Floor plan planning for our single-family house Single-family house in SH

When you stand and work in the kitchen, you look at the pantry door. That's annoying.

I can also see the storage cabinet from the stove without any lasting damage

Or we think again in the direction of a U,

Or we consider the kitchen under the children's bathroom / utility room, open as a U towards the top of the plan, eating where the seating area is now; HAR as mentioned under the master bathroom, in my opinion unproblematic, trapped behind the guest WC. Pantry only under the stairs, but a second part on the other hallway side, in the lower part of the current kitchen in the plan.

Or we think of the kitchen under the children's bathroom / utility room, as a U open to the top of the plan, eating there where the seating area is now; as mentioned, the utility room under the master bathroom, in my opinion unproblematic caught behind the guest WC. Pantry only under the stairs, for that a second part on the other hallway side, in the lower part of the current kitchen on the plan.

That sounds interesting at first glance. I will decipher and test that later when everyone here is asleep.

Thank you for your initial post, the drawings are fun.

I already know where and that I would take off about 1.5 meters in length. Why is that? I believe the sense of space improves in some rooms if they get a “different shape.”

About the kitchen: Uncomfortable because of access to living/dining? It is certainly mostly a matter of habit, because that’s how I know it from before, for example, and

It is not uncomfortable because of the pantry door; it is too narrow in terms of proportions to be used as a passage. I basically have nothing against that, but the room must have space so that the path is subordinate to the room itself.

Stair depth is indeed tight. Surely another 20cm are needed if it is not to become too steep or the landing too narrow. But the current position can handle that.

Unfortunately, it hides itself. I definitely wouldn’t do that with a landing stair. There are stairs, and there are houses where the stairs have to be seen as the focal point.

Storage room

Upstairs, I would place both children’s rooms together on the south side. And I would pay attention to bundling the water pipes a bit closer together given the length of the house. Besides, some walls could probably be omitted; there is the stair, hallway, pantry... you could remove this unnecessary square meters, expose the stairs, and move the door to the pantry. That also creates a different sightline toward the dining area. I would place the stairs opposite the entrance, kind of creating symmetry with the hallway that transitions into the living area. I would also shorten the living room... that’s the one layout in which I would take the house since I find the proportions of the living room unattractive.

Thanks for your opening post, the drawings are fun.

Thanks, glad you like them. I simply find it easier when such things are also visually appealing.

It’s not uncomfortable because of the pantry door, it’s too narrow in proportion to be used as a passage. I basically have no problem with that, but the room needs to have space so that the path is subordinated to the room itself.

That gets us closer to the point, I need to think about that…

Unfortunately, it hides itself. I definitely wouldn’t do that with a platform staircase. There are stairs, and there are houses where the stairs have to be seen as the center point.

At least it is currently relatively central when you enter. Even if it has to share the field of view with the guest WC door. However, we don’t want it in the living area but connected to the hallway to enable the secret way upstairs for later…

Nevertheless, I am reconsidering the showcase aspect of the staircase.

Upstairs, I would place both children's rooms together on the south side.

We have already thought about that for some time. The south side has the disadvantage for us that at about 6m distance (more like 5.5 due to older setback regulations in SH) the neighbor lives. And there is no view, rather a view into our property. Therefore, the idea is to offer both children’s rooms the "wide view" into the garden instead.

And with the length of the house, I would make sure the water pipes are bundled closer together.

Do you see that from any perspective other than cost? Basically, I would prefer, apart from extreme cases, to avoid letting something like that dictate the room layout.

Also, you could probably do without some walls, like the stairs, hallway, pantry... you could take away that unnecessary sqm, expose the stairs, and move the pantry door. That would also create a different line of sight towards the dining area.

I had that idea too and will try it out. However, then from the hallway one would have a much more open view into the living room, which actually gains coziness “around the corner.”

I would put the stairs opposite the entrance, a bit of symmetry with the hallway that leads into the living area.

That’s also worth a try, thanks!

I would also shorten the living room… that’s the one layout that I would take for the house, I don’t find the proportions of the living room nice.

You’d have to explain that sentence to me. How is "layout" to be understood here and to what extent would you take it for the house?

Cozy atmosphere does not automatically arise simply because a room is around the corner. Here at least, I find it very uncomfortable. In any case, I would still experiment a bit. Some suggestions have already been made.

Cozy atmosphere does not automatically arise just because a room is around the corner. At least here I find it very uncomfortable. In any case, I would still experiment a bit. Some suggestions have already been made.

Absolutely, I'm already working on it

However, I'm not quite sure yet what causes this perceived discomfort. Whether it's simply a matter of taste or if I am overlooking something.