ᐅ New Single-Family House Construction, Stairs, Uncertain Door Positions – Single-Family House with Gable Roof
Created on: 9 Apr 2015 08:31
N
Neubau15
Hello,
after reading along diligently, I would like to share our current floor plan for discussion. We received it yesterday (after the first architect meeting in March).
Overall, I find it good, but I’m wondering if the staircase layout really makes sense. Especially upstairs in the corridor, it extends quite far into the space without running along a wall on one side. Has anyone seen something like this in real life?
Also, downstairs I’m not sure if the entrance to the kitchen is really optimal.
With the first architect (we have since changed), we already had issues with the staircase. It was placed on the right between the guest WC and utility room, but that made the upstairs corridor huge and the open space was almost above the kitchen.
The staircase seems to be a tricky point for many. Maybe someone can help me here.
Would you also add a door directly from the hallway into the living room? This way the wall would naturally be suitable as a cloakroom.
Here are some details:
Plot size: 650 sqm (about 20x32 m (66x105 ft), I think. Site plan will follow)
Number of floors: 2 (with special permission / exemption from the zoning plan)
Roof type: gable roof, 30 degrees
Maximum height 9.50 m (31 ft) (ours 8.50 m (28 ft)), eaves height 5.50 m (18 ft)
No basement, 2 storeys
Number of occupants, ages: 37/27, 1 child planned
Office: family use and home office, also guest room
Guests per year: maybe 4
Open architecture
Modern construction method
Open kitchen with cooking island
Number of dining seats: 4 to at least 12, large family
Carport with storage room (north)
Terrace (west)
Gallery with open space (a must for my husband)
Entrance on the east, garden to the south and (larger) to the west
Planner:
2nd architect (after our DIY draft and the 1st architect)
What do we like? open area, covered terrace
What don’t we like? skeptical about the staircase, especially upstairs, rooms and bathroom upstairs almost too large...?
I would appreciate some suggestions.
Many thanks!
after reading along diligently, I would like to share our current floor plan for discussion. We received it yesterday (after the first architect meeting in March).
Overall, I find it good, but I’m wondering if the staircase layout really makes sense. Especially upstairs in the corridor, it extends quite far into the space without running along a wall on one side. Has anyone seen something like this in real life?
Also, downstairs I’m not sure if the entrance to the kitchen is really optimal.
With the first architect (we have since changed), we already had issues with the staircase. It was placed on the right between the guest WC and utility room, but that made the upstairs corridor huge and the open space was almost above the kitchen.
The staircase seems to be a tricky point for many. Maybe someone can help me here.
Would you also add a door directly from the hallway into the living room? This way the wall would naturally be suitable as a cloakroom.
Here are some details:
Plot size: 650 sqm (about 20x32 m (66x105 ft), I think. Site plan will follow)
Number of floors: 2 (with special permission / exemption from the zoning plan)
Roof type: gable roof, 30 degrees
Maximum height 9.50 m (31 ft) (ours 8.50 m (28 ft)), eaves height 5.50 m (18 ft)
No basement, 2 storeys
Number of occupants, ages: 37/27, 1 child planned
Office: family use and home office, also guest room
Guests per year: maybe 4
Open architecture
Modern construction method
Open kitchen with cooking island
Number of dining seats: 4 to at least 12, large family
Carport with storage room (north)
Terrace (west)
Gallery with open space (a must for my husband)
Entrance on the east, garden to the south and (larger) to the west
Planner:
2nd architect (after our DIY draft and the 1st architect)
What do we like? open area, covered terrace
What don’t we like? skeptical about the staircase, especially upstairs, rooms and bathroom upstairs almost too large...?
I would appreciate some suggestions.
Many thanks!
I find the staircase and the open space above completely fine (just consider the fall risk for small children if they might climb on the balcony railing). And, of course, cooking odors will easily travel through the open space to the upper floor, so you’ll need a very good range hood.
A door from the hallway to the living room is definitely necessary.
I think the sliding door from the hallway to the kitchen is impractical (because you can’t easily open it with your elbow if your hands are full of groceries), even though it obviously saves space. Maybe you could shorten the kitchen island a bit to allow space for a proper kitchen door? Or, if you prefer an open floor plan anyway, why not leave it completely open or use something like a saloon-style doorway with double swinging doors? It would be a shame to plan such a spacious house and then scrimp on the space for a door that you’ll be using several times a day—it just doesn’t fit together.
A coat closet fits well under the stairs.
By the way, you’ve planned for one child, so it seems you don’t have any yet. But what if you have twins (this has happened in three families I know—they planned for one child and suddenly had two)? Would you consider adding some flexibility to the floor plan for that possibility? For example, making some walls non-load-bearing so they can be moved later, allowing you to convert a large office and a large child’s room into a smaller office and two equally sized children’s rooms if needed?
A door from the hallway to the living room is definitely necessary.
I think the sliding door from the hallway to the kitchen is impractical (because you can’t easily open it with your elbow if your hands are full of groceries), even though it obviously saves space. Maybe you could shorten the kitchen island a bit to allow space for a proper kitchen door? Or, if you prefer an open floor plan anyway, why not leave it completely open or use something like a saloon-style doorway with double swinging doors? It would be a shame to plan such a spacious house and then scrimp on the space for a door that you’ll be using several times a day—it just doesn’t fit together.
A coat closet fits well under the stairs.
By the way, you’ve planned for one child, so it seems you don’t have any yet. But what if you have twins (this has happened in three families I know—they planned for one child and suddenly had two)? Would you consider adding some flexibility to the floor plan for that possibility? For example, making some walls non-load-bearing so they can be moved later, allowing you to convert a large office and a large child’s room into a smaller office and two equally sized children’s rooms if needed?
Hello,
an open gallery really looks great, we've seen that in show homes as well. If I didn’t need the room upstairs, I would do it that way too.
Here are my thoughts on this:
1. Definitely, as others have already mentioned, a door from the hallway to the living room.
2. The gallery is definitely nice, but heat rises, so it might lead to higher heating costs.
3. The view from the gallery onto the dining table also means guests can look upstairs. If there is a glass railing, for example, you can’t necessarily walk half-naked to the bathroom in the morning. Perhaps a direct door from the bedroom to the bathroom? This would require redesigning the bathroom in general.
4. An additional shower on the ground floor would be ideal, or else you might give up the gallery (which I know is desired) or use the laundry room for a children’s bathroom.
5. Does the laundry room have to be upstairs? It could also be integrated into the utility room. That way, there wouldn’t be any disturbing noises upstairs.
an open gallery really looks great, we've seen that in show homes as well. If I didn’t need the room upstairs, I would do it that way too.
Here are my thoughts on this:
1. Definitely, as others have already mentioned, a door from the hallway to the living room.
2. The gallery is definitely nice, but heat rises, so it might lead to higher heating costs.
3. The view from the gallery onto the dining table also means guests can look upstairs. If there is a glass railing, for example, you can’t necessarily walk half-naked to the bathroom in the morning. Perhaps a direct door from the bedroom to the bathroom? This would require redesigning the bathroom in general.
4. An additional shower on the ground floor would be ideal, or else you might give up the gallery (which I know is desired) or use the laundry room for a children’s bathroom.
5. Does the laundry room have to be upstairs? It could also be integrated into the utility room. That way, there wouldn’t be any disturbing noises upstairs.
Thank you all, there are already many good suggestions and things we can reconsider.
The kitchen and bathroom are not final yet; a corner bathtub is definitely out of the question.
A laundry room upstairs for washing is very important to me. A second shower downstairs might not be a bad idea, though. And the door to the living room will definitely be added.
I am very relieved that no one sees any issue with the staircase—that was really a sticking point for a long time.
Sunny greetings!
The kitchen and bathroom are not final yet; a corner bathtub is definitely out of the question.
A laundry room upstairs for washing is very important to me. A second shower downstairs might not be a bad idea, though. And the door to the living room will definitely be added.
I am very relieved that no one sees any issue with the staircase—that was really a sticking point for a long time.
Sunny greetings!
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