Semi-detached house with unequal halves = different floor plans

Do you also have the upper floor for you? You know that with the stairs there you’re bringing a bumper into the living room, right?

Damn, I uploaded the attic floor twice, of course that was not the intention. Unfortunately, I can no longer change the post. Voilà, here is the upper floor. Regarding the stairs, the architect said that where the partition wall between the hallway and the sofa corner begins, the stairs have a height of 1.60. At first, I didn’t find that dramatic; you would just enter the sofa side further from the wall, especially since the corner where the stairs are still low is where the fireplace is supposed to go eventually. You’d have to go around it anyway...

Don't find the draft bad.

The staircase in the living room doesn't work like that, I think. But it is long. Maybe some savings could still be made there. I would find a 18.5 cm rise and 26 cm tread sufficient. Also, I would redesign the entrance area so that it can be moved half a meter towards the kitchen door.

I also find the living room by the dark wall in the dark corner disturbing. One must not forget, that is the north side. I'm skeptical whether enough light gets in there.

It's a pity that the space under the stairs can't be used as a pantry.

We want to start marketing once the building permit is approved.

For a website / Facebook page / online classified ad that draws attention to the project, I don’t think it’s too early; my question was also intended as a suggestion to have the timing (also tax) legally designed. If you’re already basically acting as the developer for the other semi-detached house, I wouldn’t look for a buyer only after the building permit. Contract then yes, but searching now. Unless you want to sell only in several years, see above.

The water disposal in the attic would worry me. Does it then go through the bedroom?

Risky, I overlooked that: along a bedroom corner by the kitchen island, I would estimate.

Stairs in the living room don’t work like that, in my opinion. But it’s long. Maybe some savings could still be made there. I would find an 18.5 cm rise and 26 cm tread sufficient. Also, I would redesign the entrance area so that the stairs could be moved half a meter towards the kitchen door.

What might that look like? That would probably only work if we give up the open space related to the upper floor, otherwise one couldn’t get into the children’s room... In the attic, a half meter could also make access to the storage tight.
I will bring up rise and tread; none of us are really pygmies, so the higher rise might work well. Perhaps even moving the "step depth" forward could help a bit.

I also find it disturbing that the living room is on the dark wall in the dark corner. One must not forget, that’s the north side. I’m skeptical if enough light comes in.

We also thought about that. There are several reasons why we believe it will still work: cooking/dining has about 2.95 m room height and accordingly larger/higher glass elements, so brightness should actually be sufficient during the day. You would then basically look down from the split-level platform into the garden. The ceiling height in the seating area would still be about 2.50 m, so it wouldn’t feel cave-like.
Then in summer evenings we tend to sit outside anyway, and it’s dark in winter evenings when we (I) lounge on the couch regardless. TV is used quite rarely here / has no huge priority and would get its place on the wall facing the hallway, so there would be no annoying reflections if it’s ever on at all.
We also like the idea of a protected cozy corner to retreat to that is still open to the dining/cooking area.

It’s a pity that the space under the stairs can’t be used as a pantry.

That’s true on one hand, but on the other hand, I’m already somehow looking forward to the generous hallway area. That’s one of the things that currently annoys me most in the apartment. I want a folded beam staircase and would put a nice sideboard underneath for hats/gloves/general small hallway stuff and a bench for putting shoes on by the living room wall... (but of course not the bench under the stairs.)

Thanks anyway for all the comments!

I still find the draft successful. It is friendly, not boring, yet functional. Couldn't a strip of light be integrated between the living room and hallway under the ceiling? The interior wall in the living room then with natural stone or something... possibly also in the hallway, so that this wall represents an accent from both sides?

P.S. I see the sofa more at the hallway wall, then the stairs won't be in the way either