Chapter 10Room Relationships and Sizes

Which Kitchen would you prefer?

Introduction• Residential Architecture probably has more amateur experts

than any other field– Wide exposure to houses causes many people to feel that

they can design their own – Wide media exposure and availability of home improvement

retail stores have produced educated consumers with an increased sensitivity to design

Major Floor Plan Design Considerations• Number of inhabitants • Age & Gender• Family activities/ entertainment habits• Desired number of bedrooms and bathrooms• Desired kitchen appliances• Budget and home style• Intended length of stay• Future plans to add on or finish basement• Live in guest with disabilities• Style of Home• Neighborhood covenants, conditions, and

restrictions (CC&R’s example)

What is the most important room in a home?

Women•Kitchen•Family Room (Great Room)•Master Bedroom/ Bathroom•Exterior•Kids Rooms•Laundry Room•Bathrooms•Garage

Men•Garage•Master Bedroom/ Bathroom•Exterior•Bathrooms•Kitchen•Family Room (Great Room)•Kids Rooms•Laundry Room

What would you consider the Living Area to be?Service Area?Sleeping Area?

Den/ Study/ Office

Entry/foyerLiving roomDen/Study/OfficeFamily room (Great room)Dining room/ Nook

What advantages/disadvantages do Main Entrances bring?

• Main entry is the focal point of the house and provides protection against the weather– Typically no smaller than 36” door (30)– Side lights – Double doors (5’ or 6’)– Transom windows

• Service entry is used by the family between the house and garage, yard, or service areas– No smaller than 32” door (28)– Flooring issues due to wet location

Foyer/ Entry• Used to greet guests, hang coats, and provide access to the rest

of the home• Should create a warm, inviting feeling and enhance traffic flow• Keep foyer proportional in size to the rest of the house

– Typically in smaller homes 48” wide min.– Meet and greet center, so take into consideration your personal

bubble

Entries– Serve as a transition

point• Main entry• Foyer• Service entry

Living Area– Points to consider:

• How the room will be used• How many people will use it• How often it will be used• Type and size of furniture that

will be placed in it• Placement

Living Room• Designed according to the needs and interests of the homeowner

– Not common in starter home• Size is determined by the typical number of guests that will be

entertained– 9’ diameter seating area is comfortable

• Used for formal entertaining and quiet conversation– Untouchable room for guests only

• Usually placed near the entry

Family Room• Most used room in the house

– Windows give a bigger feel

• Used for many different activities for a variety of people

– Space plan for TV seating arrangements etc.

• Minimum size should be 13’ x 16’

– Subtract walkways

– If fireplace is used, room should be increased in size

– Space plan how furniture would work in at least two different ways to determine size

Dining Room• Located near the kitchen for easy serving and the living room for

easy passage• Formal dining is about 11’ x 14’ Min.

– Plan for hutches or other furniture to be in room and still allow for traffic flow– Lighting considerations– Determine number of seating requirements and give at least 36”-44” around table

for easy maneuvering with chairs pulled out.

Dining Nook/ Bay Window or Door• Located near the kitchen for easy serving and the living room for easy

passage• Small dining is 9’ x 11’ minimum

– Determine number of seating requirements and give at least 36”-42” around table for easy maneuvering with chairs pulled out.

• Nook needs to be near the dining and kitchen areas for family meals– Most commonly used as dual dining in starter homes– Bays work great to get out of traffic flow and allow lots of natural light

Flex Room Den/Study/Office• If we want to count it as a bedroom what do we have to have?• _____________________• _____________________• Den, study, or office is used for quiet reading and study

– Great room to be off front entry– Double doors or wide opening to feel more open and inviting

Sleeping Areas•Number of bedrooms will depend on the size of the family and the ages of the children•A minimum of two sleeping rooms should be provided•Keep plumbing away from bedroom walls by placing a closet between them•Bathroom access with full or ¾ in general area

Bedrooms• Place on the southeast side of the house

– Place on rear of home for privacy– Typically on one end of home separate from living areas

• Minimum of one room size is 120 sq. ft. (No wall less than 7’)– Rule of thumb is no smaller than 10’ x 12’ so a dresser or furniture will fit– Size of bed and sex of child determines size– Try to stick with rectangle shape for furniture placement alternatives– Place windows as to allow functionality

• Minimum of 24” on each side of the bed should be provided– Provide space of approx. 36” between dresser, desk and other objects (walkway)

Master Bedrooms/ Bathrooms/ Closets• Master bedroom should have additional space for sitting and bathing

– 13’ x 16’ is nice size to allow extra space for sitting area– 12’ x 14’ is minimum to feel like it is actual a master bedroom – Window seats are great way to give bigger feel in very little space– Bays are great options with separate entrance to private patio or covered patio with hot

tub or other features

• Typically have own bathroom– Soaker tub instead of standard tub/ shower combo (36” x 60” or 36” x 72”)– Separate toilet room with closing door– Typically two sinks or separate his/ her vanities

• Typically have walk in closet (Min. of 6’ x 6’)– His/ her sides with space saver design– Built in shelves for shoes and sweaters, pants, etc.

Closets• Males need at least 48” and females 72”

• Minimum of 30” is needed to prevent wrinkling of clothes

– 25” deep closets will provide finished dimension of 24”

– Clothes typically stick out approx. 20” on hangers

• Can be used to buffer noise between rooms

• Coat closet should be near entrance

– Min. 24” wide x 24” deep

• Linen closet near all bathrooms

– Min. 2’ wide x 18” deep for 12” shelves

Bathrooms• Each bathroom should have an individual access

– Jack n Jill bathrooms are very popular• Separate toilet and shower from sink area

• Two-story house needs two full bathrooms• Place bathrooms back-to-back to reduce the amount of plumbing• Types:• ½• ¾• Full

Service Areas• Kitchen

– Serves for meal preparation and often includes areas for eating, working, and laundry

– Considerations:• Kitchen work areas• Work triangle• Counter arrangements• Counter and cabinet size• Appliances

Kitchen• Locate near dining area• Windows usually allow for supervision of

children• Keep near garage or carport for easy grocery

unloading• 150 sq. ft. considered small• Pantry/ Storage area• Appliances:

– Microwave– Oven– Stove– Fridge– Dishwasher

What are the 3 Kitchen Centers?• Cleaning Center

– Includes sink, garbage disposal, and dishwasher• A 30” x 48” clear floor space should be provided in front of

sink– Double sink is 32” x 21” and wider

• Placed in 36” wide base cabinet– Dish storage should be near the dishwasher

• Dishwasher in 24” wide cabinet• Place 21” away from cabinets at right angles to door• 36” of free space for loading and unloading dishwasher• Avoid placing sink and dishwasher on different counters

Storage and Preparation• Storage Area

– Need 18” beside refrigerator

– Upper cabinets are 12” deep and base cabinets are 24” deep

– Pantry in corner or as built in cabinets almost required

– Place Fridge next to service areas & sink

• Preparation Area

– Includes sink, cooking units, and clear counter

• Slide in range and cooktops fit in 30” wide base cabinet

• Provide 18” each side of stove

• Double wall ovens full height cabinet 30” wide

• One clear area of 48” necessary or 72” if more than one person will be preparing food

• 15” wide cabinets are smallest size suggested to keep usable

Kitchen Work TriangleIs there a perfect arrangement? • Formed by drawing a line between the preparation, storage, and

cleaning areas– Stove, Sink, Fridge

• This maintains traffic flow and efficiency in preparing food– No side of triangle should be less than 4’– Always place workspace between each station– Sum of sides should be at least 15’ but not more than 22’– Avoid passing traffic through work triangle

Counter Arrangements• Straight• Corridor or Galley• L-Shaped• U-Shaped• Islands

Cabinet Sizes• Overhead Cabinets

– 12”-18” deep– 24” above Fridge

• Full depth– 9”- 48” wide– 3” increments

• Kitchen Base Cabinets– 24” deep– 36” high– 9”- 48” wide

Bathroom Vanity Cabinet Depth•22” deep x 32” high

Raised or adult height in Master bath •36” tall

Utility/ Laundry Room• Space needed for cleaning and

caring for clothes and long term storage

• Place near the kitchen or bedroom• Include a laundry chute if possible• Sinks• Ironing Board• Cabinets

Garage• Minimum space for single car is 12’ x 20’

– Take into consideration the steps coming into garage and increase by that distance

• Minimum space for two cars is 20’ x 20’– Remember garage is a work area– Research what car is going to be parked in

there• Trucks need 21’ sometimes plus 2’ to walk around• Provided 48” at rear of garage for workbench• Typical widths for 2 car garage door is 16’ • 18’ wide door gives more breathing room between cars• 2’ minimum wing walls on each side• 8’ wide door for 3rd car garage, 9’ door for more breathing

room (Trucks)

• Blend into the rest of the residence– Determine height requirements for cars as well

Bonus Rooms• High pitched roof allow space to be converted to bonus

room• Typically above garage

Traffic Patterns• Traffic Flow - The route people follow as they move from

one area to another• Circulation pathways should be between 36” and 48”

Bringing it all together with exterior elements• A balcony is above ground that

projects from a wall or building with no additional supports

• Enclosed patio or deck• Walkways• Walkout Basements• Entrances other than front door