City villa subtly modern 218 sqm

Thank you very much
Roughly speaking, my concerns are quite accurate. I am also missing more smart detailed solutions, especially on the ground floor.
We have a draft on the identical floor area from two months ago, which confirms the price. Background: we are in Brandenburg Havel. Despite being in the Berlin metropolitan area, we still benefit from lower construction costs. The 500k is my limit only for the house. Outdoor facilities, piping, etc. are calculated separately. For bigger problems, we are still setting aside 50k (but only as a genuine safety reserve).

Regarding the premises (the hallway area also results from this)
Ground floor
- Living area larger than 65 sqm (we currently have this size) yet cozy (this is what worries me here)
- Adaptation to existing furniture
- Kitchen large, open but visually integrated
- AZ > 15 sqm
- Utility room > 15 sqm (this is not observed)
- Spacious entrance area with an open recessed staircase
- Entrance central (not offset), windows symmetrical (hence the not optimal position in the living room + AZ)
- Partially covered terrace facing south

Upper floor
- Large daylight hallway upstairs (we also currently have this)
- Children's rooms equal in size and >18 sqm (this is not maintained in the draft)
- General symmetry of doors and walls
- Walk-in closet accessible from the bedroom
- Both children's rooms facing the sun

Why build again. The lucrative opportunity for the plot in the city center presents itself

I really like the two large hallways on the ground floor and upper floor. In my opinion, a spacious entrance conveys a good sense of space to anyone entering. I would forgo the wardrobe in front of the study and try to find space for shoes and jackets in the utility room or accommodate a stylish wardrobe in the hallway without a separate partition. In the utility room, the wardrobe would have the advantage that 1.) it is really entered multiple times daily and 2.) it is enhanced by a beautiful wardrobe solution and is not just dominated by technology.

The staircase in the hallway can then be shifted and is not squeezed into the corner, if desired or if the architect has an appealing solution.

I really like the entrance to the living room through a double door and will also try to realize this in our house. The line of sight could then be altered so that immediately upon entering the hallway, something beautiful can be seen through the open double living room door. A large picture, a big plant, or, ideally, a view of the garden.

I would place the “recess (?)” of the dining area in the middle so that it is symmetrical and allows a nicer view from the entrance to the living room. This could certainly also be a large table with beautiful decoration.

The distance between the garage and the house would be personally too small for me. Either build the garage directly onto the house or further away.

Upstairs, you could enlarge the bedroom at the expense of the dressing room and enlarge the dressing room at the expense of the child 1 room, then the children's rooms would be the same size. Although I believe that the 11-year-old child gets the larger room now (if desired), and when the 11-year-old starts university in six years and is only home on weekends, the 7-year-old then gets the larger room (if desired); at that time, that child will be 13 years old. Basically, however, I find both rooms sufficiently large in the current plan.

Regarding the size of the windows, patio doors, and their arrangement, they are too varied and not symmetrical enough for me, but I believe that this is currently fashionable and therefore also acceptable. In the graphics, the windows also seem too small to me—so much wall and such small or few windows. I would also rather do without the triple patio doors and instead choose either double doors (but more of them) or quadruple doors. But that is just my personal taste, which I know is currently not widely accepted.

But I find your house as proposed to be fine, and one can certainly live very well and happily in it.

Thank you very much
"Roughly" describes my concerns quite well. I am also missing more clever detailed solutions, especially on the ground floor.
We have a design on the same footprint from two months ago that confirms the price. Background: we are in Brandenburg Havel. Despite the Berlin surroundings, we still benefit from cheaper construction prices. The 500k is my limit for the house only. Outdoor area, utilities, etc. are calculated separately. However, we are keeping 50k for bigger problems (but only as a real safety reserve).

Regarding the premises (which also determine the hallway area)
Ground floor
- Living area larger than 65 sqm (we currently have this size) yet cozy (this concerns me here)
- Adjustment to existing furniture
- Kitchen large, open but visually integrated
- Workroom > 15 sqm
- Utility room > 15 sqm (not being met)
- Spacious entrance area with an open recessed staircase
- Entrance central (not offset), windows symmetrical (hence the not optimal position in the living room + workroom)
- Partially covered terrace facing south

Upper floor
- Large daylight hallway upstairs (we also currently have this)
- Children's rooms equal in size and >18 sqm (not kept in the design)
- General symmetry of doors and walls
- Walk-in closet accessible from the bedroom
- Both children's rooms facing the sun

Why build again? It offers the lucrative opportunity to get the plot in the city center location

We will soon be building in Fichtenwalde (near) Beelitz. Our bungalow of 140 sqm will cost around €400,000 including additional costs. That is why I fear it might be too little. Meanwhile, I have spoken with 10 general contractors. Two remain. Next week we will commit to one. If you want suggestions, feel free to send me a private message.

Read the fine print of the offer. What is not included will be expensive.

I find the hallway too big and lacking a proper wardrobe. Nothing destroys the impression of size as quickly as a pile of bags and shoes. I would give up some symmetry if it makes living better.

If the plan itself seems rough to you, start over again. You already have a house, keep what is good and improve what bothers you. Then you can see how much symmetry you can incorporate. Plan from the inside out. Don’t forget small, cherished details.

Plan from the inside out.

And from top to bottom, would add now.

I would give up some symmetry if it makes living better.
If the plan itself seems rough to you, start over again. You already have a house, keep what is good and improve what bothers you. After that, you can see how much symmetry you can incorporate. Plan from the inside out. Don’t forget small, beloved details.

And from top to bottom, @11ant would now add

That’s how it is. That’s why I asked what could be difficult about floor plan design when you already have a single-family house. That is a much more comfortable starting position for an amateur planner than if you had an apartment. And that’s why I made the reservation that I would understand it better if the current house was not detached. But otherwise it’s simple, as good as you could wish for: you take your current house and mark all the "problem spots" (for example, between my kitchen units I have one and a half meters, but I would find one point two or one point eight meters more practical, etc.). If you want to rearrange rooms differently, you adjust them in a table — assuming full floors, both totals should be the same size. Drawing-wise, you always start with the more detailed floor. This will — at least if the plot does not have "no ass and no tits" — automatically lead to a house with an individual character. And regarding symmetry, I assume my two teaching principles, now well-known by heart: 1. the social pecking order when designing a house should be parents, children, pets, cars, symmetry; 2. symmetry can only complement proportion in aesthetics, but never replace it — more harshly put: "Symmetry (alone) is pseudo-aesthetics for proportion dyslexics."