Hello dear house and kitchen experts,
we are currently planning our little house and after 3 months, we almost have the floor plan finished.
Due to the low knee walls (eaves height according to the development plan), we are planning a third gable with four floor-to-ceiling windows (all symmetrical). A room will be added upstairs, and the adjoining rooms will get extra windows and floor space. So far, so good.
Downstairs, the kitchen is planned with an exit to the terrace (which faces southwest). The terrace will wrap around the house up to the living room area.
Now the problem we are struggling with:
We want to be able to look outside while working and not always have our backs to the windows.
Because of the floor-to-ceiling windows, the available space for kitchen units is limited.
We have an L-shaped kitchen layout, but it’s “inward” facing.
We were also thinking about a kitchen island
that can be approached from different sides.
However, proper clearances must be maintained and access to the windows (for cleaning) must be possible.
We just can’t seem to move forward, and frustration is growing… although we should actually be excited.
We have also considered slightly widening the kitchen at the expense of the hallway. The house shouldn’t get much wider due to neighbor distance requirements, which is currently about 6m (20 feet), since the terrace will be added as well.
I would be genuinely grateful for your help and suggestions to optimize this.
Trapped in our own planning. The squared circle?
I have attached the floor plan with the kitchen island variants. It’s a bit rough with pencil marks but the result of extended considerations.
Best regards, Helene
P.S. Note: Transom windows might be difficult due to the very low height and for aesthetic reasons, since a door should be able to open.
we are currently planning our little house and after 3 months, we almost have the floor plan finished.
Due to the low knee walls (eaves height according to the development plan), we are planning a third gable with four floor-to-ceiling windows (all symmetrical). A room will be added upstairs, and the adjoining rooms will get extra windows and floor space. So far, so good.
Downstairs, the kitchen is planned with an exit to the terrace (which faces southwest). The terrace will wrap around the house up to the living room area.
Now the problem we are struggling with:
We want to be able to look outside while working and not always have our backs to the windows.
Because of the floor-to-ceiling windows, the available space for kitchen units is limited.
We have an L-shaped kitchen layout, but it’s “inward” facing.
We were also thinking about a kitchen island
that can be approached from different sides.
However, proper clearances must be maintained and access to the windows (for cleaning) must be possible.
We just can’t seem to move forward, and frustration is growing… although we should actually be excited.
We have also considered slightly widening the kitchen at the expense of the hallway. The house shouldn’t get much wider due to neighbor distance requirements, which is currently about 6m (20 feet), since the terrace will be added as well.
I would be genuinely grateful for your help and suggestions to optimize this.
Trapped in our own planning. The squared circle?
I have attached the floor plan with the kitchen island variants. It’s a bit rough with pencil marks but the result of extended considerations.
Best regards, Helene
P.S. Note: Transom windows might be difficult due to the very low height and for aesthetic reasons, since a door should be able to open.
Hello uwe, thank you. I have attached a picture of how it currently looks from the outside.
Otherwise, it appears quite asymmetrical up there since there are also 4 windows (maybe I described that unclearly).
A traditional brick-faced gable roof house with a modern gable...
Otherwise, it appears quite asymmetrical up there since there are also 4 windows (maybe I described that unclearly).
A traditional brick-faced gable roof house with a modern gable...
Regarding the floor plan, as the kitchen depends on it. I think the staircase will be too tight. The planned stairwell opening you have is for an emergency staircase. Therefore, when a professional makes corrections, the floor plan will likely change, or there will be even less space for the staircase.
If the plan is implemented as is, a rough construction dimension of 3.25 m (10 feet 8 inches) is far too small to accommodate an island. I would recommend swapping the living area and kitchen instead.
However, I am also not convinced by the large number of narrow windows. It is fine to use two or three narrow windows as accents and for natural light, for example in the stairwell area or at the end of a corridor, but these won’t provide much of a view (consider the frame thickness—a cornice is about 10 cm (4 inches), plus the frame itself). Also, you should allow for a bit more clearance in walkways; you’ll want to comfortably carry a tablet through the patio door, for example.
Having so many narrow windows in a small area is not visually appealing. I would reconsider this!
Edit: The symmetry feels almost overwhelming.
If the plan is implemented as is, a rough construction dimension of 3.25 m (10 feet 8 inches) is far too small to accommodate an island. I would recommend swapping the living area and kitchen instead.
However, I am also not convinced by the large number of narrow windows. It is fine to use two or three narrow windows as accents and for natural light, for example in the stairwell area or at the end of a corridor, but these won’t provide much of a view (consider the frame thickness—a cornice is about 10 cm (4 inches), plus the frame itself). Also, you should allow for a bit more clearance in walkways; you’ll want to comfortably carry a tablet through the patio door, for example.
Having so many narrow windows in a small area is not visually appealing. I would reconsider this!
Edit: The symmetry feels almost overwhelming.
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