Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Mar 10, 2008 12:17 pm Really really hot + public holiday + screaming kids + hiding in study + bored = playing with computer, seeing if I can put a photo on a homeone chatsite...
If this works, this is a plan of the house we are going to be building once they finish the site works and lay a slab... It was originally the 'Clarendon' by Statesman Homes. We made a few modifications and are really happy with the final plan. Where it says Dining & Living in the front room is actually only going to be a Living room. The Family room is actually going to be the Meals area and the Rumpus area will be the Family room (these where the original names of these areas before we made the changes). [img][img]http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii191/vonblanks/beach100308037.jpg[/img][/img] What do you think??? Re: House Plans 2Mar 10, 2008 12:26 pm Looks like a really big place.
What's with the activity space? Is that where the kids hang out?. Not sure how that would work if you have traffic flowing in and out. Any outdoor / al fresco area? The door from kitchen to garage?. Not sure about that one. Re: House Plans 3Mar 10, 2008 12:37 pm Love the activity room, especially with children. It also provides a buffer between the main living areas and the children's bedrooms. We are doing similar.
Which way does the block face? i.e North, South? Re: House Plans 4Mar 10, 2008 12:48 pm The only things I could think of were:
* double sink in the ensuite * small window in the WIR - always nice to have some natural light so you don't need to turn the light on to get dressed. Even a small window near the top of the wall would be ok. After 4 years - we're in! Re: House Plans 5Mar 10, 2008 1:19 pm I like the idea of having access directly from garage to kitchen.
But the access from kitchen to dining room is too far. How about, swapping the entry to kitchen from garage to the "corner pantry". Then open another door (in the former areas of corner pantry) to have access to dining. Great design. love it. Re: House Plans 6Mar 10, 2008 1:56 pm oznow I like the idea of having access directly from garage to kitchen. But the access from kitchen to dining room is too far. They are not eating in the room labelled "dining" - but in the "family" room After 4 years - we're in! Re: House Plans 8Mar 10, 2008 2:17 pm I'm going to play devil's advocate for a moment and try to poke some holes in the design for last minute consideration....
I don;t think the door from the garage to kitchen works. It's too near the cooktop. To me it looks like an horrible accident waiting to happen. Someone comes in from the garage carrying something from the shops or whatever, swings around in the doorway and knocks a pot. It also makes a crucial area of your kitchen a "walkway". I think this is a very bad design. Two alternatives: A door on the far right of the garage and walk up the side of the house to a door off the the meals area. Or, a door on the far left side where the walk-in-pantry is. You could then put a pantry where the old door area was. Not quite as big, but a lot better in my opinion. I also think the 'activity' area is reallynothing more than a glorified hallway. It's not really a room, but a wide transit area and in day-to-day reality I think this is what it would naturally devolve to. Also consider the view from the front door: You look down the entry passge, through a doorway and onto another door in an angled wall. That's a bit uninspiring. I'd eliminate the activity room idea and square off the family room to improve the vista from the front door. At the end of the view - on the family room wall - I'd think about some real feature wall or item. A giant fishtank, some good plants, an interesting surface texture etc. Most importantly this change would create a really *spectacular* bathroom. Your current bathroom is really extremely small for a big family home. But a generously-sized family bathroom (especially in a 4 to 5 bedroom house) is going to be worth a lot more than an activity room both in resale terms and (I believe) in day to day living terms too. Anyway, that's my 2c worth. Example attached. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ [/img] Re: House Plans 10Mar 10, 2008 2:33 pm Have to agree with Cabinfever on the activity room. There is very little natural light in it and might feel a bit like a cave. The kids won't stay there unless you make them. Re: House Plans 11Mar 10, 2008 2:54 pm I would use that Store off your kitchen for a huge walk in pantry, and move the garage door as suggested above.
I'm also not so keen on the Activity space. With so many doors (including a WC directly facing the main wall), I can't see how it could be used. I don't think it would be a comfortable TV room, not quiet enough for homework, too open for a kids toy room? Where are you going to put your microwave? Re: House Plans 12Mar 10, 2008 3:17 pm WOW, you guys have some great ideas. Thanks for your replies.
The kids acvtivity area will have a long desk along the wall for homework and such, a nice shaggy rug and a tv in the corner for their playstation. We will be putting in a skylight. The kids a getting a little older now and play less with messy toys We didnt want anybody at the front door to be able to see anything of the interior of the house really, nothing more annoying that sitting on the couch in your pj's or having tea and someone knocks on the door trying to sell you something or save your soul... There is an underbench microwave provision in the kitchen. There will be stools on the other side of the bench. Hubby is planning to have decking out the side with a covered pergola area (he absolutely hated the idea of an alfresco area..) Also, call me odd, but doesnt the sound of having to clean two sinks in the one bathroom annoy anyone else but me??? (have trained hubby well in the art of cleaning up after himself) Have loved the comments, please keep em coming... Re: House Plans 14Mar 10, 2008 5:42 pm Thanks Paula
Adise, if you don't want people to see into the living areas, then just make that door a free-swinging door that auto-closes. Maybe something translucent ? But whatever you decide I strongly recommend increasing the size of your family bathroom. It's tiny and on resale will definitely be identified as a problem. (Most people think they'll stay in their new place for decades, but that's rarely the case and it is worth thinking of eventual sale). As for two sinks, I also questioned their use on this forum but was quickly put straight ! Two sinks, I'm told, are just the thing for a couple who leave for work at similar times. Re: House Plans 15Mar 10, 2008 6:28 pm adlse Also, call me odd, but doesnt the sound of having to clean two sinks in the one bathroom annoy anyone else but me??? (have trained hubby well in the art of cleaning up after himself) Have loved the comments, please keep em coming... What about the sound of teenages fightng over the bathroom cos there's only one cink? I also think you need to consider another toilet somewhere (unless you don't mind people going into your ensuite). Re: House Plans 16Mar 10, 2008 6:39 pm d@n What about the sound of teenages fightng over the bathroom cos there's only one cink? Having more than one teenager in the bathroom at a time is probably going to end up in a fight anyway Re: House Plans 17Mar 10, 2008 6:47 pm Quote: I also think you need to consider another toilet somewhere (unless you don't mind people going into your ensuite). I think two toilets are fine, we have lived with one main and one ensuite, I'm fine with the kids using mine and its not often that visitors will all need to go to the toilet at once unless your cooking was ...um... Paula Re: House Plans 18Mar 10, 2008 7:13 pm Firstly, cabinfever, great job. You should take up profession as a designer
Some suggestions from me: 1) Certainly move the garage door to the left as suggested by cabinfever and then use the previous door space for a pantry. The panry will be closer to the rest of the kitchen and the garage passagway will be outside the kitchen. 2) The space to either side of the stove is too small. Aim for 450 mm per side (300 mm minimum). (But where do you get the space? Perhaps move kitchen 1 metre further into open area.) 3) Do I see two dishwasher locations? 4) The Store off the kitchen is too long to be effective. Consider making it only 600 wide and putting multiple doors along the long edge. 5) I would go for 2 sinks in the ensuite. Even though you have more sink to clean, yoou'll have less benchtop to clean 6) All the wardrobes are way too small. There's only about 1 metre of hanging space per person. 2 metres is a good hanging length. I also hate corners in my clothes hanging rails. For Bed2/Bed 3, the doors can be flush with the walls and separated by about 800 mm. Use the space between the doors for two wardrobes, each of almost 2 metres and no bends. Laundry wall may have to move back somewhat and door put on other wall. 7) If you draw your furniture in, yoou can see if it fits nicely and that powerppoints are where you would like them. The powerpoint in Bed 1 will be behind a bedside table, no matter where you put the bed. 9) Is your roller door actually half way along the wall (nice for the extra space). 10) Where is north? Make sure you have living areas facing north. 11) Bed 1, Bed 2, Bed 3, Living, Meals, Family and Garage well located and linked. Bed 4 may be better elsewhere. I wouldn't have an Activity room, but that's a personal preference. Demolition August 2009, Construction Started September 2009, Completed December 2010 Re: House Plans 19Mar 10, 2008 9:41 pm I don't get the two sinks! I'm more likely to fight for vanity space for my hair dryer and make up while I get ready! I only use the sink for brushing teeth.
Maybe think about that toilet door facing the Activity area. I think it could make it unpleasant to be in. I'm really funny about toilets though, bad feng shui!! Re: House Plans 20Mar 10, 2008 10:32 pm Quote: Having more than one teenager in the bathroom at a time is probably going to end up in a fight anyway In my experience teenagers get so secretive and hung up on privacy that they wouldn't let anyone else near them in the bathroom, even if they're just cleaning their teeth, so finding ways to share the space is a waste of time. Unless you have a very big family (not just a big house) I think you will be fine with 2 toilets, in a big gathering, family will use the ensuite and visitors will use the other one. And how often do you have that many people in the house?? The garage entry is definetely better on new version - going past the kitchen rather than through the kitchen. Really tight at the top of the stairs- how to get furniture into those rooms? Study books - does anyone really use them these days? Large storage closet would be more functional. 2 6896 Ask the council if there is a chance of getting build over easement exemption. Sometimes easements are unused and 24cm is not all that much. Good luck. And yes any builder… 2 13781 If there have been changes, variations, during construction then the drawings should be revised, the building permit amended and the current, as built drawings given to… 2 4491 |