170m2 single-family house in the Bavarian countryside

I still have a few points of criticism:

Under no circumstances make the access to the pantry as Evelinoz suggested! Think about what it’s like when you come back from shopping: first through the kitchen door, which you then have to close to get into the pantry. That will drive you crazy every time. Or also like this: I guarantee, this door to the kitchen will ALWAYS be open – which means the door to the pantry will always be blocked by the open kitchen door. I would consider Hampshire’s suggestion to design the kitchen open to the hallway.

I myself am a fan of the pantry, but you have to be aware that the pantry doesn’t have roughly the room temperature of the living area anymore, like in old houses. You can achieve a few degrees of difference (I have that too), but it’s no longer a cool room as one used to know it. Just so you’re clear on that!

I would ALWAYS design the kitchen as two parallel rows. Here, the access to the pantry is integrated in the row along the wall, between the tall cabinets. Then you don’t have an extra door there, but simply a kitchen cabinet front door behind which the pantry is hidden. Possibly even make it a swing door, that makes it even easier to get straight into the pantry fully loaded.

Instead of the window at countertop height, I would definitely suggest a patio door so you have direct access from the kitchen to the garden, and the clever garden planner then also designs at least a raised bed with herbs there, which you can quickly grab while cooking. Strategically placed, there would also be a raised bed if you grow your own vegetables. Doesn’t always work, but just an idea.

Why not extend the kitchen bay window upwards and add it to the master bathroom? You could then plan the sauna there. A basement sauna makes sense if years after construction you suddenly decide you’d like one, but if I plan it from the start, I don’t understand why I should become a cave salamander to use the sauna. If so, then please with a ramp and the room in the basement with direct access to the garden and natural light from outside.

But think about it: why in the basement? There you have to build everything again: shower, toilet, etc. Why? Upstairs it’s already there. And for resting you can go to bed, you don’t need extra space to put some drafty lounger there. And you save yourself from having to build a shower etc. in the basement (which is also financially quite interesting), possibly with a needed sewage lifting station.

Yes yes – the parents also have the sauna in the basement and you use it and it works. Sure, it works. You’re building new – “it works” should not be the maxim. Make it nice for yourself! Sauna in the dark basement works, but nice is something else...

I find the exterior views extremely dull. Honestly: since you keep invoking the parents’ house as a model here: that probably served as a template for the exterior as well. Again: it works, but nice is something else. Just changing the kitchen window to a kitchen door to the garden would loosen up this boring facade.

The thing with the pantry is correct. It's basically a matter of weighing whether to have the kitchen shared, or just the door in the corner. I reject the door to the garden because I can go directly out into the greenery next to the dining table. I can just about manage the extra 2 meters in my younger years.

Regarding the sauna, I can only say it once more: access to the greenery -> great thing! But basically, in my opinion, it does not need to have natural light. I don't know when you have much time during the day to use the sauna. I, on the other hand, only use it in the evenings. Especially in winter when it is running more often, it's already dark after work anyway.

And about the master bathroom. I once had a bay window drawn over the 2 floors (and that was also my idea to do it that way). However, considering the size of the house, I think it looks more like a huge box attached to the front. An option would have been to build the house with a knee wall and not full height – that would have looked better. However, it was not worth it to me.

And no, my parents' house does not look like that. From your profile picture, I can tell you built something a bit extravagant. Totally okay... I prefer it simpler.

I already had a bay window drawn over the 2 floors (and that was once my idea to do it that way). However, considering the size of the house, I really think it looks more like a huge box attached to the front. An option would have been to build the house with a knee wall and not a full story - that would have looked better.

Show me, I think you must have a logical error in there - I just can’t tell which one without a picture.

Show me, in my opinion you must have made a mistake in your reasoning - I just don't see which one without a picture.

Do you mean the bay window? I don't have a version here right now. That was with the architect on site. At 1.5m depth of the bay window, that is already an incredible piece.

Regarding the sauna, I can only say it again: Exit to the green -> great thing!

In our old house, we built a really spacious sauna with shower/toilet in the basement ourselves; very stylish but we also had plenty of space for loungers, a nice relaxation room, etc. However, I often see saunas in basements that are placed somewhere between shelves, because basements eventually fill up with all sorts of things. So I don’t go into a feel-good room but into my appropriately looking basement and then lie down in the usually max. 2x2m cabin. In my opinion, basements mostly have a cellar air or cellar feeling, which is why I find it hard to understand why people don’t put a sauna (assuming they have the space) out on the lawn or next to the terrace or as an extension of an existing cabin. Since the sauna stove is operated electrically anyway, it’s an absolutely affordable sauna to set up because outdoors you don’t have to worry about moisture, mold, or other things and you’re not taking up expensive living space. Also regarding insulation, you don’t have to overdo it because the sauna doesn’t have to be kept warm permanently. We later had the sauna outdoors and the electricity costs are negligible. This is how it’s done all over Scandinavia, while here, like with many other things, it’s often overdone. That’s just my experience and for people who want to create a sauna in an inexpensive and pleasant way. I placed 3.5x2.5m shutter boards, put a mat in, and concrete on top. Then I drilled wooden beams on it and put a second-hand sauna (which are offered online by the dozen) in a plug-in system on top and a cheap flat roof on it. Lounger surfaces were designed wider as desired, bought a stove with steam function for €300, and done. It’s still running today. Basically, you can also buy a cheap wooden hut with about 40-50mm wood thickness and instead of garden tools just put the sauna stove and loungers in it, and the sauna is ready. Outdoor shower right next to it with a line from the terrace water tap. Since I had both, I would only do it indoors if I really had space for at least a small "wellness area," otherwise outdoor is always nicer and extremely cheap.

Often, however, I see saunas in the basement, placed somewhere between shelves, because basements eventually fill up with all sorts of things

I have seen that quite often. The worst was once in a room next to the workbench! I find the approximately 25 m2 sufficient for me. But yes, outside is of course also an option.