Hello, I have been following this forum for a long time and find it always interesting. I thought I might share our planning here. We started planning at the end of 2018, began construction in 03/2019, and moved in by 12/2019.
We planned the floor plans, dimensions, materials, etc., ourselves and then hired a retired architect to create the construction drawings and structural engineering, as well as to submit the building permit / planning permission application. He also handled the approvals and insurance.
Since we live in a historic preservation area with classical architecture, we wanted to reflect this style in our house and I did a lot of research. I know nothing is perfect and it is a series of compromises (size, budget, historic style). We wanted about 120sqm (1292 sqft) of living space, aimed not to exceed a certain budget, and wanted to choose and plan all the trades ourselves (this really saves a lot of money!). I have almost no craftsmanship skills, yet we still did or helped with many tasks ourselves (preparations for the electrician, applying window and facade plaster molding ourselves, ceiling molding, wooden baseboards, cladding the carport, assembling the garden shed, distributing 55t (60 US tons) of soil, planting, manually drilling a garden well, etc.). Ok, my father-in-law helped a lot because he is handy.
We wanted to keep as much symmetry as possible and had a rough idea inspired by a Georgian house. Wooden sash windows and front door made by the local carpenter, facade plaster molding, ceiling height of 2.75m (9 ft) on the ground floor, and a hipped roof with clay tiles.
The staircase was a bit challenging because the hallway is central and the dimensions we set (somewhat arbitrarily) limited a straight staircase. The stair builder managed it nevertheless using some tricks (a bit steeper and with a longer tread or something like that).
Since I talked a lot with energy consultants and wanted a reasonable price-performance/use balance, we made the following decisions:
* Energy standard just enough to meet requirements (saves construction costs)
* Therefore, deliberately only double-glazed windows
* Gas condensing boiler with underfloor heating and gas fireplace
* Solar thermal system for hot water (I would have preferred to skip this as a cost driver; in summer you don’t need 270l (71 gallons) of hot water and in winter the sun usually isn’t sufficient despite the south-facing side)
* No electric window openers (but conduits were installed)
* 36.5cm (14.4 inches) aerated concrete walls on the outside and 17.5/11.5cm (6.9/4.5 inches) limestone interior walls
* Interior walls plastered with cement plaster to Q3 level (relatively smooth)
* Plumbing and heating company installed everything. Toilets, sinks, faucets were bought by us (all Villeroy & Boch and GROHE, mostly via eBay)
* Floor tiles and parquet also bought by us and then installed by professionals
The total cost excluding the land was €297,000 (about USD 320,000) including connections and exterior works, garden planting (partly €500 (about USD 540) per tree), double carport, 12sqm (129 sqft) garden shed, 150sqm (1615 sqft) paving, 24sqm (258 sqft) travertine terrace, insurance, surveying, 55t (60 US tons) of topsoil (we added about 20-30cm (8-12 inches) of soil), kitchen and appliances, electric garden gate, and masonry gate pillars (including historically accurate pillar caps) etc.
Land size: 680sqm (7320 sqft)
Living space: 122sqm (1313 sqft)
* 29sqm (312 sqft) living room
* 11.5sqm (124 sqft) kitchen
* 7.5sqm (81 sqft) utility room (laundry hangs from the ceiling with Foxydry)
* approx. 9.5sqm (102 sqft) hallway downstairs
* 11.5sqm (124 sqft) children’s room
* 9sqm (97 sqft) guest room/library/study
* approx. 9.3sqm (100 sqft) bathroom with shower, freestanding bathtub, toilet, bidet, washbasin
* approx. 20sqm (215 sqft) bedroom with walk-in closet/wardrobe
* The attic is currently an unheated storage room but could still be developed.
The space is sufficient, sometimes missing 0.5-1m (1.6-3.3 ft) here and there, but more space would have come at significantly higher construction costs.
What do you think of the floor plan? Any questions?
I’ve attached some pictures to give you a rough idea.
We planned the floor plans, dimensions, materials, etc., ourselves and then hired a retired architect to create the construction drawings and structural engineering, as well as to submit the building permit / planning permission application. He also handled the approvals and insurance.
Since we live in a historic preservation area with classical architecture, we wanted to reflect this style in our house and I did a lot of research. I know nothing is perfect and it is a series of compromises (size, budget, historic style). We wanted about 120sqm (1292 sqft) of living space, aimed not to exceed a certain budget, and wanted to choose and plan all the trades ourselves (this really saves a lot of money!). I have almost no craftsmanship skills, yet we still did or helped with many tasks ourselves (preparations for the electrician, applying window and facade plaster molding ourselves, ceiling molding, wooden baseboards, cladding the carport, assembling the garden shed, distributing 55t (60 US tons) of soil, planting, manually drilling a garden well, etc.). Ok, my father-in-law helped a lot because he is handy.
We wanted to keep as much symmetry as possible and had a rough idea inspired by a Georgian house. Wooden sash windows and front door made by the local carpenter, facade plaster molding, ceiling height of 2.75m (9 ft) on the ground floor, and a hipped roof with clay tiles.
The staircase was a bit challenging because the hallway is central and the dimensions we set (somewhat arbitrarily) limited a straight staircase. The stair builder managed it nevertheless using some tricks (a bit steeper and with a longer tread or something like that).
Since I talked a lot with energy consultants and wanted a reasonable price-performance/use balance, we made the following decisions:
* Energy standard just enough to meet requirements (saves construction costs)
* Therefore, deliberately only double-glazed windows
* Gas condensing boiler with underfloor heating and gas fireplace
* Solar thermal system for hot water (I would have preferred to skip this as a cost driver; in summer you don’t need 270l (71 gallons) of hot water and in winter the sun usually isn’t sufficient despite the south-facing side)
* No electric window openers (but conduits were installed)
* 36.5cm (14.4 inches) aerated concrete walls on the outside and 17.5/11.5cm (6.9/4.5 inches) limestone interior walls
* Interior walls plastered with cement plaster to Q3 level (relatively smooth)
* Plumbing and heating company installed everything. Toilets, sinks, faucets were bought by us (all Villeroy & Boch and GROHE, mostly via eBay)
* Floor tiles and parquet also bought by us and then installed by professionals
The total cost excluding the land was €297,000 (about USD 320,000) including connections and exterior works, garden planting (partly €500 (about USD 540) per tree), double carport, 12sqm (129 sqft) garden shed, 150sqm (1615 sqft) paving, 24sqm (258 sqft) travertine terrace, insurance, surveying, 55t (60 US tons) of topsoil (we added about 20-30cm (8-12 inches) of soil), kitchen and appliances, electric garden gate, and masonry gate pillars (including historically accurate pillar caps) etc.
Land size: 680sqm (7320 sqft)
Living space: 122sqm (1313 sqft)
* 29sqm (312 sqft) living room
* 11.5sqm (124 sqft) kitchen
* 7.5sqm (81 sqft) utility room (laundry hangs from the ceiling with Foxydry)
* approx. 9.5sqm (102 sqft) hallway downstairs
* 11.5sqm (124 sqft) children’s room
* 9sqm (97 sqft) guest room/library/study
* approx. 9.3sqm (100 sqft) bathroom with shower, freestanding bathtub, toilet, bidet, washbasin
* approx. 20sqm (215 sqft) bedroom with walk-in closet/wardrobe
* The attic is currently an unheated storage room but could still be developed.
The space is sufficient, sometimes missing 0.5-1m (1.6-3.3 ft) here and there, but more space would have come at significantly higher construction costs.
What do you think of the floor plan? Any questions?
I’ve attached some pictures to give you a rough idea.
G
Georgian20197 Oct 2021 12:57ypg schrieb:
That’s a bit too dark for me again. I know, photo and all. I can handle that as a photographer. Basically, those corners are too dark for my taste.
Nice chairs 🙂 I deliberately underexposed the photo to create a mood. When focusing the exposure on the furniture, it looks like this… the living room is normally bright. It’s not flooded with natural light, but that’s intentional since it faces south and west. Especially in summer, this makes the living room very comfortable without needing to keep blinds or curtains closed all day long.
G
Georgian20197 Oct 2021 13:06ypg schrieb:
That could be phrased more politely or neutrally. Somehow, it reads like “you must.”
Next time, please address directly “@ypg” so a direct question works better.
The floor plan is not up for debate. It’s simply not “my” house. Personally, I don’t like windowsills or grilles in the panes. However, it fits this house and the original poster’s wishes. And if he’s happy and showing off his villa here, then he’s also open to controversy.
If it were my house, rented or otherwise, I would furnish it brighter, yes. Since I personally have many more windows in the dining area of our house, you can then complement that with slightly darker furniture. Dark furniture absorbs light. Light furniture reflects it.
I would always try to optimize a room according to its purpose—regardless of furniture style. Stylish furniture is also available in light colors, and mirrors add to the effect.
The living space looks more harmonious. A fitting antique/Empire mirror will be placed above the fireplace. It is just difficult to find the exact right mirror in width and height. This will also reflect more light back into the room.
Of course, dark furniture absorbs light. But we like dark woods and antique furniture, as many pieces are family heirlooms. The color scheme is brown, black, and dusty pink. Light furniture doesn’t suit our style… except for a light/white sofa. With a toddler, though, that’s currently unrealistic.
B
Bertram1007 Oct 2021 13:34ypg schrieb:
Dark furniture absorbs light. Light furniture reflects it. However, darker furniture tends to visually recede, while lighter furniture stands out more. For that reason, I chose a black kitchen. Not because the kitchen itself is especially beautiful, but because, in my opinion, it suits the room better and stays more understated.
I really like the living room. I would paint a stripe of lighter green behind the display cabinet; that would make it really nice for me. 🙂 A guitar adds character to any room, just like a piano or a cello or books. 🙂
G
Georgian20197 Oct 2021 13:55Bertram100 schrieb:
Darker furniture visually recedes a bit, while lighter furniture stands out more. For that reason, I chose a black kitchen. Not because the kitchen itself is especially beautiful, but because, in my opinion, it suits the room better and is more understated.
I really like the living room. I would add a stripe of lighter green paint behind the display cabinet—that would make it truly beautiful for me. 🙂 A guitar enhances any room, just like a piano, cello, or books. 🙂 The books are kept in the study and guest room... where there is also a guitar and an amplifier.
ypg schrieb:
That could be phrased in a nicer or more neutral way. Somehow it sounds like "you have to" or "must."
Next time, please address me directly with "@ypg," then direct questions will work better.
The floor plan is not up for debate. It’s just not "my" house. Personally, I don’t like window sills or grids in the panes. However, in this case, it suits the house and the OP’s preferences. And if he’s happy and presenting his villa here, then he’s ready for some controversy.
If it were my house, rented or whatever, I would arrange it to be lighter, yes. Since I personally have much larger windows in the dining area of our house, you can then use slightly darker furniture. Dark furniture absorbs light. Light furniture reflects it.
I would always try to optimize a room according to its function—regardless of furniture style. Stylish furniture can also be light-colored, and mirrors help as well.
The living space looks more harmonious this way. Actually, you were the first to use the word "bitchy."
I just asked a simple question.
Oh, and I forgot an @... stone me.
Snowy36 schrieb:
I just asked a perfectly normal question.Let me say it slowly again: a question with attitude is not a normal question…Snowy36 schrieb:
Well, you were the first to use the word "attitude."… exactly, I’m describing how your, let’s say, rather blunt words come across.Snowy36 schrieb:
Oh, and I forgot an @ … go ahead and stone me.… And then expect others to respond to your question… Maybe you should reflect on your last 3 or 4 posts instead of throwing stones.Similar topics