Hello everyone,
We plan to start building a single-family house next year and are currently brainstorming ideas for the floor plan. What do you think of our current concept?
We are planning for three children and no basement. Since the soil is very damp, we were advised against having a basement (which we actually agree with). Additionally, we are only allowed to build a single-story house.
We found it quite challenging to make the most of the narrow plot: the entrance needs to be at the end of the street, possibly resulting in an L-shaped layout. We also want to build relatively narrow to enlarge the garden. We visited many model home parks and suppliers but found few options that really fit our needs. Of course, we are open to all ideas and suggestions.
Thanks for your feedback. Best regards.
We plan to start building a single-family house next year and are currently brainstorming ideas for the floor plan. What do you think of our current concept?
We are planning for three children and no basement. Since the soil is very damp, we were advised against having a basement (which we actually agree with). Additionally, we are only allowed to build a single-story house.
We found it quite challenging to make the most of the narrow plot: the entrance needs to be at the end of the street, possibly resulting in an L-shaped layout. We also want to build relatively narrow to enlarge the garden. We visited many model home parks and suppliers but found few options that really fit our needs. Of course, we are open to all ideas and suggestions.
Thanks for your feedback. Best regards.
Thanks for the feedback.
The dining area is 3.7m (12 feet) wide. That would mean about 1.4m (4.6 feet) on each side of the table for chairs and passage—is that too narrow? Or did you mean more in terms of the overall feel?
We don’t have a fixed desktop PC at the moment, only laptops that are kept in the living room.
The dining area is 3.7m (12 feet) wide. That would mean about 1.4m (4.6 feet) on each side of the table for chairs and passage—is that too narrow? Or did you mean more in terms of the overall feel?
We don’t have a fixed desktop PC at the moment, only laptops that are kept in the living room.
Ah, okay. 3.70 meters (12 feet) is usually enough. I would have guessed less. Maybe it just seems that way because there is a counter with stools on the left side.
I only have a laptop, but I need a place where I can collect and file invoices and all the mail. I’m already glad if I don’t have to store all that stuff in the living room or bedroom. I think we have at least 10 binders with documents. At least 3 of those are related to the house.
I only have a laptop, but I need a place where I can collect and file invoices and all the mail. I’m already glad if I don’t have to store all that stuff in the living room or bedroom. I think we have at least 10 binders with documents. At least 3 of those are related to the house.
On the surface, it looks quite good.
However, what stands out to me is the long corridor from the entrance to the dining area, the detour through the kitchen to the utility room, and the location of the staircase.
Can you clarify why you need three separate storage or utility rooms? Where is the technical equipment supposed to go?
I would generally suggest opening the entrance hall into the utility room and also planning access to the kitchen from there, opposite the utility area.
I personally don’t find open stairs leading to the dining area problematic (unlike many others), but with three children who will grow up and bring friends over, you should consider swapping the staircase with the combined storage/utility room. It could work upstairs as well.
I find the parents’ section well designed.
The thing is, the design has good elements, but as a non-professional, you keep encountering small or large unsatisfactory details that can cause a design to fail. You seem fixed on your building form and are rearranging the rooms, which can result in a floor plan that is never really optimal.
Looking at the development of this design, I can say you’ve learned a lot. Still, with this building form, the secondary rooms will be very prominent.
-> long, narrow building shape, entrance on the short side...
I also don’t understand the problem with the architect: why is it so difficult to find one? It should be possible to find an architect who can create a good design for you!
However, what stands out to me is the long corridor from the entrance to the dining area, the detour through the kitchen to the utility room, and the location of the staircase.
Can you clarify why you need three separate storage or utility rooms? Where is the technical equipment supposed to go?
I would generally suggest opening the entrance hall into the utility room and also planning access to the kitchen from there, opposite the utility area.
I personally don’t find open stairs leading to the dining area problematic (unlike many others), but with three children who will grow up and bring friends over, you should consider swapping the staircase with the combined storage/utility room. It could work upstairs as well.
I find the parents’ section well designed.
The thing is, the design has good elements, but as a non-professional, you keep encountering small or large unsatisfactory details that can cause a design to fail. You seem fixed on your building form and are rearranging the rooms, which can result in a floor plan that is never really optimal.
Looking at the development of this design, I can say you’ve learned a lot. Still, with this building form, the secondary rooms will be very prominent.
-> long, narrow building shape, entrance on the short side...
I also don’t understand the problem with the architect: why is it so difficult to find one? It should be possible to find an architect who can create a good design for you!
I might consider moving the house 3 meters (10 feet) further south (if permitted), with access to the house from the north, more centrally located, allowing for a short hallway (and possibly a different building layout). This would also provide space in front of the house on the north side for a carport/garage and, importantly, there would be window area on the west side that can be assigned to living spaces. In my opinion, a garden benefits more from spatial divisions than from being one large area on a single side.
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