ᐅ Optimizing the Floor Plan of a Detached Single-Family Home, 155 sqm

So, we have now decided, mainly for cost reasons and the objections mentioned here, to design the bay window only as a seating bench. Given the room dimensions, I can’t place the dining table anywhere else but by the window. Since we can also mount a simple wooden board ourselves onto the window sill, we would save nearly €1000.

If I change the windows, the table will no longer be centered in relation to the windows and looks somehow odd.

The dimensions shown in the illustrations are from the floor plan. There may be a 1-2 cm (about 1 inch) deviation here and there, but only in places where it is not relevant.

I’ve managed to get it more or less right now. This layout could work for me. In the living room, there is even space available in the southwest corner.

JoschNeubau24 schrieb:

So, for cost reasons and the objections mentioned here, we have now decided to design the seating window only as a bench. Since we can mount a simple wooden board ourselves on the window sill, we would save roughly 1000 € (about 1100 USD).

Depending on which window sills you have, you could have one made from the same material (wood) in the desired size as a window bench; that’s how we did it. The windows are mounted on the outside, so part of this bench lies inside the reveal and also has sufficient support. You can use it for nice decoration, plants, or similar, but nobody will actually sit there, even if you think so. You’ve planned for six dining seats (hopefully accurately measured); the seventh or even eighth person will sit on a stool or folding chair if that ever happens. What happens often, happens often, and what happens rarely, happens rarely. The days of keeping extra space for large family gatherings on standby are over; guests will always find a place when, exceptionally, there are more of them.
The picture you posted in #32 is misleading and not a good reference for you. As I already mentioned based on the plan page, the bench would then protrude more than 30cm (12 inches) into the room. What is not clear in the nice photo is that this 30cm (12 inches) deep overhang would also apply to the two side parts or all around. Try holding a 30cm (12 inches) deep board against the wall and imagine that…

JoschNeubau24 schrieb:

If I change the windows, the table won’t be symmetrical to them anymore and it feels kind of odd.

Try positioning the table crosswise INTO the room with correct dimensions and directly opposite the entrance. In my opinion, that’s where it belongs. Then look at the windows. I can only imagine it when I see it, but a wide window (standard height or slightly lower) behind it would fit well, and in the kitchen area just a normal patio door to the outside. Perhaps a standard patio door in the living room would be enough as well (or fixed glass), if the central window is designed prominently. That would also look consistent from the outside.
Maybe you already fixed the interior dimensions of the house too early and that’s why you’re going in circles?
I’m also bothered by that 1m (3 feet) deep short wall segment the door is supposed to hit. With such tight dimensions, 1m (3 feet) is actually quite a lot.
Making later adjustments to floor plans is difficult because even small changes have consequences. That’s why it makes sense to go back to square one and start fresh from time to time, but that doesn’t seem to be your plan.

Arauki11 schrieb:

Try placing the table crosswise IN the room with the correct measurements, facing the entrance.

It would look like this. The one meter (3 feet) wall annoyed us later as well. The structural calculations were based on it, and since this wall is load-bearing, changing it would lead to additional costs (we don’t know the height).
But the advantage of having the dining table further in the kitchen area is that the wall visually separates the spaces.

Arauki11 schrieb:

Depending on the window sills you choose, you could have them made from the same material (wood) in the desired size as window sills; that’s what we did.

Our interior window sills are made of stone.

Arauki11 schrieb:

Install the windows flush to the exterior, so part of the sill lies within the reveal and has enough support.

We had thought about that too, but then it would have to be done on all windows; otherwise, it would look strange.

Arauki11 schrieb:

You have marked 6 seats at the dining table (hopefully to scale).

The table is quite generous at 2 x 0.9 m (6.5 x 3 feet). Currently, we have 1.8 x 0.8 m (6 x 2.5 feet) with an extension that increases it to 2.8 x 0.8 m (9 x 2.5 feet).

Arauki11 schrieb:

Making changes to floor plans afterward is difficult because every small adjustment has consequences. That’s why it makes sense to occasionally start from scratch, but that doesn’t seem to be your plan.

I basically agree. However, this process has already taken so much time that I don’t want to start over now. In the end, having the perfect floor plan isn’t the most important thing in life. Our rental apartment in Berlin was very awkwardly laid out, yet we still felt very comfortable living there.

JoschNeubau24 schrieb:

The window sills inside our house are made of stone.

Nothing has been built yet.

JoschNeubau24 schrieb:

We had thought about that too, but then it would have to be done for all the windows; otherwise, it would look odd.

What if only this one central large window was done like that...? Maybe not after all. I meant that in both the kitchen and living room there would each be a 1m-wide (3 feet 3 inches) door—unlike the currently wide elements—and the table (180cm (71 inches) long is already generous) would be positioned exactly opposite the entrance. In case you want to show that again?

We approved a serious mistake: a thick post too close to the walking path that had been drawn smaller than it actually was supposed to be. Luckily, we raised concerns, and it was changed; the beam was made significantly thicker, which we had to pay for, but maybe such a correction wouldn’t be a real problem after all, especially since you plan to live there for a long time.

JoschNeubau24 schrieb:

I basically agree. However, all of this has already taken so much time that I don’t want to start over from scratch now. In the end, the perfect layout isn’t the most important thing in life. Our rental apartment in Berlin was extremely poorly laid out, yet we felt very comfortable there.

I understand that, but with that last argument, you could also live in a tent, which I’ve always found nice too.
Building a house should feel like reaching the maximum, because knowingly building in weaknesses and paying for them a lifetime wouldn’t appeal to me.

Arauki11 schrieb:

Would you like to show that again?

I did. But the wall really gets in the way. I temporarily removed it as a test and replaced the cabinet with something smaller. I feel there are a bit too few windows facing the garden, but otherwise it already feels more spacious. However, I do miss the structure that the small wall and the dining table in the kitchen provided.
If the table moves that far out of the kitchen, the kitchen layout could of course be planned differently. But that tends to create a domino effect.

Arauki11 schrieb:

I understand, but with that last argument, you could also live in a tent — I always liked that too.

There is definitely something between a tent and perfection. I could live with the floor plan as it is, but since we had to wait about three quarters of a year for the approval of our funding, you naturally start to think about what else could be improved—and you probably always find something.