Floor Plan Design with the User in Mind

Overlooked floor plan design issues can occur in a number of ways for a number of reasons. Increased emphasis on complying with construction standards or lingering problems that haven’t been caught and corrected over the years will lower the homeowners’ quality of life and the efficiency of what you build.

Stefani Thatcher is based out of Utah and has been designing floor plans for custom homes since 1999. She currently runs her own residential design business and offers an online course teaching her proprietary method for designing floor plans. Stefanie Olson is the founder and CEO of SheBuilds, a remodeler and custom builder in northern California. At the International Builders’ Show in February, Thatcher and Olson shared their expertise and experiences on the sometimes subtle things that make a good (and bad) floor plan.

Proportions

A good starting point in analyzing your floor plan is proportions. Most people don’t know the science behind why certain designs appear more aesthetically pleasing. A client might not be able to immediately voice why a house looks odd to them, but if proportions are “off” the home will appear to lack cohesion. Otherwise beautiful features will look out of place if not properly sized and spaced. This is both true for interior and exterior; it’s important to not overlook windows, porch sizes and roof design, according to Thatcher.

Regional Factors

Designing a floorplan absolutely needs to account for the region in which the house will actually be built, Olson stresses. This starts in the foundation and dictates building materials and exterior features. If building in a snowy area, designing the driveway to be west or south facing is a benefit and the roof will need to be sloped enough to prevent snow from piling up. Midwest dwellers covet screened in porches, walk out basements and garages, which is something you would be hard pressed to see on the west coast.

Traffic

Flow within the home is critical to consider during the floorplan design process. Olson recommends framing the expected flow of traffic within the home in three tiers: there are the freeways (entry way, living rooms and kitchen), highways (mudrooms, laundry rooms and hallways) and country roads (bathrooms and bedrooms). The more communal and frequently traveled, the more “lanes” needed. Doorways and actual hallways aren’t the only areas to keep in mind, as “hidden hallways” can appear in a home by furniture design within the floor plan.

Olson emphasized how important sightlines are as a key element to traffic and floor plan design. Guests don’t expect to stumble upon the private areas of the house on their way to the bathroom. From the entryway, no one wants to be greeted with the sight of a bathroom or messy bedroom. Programs are available to virtually immerse yourself and do a sightline study of your own floorplans.

Identity

As a builder, have you identified the core intended purpose of each space within the home? Most spaces can be categorized under Thatcher’s “six core zones” of sleeping, eating, working, playing, health and hygiene. Does the current floor plan allow each area to perform their intended purpose in an efficient and logical manner? A more custom floorplan will also take the homeowner’s personal interests and hobbies into account as additional zones. Thinking through the functionality of these spaces before construction begins will result in fewer change orders and delays on site and pre-solving these potential issues for the homeowner will result in an overall better product.

Knowing your target market and demographic is also key, especially if you are not building custom to one client. A homeowner with multiple young children will not have the same needs and concerns as a recently retired empty nester. Roomier and more functional spaces allow for a flexible room layout and overall less frustrations as a homeowner.

Maximize Materials

Talk to the people building your floorplans and ask questions. To avoid unnecessary product waste, be conscious of standard dimensions of products like drywall and exterior sheathing when designing floor plans.

Internal factors within the home, such as sound transfer, natural light, noise from appliances and even how long it takes to get hot water, should be considered when designing a floor plan. Closets can be used as sound buffers and staggered wall framing can be denoted to help with noise transfer. While we have less control over external factors, such as a neighbor’s dog barking and the nearby train, there are steps that can be taken to be considerate of those elements. Identifying what each room or area will be used for will help guide what steps need to be taken and materials used.

90/10 Rule

The 90/10 rule in design refers to the overall layout of the house being built to accommodate for daily life (90 percent of what we do) and not formatted for the one-off events and weekend activities (how we spend 10 percent of our time). Perhaps the most common example is having a formal dining room when the only time the homeowner uses it would be Thanksgiving dinner. One solution is combining smaller dedicated spaces to create a larger multipurpose area. Knowing who the intended end user for the home is will help dictate the look of these spaces. Ensuring all parties involved in the process are on the same page regarding the home’s priorities is also critical.

Also, talking with your clients on how spaces can transition to accommodate every stage of life is a useful practice. Repurposing a nursery to become a guest room or ensuring there is space to make the home more accessible as needed in the future can put their mind at ease.

Market Your Success

Floorplans are like business cards- they demonstrate your skill as a builder in real time and build your referral pipeline.

CheckoutThatcherandOlson’sfullpresentationandmore Building Knowledge Sessions at buildersshow.com.