Floorplan Development

When you are ready to commit your ideas to paper, here are points you need to consider:

1. Plan your activity areas:

    a. Working area - kitchen, laundry, pantry

    b. Sleeping area - bedrooms, bathrooms

    c.  Living area - living room, dining room, family room

    d. Storage area - garage, hidden storage areas

2. Common problems in home design to avoid:

    a. Front door leading directly into the living area

    b. No sound buffer between bedrooms and living areas

    c. No guest closet near front door

    d. Congested traffic patterns through work area

    e. Bathrooms visible or audible from living/dining areas

    f. Walls cut by windows or doors in odd places

3. Plan your kitchen with work flow in mind.

    a. Plan a work triangle when possible.

    b. Some common kitchen layouts are:

        "U" shaped - most efficient

        "L" shaped requires more steps

        "U" and "L" work well with an island

        The galley kitchen is the least efficient.

4. Remember these minimums for kitchen counters:

    a. Average counterspace is 8' to 10'

    b. Allow 18" on hinged side of refrigerator

    c. Allow 24" on one side of sink, 36" on the other

    d. Allow a minimum of 18" on each side of range

5. Kitchen storage should have a minimum of:

    a. 18 square feet of general storage

    b. additional storage of 6 sq. feet per person

6. Planning your bedrooms

    a. Determine how many bedrooms you will need, including

        a guest room if the budget allows.

    b. Closets can serve as sound barriers between rooms

    c. Guest bedroom can serve as study or den when not

        in use.

    d. Remember to allow for childrens' growth in those rooms

    e. The master bedroom requires more choices.

        1. Do you want the master next to additional bedrooms

            or separate for privacy?

        2. Do you want a suite with a seating area?

        3. Do you want a private master bath or to share a

            bath with other bedrooms.

7. Plan your bathrooms

    a. The number of baths will be determined by budget and

        need.

    b. Stacking the baths or placing them back to back saves

        space and money.

    c. The minimum sizes for baths are usually 5'x7' - full

        bath, 4'x5' - half bath, 3'x3' - shower.

    d. Large baths improve livability and resale.

    e. Remember to add the following if room permits: linen

        closets/cabinets, dressing room, laundry hampers,

        whirlpools, bidets, steam rooms.

8. Plan Closets and Storage Areas.

    a. Each family member needs 6' of clothes hanging space.

    b. Take in inventory of how much storage you will need

        for: small appliances, sports equipment, lawn and

        garden, bulky items.

    c.  Plan storage by location: garage, kitchen etc.

9. Decide if a garage is something you will need.

10. Plan for a fireplace if this is something on your wish list.