Classic single-family house ~160m² seeking ideas and opinions

Hello forum,

since I have already received numerous suggestions and ideas, first of all a -thank you- that this platform exists.
We finally have our plot and are in the intense floor plan planning phase.
However, since many planners have only implemented our ideas and no creative or controversial ideas have ever come to the table, we are unsure if we are on the right track.
Therefore, the current planning and questions are attached.
Thank you very much for any input!


Development plan/restrictions
Plot size: 970 m²
Slope: slightly rising to the south. Approx. 1-2 m over the entire plot
Floor area ratio / plot ratio: 0.4 / 0.8
Building window, building line and boundary: See graphic
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 1.5
Roof shape: gable roof max. 38°
Style: open construction
Orientation: south
Maximum heights/limits:
FHmax 9.5 m
Maximum eaves height 4.5 m
Maximum total height 7.5 m

Client requirements
Style, roof shape, building type
classic with modern elements (air space, light band, flat tiles), gable roof, four-gable house
Basement, floors
1.5 + basement (everyone tries to talk us out of the basement, but it is set)
Number of people, age
2 (+2 planned)
Space requirement on ground floor, upper floor
Total ~160m²
Office: family use or home office?
One office room upstairs, guest/office hybrid
Overnight guests per year
~10
Open or closed architecture
open
Conservative or modern construction
rather conservative
Open kitchen, kitchen island
yes, yes
Number of dining seats
6 + 2 optional
Fireplace
no
Garage, carport
yes, although for cost reasons the garage is currently in question

House design
Who made the plan:
Do-it-yourself implemented by the builder
What do you like particularly? Why?

[*]The slanted passage to the living area is a special wish
[*] (Partially) covered terrace facing SW is great
[*]Air space

What do you not like? Why?

[*]We still don’t find the sofa corner with TV options great. Corner sofa in the room or in front of the window is unfortunate.
[*]The house entrance is unprotected. Here we imagine a bay window (~80cm) to protect guests etc. from rain. Unfortunately, it gets tight with the staircase. A good idea is missing here.

Price estimate according to architect/planner:
€300,000 house
€55,000 basement
€34,000 garage
€70,000 incidental costs and finishing
Preferred heating technology:
Brine-water heat pump with earth trench collector

If you have to do without, on which details/extensions
-can you do without:

[*]colored windows
[*]prefabricated garage instead of masonry garage
[*]if finances still don’t fit then carport instead of prefabricated garage

-cannot do without:
Even if it is a cost hammer: The basement is a must

Why is the design as it is now? e.g.

Standard design by the planner?

[*]Intensive do-it-yourself brainwork implemented by the planner
[*]Unfortunately little input/suggestions from the planner. It is always just: Looks quite good, yes, we’ll do it like that. No constructive criticism or counterproposals …

What is the most important/basic question about the floor plan summarized in 130 characters?

[*]How to make the sofa corner "cozy"?
[*]If bay window at the house entrance (see pictures "Erker"), how to fit the staircase underneath?
[*]Since there is so far little real opinion from the planner: What do you think??

A sofa that can be seen from the door does not provide coziness. You’re chasing your own tail with the slant, especially with a double door. If the wing door also has windows, no one will feel comfortable in the living room.

But since there is also some mess with the window situation and the accessibility of the terrace, I would ask myself if this is really your house. I generally miss the slope. When I first read it, I imagined a basement apartment, also as an entrance level. Also more of a shed roof with a larger open space. Only the four gables made me suspicious and brought me back to reality. Was there a site plan upstairs? Maybe you should draw the plan from the side, because of the heights...

Regarding the upstairs: you now have 2 offices/guests... and a basement. Okeeeey
My basic opinion is: if a 3-meter wardrobe doesn't fit in a bedroom for parents without a dressing room, something is wrong with the planning. The bathroom is not great either.

I would swap the bathroom with the bedroom so that the missing 3m wardrobe from Yvonne's criticism fits behind the door. Also, swap the kitchen with the living room, and you'll have your cozy corner. I think the idea of the additional bay window is nonsense.

Otherwise, I don't see any major mistakes or brilliant improvements in the design that would get more out of the plan. If you find it too boring, the only solution is to start completely over. If it fits, then build.

Thank you for the input!

: The "slope" is about 1.5 m height difference across the entire property, so maybe about 50 cm on the buildable part. I suspect starting here with a basement living area or something similar won't bring much. We just don't like shed roofs that much, but it would certainly be a good option. I completely agree with you about the bathroom! We already noticed that and it needs to be done differently. For the bedroom, we considered adding a partition wall and designing a dressing area with plenty of closet space and a vertical light strip, but I'm not sure if it will be too tight (see attached picture)?!

: Thanks! The idea of swapping is too simple not to think of. I'll suggest that to my better half. Keyword bay window: Do you even need a roof so that the guest doesn't stand in the rain? We basically like it very much as it is, so no reason to start over.

Keyword bay window: Do you even need a roof so that the guest doesn't stand in the rain?

A porch roof at the entrance is definitely not a bad idea. But to redesign the stairs and move the front door inward for that reason, I think that's nonsense. A light glass roof or something similar works much better.