,153 sq ft), so I would strongly recommend starting over and letting the architect do their job. Don’t take it personally, but your plan isn’t well designed, and it would be a shame to spend so much money on an impractical floor plan. Also, take a look at standard floor plans from major builders, such as Viebrockhaus (for example, the Maxime 410 II). This will show you what I mean. Many more rooms open off the hallway there, and overall you get almost the same amount of space on 170m² (1,830 sq ft) as you do on your 200m² (2,153 sq ft). Plus, the living room in the Maxime 410 II also feels much more spacious, even though it’s technically smaller. A minimum width of 4m (13 feet) is crucial here. After all, you don’t want to pay $100k more for 30m² (323 sq ft) only to end up living in a home that feels tighter and offers less usable space than a 170m² (1,830 sq ft) house.

Thank you for the feedback @allstar83!

I can’t imagine having a bathroom near the front door, as in my opinion that would disrupt the symmetry of the windows on the front facade.

The terrace is fully covered by the balcony above, so it only recedes slightly. You’re right that the terrace could be extended towards the west. Good point!

The architect optionally suggested a door to the utility room through the office. I could imagine placing my 3D printer there. Otherwise, access would only be possible from outside. Due to the noise, I’ll have to reconsider that. Thanks!

Great feedback @Sunshine387, thank you.

I had already feared that this design might be rejected again. I also think I gave the architect too little creative freedom.
The entrance area is really too long. I liked the idea of not using a spiral staircase, but this is definitely not a good solution.
When you say "a study as a passage to the utility room is not practical," do you mean the utility room should definitely be connected to the hallway, or is an external access usually sufficient?
The floor plan of the Maxime 410 II looks really great. Until now, I thought our current layout had little traffic space, but now I understand what you mean. Thanks!

I would make the home office and utility room accessible from the hallway, as you often need to go into the utility room and may also store food or other items there.