Single-story city villa floor plan - opinions welcome

Yes, everything looks set up and good in color (with Christmas tree and presents). But that’s about it. I took a look at the offer from Jette – not much is left of it. Imagine the family coming home from a walk, the little one needs to pee and goes to the guest bathroom with mom or dad. The other two take their jackets and... already 4 people are in each other’s way. Offices in the west with the computers facing the window... I have that at work, but luckily I finish at 4 pm – then the PC work is over. A sitting area is an option, but do you really want to relax right in front of a door after work? You have a main traffic route next to the couch... that can be done better in a single-family house. The doors in the utility room take up a lot of space, just like the windows upstairs in the dressing room. There is a gallery (also not exactly suitable in the hallway), but there is no seating option there to actually enjoy it. The kitchen is intentional but not well done and does not do justice to the house (in itself) because of the tiny island. already said something about the dressing room, and you won’t have more storage space (aside from dressers) on the outer walls upstairs. As I said before: people fall in love with a house that doesn’t fit the lot, and a lot gets ruined by tweaking. This Jette house relies on symmetry and spaciousness but that’s somehow lost here. In my opinion, these houses can only be realized with a (living) basement because they don’t really provide storage space for 4 people but are designed for 4 because of the rooms upstairs. I think it’s one of those houses you build and want to sell again in a few years – and everyone will then wonder why, because: the house is nice (and the impractical parts aren’t obvious at first glance). Regards Yvonne

An almost devastating verdict, but tastes are known to differ.

How good or bad a design is also depends on what one was used to before.

As far as the dressing room is concerned, I don't see a problem there, at least for my wife. The bedroom under the dormer still has space for a wardrobe if necessary.

I also see the cloakroom and guest WC as a problem. There is really little space there.

Most of the other points are at least not so present to me as a problem. But maybe I am not that demanding.

An almost devastating verdict, but tastes are known to differ.

How good or bad a design is also depends on what one was used to before.

As for the dressing room, I don’t see a problem there, at least for my wife m. There’s still room for a wardrobe in the bedroom under the dormer if necessary.

I also see the cloakroom and guest WC as a problem. There is really very little space.

Most of the other points are at least not so present to me as problems. But maybe I’m not that demanding.

Well, it’s not about taste, but about functionality. Everyone here tries to be objective and brings their experience and partly learned knowledge.

It may be that the criticism points are not so present to you now – that’s exactly why one turns to the forum, to recognize the errors of one’s own operational blindness.

This is explicitly THE reason why I see the later sale of such an expensive property: over time of living in it, it becomes understandable what we are showing you here. Doesn’t have to be, but is very likely... my opinion. And I have already helped many owners to resell such a house.

My advice: take the large amount of money and invest in an architect who builds your staircase into a suitable house. Anyone investing so much in a house should not settle for a pre-planned grid where everything pinches just because one was used to “something else” before.

Thank you for the suggestions,

we will give it some more thought. There are still some potentials for optimization.

What is driving me at the moment is the lost space due to the airspace. We have a knee wall of 1.75. If we lower it to 1.625m and reduce 2 dormers just a little, then we can do without the airspace. Then the office fits upstairs and we could decouple the bathroom and the wardrobe and enlarge them accordingly. Upstairs there are also possibilities to reduce the hallway and change it from a U to an L.

For the kitchen, there would be relief if it is designed open.

How old are the children?

Then let a proper planner take over.

And by the way ... wouldn't there be a possibility to omit the dormers and maybe rather work with a staggered shed roof? The four dormers on the square house make the whole thing look a bit like an origami artwork ops: