Floor plan: Semi-detached house 8x12m. Opinions and creative ideas welcome :-)

Hello dear ones

I also tried my hand a bit at floor plans for our plot.
Background: At the moment we are in contact with a general contractor and a prefab house builder. It will probably come down to a combination of a freelance architect and a general contractor (thanks for the tip to @ant11).
However, it is currently very difficult to find an architect - but of course I can't sit still and already had to try a little myself. I worked with the app MagicPlan. We have also already received a floor plan from the prefab house builder, but we really didn't like it at all. So here we go - thanks in advance to everyone who takes a look :-*

I am also happy to take tips on how to find an architect who doesn't only work from a 1 million contract value :-P

A quick note on orientation: Balcony on the upper floor and living room face southwest. Has to be that way. The rear side is completely bordering fields.

Development plan / restrictions

Plot size: 410m2
Slope: no
Building window: 5m to the street, 12m house length and 8(,1)m width for the house and 3m width for the garage. Plot 11.1m*37m
Number of parking spaces: -
Number of floors: max. 2 full floors, no knee wall allowed
Roof shape: gable roof 25-45 degrees
Style: any
Orientation: Southwest
Maximum heights/limits: ridge height 9m, wall height max. 4.70m

Requirements of the builders
Style, roof shape, building type: nice :-P
Basement, floors: no basement, almost 2 full floors (slight slopes from 1.80m due to prescribed wall height)
Number of people, age: 3 people, including 1 toddler (2 years) - another child planned
Space requirements in ground and upper floor: 140-160m2
Office: guest room on the ground floor used as office
Guests per year: currently rare - but space for parents/in-laws desired when older
Open or closed architecture: open floor plan
Balcony, roof terrace: balcony for laundry
Garage, carport: garage - but carport would also be ok if the advantages outweigh

House design
Who created the plan: me (trained architect through various apps :-P - just kidding)
What do you particularly like? Why?

[*]Garage access through the utility room
[*]few hallway areas and still a wardrobe
[*]open living concept and straight staircase (landing stairs could not be depicted)
[*]own bathroom for kids
[*]generous walk-in closet
[*]laundry room on the upper floor
[*]passage bedroom/bathroom/closet

What do you not like? Why?

[*]lack of pantry on the ground floor
[*]children on the north side
[*]that you enter the parents' closet first - would prefer 2 built-in wardrobes like houses in America
[*]hallway on the upper floor very narrow and access to children's room 1 hardly feasible - on the other hand I don't like wasted space and enlarging the hallway would reduce the children's rooms. Solution?
[*]I find the garage quite practical but it takes away window areas - will the ground floor be too dark and should we rather go for a carport?

Why is the design the way it is now?

We wanted an open floor plan because we have a lot of visitors and I always find it a pity when I disappear into the kitchen while everything is happening in the living area. It was also important for us to have a separate parents' area for complete privacy and a balcony for hanging laundry in the summer. Shower on the ground floor for guests and it is also important to me to do laundry on the upper floor (where the laundry accumulates).

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

[*]general opinion on the floor plan
[*]see "what do you not like" suggestions for improvement welcome

Note:
Windows are just random. Unfortunately, I don't know how to view the exterior - of course we will place windows accordingly.

How is that supposed to work in the living room with the cables for the TV, game consoles, DVD player, etc., and what does it look like from the dining table?

Best regards
Sabine

A small pantry would theoretically fit under the stairs, that’s how we do it now. We are building with similar dimensions. Are you sure that the space is enough for the utility room? What you need to expect: very soon many people will be screaming for storage space here - have you thought about that?

how is that supposed to work in the living room with the cables for the TV, game consoles, DVD player, etc., and how does it look from the dining table? Best regards Sabine

Thank you for your question We thought of a ceiling height wall about 1.80m wide that includes a fireplace and the TV. A kind of room "divider" But it's not a must - we could also put the TV on the opposite wall in an emergency, but we quite like it when you achieve a little separation of the areas that still feels open.

A small pantry could theoretically fit under the stairs, that’s how we are doing it now. We are building with similar dimensions. Are you sure the space is enough for the utility room? What you have to expect: very soon many people will be crying out for storage space - have you thought about that?

Yes, there should also be a storage room under the stairs, forgot to mention that. But I would still like to have something additional just for supplies.

Do you have your floor plan included? Although it probably won’t really help us since the semi-detached house issue is more difficult for us. If we were building a single-family house, we would probably have chosen the entrance on the side. But I would still be interested, maybe I can pick up something.

And yes, you are definitely right about that – that’s why I would also prefer the garage – solely for additional storage space.

Regarding the technical room: yes, it should be enough, since only the technical equipment is supposed to go in there and no storage, laundry area etc.

How much space is left in width for the dining area? That looks very tight.

Best regards
Sabine