Browse Forums General Discussion 1 Sep 09, 2012 12:11 am http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc480/Skycalendar/Houseplanwithfurniture2012-09-07.jpg Hi! I am finally ready to upload my floor plan after drawing in all our furniture onto it. I know this is a tiny house compared to most people on this forum and because of that, it's particularly important to arrange our furniture right. We have most of the furniture drawn in, and I don't have any say in the floor plan itself. I'd prefer to keep the furniture / items I already own, but I would consider selling them and buying other items if necessary. I would love to know what you think about the space...and whether this plan is liveable...i.e not going to be hard to move around etc. Or if you have any ideas for improvement. Size: External dimension: 8m wide, 9m long All bedrooms are about 3m by 3m or a little under Internal area: 70+ m2 Uses Bed 1 will be the masterbrdm for me and DH, Bed 2 a home office, Bed 3 is....for our child hopefully and the living room has to accommodate two adults (my parents), about once a year for 1 month, hence the two sofas that each convert into a bed. Some things I wanted but I can't seem to have: 1. I initially wanted a kitchen bench as I love to cook (where the dining table is...but I figured I can't fit it in). But instead, I'm going to get a kitchen trolley that fits in the dishwasher cavity, since we don't intend to buy a dishwasher. This trolley can then be wheeled out for extra cooking space when needed. 2. I wanted a sink (however small it is) in the toilet or on top of the toilet 3. TV unit (but now I'm happy music is the focus, not television, which we can still watch on a laptop). My main concerns are: 1. The kitchen seems to connect into the "lounge" area and I am worried that it won't be relaxing sitting on the sofa. (Is there a good way to divide the two areas without making the house even smaller, or darker?) 2. Sofa too close to dining table/or too close to the glass doors. 3. Kitchen storage cabinet (in yellow) will be installed post-handover so the size can be changed--is this cabinet the right size? You will see on a separate topic why I think I need this storage area (viewtopic.php?f=16&t=59319). Basically I can't seem to fit all my items in this house (mainly vacuum cleaner, blankets, iron board), so any extra storage is good and it was the only free wall. Any thoughts would be much appreciated Re: Tight space... Floor plan and furniture, please help 2Sep 09, 2012 3:09 pm bed 3 could have the door moved down towards carport and you could then make a hall cupboard for broom, vacuum and ironing board. you would lose the space for 'half books' as the door would now be there..but hey, you can read books at the library, but you cant be ironing there. have the door for broom cupboard opening into the hall. my concern with linen in bathroom is it can get damp. as it is a humid room..at the best of times! you could have linen in the hall with iron and vacuum etc in the bathroom instead? the laundry tub, in the back of the wall could have a little door, that you could open and use the sink to wash your hands via the loo? I know..radical..but you only use the laundry taps (bar washing machine) about twice a week...but the loo having access to a basin, even if it is via a door in the wall...100 times a week! might work?? ha ha the kitchen is good, so long as you also have wall cupboards above for extra storage. I think it will be fine, with using the table as extra bench space, and i would put a dishwasher in, cos dishes left on the bench to be washed..take up too much bench space. keep a little trolly thing in the hall cupboard. the lounge looks fine. maybe put a single sofa bed type thing, you know..like a cube? in office for future kid to sleep on for that month the olds visit and in his room buy a bed with a trundle underneath that coverts to a king bed. we have one and LOVE it, so handy we have this one, so it lifts up and becomes one bed. or sep as 2 twin beds. http://www.foldingbed.net/fold-out-beds ... izesu.html kid can sleep on it as a king single on the other 11 mths, and keep his fold out cube in his room as a seat, and for just that month, use it in the office...means the olds get a room and somewhere to hang clothes etc anyway thats my 10 cents whoaoaoa Re: Tight space... Floor plan and furniture, please help 3Sep 10, 2012 10:42 am Thanks kiwi, What an interesting idea to open up the back of the laundry sink, yes, very radical! I was looking at the tiniest sink (about 23-25cm depth). Something like http://www.caroma.com.au/bathrooms/basins/compact/compact-wall-basin But maybe it won't fit? Linen cabinet in the bathroom--true, it probably is quite damp and humid because I have no windows in the bathroom. Unfortunately the cabinet is quite narrow with shelves and I cannot fit my vacuum in there...I'm not sure about ironing board...probably not but we'll see. I might prefer then, to use that linen shelf for something else...iron would fit, hair dryers and towels, cleaning goods maybe? I was being a bit greedy maybe, to want a sink in the toilet when it's only a few steps to the main sink...the reason was that I thought guests would not have to enter the main bathroom sink if there was a small sink in the toilet...and the laundry area can be a bit messy so that would be good if they can finish all their business in the toilet including washing hands but it's interesting that you also think a sink would be good to have! I will have a think about my bookshelf...I did want to keep them... I have looked at a similar trundle bed at a furniture shop, and I liked it too. It's one of my options definitely, as my current single bed is just on top of a mattress base. My parents might be happier in a room, that's true too...They did however tell me not to lay out the house for their visit because they might not come some years. But I really want to make sure they can reside comfortably so kid sleeping in study is a good idea, or kid can also sleep on couch. Do you think that putting ceiling curtains across the living room (to give them privacy) would be a messy looking thing (when not in use)? I some some curtains on the IKEA catalogue and they mount on the ceiling... Anyway, thanks so much, so many ideas are now flying around in my head.... Re: Tight space... Floor plan and furniture, please help 4Sep 10, 2012 12:33 pm You have not seen my posts re poo on the handle of the toilet if there is no basin in there. Everyone will tell you I don't do toilets ON THEIR OWN!! So I am 100 % behind you with trying to fit one in there somewhere. I hear you on the cistern basin too, but I think people can't reach it very well and it freaks them thinking they are using toilet water, ( they aren't) but it is so new...no one can get their heads around it. Hey, you might lose your book case in the bedroom, but you gain a whole new cupboard..and at the top of the cupboard have a shelf for books!! You can use it for coats, shoes, vacuum, broom, a shelf for linen and a shelf for books. What a great multi functional room!! I'm not a big fan of those curtains. If they come, buy those cheap paper / fabric screens ( keep them under the bed in master..as you only need about 5 cms to store them )the sort you would use to hide someone dressing in a doctors etc. A partition like this http://www.walmart.com/cp/Room-Dividers/1043781 Then if you need them they are there and if not...no curtains always in the way. Even if tied back, still be in the way. You want a good line of sight with no distractions seeing the room is small. A trundle bed is also good if the kid has a mate come and stay. So even though parents might not come all the time, you might have a friend crash cos of a fight with hubby etc and the kid can go in the study and she can have the kids room etc..always handy to be ready for guests at a moments notice!! Might have a play with the Basin and loo thing, And get back to ya Re: Tight space... Floor plan and furniture, please help 5Sep 10, 2012 1:12 pm Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ I would put the sliding cavity door on the loo (no cost) and not have a door from hall to loo and bathroom ...no need really. and use the loo door on the cupboard in hall (no cost) and move book cases down and you have room to keep them!!! so all you need to buy is a small basin for the loo...sorted! Re: Tight space... Floor plan and furniture, please help 6Sep 10, 2012 1:15 pm and ps we have 3 x 3 kids rooms. its just enough room for 2 twin beds etc...tight, but fine with a single bed in there most of the time. use drawers IN the wardrobe to save floor space. Re: Tight space... Floor plan and furniture, please help 7Sep 10, 2012 3:36 pm I should find your post about poo on the handle?! Thanks kiwi for your generous input The sliding door can be moved easily to the toilet I suppose? Great!! That way, no more poo on the door!! hooray! Maybe I will keep the outer sliding door too, just buy a new one for the toilet because of more privacy (sound might be an issue with a thin sliding door?) As in...guests will feel embarrassed to use the toilet right near the kitchen/dining... Is it just me, or I find that toilet sounds travel far... Is it easy to replace a door with a sliding door? Where would it slide into? Ok, probably not those ikea curtains...it would probably get dusty 90% of the year....and I would have to wash them before it's been used. It's a great idea to put storage in Bed 3 with access from the hallway...wow...But would it require breaking down some of the wall? I was thinking, taking your idea, could I simply remove my door for Bed 3 and put a robe like IKEA pax (i.e. not glued to slab like a BIR but moveable)? I feel like the storage would be much easier to use if the opening was wider, or else it is pretty deep and I am short so I can't really reach though i could probably go inside... ;D Thank again kiwi...I will discuss with DH tonight Re: Tight space... Floor plan and furniture, please help 8Sep 10, 2012 4:55 pm true, had forgotten it was right by the kitchen, yeah, have an air lock! also put extra sound insulation on that wall between kitchen and loo. you wont need much, but you will be glad you are not hearing your mate trying to get rid of bali belly, while you make some scones (and she will be glad too....) the sliding door for toilet goes back into the cavity between laundry sink and the wall...see i have done an arrow? well just take it back into that wall. easy. no pipes as pipes are in toilet wall. re cupboard in hall..you wont need to break any wall..as you had no wall there cos of the door space. but it would require breaking down the bed wall..to put the door in. it wouldnt be wide, maybe 500 wide, and you already have a wall where wardrobe side is, so only a small wall in bedroom to build. it would be at least 800 deep...so a good size for skinny things like ironing boards etc. we have an ironing board in our top drawer in our kitchen ..it pulls out. you could do that instead? good luck!! let me know what dh thinks Re: Tight space... Floor plan and furniture, please help 9Sep 10, 2012 7:03 pm That storage cupboard that Kiwi has given you in the hall near bed 3 would be better with a cavity slider which slid into the wall next to the fridge space. Deemaree Kyndylan Capers: viewtopic.php?f=36&t=46852 My blog: http://www.sufficientlysufficient.blogspot.com/ Re: Tight space... Floor plan and furniture, please help 10Sep 10, 2012 8:28 pm Can you upgrade the door to a solid core door? All my doors (internal and external) are solid core doors for sound. It does mean you need a higher standard of cavity slider kit/frame thing. But it is only one door to the loo. I have a cavity slider to my ensuite and there is little noise when DH is getting ready for work at 5:30am. Baby sleeps through it too. RF Build: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=34534 Flooring: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=39733 Chat: viewtopic.php?f=36&t=53303 Re: Tight space... Floor plan and furniture, please help 11Sep 10, 2012 8:36 pm we should have had a solid door on our ensuite...just didnt even think about it. only $50 more. (not a slider though) Re: Tight space... Floor plan and furniture, please help 12Sep 10, 2012 8:49 pm With our place being big and open and echoey...we needed solid doors. In a small place with carpet floors, a solid door will do wonders. RF Build: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=34534 Flooring: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=39733 Chat: viewtopic.php?f=36&t=53303 Re: Tight space... Floor plan and furniture, please help 13Sep 11, 2012 12:03 pm Deemaree :th: That storage cupboard that Kiwi has given you in the hall near bed 3 would be better with a cavity slider which slid into the wall next to the fridge space. If its a door it can have hooks inside to hang coats off, or a door shoe rack thing or to hang a duster, dustpan and some shopping bags...sliding door NO CAN DO!! Re: Tight space... Floor plan and furniture, please help 14Sep 11, 2012 12:08 pm I just saw the pantry thread...oh , you have already built! Too late probably for our suggestions, sorry, thought it was still in planning stages. My bad ! Re: Tight space... Floor plan and furniture, please help 15Sep 11, 2012 2:07 pm I tried to google airlock but wasn't sure what you meant...I saw photos of meat shop (plastic) doors. Thanks kiwi, the sliding door plan might work!! DH is also happy with it!! Sorry I am bad at this.. by "bed wall", do you mean breaking down the wall with the bookshelves, i.e. opening it up a little more? DH is not too keen on this part... Ironing board in the kitchen, sounds like a good idea. How large is your drawer approximately? I'm guessing it is stored horizontally? I recently showed my parents the house plan, and they are worried that there isn't enough space in the living room due to the sofas. Actually DH has picked the sofa but hasn't bought it yet (not paid for!) so there is an option not to have them. That said, I would like to have somewhere to relax...I guess it means we don't have to have such a big set maybe...or we could try and fit one of them in BED3? DH is not a sofa person, he suggested one of those beanbag (bag2bed) which are rather expensive, but converts into a bed and no couch! As for me...I don't think it would look tidy with a bean bag...especially as our house is like a studio with dining, kitchen in the same area. The trundle bed is still a possibility, or a bunk...aahhh ideas just keep going around and around!! It's kinda fun and tiring at the same time, but I know I don't have forever to think it through Re: Tight space... Floor plan and furniture, please help 16Sep 11, 2012 2:13 pm Thanks Raleighfarm, I didn't know it would make a difference to upgrade to a solid door, especially for sliding doors! I thought most sliding doors are not noise-proof because of all the gaps everywhere, but maybe I have only seen the cheap types! That is an option as I currently don't have a sliding door to the toilet so I have to get one anyway....and I might as well get a good one. I have no idea how to pick which one though, particular brands or types? What kind of shop would sell that, or do I have to go to a door specialist? 5:30 is really early--but your ensuite must be well sealed. I hope to set aside a house improvement fund and when there is enough $ I would probably also upgrade the sliding door to the main bedroom too Re: Tight space... Floor plan and furniture, please help 17Sep 11, 2012 2:14 pm Yes a meat packers plastic!!! No, if you have a slider in the hall going to the bathroom/loo ...and you close it and then a slider on toilet and you close that, and bathroom door, that is an air lock...a space where air is trapped, but also stops noises going out into the hall. ( they stay in the ' air lock') people have porches in the uk and use them as air locks to stop the cold air going into their houses when they open the front door. The wall I mean is the wall that will be created in bed 3 to make a cupboard if you go ahead with it, and the door for bed 3 would be where the wall is now. But I see you have built, so forget it...too late. Too expensive and too much mess. I'll show you a pick of my ironing board. It is 600mm wide Re: Tight space... Floor plan and furniture, please help 19Sep 11, 2012 2:21 pm kiwi Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ I would put the sliding cavity door on the loo (no cost) and not have a door from hall to loo and bathroom ...no need really. and use the loo door on the cupboard in hall (no cost) and move book cases down and you have room to keep them!!! so all you need to buy is a small basin for the loo...sorted! See how I moved bed 3's door over? That part of the wall would change obviously Re: Tight space... Floor plan and furniture, please help 20Sep 11, 2012 2:27 pm Wow thanks for that photo kiwi! It's amazing that you can fit such a long thing flat. My bench is about 60 deep, so I may have to do it lengthwise or it won't fit? I had no say in the houseplan actually, just bought as is...and no changes allowed unfortunately...they have been building quickly, not much time for me to think... sometimes I realise something and try to contact the builder but usually it's too late and they are too busy. So, I have to be clever with what I do post handover and trying to get lots of ideas here thanks so much for your help! This is a very tight fit, I'm not sure if you'll be able to achieve what you've described. Would you consider accessing the separate toilet from the laundry? If so maybe… 1 11206 Hi Mofflepop, I would recommend finding a building designer to prepare plans, they should design to your specified budget. The benefit is you can tender the project out… 9 20188 Joe Apologies for the delay in getting back to you. If you haven't sorted this already you need to caulk this gap. Not sure where you are but if you are in Sydney I can… 5 4324 |