Hello forum
We are building a city villa, 180 sqm (1,938 sq ft) according to residential space requirements, and we are currently struggling with the floor plan for the ground floor. Attached are the first two draft sketches from our builder. Both are almost identical, except that in the second version, due to a larger kitchen, the door from the hallway to the utility room is positioned further under the stairs, which eliminates the planned storage area there.
Would you completely give up the access to the utility room from the hallway?
How advantageous or disadvantageous is the rather square shape of the living/dining area?
We are building a city villa, 180 sqm (1,938 sq ft) according to residential space requirements, and we are currently struggling with the floor plan for the ground floor. Attached are the first two draft sketches from our builder. Both are almost identical, except that in the second version, due to a larger kitchen, the door from the hallway to the utility room is positioned further under the stairs, which eliminates the planned storage area there.
Would you completely give up the access to the utility room from the hallway?
How advantageous or disadvantageous is the rather square shape of the living/dining area?
N
nordanney22 May 2013 14:41Regarding your questions: Personally, I don’t mind not having a passage to the hallway (after all, groceries only need to be carried a few meters). You also have an entrance from the outside. However, if the heating system will be installed in the utility room, I would rather skip the door to the kitchen (possibly due to noise from the heating or similar).
A square floor plan obviously gives you better options for arranging your furniture. But I’m more concerned about the natural light with your floor plan. Only a patio door? Are there no windows on the left side (which direction is that)?
You could also move the living room door from the straight wall to the slanted wall – this would create better furniture arrangements.
Your kitchen is nicely sized, but the windows/door/niche/opening to the living room limit the possibilities for setting up a kitchen and/or dining area.
Best regards,
nordanney
A square floor plan obviously gives you better options for arranging your furniture. But I’m more concerned about the natural light with your floor plan. Only a patio door? Are there no windows on the left side (which direction is that)?
You could also move the living room door from the straight wall to the slanted wall – this would create better furniture arrangements.
Your kitchen is nicely sized, but the windows/door/niche/opening to the living room limit the possibilities for setting up a kitchen and/or dining area.
Best regards,
nordanney
Hello Nordanney,
thank you for your answers. We are still not entirely sure whether to omit the passage. We would keep the passage from the kitchen, as the utility room is quite large and can also be used as a pantry with shelves.
Don’t be confused by the floor plan regarding the windows. On the left side, there are three more floor-to-ceiling windows planned, but they are not shown because we first need to decide on the shape and whether the door to the utility room is included.
The kitchen is actually a bit larger than shown; the 3.765 m (12.36 feet) is not correct—it is exactly 4.00 m (13.12 feet). We have a large kitchen island as the central feature; this island measures 2.1 m by 1.2 m (6.9 feet by 3.9 feet) and is used on the back side (towards the dining area) as a dining “table” for quick breakfasts during the week or so that the little one can chat with mom when coming home from school while mom or dad prepare something in the kitchen. The recess contains the appliance wall with oven, refrigerator, steam oven, etc.; it is 180 cm wide by 180 cm high (71 inches by 71 inches). The window on the right side is more of a strip window, as it is very narrow and positioned between the counter and the upper cabinets.
Attached is a sketch of the kitchen (it is not the most recent, but corresponds about 80% to what we want in it, except for the countertop that is shown as extending around the corner, which is no longer included).
Wouldn’t it be more advantageous if the living room were a bit longer in shape so that the living and dining areas can be spatially separated more clearly, simply through distance?
thank you for your answers. We are still not entirely sure whether to omit the passage. We would keep the passage from the kitchen, as the utility room is quite large and can also be used as a pantry with shelves.
Don’t be confused by the floor plan regarding the windows. On the left side, there are three more floor-to-ceiling windows planned, but they are not shown because we first need to decide on the shape and whether the door to the utility room is included.
The kitchen is actually a bit larger than shown; the 3.765 m (12.36 feet) is not correct—it is exactly 4.00 m (13.12 feet). We have a large kitchen island as the central feature; this island measures 2.1 m by 1.2 m (6.9 feet by 3.9 feet) and is used on the back side (towards the dining area) as a dining “table” for quick breakfasts during the week or so that the little one can chat with mom when coming home from school while mom or dad prepare something in the kitchen. The recess contains the appliance wall with oven, refrigerator, steam oven, etc.; it is 180 cm wide by 180 cm high (71 inches by 71 inches). The window on the right side is more of a strip window, as it is very narrow and positioned between the counter and the upper cabinets.
Attached is a sketch of the kitchen (it is not the most recent, but corresponds about 80% to what we want in it, except for the countertop that is shown as extending around the corner, which is no longer included).
Wouldn’t it be more advantageous if the living room were a bit longer in shape so that the living and dining areas can be spatially separated more clearly, simply through distance?
N
nordanney22 May 2013 15:18Hello aytex,
what is advantageous for you may mean something different than for me, for example.
We are also building a city villa and have chosen the attached floor plan (outside dimensions of the house: 11 x 11 m (36 x 36 ft)). The staircase starting in the living room is due to the design of the upper floor. The rectangle next to "living/dining" is a see-through fireplace separating the two areas. Maybe the layout or the proportions can help you in your decision-making...
what is advantageous for you may mean something different than for me, for example.
We are also building a city villa and have chosen the attached floor plan (outside dimensions of the house: 11 x 11 m (36 x 36 ft)). The staircase starting in the living room is due to the design of the upper floor. The rectangle next to "living/dining" is a see-through fireplace separating the two areas. Maybe the layout or the proportions can help you in your decision-making...
nordanney schrieb:
The staircase starting in the living room is influenced by the design of the upper floor I really like your floor plan! How have you handled the staircase? Is it open or enclosed? Do you have a door or is it an attractive open stair?
@ Nordanney
Thanks for the floor plan, the very large living area is really great—I would love to have something like that too. We just knew from the beginning that we wanted the staircase in the hallway, not in the living area. The rectangular shape in your layout also results from having the kitchen at the "bottom." We had a similar setup at first but then moved the kitchen "upwards" to the south side, as we often like to spend time on the terrace (when the weather allows) and wanted direct access from the kitchen. But of course, the longer and more stretched out the living-dining area is, the easier it is to separate the spaces.
Do you have a basement? Is 12-15 square meters (130-160 square feet) enough for a utility room if you also want to use it as a storage area or pantry?
@Wastl
We’re buying an 80-inch TV to "bridge" the distance—just kidding. I’m currently cutting out our furniture to scale and arranging it, then we’ll see how everything fits, I think...
We will take your comment about the staircase on board, thanks. We suggested it that way at the time, but that doesn’t mean the architect has to implement every idea we come up with. Otherwise, I don’t actually think it’s a bad idea to have the stairs right next to the entrance; I’ve often seen that in show homes...
Thanks for the floor plan, the very large living area is really great—I would love to have something like that too. We just knew from the beginning that we wanted the staircase in the hallway, not in the living area. The rectangular shape in your layout also results from having the kitchen at the "bottom." We had a similar setup at first but then moved the kitchen "upwards" to the south side, as we often like to spend time on the terrace (when the weather allows) and wanted direct access from the kitchen. But of course, the longer and more stretched out the living-dining area is, the easier it is to separate the spaces.
Do you have a basement? Is 12-15 square meters (130-160 square feet) enough for a utility room if you also want to use it as a storage area or pantry?
@Wastl
We’re buying an 80-inch TV to "bridge" the distance—just kidding. I’m currently cutting out our furniture to scale and arranging it, then we’ll see how everything fits, I think...
We will take your comment about the staircase on board, thanks. We suggested it that way at the time, but that doesn’t mean the architect has to implement every idea we come up with. Otherwise, I don’t actually think it’s a bad idea to have the stairs right next to the entrance; I’ve often seen that in show homes...
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