ᐅ Major flaws in the floor plan? Kitchen too small?

Hello everyone,

Based on the floor plans attached, the architect from the general contractor is now planning our house. The floor plans were created by us as a guideline for the architect. Please don’t scrutinize too closely whether doors, frames, or windows are exactly right, as, for example, they are definitely not finalized yet.

The first drawings from the architect are expected to arrive after Christmas. The architect had relatively few comments on the floor plans. From his perspective, the hallway on the upper floor is too large, and there will be a few minor changes made in the bathroom. The chimney flue also needs to be adjusted.

The building permits / planning permission applications are planned to be submitted in mid-January 2018.

What is currently causing us some concern is the relatively small kitchen. The net size will be around 16 sqm (172 sq ft), but we would prefer a larger kitchen—20 sqm (215 sq ft) or more. Unfortunately, we cannot think of a smart way to meaningfully change the layout without making too many compromises in the other rooms.

The basic house details:

Frisian house, 12 x 10.5 m (39 ft x 34 ft) plus two 4 m (13 ft) gables in the living room.
Exterior walls 42.5 cm (17 inches), interior walls on the ground floor 17.5 cm (7 inches), upper floor 11 cm (4 inches).
The living room faces south, the front door faces north.
45-degree half-hipped roof. Attic converted to living space, no basement.
Parking space / carport is planned on the east side of the house.

Best regards
Heiko

And if you also upload it as a JPG and fill out the questionnaire, everyone will join in.

Thank you for the information, RobsonMKK,

attached are the floor plans as JPGs and the questionnaire:

Development plan/restrictions
Section 34 of the Building Code
Plot size: approx. 850m² (9140 sq ft)

Building envelope, building line, and boundary: 19 x 39m (62 x 128 ft)
Number of parking spaces: 2
Roof type: 45-degree hipped roof
Style: holiday home
Orientation: south
Maximum heights/limits: detached house / two full floors

Requirements of the builders
Style, roof type, building type: Frisian house
Basement, floors: no basement, 1 ½ floors
Number of occupants, age: 2 persons mid-40s, child 12
Space requirements on ground floor and upper floor:
Ground floor (office, living/dining/kitchen, shower/toilet, storage)
Upper floor (2 children’s rooms, office, bedroom, bathroom, dressing room)
Office: family use or home office? Home office
Guests per year: 30–40
Open or closed architecture: closed
Conservative or modern construction: traditional / conservative
Open kitchen, kitchen island: closed with island (if possible)
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: yes
Music/stereo wall: none
Balcony, roof terrace: none
Garage, carport: carport
Utility garden, greenhouse: none

House design
Who designed the plan: ourselves
What do you especially like? Why?
Space layout for living room, children’s rooms, home office, bathroom is very good
What do you dislike? Why?
Kitchen is too small
Preferred heating technology: gas condensing boiler plus solar
If you have to cut back, which details/extensions could you do without?
- could do without: slightly smaller upper floor office, a small second guest room, room layout on ground floor
- cannot do without: remaining room program

Why is the design the way it is now?
The room program was specified by us and results from the many requirements for our lifestyle. Experience from living in three different detached houses that we rented.

What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan, summarized in 130 characters?
What do you think of the floor plan? Do you have any ideas to enlarge the kitchen without major compromises to the utility room and living room?

Just looked at the kitchen, and I don’t see any problem there. You can fit a lot of countertop length in. Even a 1.20m (4 feet) deep island fits perfectly (countertop 0.65m (2 feet 2 inches) + 1.1m (3 feet 7 inches) aisle + 1.2m (4 feet) island). There’s still about a meter (3 feet 3 inches) of space left to the sliding door.

Heiko_baut schrieb:
The architect from the general contractor [...] had relatively few criticisms of the floor plans.

That doesn’t surprise me at all and unfortunately doesn’t mean much.

Heiko_baut schrieb:
The kitchen is too small

I would question that. Where does that opinion come from?

Heiko_baut schrieb:
What do you think of the floor plan?

I don’t have to like the house. Objectively, I have doubts about the space-saving staircase leading to the attic. The main staircase also doesn’t seem optimally arranged in relation to the entrance. The setback in the facade on the ground floor at the utility room and guest room probably looks quite awkward. Personally, I wouldn’t like that the bay window projects relatively far out and makes the house deeper than it is wide. Take a look at the facades – the windows don’t appear to be distributed in an aesthetically pleasing way.

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Thank you for your reassuring words. The kitchen fitter said that an island only makes sense if there is at least 1.30 m (4 feet 3 inches), preferably 1.50 m (5 feet), of space to the door and the aisle.