Log cabin with a clipped gable roof by the forest - improve planning?

As expected, your contributions have indeed had some impact. On the one hand, we share some of the criticism; on the other hand, when trying the new plan within the existing exterior walls, we understand why we initially came up with this solution. Therefore, we first took up the suggestion to redesign the staircase and entrance area; the rest has to align more or less with this. To make this staircase more elegant and fitting to the house, we set the premise that we will not accept a steep/uncomfortable staircase. With a height of 332cm, we therefore assumed a division of 17.45cm height and 28.1cm depth, resulting in 18-19 steps, depending on whether the top one is counted.

I have attached two pictures that we can imagine. There is always a door under the staircase, but we have at least 2.20m of space, so enlarging the doors should not be a problem—also a good point. Both staircases allow for a reasonable air space, which we like. In terms of light, it is still borderline, but that should be manageable.

On the upper floor, we wanted from the beginning to separate the children’s and parents’ areas. Our previous solution only connected the bathrooms to keep the piping simple. In the huge hallway, however, we would have space for the family bathroom with a bathtub (let's be honest, the children will probably use it more). The disadvantage is that this bathroom is directly next to our bedroom; therefore, the partition wall should probably be insulated more heavily. By the way, the wall insulation is done with 100mm wood insulation material, which is said to provide better acoustic insulation than mineral wool.

With the new staircase, we could enlarge the north room, almost as compensation for the south view. Another consideration was to move both children’s rooms to the south, but then the separate parents' area would be lost entirely. Dividing the dormer results in significantly smaller rooms, which is certainly possible, but does not seem fair to me considering the available space.

One more note about the basement:
Yes, the room is acoustically proportioned well on purpose—but not for a cinema, as neither of us are film fans. We don’t even have a TV. The sloped area will, of course, be fitted with large terrace doors that are also 3.8m wide, similar to the upper ones. So much more light comes in than you would think. We have already replanned the basement as well; I hope I can upload a drawing here, though I probably just didn’t bring it with me.

How about a straight staircase?



The staircase is often the centerpiece for the planning. What is important to you?
Does it have to be strictly in the hallway area, or is it also possible, as in the example, to have it within the dining area? Especially when there is still a large living area separated, it is great if you can integrate the upper floor more closely into everyday life via the staircase. Additionally, it is automatically outside the dirty zone. Just a matter of taste.

Should it be possible to separate the floors in old age, or is that unimportant? This point should be well considered, as it constrains the staircase and leaves fewer options.

Can it be curved with slanted steps, or should only straight steps (landing or straight staircase) be used?

Can it start in the entrance / dirty area, or would you prefer not?

Upstairs, we wanted from the beginning the separation of the children's and parents' areas. Our previous solution only provided for the coupling of the bathrooms so that the piping routes would be simple.

A good planner can route the pipes from the far left to the far right and vice versa. In such large houses, there can also be two pipe shafts—so what? The pipes are indeed important, and it's nice if they don't come down right in the middle of the living room, but one shouldn't overdo it with minimizing the routes.

The staircase is often the centerpiece for the planning. What is important to you?
Does it have to be in the hallway area or can it, as in the example, also be within the dining area? Especially if a large living area is separate, it’s great if you can connect the upper floor more closely to daily life via the staircase. Additionally, it is automatically outside the dirt zone. Just a matter of taste.

Should a separation of the floors be possible in old age or is that unimportant? This point should be carefully considered, as it forces the staircase into a tight corset and leaves fewer options.

Can it be curved with slanted steps or should only straight steps (landing or straight staircase) be used?

Can it start in the entrance/dirt area or better not?

We want a staircase that fits the house in terms of ambiance. That was not the case with the first variant — it did have the desired landing, but both the arrangement of the steps and the entire staircase were extremely unfavorable. I find all three new designs much less cramped.
The staircase was previously in the hallway area to acoustically separate the living room a bit. We cannot assess how much noise passes through a solid wood door into the children’s room when we sit there in the evening and talk with friends — the second door seemed sensible. But it is understandable that we artificially separate the living/cooking/dining area from the rest of the house, as there is no connection. If the staircase is integrated into the living/dining room, the advantage would be that it feels more like a unit — I think.
It may also be curved, but the steps should not become particularly narrow on one side, as that takes away openness and makes it uncomfortable. However, I do not think a delicate or particularly elegant staircase would fit either; the house is rather rustic-cozy in terms of ambiance. Maybe something like a luxury farmhouse style? Lots of solid wood, roughly processed rustic stone surfaces, something along those lines.

I don’t want to make it dependent on the dirt zone; I’m the first to not take off my shoes and to walk through the house — bad habit and all. That’s why an appropriately resilient floor covering is planned throughout the entire ground floor, especially in the paths from the front door to the terrace. We also have a dog, possibly another one might join, and by then the whole ground floor is a “dirt zone.”

Separating the floors in old age is irrelevant to me. One of the considerations is indeed to live only on the ground floor in old age. Yes, the upper floor has the nicer view, but I can do without it; it will be for guests, visiting children and grandchildren, or just dust. The space on the ground floor is large enough if I can no longer climb stairs. More likely is that we will move out and look for something else. The garden, the big house — none of that is really age-appropriate.

You’ve changed even more in your floor plan; I’ll make a second post for that to keep track of everything...

The wiring is no longer a problem. Initially, the ceiling on the ground floor was supposed to have visible ceiling beams, which would have made things more complicated. We decided against that and can now run most of it easily within the stud walls and the ceiling. Only exterior walls and the necessary posts are off-limits. However, this means your proposed changes to the kitchen don’t work – on the one hand, the kitchen island with its 4 meters is fixed and basically cannot be changed, and on the other hand, we have to take the one post into account.

We already discussed the pantry earlier and decided against it. There is a large storage room in the basement; the kitchen is so huge that we don’t need another intermediate storage. We can use the space better for the kitchen, coffee corner, or something else.

If we integrate the stairs into the living room, where would the stairs to the basement go? People probably don’t want them in the living room? A second staircase in the hallway?

This is what I meant with the staircase that separates the living area from the entrance area. (Pictures attached) The staircase is yellow, you could leave an area in front of it open as an air space to create a stronger connection between the floors (green). Maybe an elevator option could be planned there. You would have a nice gallery upstairs. Through the sliding doors on the ground floor to the staircase, you could optionally include the entrance area with the study and guest room in the living space – or not (also keyword cellar access).

For me, the library would be downstairs in the area to the left of the living room, separable from the rest of the living space by a sliding door. The guest room on the ground floor could be designed with an ensuite bathroom (as an option) if desired.

Whether you go up the staircase on the right or on the left – a matter of taste. I would go up on the left downstairs, so the "loud" children don’t have to run past my bedroom door ^^ if they want to go to the ground floor. On the upper floor to the south, I would plan a roof terrace that I can access from the bathrooms. The architect should take care of the drainage issue ;P.

In the master bathroom, I have planned the sauna, a large sliding door between the bedroom and bathroom creates a nice, spacious situation in both rooms if needed. A laundry chute could start in the hallway on the upper floor, possibly in the upper right corner towards the northern children's room, and lead down to the cellar, disguised behind the built-in closet on the ground floor.

At the moment, the master bathroom would be a pure ensuite bathroom – if you don’t want that (if someone wants to sleep longer), it could be redesigned with access to the hallway or similar.

Based on your description with the larger windows in the cellar, I would rather place sports equipment etc. there, and make the other rooms upstairs more spacious instead.

Of course, this is only meant as a suggestion to imagine a different situation; I am, of course, not an architect. But a new staircase position always opens up new possibilities for the layout of the rooms. With this staircase position, you could possibly even separate the upper floor from the ground floor. Have you discussed a straight staircase in this floor plan with the architect?

But all of this is very much a matter of taste, but something like this came to mind yesterday when I saw your floor plan. I could personally well imagine it.

No idea if there is anything in here that you might like, but I thought I’d take the trouble now and sketch something out. Especially since time seems to be pressing for you.

Best regards