Floor plan draft for a 220m² single-family house

Do yourself a favor and leave these windows exactly as drawn.

The architect wanted to maybe take another look at the windows regarding optimization possibilities by Thursday. We'll see what he proposes then. It's good that I can record your assessment in advance.

You give the panoramic window a venetian blind.

Do you mean the sliding door? Or the one that was declared as a panoramic window behind the couch in the second to last draft, but then was no longer planned by the architect in the last draft (why, I don’t know).

To be able to ventilate with the window tilted, you need the office window and the window door in the dining area to be openable.

Is that still necessary with a controlled residential ventilation system?

We will then mentally leave the windows in the living room as they are. Apparently, you are convinced that the window behind the couch must also be there.

The mentioned windows on the upper floor are also exactly right*, I would only make Child 1’s two windows the same size, so also set the one above the desk to a sill height of 1 m.

Here I am still not sure if we want it that way. Besides the situation on the left and right outer sides of the upper floor, where I can imagine shallow windows, I would also see changes in the kitchen. I have inserted my inspiring photos here.

1) Left next to the front door – especially in the ground floor bathroom – I imagine it something like picture 1. Even if you can and will satin frost the glass, I simply do not want a floor-to-ceiling window in the toilet downstairs. As depicted, this can be represented in the ground floor without ruining the appearance. Or am I wrong?

2) From the kitchen photo, we would actually prefer to install the left window element facing the street. But since it cannot be tilted either and we want to do without another tilt window at the lower right corner of the kitchen, the right window with tilt option is highly favored.

3) During numerous viewings, we liked these shallow and elongated windows – especially for places where you don’t necessarily want someone to be able to look in to the usual extent. The third photo is from a children’s room. Whether the window has to be that long is the question, but I find the other dimensions good – maybe even in the length as shown. With different widths, I would imagine this in Child 1, the master bathroom above the shower, in the same dimensions in the office, and on the other side in the utility room and children’s bathroom.

The windows enable additional light intake especially on the left side without the neighbor, who has a house at a higher level, being able to look in there extensively. Especially in the children’s room, a classic window is therefore not so desirable.

Is there anything speaking against this?

2) From the kitchen photo, we would actually prefer to install the left window element towards the street front. However, since it cannot be tilted and we want to avoid another tilt window in the lower right corner of the kitchen, the right window with tilt option is highly favored.

Forgot to mention: We are still considering whether the corner window at the back of the kitchen should also be made as low in height. We are not yet sure if a small dining table will go there or not.... on the other hand, the view outside is not really exciting.

So the child then cannot look out of the window? [emoji33]

So the child can't look out the window then? [emoji33]

Yes, forward. On the side where the neighbors can peek in but not vice versa, and we don’t want that either.

The architect wanted to maybe take another look at the windows regarding optimization possibilities by Thursday.

But he already did.

Good that I can record your assessment in advance.

If you look closely, you can even understand it: the windows of the entrance facade are all 201 cm wide: those next to the front door 76 + 49 + 76 = 201 as above, Child 2 / kids’ bathroom 88.5 + 24 + 88.5 = 201 as below and beside. The window door at the dining table is as wide as the office window, also 201.

You mean the sliding door? Or that which was declared as a panoramic window behind the couch in the penultimate draft,

Exactly. I’m referring to the 265, and mean the panoramic window.

As depicted, you can depict that on the ground floor somehow without ruining the appearance.

As planned, only the parapet at nose height?
Yes, you can do it that way.
But don’t turn it to landscape format: 76 wide means also 76 high, not less. Same height in the kitchen.

The third photo comes from a children’s room.

For Child 1, I would give the planned window like the one on the other side, at worst reduced to 76 cm height. There’s the garage in between, so the neighbor has distance.

I wouldn’t execute a fixed element like in the picture on the upper floor, I prefer cleaning windows without having to involve the scaffolder.

Do you actually still need that with a controlled residential ventilation system?

With the only window in a room, I wouldn’t rely solely on a ventilation system but want to be able to open it. The panorama middle post disturbance factor is overrated. It’s different at the couch window.

We are still considering whether the corner window at the back in the kitchen should also be executed as shallow in height.

No, from the outside the same height is the connecting element to the sliding door. You’re just in the process of unlearning your architectural dyslexia.

That's right. I am referring to 265, and I mean the panoramic window.

I just realized that I hadn’t posted the draft that came shortly after 265 with small changes. My bad. See attachment! The changes I hinted at in 265 regarding the corner window in the kitchen have already been incorporated there. We definitely don’t want a door leading outside there – we wanted a corner window like that from the beginning.

Why the architect replaced the panoramic window with a normal window here compared to #265, I don’t know and need to clarify the day after tomorrow.

As planned, only the railing at nose height?
Yes, you can do it that way.

I don’t know how wide it will be. The proposal 76x76 seems positive.

I wouldn’t install a fixed element like in the picture for a window on the upper floor, I prefer to clean windows without having to bother the scaffolder.

I laughed heartily when I read that this noon!
You’re right! I hadn’t thought of that at all and would have looked stupid later! Oh dear.

Maybe we’ll then reduce it to 76 cm height. The ideas for the other side of the house need to be reconsidered accordingly. What do you think regarding the parents’ bathroom? Do we still need an additional window as I last considered? A small window next to the toilet and the balcony door – I don’t know if they really make it bright enough. We’re usually not such light fetishists but in the bathroom we both like it very bright and daylight-like.

For the only window of a room, I wouldn’t rely solely on a ventilation system but want to be able to open it.

That’s true concerning the office. For the window next to the dining table, however, that would not apply; there, the light would at most be an argument.