Hello everyone,
I am relatively new to the topic of house building and design.
My current question is: what are the advantages and disadvantages of having a hallway at the main entrance versus not having one?
Specifically, the current ground floor plan includes a large open-plan kitchen and living area, a staircase leading upstairs, and a guest bathroom.
What are the pros and cons of having a hallway right behind the main entrance?
That is, do you enter a small hallway first when coming into the house, or do you walk directly into the large open-plan kitchen and living area?
Thank you very much for your help in advance.
Best regards,
rkunze65
I am relatively new to the topic of house building and design.
My current question is: what are the advantages and disadvantages of having a hallway at the main entrance versus not having one?
Specifically, the current ground floor plan includes a large open-plan kitchen and living area, a staircase leading upstairs, and a guest bathroom.
What are the pros and cons of having a hallway right behind the main entrance?
That is, do you enter a small hallway first when coming into the house, or do you walk directly into the large open-plan kitchen and living area?
Thank you very much for your help in advance.
Best regards,
rkunze65
I
Irgendwoabaier14 Feb 2015 18:48Hello,
from my parents’ experience: a vestibule serves, among other things, to catch dirt as early as possible. The coat area was then located behind it in the large hallway (1970s bungalow). The biggest risk was when someone opened the front door (east side), left the inner door open, and someone else opened the patio door at the back (west side). Many glass panels in the inner door ended up broken that way.
At my parents-in-law’s house (1970s): no vestibule, the front door opened directly into a hallway that ran through the entire house. Not very pleasant – you could feel it in the kitchen during winter when someone opened the front door.
Our house’s design didn’t include a vestibule either; it led straight into a large hallway with a coat area and stairs up and down. There was another door leading to the living area. It felt friendly but the hallway was quite busy (with a ride-on car, children’s boots, jackets here and there, etc.).
So we deliberately chose a slightly larger vestibule / coat area – with a branch off to a ground floor shower room (which is well used, especially when someone comes in after running). The stairway and the transition to the kitchen / dining-living area stay tidier, and it feels cozier inside. I am still searching for the right wardrobe or a skilled carpenter – I fear I’ll have to design the coat closet myself.
from my parents’ experience: a vestibule serves, among other things, to catch dirt as early as possible. The coat area was then located behind it in the large hallway (1970s bungalow). The biggest risk was when someone opened the front door (east side), left the inner door open, and someone else opened the patio door at the back (west side). Many glass panels in the inner door ended up broken that way.
At my parents-in-law’s house (1970s): no vestibule, the front door opened directly into a hallway that ran through the entire house. Not very pleasant – you could feel it in the kitchen during winter when someone opened the front door.
Our house’s design didn’t include a vestibule either; it led straight into a large hallway with a coat area and stairs up and down. There was another door leading to the living area. It felt friendly but the hallway was quite busy (with a ride-on car, children’s boots, jackets here and there, etc.).
So we deliberately chose a slightly larger vestibule / coat area – with a branch off to a ground floor shower room (which is well used, especially when someone comes in after running). The stairway and the transition to the kitchen / dining-living area stay tidier, and it feels cozier inside. I am still searching for the right wardrobe or a skilled carpenter – I fear I’ll have to design the coat closet myself.
W
willWohnen14 Feb 2015 22:34Entering the living area directly from the front door is something I have only seen in American TV shows and movies, and I have always found it quite unusual.
In our rental apartment, we didn’t have a hallway. So, jackets and shoes were just placed right next to the dining or living room furniture. It always looked a bit messy there. That’s why for us, having a hallway was a must. But of course, that’s a matter of personal taste—just like an open kitchen, which I never wanted and never will have. Consider the pros and cons, and maybe take a look at some solutions with an open living area. Then you’ll surely find what suits you best.
H
HilfeHilfe2 Mar 2015 07:29Do you have children? If so, bring on the hallway!
When the order comes to head out into the wild, you’ll be thankful.
When the order comes to head out into the wild, you’ll be thankful.
willWohnen schrieb:
The idea of entering the living area directly from the front door is something I've only seen in American TV shows and movies, and I've always found it quite unusual. My wife has an aunt in L.A. who lives in a bungalow like that. The small hallway area flows straight into the living room. Coats (if you even need them in California) are tucked away in one of the many built-in closets. This can definitely feel cozy, but due to the climate, it’s only somewhat transferable to Germany.
We do have a hallway but deliberately left out the door between the hallway and living room, with the option to add it later. Relatives and friends kept telling us that we would definitely install that door by winter at the latest. So far, I haven’t missed it, and we certainly don’t miss having an enclosed entrance area. Most of our doors are open anyway. I think 30 years ago, no one could have imagined an open-plan kitchen and living space, so why not an open hallway?
Similar topics