Floor plan - Opinions explicitly welcome

Hello everyone,

some time ago I registered here and now we are entering the final phase. The plot was signed last week and we are continuing with our floor plan design. This planning took a bit longer and has already been completely revised because we originally wanted to build with a basement but then could no longer do so due to the soil survey – in connection with the high groundwater level and the construction costs.

A few key data points:

- 2 full floors, style: city villa, ground floor larger than upper floor (due to utility room, as a basement was originally planned), resulting in a kind of canopy (see elevations)
- we will have an unobstructed natural view to the north and plan a west entrance
- we want to somehow use the natural view, preferably in the dining area
- carport will be on the west side, direct access to the utility room is planned
- shower/toilet on the ground floor
- kitchen in the east with cooking counter/island including pantry and breakfast terrace
- living room should be separable (not final yet), at least 25 sqm and with a wood stove
- open hallway and air space (inviting, open entrance)
- 2 children’s rooms, full bathroom "T-style", bedroom on the upper floor

I’m curious about your opinions. What currently bothers us is that the air space in the entrance is overbuilt by about 2 meters due to the extension of the ground floor, which ruins the whole effect. Unfortunately, we are also limited by the budget, so we can’t become infinitely large; the total living area should not exceed 170 sqm. We have now considered possibly extending a bay window on the upper floor above the hallway so that the air space remains completely intact. The accommodation of the utility room with at least 10 sqm has somewhat ruined our previously great floor plan WITH BASEMENT again, and after weeks of looking at our plan, one eventually can’t see the forest for the trees.

So now I’m looking forward to suggestions, criticism, and ideas about what you notice.

Merry Christmas!

Hello

Personally, I really like the floor plan. I would almost take it myself
I really like the second shower in the guest bathroom. We have that too. With 4 people and (in our case) often overnight guests, that makes a lot of sense.
I also like the office on the ground floor. When you get older and it becomes difficult to climb stairs, you can turn it into a bedroom. -> We wanted that too, but unfortunately it didn’t work for us...

The only "criticism" from my point of view: Do you like cooking? Is the kitchen used a lot?
We like cooking – and also enjoy cooking together with friends – which means 2-4 people are working in the kitchen at the same time. That probably wouldn’t work in your kitchen. I think there is way too little workspace even for one cook...
Am I right in thinking that there are tall cabinets on either side next to the door to the pantry (fridge, oven raised up, maybe a pull-out pantry cabinet, ...)?
Then the only space left for cutting vegetables is the corner to the right next to the sink...
You might want to reconsider that – even though I don’t have any ideas off the top of my head on how to improve it with this floor plan... Especially because in my opinion the position of the many doors (rarely have I seen a kitchen with 3(!) doors...) was chosen to look nice but is impractical technically...

Best regards
Micha

Hello Snow57,
thank you for your opinion. The kitchen may still be redesigned. After the visit to the kitchen maker, it became clear that some things still need to be "shifted" a bit. Maybe we can also change the kitchen a bit in terms of size.
I think with 10sqm an island would be oversized, right? It would probably only fit if you actually swapped the areas. The dining area is supposed to allow an unobstructed view of nature to the north. But maybe that can still be realized – even with a swap. Worth considering.
In the kitchen there is only one terrace door to get to the east/breakfast terrace, next to it a floor-to-ceiling window or a "normal" window. Otherwise, there is only the door to the pantry; maybe that will also be a sliding door.
Perhaps someone else might have some ideas about an optional division of the living area. We are not quite happy with that yet and we think it will feel too tight.
From another source, I have heard that the window front in the north can cause problems with the energy standard. Can anyone who knows about that confirm this?
Have a good start to the new year and best regards

I also find the floor plan well thought out, it will work. Do you even need a pantry? You could have a great kitchen island if you give up this space. Tall cabinets offer so much storage and for the rest you have the utility room. Many greetings Yvonne

I wouldn't share anything there at all

One could move the door to the dining area to the right, the utility room to the left. Then there would be a wall of estimated 2 meters there (Sorry, I can't read the measurements very well :-() I would also move the door in the children's room all the way to the corner at the top (from memory), so that one could possibly place a shelf behind it