Hello everyone, we need your ideas….
This is a commercial boundary development with 230m² (2,474 sq ft). A double extension has been added to the main house, which we have marked in red as a “breakthrough.” Therefore, changes such as creating a new opening or relocating a door in these areas are not possible. So far, only the exterior walls (thick walls in the sketch) exist; the rest needs to be newly constructed.
The ceiling height is currently 3m (10 ft). It is a bungalow with a flat roof, which we would like to modify. This needs to be discussed with the roofer because the extension is connected to a residential building, and windows etc. must be taken into account.
There are display windows on all three structures, which we have already replaced in our plan with regular windows. We would like to move the entrance door to create a room for the heating system. If possible, we want to use geothermal heating. Underfloor heating is planned for the kitchen, bathrooms, hallway, and living room, and depending on the budget, in the other rooms as well.
An open-plan kitchen-living area is not an option for us, nor do we want any rooms to be walk-through rooms. The plan must include 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1 office, living room, and kitchen. So far, we are 2 adults and 2 small children.
Unfortunately, we do not have a basement room, so this area is unavailable for use. Below us are garages or basements, where parts of the sewage system may possibly be located.
Structural information will still be obtained to consider the use of materials for walls and more. We would like to work with aerated concrete, if possible.
We are open to ideas so that our dream of a home can become a reality soon.
Thank you very much in advance for your efforts and have a nice weekend.
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I have taken the liberty of replacing the pdf attachments with visible jpgs so that all users can participate in the discussion.
Best regards, Building Expert
Building Expert
This is a commercial boundary development with 230m² (2,474 sq ft). A double extension has been added to the main house, which we have marked in red as a “breakthrough.” Therefore, changes such as creating a new opening or relocating a door in these areas are not possible. So far, only the exterior walls (thick walls in the sketch) exist; the rest needs to be newly constructed.
The ceiling height is currently 3m (10 ft). It is a bungalow with a flat roof, which we would like to modify. This needs to be discussed with the roofer because the extension is connected to a residential building, and windows etc. must be taken into account.
There are display windows on all three structures, which we have already replaced in our plan with regular windows. We would like to move the entrance door to create a room for the heating system. If possible, we want to use geothermal heating. Underfloor heating is planned for the kitchen, bathrooms, hallway, and living room, and depending on the budget, in the other rooms as well.
An open-plan kitchen-living area is not an option for us, nor do we want any rooms to be walk-through rooms. The plan must include 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1 office, living room, and kitchen. So far, we are 2 adults and 2 small children.
Unfortunately, we do not have a basement room, so this area is unavailable for use. Below us are garages or basements, where parts of the sewage system may possibly be located.
Structural information will still be obtained to consider the use of materials for walls and more. We would like to work with aerated concrete, if possible.
We are open to ideas so that our dream of a home can become a reality soon.
Thank you very much in advance for your efforts and have a nice weekend.
-----------------------------------
I have taken the liberty of replacing the pdf attachments with visible jpgs so that all users can participate in the discussion.
Best regards, Building Expert
Building Expert
Just as there is no right or wrong when it comes to brainstorming, the same applies here—whether one is better than the other is debatable—they are simply different!
Certainly, @avalanche must have had some thoughts about one or the other, and the architect has surely considered what is possible and what is not.
Both have long corridors. I have reviewed the plans several times.
My opinion: Overall, the entire "children’s wing" in Kerstin’s plan @kbt09 is much better designed. It is more open, and the rooms are more appealing.
I don’t care about window symmetry there—no one really stays in that area anyway, since it’s known as the marginal part of the building.
And @Climbee expressed what I felt intuitively but could not put into words: a prison corridor feeling.
That corridor winding around the living room is really unnecessary. Truly!
Keep in mind that every family member has to walk that corridor multiple times a day. Each person is therefore isolated from the others when they want to withdraw.
Honestly, I would be worried if there was ever a fire. Maybe the oppressive feeling is somewhat exaggerated, considering we live in an age where messaging often replaces conversations??? 😱
I don’t even know why a living room as a walk-through room was defined as a no-go in the original post. Was it?
The fact is that through the stages of house planning, you learn to accept some things as given and are willing to compromise on others. I can also understand that with three children, you would prefer to have the stove in a separate room.
But isn’t it also true for a larger family that communication is important? That you are more willing to have a central communication area?
I did some sketching, keeping Kerstin’s children’s wing mostly as is, including the kitchen, although I made it slightly smaller and placed the communication area by the window.
The utility room and office could be swapped if desired. The important thing is to keep all living areas inside the house and not attached to a narrow corridor.
This way, you can create a large entrance hall, then a front door to the apartment, with double doors immediately to the left leading into the open kitchen-living area.
Those who want to retreat can go through the living room: parents straight ahead (the bedroom could be furnished differently), while the children have a large living hallway in front of their rooms. Centrally, there is a large living room with space for TV, seating, and possibly a desk.
If the parents want more quiet, they can watch TV in the bedroom. The location is relatively close to the children’s rooms, yet still separate.
I would also like to say something about the planned windows: these are not optimal in the multifunctional rooms either. At least here, you should plan for larger window fronts if the structure allows it. Because even the interruptions of small windows by walls can create a prison-like feeling, as you encounter a disruptive wall in your view.
Certainly, @avalanche must have had some thoughts about one or the other, and the architect has surely considered what is possible and what is not.
Both have long corridors. I have reviewed the plans several times.
My opinion: Overall, the entire "children’s wing" in Kerstin’s plan @kbt09 is much better designed. It is more open, and the rooms are more appealing.
I don’t care about window symmetry there—no one really stays in that area anyway, since it’s known as the marginal part of the building.
And @Climbee expressed what I felt intuitively but could not put into words: a prison corridor feeling.
That corridor winding around the living room is really unnecessary. Truly!
Keep in mind that every family member has to walk that corridor multiple times a day. Each person is therefore isolated from the others when they want to withdraw.
Honestly, I would be worried if there was ever a fire. Maybe the oppressive feeling is somewhat exaggerated, considering we live in an age where messaging often replaces conversations??? 😱
I don’t even know why a living room as a walk-through room was defined as a no-go in the original post. Was it?
The fact is that through the stages of house planning, you learn to accept some things as given and are willing to compromise on others. I can also understand that with three children, you would prefer to have the stove in a separate room.
But isn’t it also true for a larger family that communication is important? That you are more willing to have a central communication area?
I did some sketching, keeping Kerstin’s children’s wing mostly as is, including the kitchen, although I made it slightly smaller and placed the communication area by the window.
The utility room and office could be swapped if desired. The important thing is to keep all living areas inside the house and not attached to a narrow corridor.
This way, you can create a large entrance hall, then a front door to the apartment, with double doors immediately to the left leading into the open kitchen-living area.
Those who want to retreat can go through the living room: parents straight ahead (the bedroom could be furnished differently), while the children have a large living hallway in front of their rooms. Centrally, there is a large living room with space for TV, seating, and possibly a desk.
If the parents want more quiet, they can watch TV in the bedroom. The location is relatively close to the children’s rooms, yet still separate.
I would also like to say something about the planned windows: these are not optimal in the multifunctional rooms either. At least here, you should plan for larger window fronts if the structure allows it. Because even the interruptions of small windows by walls can create a prison-like feeling, as you encounter a disruptive wall in your view.
I like Yvonne’s layout, but personally, I would prefer to have the kitchen as the walk-through room. We currently have the living room as the walk-through space, and it’s… well, okay, but it gets a bit awkward when my husband’s teenage son is around. (Speaking purely from an emotional perspective.)
Is there really any reason not to move an exterior wall slightly? If you shifted the wall of the currently planned kitchen a bit more toward the garden, you would have a really nice open-plan living, dining, and kitchen area. You were planning to renovate the roof anyway.
Is there really any reason not to move an exterior wall slightly? If you shifted the wall of the currently planned kitchen a bit more toward the garden, you would have a really nice open-plan living, dining, and kitchen area. You were planning to renovate the roof anyway.
Evolith schrieb:
I like Yvonne’s layout, but personally I would prefer the kitchen to be a walkthrough room. We currently have the living room as a walkthrough, and it’s… well, okay, but when our husband’s teenage son is around, it feels a bit awkward. (speaking emotionally)
Is there actually any reason not to slightly move an exterior wall? If you shifted the wall of the currently planned kitchen a bit more toward the garden, you would have a really nice open plan living-dining-kitchen area. You were planning to renovate the roof anyway.I think the effort isn’t worth it because of the external slab and so on. Also, the space seems sufficiently large.
Personally, I would also prefer a central kitchen with a large table, but from what I remember, the OP wasn’t very enthusiastic about that. The original plan also had a central living room, so my idea probably has a more positive appeal 🙂
Regards
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