House and floor plan planning - First architect's plan is available

At the moment I am absolutely happy in a small rental apartment.

Hm.....if you are "ABSOLUTELY" meaning maximally happy with a rental, then you can only worsen this maximum situation by building a house. So why are you changing to a new building, which by nature can or will bring problems, risks, and trouble?

Admittedly, without my own children, it is difficult for me to empathize/put myself in the shoes of a family with children.

That is also not necessary. It is supposed to be absolutely a house for YOU TWO.
As you present it, it could be just any house, because somehow you can live in any house.

but the focus is on light, pictures, plants,

Okay, I understand that, but WHERE do I as a forum member see your conscious implementation of this? I see some standard floor plan without any recognizable focus on that.

In principle, I am certainly a person who appreciates comfort very much, but I am not really practically minded.

WHAT kind of comfort do you mean exactly, so that one could think about it? The previous suggestions did not meet your comfort thoughts, neither regarding the floor plan, sauna, kitchen, music, plants... so far it was always just a... No, it will be nice like this. That makes it obviously difficult for the users here to help you. But that was exactly what you wanted with opening the thread.
So WHAT would comfort mean for you, which you mention here?

I accept inconvenience for beauty.

What would "beauty" mean in your eyes?

I like to put the floor plan up for discussion, even if I perhaps set other priorities

What priorities would those be? So far I read none??

One might think you are being forced into planning and don’t want to.

That impression arises for me too

If I come across like that to you (and others), I can only assure you that is not the case. We only differ in our perspectives on the "optimal".

I cannot see at all what your "optimal" might be. All attempts so far end in a... it is just like that... it'll do... why not... people find it a pity, because it would also be fun to help you but one (at least me) does not see at all how one could help. Recently you said that the house does not have to be individual at all... Hm... does not have to... but could...

But it is a house for a couple and the ideas of both

It is the same with us, so we find intersections with which both sides get along well. Nothing is built that one side does not want at all, unless it is implemented in separate his-and-her areas. Then building a small duplex might have been an idea or a small two-family house with two separate areas. I could well imagine that for myself. A good friend lives like that, two small houses about 10 meters apart; you live together and still do your own thing. I find that great, for example.

I like it when one does their own thing exactly, even if others don’t understand it. But I am here to make "my thing" as nice as possible; it always remains "my thing," so it never leaves my philosophy. Through hints from others, often the clearly critical ones, I am forced to think and partly rethink, which naturally does not suit me by nature. Still, I am currently thinking about it and have changed some things in my sense and am thankful for that. A criticism of my life philosophy or way of life did not come up and would not matter to me either, as I set that for myself.
Here, however, I almost unanimously read something like sadness that nobody can now help or inspire you because for practically everything you have a "it is just like that", "it has always been like that" or "it still works" ready.
Of course, you can live as you want and no doubt that you will (still) make it nice for yourself, but you clearly send the signal here "I already know what I am doing," which leads users to stop thinking constructively so they don’t get another "No, let it be, it’s fine like this" from you.
Just write CONCRETELY WHERE you could need help and what you no longer want to discuss. For me, so far those areas are floor plan, room usage, kitchen, windows, garden, house entrance, bathrooms, garages, which apparently are unchangeable.

I have lived alone for a long time
We have lived as a couple for a long time
I love windows
I love light
I love the view into a nature-like garden and then also the forest

What I find in the house is a standard floor plan where someone desperately tries to bring in individuality.
I see myself in , , or also in . I would have done quite a few things differently there, but I could imagine living in these properties as a couple.

That is my feeling and maybe that is why I find it so difficult.
There isn’t even a dining table shown in the kitchen. Even if you eat with plates on your knees on the sofa, why no door to the open space?
Especially when you are outside a lot, the short way to the kitchen is worth gold.

Much of what is comfort for most here is swept under the table for the desperate individuality of a standard floor plan.
If you are so sensitive that the roof pitch bothers you, then little things inside like a narrow living room or slightly interrupted sight lines must also bother you.

If you plan to sell the house again relatively soon, you have to pay attention to resale. We are currently heading towards an economic crisis, which will make 2008 look like a walk in the park. Will potential buyers be as easy to find in 10 years as now? Then houses will come onto the market of the too tightly financed real estate.

I simply cannot identify with the mindset and the property. I wish you good luck and will hold back.
Look into the garden area, there could be a front garden that you like.

Hm.....if you are "ABSOLUTELY" maximally happy with a rent, then you can only make this maximum situation worse by building a house. So why change to a new build, which by its nature can or will bring problems, risks, and trouble?

I enjoy the freedom of design, even if from the forum members' point of view I use it poorly or not at all. I see it as an adventure and will deal with the problems, risks, and trouble when the time comes.

I see some standard floor plan without a recognizable focus on anything.

That you see a standard floor plan relieves me. Then maybe it is not as bad as I have to assume based on some feedback.

WHAT kind of comfort do you mean so that one could think about it? The previous suggestions have not met your comfort ideas, neither regarding the floor plan, sauna, kitchen, music, plants... so far there has always been a... No, that will be fine as it is. That makes it visibly difficult for the users here to help you. But that’s exactly what you wanted with the opening of the thread.
So WHAT would comfort mean to you that you name here?

What would "beauty" be in your eyes?

"Beautiful" for me is, for example, that the kitchen will probably not be cluttered and we might even be able to do without wall cabinets. That the middle is more of an "empty space" than a kitchen island (which was not drawn by us), and in front of the patio door a small table for two will stand, which can be moved outside to the outdoor seating area as desired.

What priorities would those be? So far I don’t read any??

I will think again about my priorities. I have already communicated one or the other here.

I cannot see at all what your "optimal" could be.

I do not strive for an optimum, it’s too stressful for me.

All attempts so far end in a... it is what it is... it works like that... why also... people find it a pity because it would also be fun to help you, but one (at least me) does not even see how one could help.

Concretely, it would be helpful for me if someone could tell/calculate which window height would look best on this house or also which roof pitch. I will now ask the architect to draw a different roof pitch and ask him for his impression, but tips from the forum are important to me. I will now first suggest 25 degrees, as another forum member used for his house, although his floor area is different.

Then building a small duplex house might have been an idea or a small two-family house with two separate areas.

A duplex would be great (also with regard to the future) and we had also considered it. In the end, however, it was too expensive for us.

Of course, you can live as you want and no doubt that you will make it nice for yourself (nevertheless), but you clearly send the signal here "I already know what I’m doing," which leads users to stop thinking constructively so as not to get another "No, let it be, it’s fine" from you.

I try to argue and to promote my point of view or my perspective on the floor plan/house. I have noticed that this fails for me. Example: wardrobe. As I wrote above, I do not find wardrobes in the corridors of smaller apartments/houses appealing. Why shouldn’t I just put a few hanging hooks on the door of the utility room for the 2-3 everyday jackets and put the everyday shoes to the left or right beside the door of/in the utility room? It’s not up to date, but it is fine for me.

Just write where exactly you could need help and what you no longer want to discuss. For me, these so far are the areas of floor plan, room usage, kitchen, windows, garden, house entrance, bathrooms, garages, which apparently cannot be changed.

I think the forum members who have participated so far have already said everything about most of the areas mentioned. Nothing is unchangeable at first; some things I still have to let sink in and discuss with my husband. I see the use of the rooms as flexible; it does not have to be fixed right away. And that the bedroom is now on the garden side, I have already written. As mentioned, we currently live in a rented apartment and could use every room for any purpose. I assume we can do that in our house as well.

Specifically, the following is open to me:
- What speaks for or against a larger "garden area" in front of the house, especially since I will also park cars and garbage bins there. It would be particularly helpful if someone could tell me how much area I have in front of the house and how much area behind the house so that I can still move the house a bit back and forth. Although I actually do not find it very nice when houses have a bit of a "stingy" garden area in front or even no garden area, so that it is almost only a utility area.

- What roof pitch should the pavilion roof have?

- How large should the windows be, whereby I prefer narrow, taller windows to wide, lower windows.

Over time, I am sure I will think of more questions.

"For me, 'nice' means, for example, that the kitchen will probably not be overcrowded and we might even be able to do without wall cabinets.

You can overcrowd any kitchen or room with furniture and items. We also don’t have wall cabinets here, partly due to the slant. In the new house, we will take over the kitchen and perhaps expand it a bit... we’ll see. We don’t want wall cabinets there either. We also have an idea of the shape and spatial requirements, but I still benefit from forum tips regarding windows, lighting, arrangement, etc.
But with you, everything bounces off. Your repeated "It’ll somehow work" ends any further thought, which apparently also bothers you partially. So why do you then stop the project?
You write almost as if everyone here thought the same way, but that is not the case.

Specifically, it would help me if someone could tell/calculate which window height would look best for this house.

Okay. Viewed from inside as a resident or as a viewer from outside? That’s an absolute difference that can lead to completely different results. The roof shape is obviously very important from the outside, what about the windows, are they more important from the outside or from the inside?
Is the room in front used for plants, and if so, what height, what needs do these plants have, etc.?

I try to argue and advocate for my point of view or my perspective on the floor plan/house.

I do understand this fundamental intention, and that’s exactly why I wrote the word "individuality." Your approximate response to that was: "Individuality? — I don’t need it!"

As I wrote above, I don’t find wardrobes in the hallways of small apartments/houses appealing. Why shouldn’t I just hang a few wall hooks on the door of the utility room for the 2-3 everyday jackets and place the everyday shoes on the left or right next to the door of/in the utility room? It’s not contemporary, but it’s okay for me.

But then you only pick "ugly" examples. Just as well, one could find beautiful AND functional solutions for that.
Of course, you can also simply install a hook rack on the wall, and yes, that’s enough. But your "that’s enough" is of course a killer argument against every suggestion here. You can hang hooks anywhere, even in the kitchen.... you can do everything….

I am not striving for optimum, it’s too much stress for me.

I only quoted that word from your own post where you mentioned your "optimal." But optimal can also be an empty room, no garden design, no plants. For another person, your thoughts regarding kitchen and plants might be stressful. I think you fear someone wants to force you somewhere, which I honestly read nowhere.

I think that’s good then and the point is reached where attempted help starts to become intrusive, at least for me.
Therefore, I wish you good success and of course I can imagine that you will make it nice there; I wish that for you and of course for you all!

Look at houses where you like the windows and measure their length/width ratio to each other. Then you know what you like.

Even to me, the planning or your responses here regarding the floor plan seem rather unloving (and that says something, I love pragmatism and absolutely can’t do with too much attention to detail) – but in the end, it has to suit you or you all.

The only thing I would urgently advise you to reconsider is the fact that you see the house as "living temporarily" and you absolutely refuse to acknowledge that today’s planning will significantly affect the resale and also the rental. If none of it really matters to you anyway, it would be all the more sensible to listen to advice here (perhaps especially from those who might be potential buyers in 10 years) and make adjustments in that direction. Maybe in 10 years you will need the money or your plans will change (I’ve heard you can also have a wonderful retirement abroad), then it would be a real shame if you can’t get rid of the house because it seems fairly unimportant to you right now.