Single-family house floor plan approx. 190m² - Optimizations

Hello everyone,

our dream of owning a home is finally coming true and we were able to purchase a plot of land in a new development area. Currently, we already have the first drafts. Basically, we like the direction very much, but some details are not yet as we wish. Therefore, we hope for some suggestions for improvement here.

Development plan/restrictions
Plot size: 680m2
Slope: no - the plot slopes about 2-2.5m over the length of 30m
Floor area ratio: 0.4
Floor space index: -
Building window, building line and boundary: visible in the attachment
Edge development: Yes according to the building code - maximum length 9 m (the garage should be on the boundary)
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 2
Roof type: shed roof, flat roof, gable roof, hip roof, tent roof
Style: -
Orientation: south
Maximum heights/limits: maximum wall height: 6.5m / maximum ridge height: 12.5m
Further requirements -

Client requirements
Style, roof shape, building type: modern, simple / hip roof (no tent roof) or possibly gable roof
Basement, floors: basement + 2 full floors
Number of persons, age: 3 persons (32, 31, 13)
Space requirements on ground floor, upper floor: approx. 90-100m² each
Office: family use or home office? Both - later possibly usable as a bedroom
Number of overnight guests per year: 3-5
Open or closed architecture: open
Conservative or modern construction: conservative
Open kitchen, cooking island: yes kitchen unit without wall cabinets + cooking island
Number of dining seats: 6 (expandable to 8)
Fireplace: yes
Music/stereo wall
Balcony, roof terrace: possibly roof terrace on the garage
Garage, carport: garage
Utility garden, greenhouse: no
Further wishes/special features/daily routine, also reasons why this or that should or should not be: open living kitchen with pantry and "glass front" to the garden / platform staircase / dressing room in the bedroom / 2 nearly equally sized rooms on the upper floor / office should later possibly be usable as a bedroom, therefore also the shower bathroom on the ground floor

House design
Who created the plan:
- Architect + our ideas/adjustments
What do you particularly like? Why? - the open living area including access to the south-facing terrace - especially the arrangement/layout of the kitchen plus access to the pantry. We would adopt the basement floor exactly as is. Possibly add a direct access from outside via a staircase. We also like the size of the children’s rooms on the upper floor. The children’s rooms should be on the south side here.
What don’t you like? Why? - entrance area on the ground floor - we would like a niche etc. for shoes, jackets etc. so that you don’t "stumble" over everything or see it all immediately. Possibly we would find a "dirt lock" very practical.
Regarding the upper floor, we would most want to change the access to the bedroom via the "dressing area". We do not like that. The roof terrace with a view into the bathroom is, in our opinion, only suboptimal. However, the roof terrace is not a must and if so, it will not be located in front over the entrance.
Cost estimate according to architect/planner: €500,000
Preferred heating technology: heat pump

If you have to do without, which details/extensions
- you can do without: roof terrace
- you cannot do without: large garage, shower bathroom on the ground floor, guest room/office on the ground floor

As already stated, the design already goes exactly in the direction we like. Currently, we are considering whether to rotate the house again and possibly place the entrance between the garage and the house. However, this would completely shift everything.
We are grateful for all proposals and look forward to all comments.

I really like the layout on the ground floor. If I were to build again, it would be very similar.
The desire for the niche for shoes will be difficult. I don't see any space that is somehow wasted. If you don't want to give up the pantry, in my opinion, you would have to add a small vestibule for it. Would it be worth it?

The upper floor is not exactly smooth now. How exactly is the walk-in closet supposed to be arranged? Should it be separate next to the bedroom? Or only accessible through the bedroom? The latter is a much-discussed disadvantage here when one person gets up while the other still wants to sleep.

I don't see any advantage to moving the entrance spontaneously. What do you expect from it?

however, some details are still not the way we want them

One side of the staircase has a wall above the starting point, the other side has a gallery: that looks crooked.

The plot slopes about 2-2.5m over the length of 30m

So more than half a meter over the length of the garages, and the terrace would also be propped up.

Hello,

Thank you very much for the comments.

The desire for the niche for shoes will be difficult. I don't see any space that is somehow wasted. If you do not want to do without the pantry, one would have to build a small porch for it, in my opinion. Would it be worth it?

therefore the idea to rotate the house to accommodate the niche. Leaving out the pantry is not an option and I don't think a small porch fits the overall look of the house, since it is otherwise very straightforward. Possibly we could imagine a recess for the kitchen if we rotate the house...

The upper floor is not exactly smooth now. How exactly should the walk-in closet be solved? Should it be separate next to the bedroom? Or only accessible through the bedroom? The latter is a much-discussed disadvantage here when one person gets up and the other still wants to sleep.

I don't see any advantage in moving the entrance spontaneously. What do you expect from it?

We don't want to come directly into the walk-in closet when entering the bedroom - this way one can perhaps also "leave" something worn temporarily. Fortunately, we don't have the problem of different times, and even if we did, it wouldn't bother us too much. Overall, the upper floor is okay, but I don't find it particularly "great." Do you have a few good ideas/suggestions?

One side of the staircase with a wall above the riser, the other side with a gallery: that looks crooked.

What do you mean by that or what should we improve? A wall on both sides? I think the entrance area would then appear very "massive," right?

So more than half a meter over the length of the garage, and the terrace would also be raised.

Yes, the terrace would probably be elevated; perhaps we would "secure" it with a rubble stone wall. Unfortunately, we cannot change the circumstances.

What do you mean by that or what should we improve?

But if both sides are to be framed, the staircase would probably have to be moved.

I just wanted to point that out because, from my experience, not every client "sees" this themselves. However, you don't have to want to (objectively) "improve" everything that I would (subjectively) plan "differently". Others are allowed to like different things; after all, I'm not supposed to want to rent the house.

Yes, the terrace would probably be elevated; possibly we would "secure" it with a natural stone wall.

Again, just a note – because not everyone reads this consequence from the planning. At this height, terrain modeling is not problematic.