Hello everyone,
After almost a year’s break, we have resumed our building project and are planning a new floor plan.
We’re stuck when it comes to the open-plan living area, so I would like to hear your opinions!
Our garden faces west, and to the south, the neighboring property begins after three meters (10 feet).
Option 1:
Overall, we like this option best. BUT: Is it possibly too tight? About one meter (3 feet) between the sofa and table—is that too cramped? It’s enough for walking through, but maybe it compromises comfort on the couch? Currently, we have much more space between the couch and table, but not as much room depth as in the planned layout. We are thinking of trying to place the table this close to the sofa in our current apartment to get a feel for it.
Pros: Great window view to the west, a skylight to the south (brings in plenty of light but prevents the neighbor from looking into our house), from the couch you can see the room, the garden, and the TV.
Cons: Is it too narrow in width?
Option 2:
Same setup, only the table is rotated. Basically, a table with a footprint of 1.00 x 2.00 meters (3 x 6.5 feet) requires a total space of 2.00 x 2.00 meters (6.5 x 6.5 feet) to accommodate chairs. In this arrangement, all guests could look out to the garden. In option 1, both the sofa and the kitchen island have visual contact with all guests.
Option 3:
The sofa and the entertainment wall are swapped. The skylight to the south changes to a floor-to-ceiling window, but the window to the west is removed.
Pros: More freedom of movement in the room, sofa hidden behind the fireplace, more coziness.
Cons: No view of the garden from the sofa, loss of a west window, view of the fireplace only from the side.
We have gotten so lost in the planning that we can’t see the forest for the trees right now.
What do you think?
Thanks and best regards,
Ypsi
After almost a year’s break, we have resumed our building project and are planning a new floor plan.
We’re stuck when it comes to the open-plan living area, so I would like to hear your opinions!
Our garden faces west, and to the south, the neighboring property begins after three meters (10 feet).
Option 1:
Overall, we like this option best. BUT: Is it possibly too tight? About one meter (3 feet) between the sofa and table—is that too cramped? It’s enough for walking through, but maybe it compromises comfort on the couch? Currently, we have much more space between the couch and table, but not as much room depth as in the planned layout. We are thinking of trying to place the table this close to the sofa in our current apartment to get a feel for it.
Pros: Great window view to the west, a skylight to the south (brings in plenty of light but prevents the neighbor from looking into our house), from the couch you can see the room, the garden, and the TV.
Cons: Is it too narrow in width?
Option 2:
Same setup, only the table is rotated. Basically, a table with a footprint of 1.00 x 2.00 meters (3 x 6.5 feet) requires a total space of 2.00 x 2.00 meters (6.5 x 6.5 feet) to accommodate chairs. In this arrangement, all guests could look out to the garden. In option 1, both the sofa and the kitchen island have visual contact with all guests.
Option 3:
The sofa and the entertainment wall are swapped. The skylight to the south changes to a floor-to-ceiling window, but the window to the west is removed.
Pros: More freedom of movement in the room, sofa hidden behind the fireplace, more coziness.
Cons: No view of the garden from the sofa, loss of a west window, view of the fireplace only from the side.
We have gotten so lost in the planning that we can’t see the forest for the trees right now.
What do you think?
Thanks and best regards,
Ypsi
Y
Ypsi aus NI20 May 2021 14:06vonBYnachSH schrieb:
Could you please share the plot details here again? What’s on the north side? Still only 3m (10 feet) to the neighbor?
Is a bay window possible? It would help to better define the open living area... Yes, I will do that later. I’ll provide everything complete with the floor plans for the upper and ground floors together.
But yes, to the north it’s also just 3m (10 feet) to the neighbor. A bay window is possible, then the dining table could be pushed out a bit. Game changer? I’m not sure.
It doesn’t really feel like the room lacks depth, but more that it lacks width.
Y
Ypsi aus NI20 May 2021 14:08askforafriend schrieb:
I can definitely relieve your main concern that something might be too tight in all the options. That’s kind of you.
The couch in front of the window appears in options 1 and 2, which almost no one (or no one?) liked best. That should be taken into consideration and addressed.
F
Fummelbrett!20 May 2021 14:13I probably can’t help you much – I find the couch/living room right next to the dining table uncomfortable. I would place the dining table centrally in the living area, build a nice large kitchen, and move the living room to the first floor as a family retreat. That way, it remains private, and one partner can relax quietly on the sofa when the other has coffee guests.
askforafriend20 May 2021 14:17What use is the majority opinion if it doesn’t reflect your own? How often do we let others influence us, even when it goes against our gut feeling, just because “the experts” in the forum supposedly know best? I strongly advise against that. You need to decide for yourself what fits your !individual! habits and routines best. The only truly objective factor is the spacing between things – which seems to be your main concern. That can be followed. Everything else is a matter of personal taste.
If you now say, “Nobody in this forum likes option 1 or 2,” but your gut feeling tells you otherwise (keep in mind: every floor plan involves compromises; there is no perfect one!), and you’d actually prefer the other option? You probably know where I’m coming from.
And do you know how many floor plans are discussed here over and over – only for the original poster to end up even more confused? In the end, your question really comes down to details and personal preference: everything will work.
If you now say, “Nobody in this forum likes option 1 or 2,” but your gut feeling tells you otherwise (keep in mind: every floor plan involves compromises; there is no perfect one!), and you’d actually prefer the other option? You probably know where I’m coming from.
And do you know how many floor plans are discussed here over and over – only for the original poster to end up even more confused? In the end, your question really comes down to details and personal preference: everything will work.
Y
Ypsi aus NI20 May 2021 14:17Fummelbrett! schrieb:
I’m probably no help to you – because I find having the sofa/living room right next to the dining table uncomfortable. I would place the dining table in the center of the living area, build a nice large kitchen, and move the living room as a family retreat to the first floor. That way, it stays private and the partner can relax on the sofa undisturbed when the other is having guests over for coffee. Yes, that was also an idea we discussed.
It was discarded for the following reasons:
1) There would be no fireplace upstairs in the TV room. Carrying firewood upstairs, etc., was not a viable option.
2) A retreat during visits is provided by the conservatory. For separate visits, meaning just for him or just for her, the conservatory would serve as the retreat and the boundary to the sofa area. This also supports the decision not to integrate the conservatory into the open-plan space, but rather to design it as an attached room.
vonBYnachSH20 May 2021 14:17Honestly, I know the whole world is currently obsessed with the kitchen island, but it takes up so much space. On the left and right, there’s hardly any room left for anything... don’t you want to try a different kitchen layout at least once?
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