ᐅ Log Cabin with Half-Hipped Roof by the Forest – How to Improve the Design?
Created on: 11 Jun 2018 19:45
K
keychain
Hello everyone,
We have been planning and actively reading for over a year now. As our plans become more concrete, we would like to present our design and get your feedback.
First of all: Yes, the house is big. It is our dream, we are doing a lot of the work ourselves, and we know that we cannot extend it further — the situation here is a bit unusual, as strictly speaking this is only officially buildable land for a short time window.
A brief introduction: I am 36 years old and co-owner of an IT company. My partner is 31 and works as a lecturer. About two years ago, we found our dream plot — a little over 2800sqm (about 0.7 acres), with direct forest access and located in the third row. All neighboring plots are, as far as possible, already built on, mostly with former weekend houses or residential homes.
First, the questionnaire:
Building plan / restrictions?
No, there is no building plan, so we are following common local building standards. The neighboring house has two full stories, which we are using as a reference.
Plot size
2800sqm (about 0.7 acres)
Slope
Slight slope; we are on a ridge of the Ore Mountains. The building site has a height difference of max. 60cm (about 2 feet) from northeast to southwest. The entire plot slopes about 1.80m (6 feet) downward to the south along the west boundary. Rocky ground starting at 2.5m (8 feet) depth.
Plot ratio / floor area ratio
No exact figures known; according to the lawyer from the building permit office, we are well within limits.
Building envelope, building line and boundary
None
Boundary setbacks
Do you mean setback distances and boundary construction? If so: 3m (10 feet) all around; boundary construction for sheds and garages is theoretically permitted.
Number of parking spaces
1–2 under the porch + double garage.
Number of floors
2
Roof type
Half-hipped roof (Dutch hip roof).
Architectural style
Hmm... not sure?
Orientation
South-southwest
Maximum height/limits
None
Other requirements
Homeowners’ needs
We want our house to welcome us. Warm wood, natural building materials, lots of light and air — high ceilings, large beams. It should blend well with the environment, be warm and cozy.
Style, roof type, building type
Log house made from glue-laminated beams (probably Finnlog).
Basement, floors
Fully basemented with two full floors.
Number of residents, age
Currently 2 people. Children may come, parents as well.
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor
Currently about 300sqm (about 3200 sqft). This seems quite large, but looking at individual rooms (living/dining area) I don’t know where else to put the sound system. Maybe the planning is off or our space expectations are. We don’t have a TV; the fireplace is the central element.
Office: family use or home office?
An office is planned, but only as a fallback. I don’t want to work from home and only need space for private files and a desk.
Guest bedrooms per year
Variable, currently very few. Hopefully many more with the house — then we can accommodate them.
Open or closed architecture
Mixed. I prefer open, but an open void above the living area is not possible if you don’t want all cooking smells in the bedroom.
Traditional or modern construction
Hmm... solid wood house? Traditional.
Open kitchen, cooking island
An open, large kitchen with a big island where more than two people can cook comfortably. No seating in the kitchen, but a huge workspace.
Number of dining seats
10
Fireplace
Yes, a large soapstone stove.
Music / stereo wall
I am considering installating a Sonos system with a music room in the basement.
Balcony, roof terrace
No; we have a garden for that.
Garage, carport
Both; at least the entrance canopy is large enough for one car.
Vegetable garden, greenhouse
We want a greenhouse, a swimming pond, and a fire pit.
Other wishes / special features / daily routine, including reasons why or why not
House design
Who designed it:
The design was created with an architect, based on our drafts.
What do you particularly like? Why?
High ceilings and visible ceiling beams on the upper floor, separated area upstairs for us, the fireplace room as a second retreat, the single-story “extension” for the dining room, the large kitchen, the fireplaces... and especially the abundant wood.
What don’t you like? Why?
The gable windows should get an added triangular top to maximize light. The current window layout feels a bit outdated. We actually wanted an open void, but this can’t be sensibly integrated. Heating is a constant issue and never fully resolved.
The worst: the master bathroom fixtures. We want a large bathtub and a double shower. Either the bathroom is too small or we lack imagination. It doesn’t look cozy...
Preferred heating system: currently unfortunately natural gas. Solid fuel heating is out for various reasons: a wood gasifier is too expensive and labor-intensive; pellet or woodchip stoves are not economical, plus we can’t reliably get deliveries in winter when the road is snowed in. Natural gas is about 100m (330 feet) away; we are still waiting for connection cost estimates. Heat pumps only make financial sense with geothermal; however, installation and technology would then be more expensive than a current compact car. We do not want oil heating or liquefied gas tanks.
If you have to omit something, which details/extensions
-can you omit:
-can you not omit:
Why is the design like it is now? For example:
The architect received a draft from us, every room was discussed beforehand (use, size, contents), and the design was revised multiple times. We like that it implements nearly everything we wanted and that the house does not look too bulky — due to the half-hipped roof and the gables, it does not seem so on the plans at least.
What is your most important / basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
Apart from the effort for plastering: is the floor plan practical? For example: washing machine on the first floor where laundry occurs, bathroom for the children...
Now some free text — our notes:
Some things are already different from the plans:
We have also been thinking about other things:
I think that’s it. Thanks for your opinions!
We have been planning and actively reading for over a year now. As our plans become more concrete, we would like to present our design and get your feedback.
First of all: Yes, the house is big. It is our dream, we are doing a lot of the work ourselves, and we know that we cannot extend it further — the situation here is a bit unusual, as strictly speaking this is only officially buildable land for a short time window.
A brief introduction: I am 36 years old and co-owner of an IT company. My partner is 31 and works as a lecturer. About two years ago, we found our dream plot — a little over 2800sqm (about 0.7 acres), with direct forest access and located in the third row. All neighboring plots are, as far as possible, already built on, mostly with former weekend houses or residential homes.
First, the questionnaire:
Building plan / restrictions?
No, there is no building plan, so we are following common local building standards. The neighboring house has two full stories, which we are using as a reference.
Plot size
2800sqm (about 0.7 acres)
Slope
Slight slope; we are on a ridge of the Ore Mountains. The building site has a height difference of max. 60cm (about 2 feet) from northeast to southwest. The entire plot slopes about 1.80m (6 feet) downward to the south along the west boundary. Rocky ground starting at 2.5m (8 feet) depth.
Plot ratio / floor area ratio
No exact figures known; according to the lawyer from the building permit office, we are well within limits.
Building envelope, building line and boundary
None
Boundary setbacks
Do you mean setback distances and boundary construction? If so: 3m (10 feet) all around; boundary construction for sheds and garages is theoretically permitted.
Number of parking spaces
1–2 under the porch + double garage.
Number of floors
2
Roof type
Half-hipped roof (Dutch hip roof).
Architectural style
Hmm... not sure?
Orientation
South-southwest
Maximum height/limits
None
Other requirements
Homeowners’ needs
We want our house to welcome us. Warm wood, natural building materials, lots of light and air — high ceilings, large beams. It should blend well with the environment, be warm and cozy.
Style, roof type, building type
Log house made from glue-laminated beams (probably Finnlog).
Basement, floors
Fully basemented with two full floors.
Number of residents, age
Currently 2 people. Children may come, parents as well.
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor
Currently about 300sqm (about 3200 sqft). This seems quite large, but looking at individual rooms (living/dining area) I don’t know where else to put the sound system. Maybe the planning is off or our space expectations are. We don’t have a TV; the fireplace is the central element.
Office: family use or home office?
An office is planned, but only as a fallback. I don’t want to work from home and only need space for private files and a desk.
Guest bedrooms per year
Variable, currently very few. Hopefully many more with the house — then we can accommodate them.
Open or closed architecture
Mixed. I prefer open, but an open void above the living area is not possible if you don’t want all cooking smells in the bedroom.
Traditional or modern construction
Hmm... solid wood house? Traditional.
Open kitchen, cooking island
An open, large kitchen with a big island where more than two people can cook comfortably. No seating in the kitchen, but a huge workspace.
Number of dining seats
10
Fireplace
Yes, a large soapstone stove.
Music / stereo wall
I am considering installating a Sonos system with a music room in the basement.
Balcony, roof terrace
No; we have a garden for that.
Garage, carport
Both; at least the entrance canopy is large enough for one car.
Vegetable garden, greenhouse
We want a greenhouse, a swimming pond, and a fire pit.
Other wishes / special features / daily routine, including reasons why or why not
House design
Who designed it:
The design was created with an architect, based on our drafts.
What do you particularly like? Why?
High ceilings and visible ceiling beams on the upper floor, separated area upstairs for us, the fireplace room as a second retreat, the single-story “extension” for the dining room, the large kitchen, the fireplaces... and especially the abundant wood.
What don’t you like? Why?
The gable windows should get an added triangular top to maximize light. The current window layout feels a bit outdated. We actually wanted an open void, but this can’t be sensibly integrated. Heating is a constant issue and never fully resolved.
The worst: the master bathroom fixtures. We want a large bathtub and a double shower. Either the bathroom is too small or we lack imagination. It doesn’t look cozy...
Preferred heating system: currently unfortunately natural gas. Solid fuel heating is out for various reasons: a wood gasifier is too expensive and labor-intensive; pellet or woodchip stoves are not economical, plus we can’t reliably get deliveries in winter when the road is snowed in. Natural gas is about 100m (330 feet) away; we are still waiting for connection cost estimates. Heat pumps only make financial sense with geothermal; however, installation and technology would then be more expensive than a current compact car. We do not want oil heating or liquefied gas tanks.
If you have to omit something, which details/extensions
-can you omit:
-can you not omit:
Why is the design like it is now? For example:
The architect received a draft from us, every room was discussed beforehand (use, size, contents), and the design was revised multiple times. We like that it implements nearly everything we wanted and that the house does not look too bulky — due to the half-hipped roof and the gables, it does not seem so on the plans at least.
What is your most important / basic question about the floor plan in 130 characters?
Apart from the effort for plastering: is the floor plan practical? For example: washing machine on the first floor where laundry occurs, bathroom for the children...
Now some free text — our notes:
Some things are already different from the plans:
- All windows can be opened.
- Sliding doors open outwards, not inwards.
- All dormer windows will not be rectangular but have added triangular tops.
- Between the hallway and living area there is no central post; instead, a large double door is planned.
- The basement has a technical room beside the stairs, designed as a through room. In my opinion, this is a poor solution; we probably also need to plan a separate boiler room.
- Where the embankment is drawn, doors will be installed. This will allow the large rooms to get natural daylight and be usable living space.
- The stair step projecting into the hallway is bad and will definitely be removed.
We have also been thinking about other things:
- The hallway upstairs is planned as a “library.” To bring in light, we intend to use two light wells with diameters of 30–35cm (12–14 inches). The advantage: it will never be completely dark at night when someone needs to use the bathroom.
- The fireplace will be a soapstone stove; no plan exists yet. Strictly speaking, it will not stand against a wall but form the wall itself. We also planned a second connection in the fireplace room; originally we wanted a tunnel fireplace but were convinced it’s not a good idea as a room divider.
- The children’s rooms are not ideal — one faces north, the other south. We could make two narrow, elongated rooms and a corridor so both face south, but we consider that clearly suboptimal.
- All doors on the ground floor will be 1m (3.3 feet) wide to at least accommodate wheelchair access reasonably.
I think that’s it. Thanks for your opinions!
Do not place the washing machine in the bathroom. This is common in apartments or small houses.
Now that there are two of you, and possibly up to six people in the future, a large amount of laundry will accumulate.
We have 8m² (86 sq ft) of space to sort laundry, with a washing machine, dryer, a small drying rack, and a sink for handwashing, soaking stains, etc. There is also a kettle, water, bottles, and powdered milk. Who wants to go on a nighttime trek?
Now that there are two of you, and possibly up to six people in the future, a large amount of laundry will accumulate.
We have 8m² (86 sq ft) of space to sort laundry, with a washing machine, dryer, a small drying rack, and a sink for handwashing, soaking stains, etc. There is also a kettle, water, bottles, and powdered milk. Who wants to go on a nighttime trek?
B
Bieber081512 Jun 2018 11:08The Living Room 2 on the ground floor would be my choice for the library.
On the upper floor, I would remove the offset between Bedroom 2 and Bedroom 3. Then move the door to Bedroom 3 further down as per the plan. Otherwise, the layout of the upper floor would need to be reconsidered.
On the upper floor, I would remove the offset between Bedroom 2 and Bedroom 3. Then move the door to Bedroom 3 further down as per the plan. Otherwise, the layout of the upper floor would need to be reconsidered.
It is usually possible to create an additional room upstairs later on if needed. However, I get the impression that doing so now would be more of a knee-jerk reaction. I can’t think of a good reason for it, except that having an unused 30 sqm (320 sq ft) hallway seems like a complete waste.
If I’m correct, the shafts are intended for water supply and drainage pipes. I still need to confirm that because, as mentioned, there was originally a laundry chute planned that no longer exists. You prefer having the shaft—don’t you find the distances a bit long though? Especially since I currently don’t see where in the basement it could go. Besides the two storage rooms for food and other items, we only have the utility and boiler room, which still needs to be divided, the bathroom, and the two rooms for personal use—or however you want to label billiard room/gym/party room.
The kitchen cabinets are planned with a depth of 60 cm (24 inches), and the island with 120 cm (47 inches). It shouldn’t be a problem to add another 10 cm (4 inches) without making it too tight. If necessary, the exterior wall could be moved out by 10 to 20 cm (4 to 8 inches), but that’s a good point to discuss further. So far, we’ve talked over the clearance spaces with several kitchen studios to get an idea; a final kitchen plan has not been made yet.
I didn’t really notice the closet in the guest room—you mean it makes the entrance area too dark? We’ll see if changing the bed placement might help to integrate a closet in a sensible way.
If I’m correct, the shafts are intended for water supply and drainage pipes. I still need to confirm that because, as mentioned, there was originally a laundry chute planned that no longer exists. You prefer having the shaft—don’t you find the distances a bit long though? Especially since I currently don’t see where in the basement it could go. Besides the two storage rooms for food and other items, we only have the utility and boiler room, which still needs to be divided, the bathroom, and the two rooms for personal use—or however you want to label billiard room/gym/party room.
The kitchen cabinets are planned with a depth of 60 cm (24 inches), and the island with 120 cm (47 inches). It shouldn’t be a problem to add another 10 cm (4 inches) without making it too tight. If necessary, the exterior wall could be moved out by 10 to 20 cm (4 to 8 inches), but that’s a good point to discuss further. So far, we’ve talked over the clearance spaces with several kitchen studios to get an idea; a final kitchen plan has not been made yet.
I didn’t really notice the closet in the guest room—you mean it makes the entrance area too dark? We’ll see if changing the bed placement might help to integrate a closet in a sensible way.
@haydee thanks for your input
Maybe I should explain the hallway situation from the beginning so it doesn’t seem completely random. Originally, we wanted to include an open space. The ground floor came first and we really liked it because everything was exactly how it should be. For the upper floor, we knew we wanted the trio of bedroom, walk-in closet, and bathroom – plus the children’s rooms each with their own bathroom. The current hallway was more than 50% open space. We had it closed off because all the cooking smells would immediately settle in the sleeping area, the children couldn’t sleep peacefully when we were in the living room or vice versa later, and the ceiling appearance would have been a complete mess – open to the top over the dining area with visible beams, followed by the open space, and then suddenly a normal ceiling without visible beams over half of the living room.
Now we have a large room with relatively small windows. Arrow slit-like – is it really that bad? Or does it just seem that way compared to the rest? Are light wells, maybe even more than two, useful to make the room more functional? Or are they simply 30 sq.m (320 sq.ft) of dead space? Our idea was to create a library there to give the space a new purpose. We can also use artificial lighting there, and it frees up our fireplace room a bit (where the whiskey collection will be, if any of it is left ).
Regarding the children’s bathroom near the bedrooms: We tried multiple layouts but never found one that made us happy because placing the bathroom on the side of the children’s rooms quickly makes those rooms very small. Putting the bathroom in the hallway area doesn’t make it any brighter, and we’d have to be very careful about acoustic separation.
The staircase… yeah, that’s probably still an issue. It’s not that tiny, but it looks odd. We urgently need a new design that makes sure nothing protrudes into the hallway. I hope we’ll soon get a drawing from the carpenter who is making it.
The house should combine as many natural materials as possible. All exterior walls are left unfinished on both sides. The interior doors will probably be made of two-tone ash as solid wood doors, and parquet flooring will be installed in the fireplace room. Otherwise, we mostly use slate on the ground floor, and nice carpets in all the bedrooms. The staircase will likely be wood, but nothing is decided yet. On the ground floor, the ceiling beams are only visible at room transitions; the others will be covered, and the ceilings painted white. Otherwise, in large rooms, the beams often make the space feel much lower. On the upper floor, this shouldn’t happen because of the high ceilings, where the beams will remain visible.
Maybe I should explain the hallway situation from the beginning so it doesn’t seem completely random. Originally, we wanted to include an open space. The ground floor came first and we really liked it because everything was exactly how it should be. For the upper floor, we knew we wanted the trio of bedroom, walk-in closet, and bathroom – plus the children’s rooms each with their own bathroom. The current hallway was more than 50% open space. We had it closed off because all the cooking smells would immediately settle in the sleeping area, the children couldn’t sleep peacefully when we were in the living room or vice versa later, and the ceiling appearance would have been a complete mess – open to the top over the dining area with visible beams, followed by the open space, and then suddenly a normal ceiling without visible beams over half of the living room.
Now we have a large room with relatively small windows. Arrow slit-like – is it really that bad? Or does it just seem that way compared to the rest? Are light wells, maybe even more than two, useful to make the room more functional? Or are they simply 30 sq.m (320 sq.ft) of dead space? Our idea was to create a library there to give the space a new purpose. We can also use artificial lighting there, and it frees up our fireplace room a bit (where the whiskey collection will be, if any of it is left ).
Regarding the children’s bathroom near the bedrooms: We tried multiple layouts but never found one that made us happy because placing the bathroom on the side of the children’s rooms quickly makes those rooms very small. Putting the bathroom in the hallway area doesn’t make it any brighter, and we’d have to be very careful about acoustic separation.
The staircase… yeah, that’s probably still an issue. It’s not that tiny, but it looks odd. We urgently need a new design that makes sure nothing protrudes into the hallway. I hope we’ll soon get a drawing from the carpenter who is making it.
The house should combine as many natural materials as possible. All exterior walls are left unfinished on both sides. The interior doors will probably be made of two-tone ash as solid wood doors, and parquet flooring will be installed in the fireplace room. Otherwise, we mostly use slate on the ground floor, and nice carpets in all the bedrooms. The staircase will likely be wood, but nothing is decided yet. On the ground floor, the ceiling beams are only visible at room transitions; the others will be covered, and the ceilings painted white. Otherwise, in large rooms, the beams often make the space feel much lower. On the upper floor, this shouldn’t happen because of the high ceilings, where the beams will remain visible.
Utility shafts for service lines can be integrated more discreetly. A protrusion in the middle of the wall would be awkward. It’s better to opt for a full partition wall with less depth.
I thought doing laundry was mandatory in the basement. Considering the missing laundry room upstairs, the unattractive bathroom, and the useless 30m² (320ft²) hallway, I would reconsider the entire upper floor. Also, you're unsure whether both children’s rooms should face south. This clearly calls for a different solution.
I only mentioned the kitchen depth in case you want 70cm (28 inches) at some point, so it doesn’t become too tight with the window.
Do all cabinets have to be built-in? If so, keep it that way. Otherwise, I’m always in favor of neutral solutions. If the children want to arrange their rooms differently later, they won’t have an awkward corner on the wall. Then poster wallpapers of their favorite rock star will fit perfectly too.
I thought doing laundry was mandatory in the basement. Considering the missing laundry room upstairs, the unattractive bathroom, and the useless 30m² (320ft²) hallway, I would reconsider the entire upper floor. Also, you're unsure whether both children’s rooms should face south. This clearly calls for a different solution.
I only mentioned the kitchen depth in case you want 70cm (28 inches) at some point, so it doesn’t become too tight with the window.
Do all cabinets have to be built-in? If so, keep it that way. Otherwise, I’m always in favor of neutral solutions. If the children want to arrange their rooms differently later, they won’t have an awkward corner on the wall. Then poster wallpapers of their favorite rock star will fit perfectly too.
I believe the upper floor has caused us the most headaches so far, so I’m open to all suggestions. Of course, we’re initially planning quite selfishly, meaning our bedroom has the best view and is almost perfect. I’m reluctant to give it up, even though the reasons are clear: as a child, you only have one room “of your own,” and it should be special and serve more than just as a bedroom for us. But if I give both dormers on the south side to the kids, who aren’t here yet, where do I put the parents’ rooms—that is, the three rooms? Does anyone have an idea or a drawing?
For your information: There are no load-bearing walls inside, but two beams in the continuous walls next to the corridor pull the exterior walls together.
For your information: There are no load-bearing walls inside, but two beams in the continuous walls next to the corridor pull the exterior walls together.
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