Feedback on our floor plan idea, small building window

about the pantry in the basement...

I go to my storage room 2-3 times a day. If it’s not connected to the kitchen, it probably isn’t one. Because nobody wants to constantly run down there. But to each their own.

Are you trying to say I’m not normal? Hehe.

Oh right, you lock the guests in the basement, that’s true. Well, they’ll be happy about that.

It depends on the size of the kitchen and the contents of the pantry or storage room. What do you store there that you go in 2-3 times a day? Apart from drink crates and a vacuum cleaner, I can’t think of anything in my new kitchen for which I’d want a better solution than just having it loose in the kitchen. I currently don’t have a separate room and don’t plan one for the new house either. I see it like Lassemann does: raclette device, large soup pots, waffle iron, and stuff like that go to the basement with me.

What do you mean guests are locked in the basement? That obviously depends on the available options overall and not least on how often you have visitors. If I have guests 3-4 times a year, I find a guest room in the basement with a bathroom very comfortable! If I have visitors every weekend for 2-3 days, maybe you’d have to think of something else, but who has that?

Hello Panama,

it is similar with us. We have guests a maximum of 4-6 times a year on weekends. Incidentally, the basement is planned as a living basement (2.50 m high ceilings, wooden parquet in the guest room, cork in the play basement, plastered walls like on the ground floor, underfloor heating). The only drawback: light probably only through larger light wells.

Incidentally, we could very well accommodate family visitors (e.g. parents) on the pull-out sofa in the AZ. For showering, they then either go to the children's bathroom or to the basement. That is really no problem, as long as it does not have to be daily.

Best regards

I personally don’t think the design is bad at first, but I’m not an expert either. I want to make that clear right away. What I don’t like so much is the fact that you can look from the entrance area over the couch. I myself am a real advocate of open living solutions. I can also imagine why you want it that way. It looks big and spacious with the view into the open. On the other hand, do you always want to have the front door at your back? I think that somewhat takes away the coziness of the living room. But that is a matter of taste. I see the upper floor as quite successful, although I find it hard to estimate how much space is really effective and visually usable due to the sloping ceilings. An advantage is certainly being able to remove the wall later and have a large alternative room. The only downside I personally find is the bedroom in the south, which has already been mentioned. Maybe due to the room layout, it can’t be done differently, but that can really become a torment. I would reconsider it in your interest; maybe there is an alternative. For me personally, it is very important since I work shifts.

On the topic of the basement

Having enough space is always good. You have to imagine now, how often do you have visitors? Then you have to ask how often the visitors stay overnight, okay, maybe except for the parents. I personally have completely done without a guest room because it simply wouldn’t get used enough! I think any serious overnight guest can be expected to sleep in the basement once in a while. Also with its own bathroom and enough space, well tempered in the summer. I also see the pantry in the basement more as a large storage room for boxes and food that doesn’t need to be accessed daily. I think that’s completely fine. Also, the room climate in basements nowadays is not as bad-smelling as it used to be. If it is, something was planned wrong.

oh yes, I forgot about the chimney. Isn't it possible to find a more central place for it? It just looks totally, in my opinion, stupid when the chimney exits at this spot. But maybe by now there are better solutions ^^ . I could also well imagine the chimney at your place as a room divider between the kitchen and the living room?

Hello Panama,

it's similar with us. We have guests a maximum of 4-6 times a year for the weekend. By the way, the basement is planned as a livable basement (2.50 m high ceilings, wooden parquet in the guest room, cork in the playroom, plastered walls like on the ground floor, underfloor heating). The only downside: light probably only through larger light shafts.

Best regards

We will do something similar. We would have liked to have "real" windows in 1-2 rooms, but for that you have to build a complete light well, which then also has to be secured again, etc. No idea what the additional costs would be, but since we do not plan the basement rooms as permanent living spaces, we will probably also do without it. Possibly we will make a continuous window strip in one room; since the plot slopes slightly (about 1 m over 20 m width), that may be possible on one side without much effort. If you find any great ideas/solutions for light shafts somewhere, feel free to keep me informed.

Personally, I don’t think the draft is bad at first, but I’m not an expert either. I want to say that right away. What I don’t like so much is the fact that you can look from the entrance area over the couch. I am myself a real advocate of open living concepts. I can also imagine why you want it that way. It looks big and spacious with the view outside. On the other hand, do you always want to have the front door behind your back? I think that somewhat detracts from the coziness of the living room. But that is a matter of taste.

Yes, that’s a point. The living room is of course not yet planned in terms of furniture. But indeed, that could become an issue.

I see the upper floor as quite successful, although I find it hard to estimate how much space is really effective and optical due to the sloping ceilings. An advantage is certainly being able to remove the wall later and have a large alternative room. The only downside I personally find is the bedroom in the south, which was already mentioned. It might not be possible to realize it differently because of the room layout, but that can really become a torment. I would think about it again in your interest, maybe there is an alternative. For me personally, that is very important since I work shifts.

What exactly can become a torment? The heat? Or the headboard facing the door? I would be very interested in your perspective.

Thank you!