Opinions on the single-family house with a "hobby economic annex"

Hello everyone,

for a long time we have very much enjoyed reading along :-)
Great forum, many thanks for that!

In May we bought a very beautiful and large plot of land. (With existing buildings, house must be demolished!) On this plot we would like to build and have taken the first steps and met with an architect highly recommended by very good friends. After a very good conversation with questioning of needs and prioritization, the first sketches have now been created.

We would like to get your opinion again on the following floor plan.

Development plan/restrictions: §34
Size of the plot: 2200m²
Floor area ratio:
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors:
Roof type: "flat" pitched roof
Style: conservative (brick construction), with modern "extension"
Orientation: rather open style
Maximum height/limits: -

Requirements of the builders
Style, roof type, building type: brick construction, "flat" pitched roof, as few slopes as possible, high ceilings
Basement, floors: no basement, 2 floors
Number of persons, age: 2 adults (41 & 34), 1 child (26 months) + 1 child planned (2-3 years) possibly au-pair needed then
Office: 1 office on the upper floor (as long as no second child), 1 external office + "music room"
Conservative or modern construction: rather conservative --> brick
Open kitchen, kitchen island: very much desired, also kitchen island
Number of dining seats: 6
Fireplace: yes, very much desired water-bearing
Garage, carport: carport with 2 parking spaces and access to the house
House design: by our architect

What do you particularly like?
We find the "parents' area" on the upper floor very nice. The extension in front of the house is also very nicely solved.

What do you not like?
The kitchen might be a little small, kitchen island is not yet considered. Children’s bathroom on the upper floor could be smaller and only needs one washbasin.
In the extension I would divide a work area.

As already described, this is the first "rough" draft following an approx. 2-3 hour initial meeting with our architect!

We would be very grateful for hints and suggestions.

Hello everyone,

does no one have an opinion/feedback on the [Ausarbeitungen]?

Best regards, Barossi

- what are these recesses in the children's rooms supposed to be? I would leave them out and straighten the wall, they will just become dumping grounds
- how wide is the bedroom in the parents' wing? Looks so cramped
- don't find it very clever that you always have to go through the utility room to get to the kitchen - probably means the doors are always open and the washing machine becomes an experience
- are there bars in front of the windows o_O?

- what are these chambers in the children's rooms supposed to be? I would leave them out and straighten the wall, they will just be junk piles
- How wide is the bedroom in the parents' wing? Looks so tight.
- I don't find it very practical that you always have to go through the utility room to get to the kitchen - probably means the doors are always open and the washing machine becomes an adventure
- Are there bars in front of the windows o_O?

Hello,

yes, we also found the "chambers" in the children's rooms not very practical.
The bedroom is 3.5X3.6m, so 12.6^m.

Best regards, Barossi

Okay, I think the bedroom and master wing are good – or rather the entire upper floor with straight walls in the children's rooms. I don't really like the ground floor – does your music room get its own heating? It kind of looks like it’s outside the building envelope.

Okay, bedrooms and the parent area I find good then - or rather, with straight walls in the children's rooms, the entire upper floor. The ground floor doesn't appeal to me that much - is your music room getting its own heating? It looks a bit as if it lies outside the building envelope.

Hello, no, this is initially meant to indicate that something must be done against structure-borne sound here so that the "noise" does not enter the residential house.

Best regards, Barossi