Single-family house with split-level living area

In addition to what has already been said:

I think it is good to adapt to the natural terrain. However, the design shows weaknesses that were made right from the start and can now lead to a restart if addressed consistently.

The fundamental problem is mainly the staircase, but also the brightness and functionality of all accesses.

Unfortunately, the planner failed to combine a straight staircase with functional usability of the parent area (keyword room sequence). I don’t believe your requirements included that the sleeper should be disturbed by the other every time the dressing room or bathroom is used. No amount of sugarcoating will help there. The children's bathroom is also hardly inviting due to the sloping roof. The laundry supply is also very conveniently solved, route: parent bathroom - dressing room - bedroom - corridor - staircase 1 - foyer - staircase 2 - corridor - utility room. There isn’t even the otherwise so popular ergonomic crutch called a laundry chute...

And you also have a high affinity for street dirt. Thanks to the wardrobe mishap, you have to walk through everything one more time on the way upstairs that no longer sticks to the shoes.

Maybe you should start over again. Split-level also requires good lighting planning, which is why it generally achieves better results in buildings with shorter levels and in elongated buildings running perpendicular to the slope in my opinion.

WD

I have the feeling that everyone thinks about their own preferences. Just like we do.
Our architect started the conversation with what is important to you? And from that the floor plan was created.

The staircase is great, and absolutely our wish. Attached are some pictures of how it will look similar.

As can be seen in the plan, the children’s bathroom with dormer will be built across the entire width. Ceiling height 250 throughout.

The sequence of master bedroom, dressing room, master bathroom is completely uninteresting to us. We do not work in shifts, so we go to bed at the same time, what could happen. Who should wake whom. As mentioned, the wardrobe for dressing is currently in the bedroom and everything is fine... Certainly it would be more convenient the other way around, but we also do not want to go through the dressing room and bathroom to get to our bedroom. And if this idea comes up, initially the upper floor was basically mirrored. Children’s rooms were on the side where the master area is now. That was changed so that the children have larger rooms since they spend significantly longer and more time in their rooms than we do in ours, that was important to us.

Somehow everyone always talks about “keeping the paths short.” If you like to be lazy, okay, but what is the problem with taking the laundry basket from the upstairs hallway, where the laundry is collected, down to the cellar and starting the washing machine...? Maybe we are simply too sporty in general??? Currently we go from the maisonette apartment down to the cellar to do laundry... 3 floors... Maybe a bit decadent, but eventually there will also be a cleaning lady who is supposed to do the laundry too...

We certainly will have no problem with brightness in the living areas. The living room consists almost entirely of windows. When standing in the hallway on the ground floor, you can look right and left past the stairs through windows into the green, forest, and meadow. The office on the ground floor is a bit difficult, but is only meant for short stays. Filing payroll and then out again... ;-)

I also don’t see that I have to walk through potential street dirt on the way to the upper floor.
Everyday shoes are stored to the left of the front door (shoe cabinet) and the jacket on a hook there. When guests come, they may keep their things in the cloakroom...

About the wardrobe: Sometimes I wonder what some people always have with the wardrobe. We also have children in the house (a 24/7 child and up to three visiting children), but our wardrobe has always been sufficient so far. And it's not even that big.

Do you really always have all that stuff hanging on the wardrobe? I wouldn’t keep muddy clothes in the hallway by default. They would have their place in the utility room. Musical instruments disappear into the children's room, where the kids also practice. School bags also go there so the kids can do their homework. And if they then stand in the hallway from evening until morning, then that’s just how it is.

Our architect started the conversation with what is important to you? And from that the floor plan was created.

I assume that it is not your architect, but rather the one of a general contractor, construction manager, ..., or working as a general contractor. Otherwise, I cannot explain the obvious blunders in the planning. Even if a client wants to punish themselves, a sudden severe gout attack, for example, must at least prevent the embarrassing implementation of access to the kitchen through the pantry.

My advice to you: You have an excuse for every planning incompetence that still makes you look good. That is partly human and okay to some extent, but when building, that can quickly become very expensive, so you should question that critically.

Have a nice weekend
WD

I wouldn't know what could become more expensive here than planned. It is now our architect, not a construction supervisor... We find the access from the garage to the kitchen important for us. The most positive quality of an architect is their advisory work and not realizing their own wishes...

The most positive quality of an architect is his advisory role and not to realize his wishes...

Then he should also advise you according to his training and not just draw what you want or properly implement those wishes (-> kitchen, WC). You have had our advice - free of charge - what you make of it (excusing all mistakes) is another matter.

Did you want praise instead of good advice? And of course: everyone here advises in the capacity of a person who can share their experiences and thus sees mistakes that a professional or a client might not even see because they have (not yet) had these experiences.