House layout
House size, number of floors
The size of the house should be logical. You should not build a house that is too huge; walking from room to room will be inconvenient; the dimensions should be reasonable. Few people like a very large house; you can find many sad reviews from owners of huge houses. In addition, the cost of heating a huge house will also be rather large. Don’t forget about the property tax; the larger the area, the higher the tax.Similarly, you need to think about whether the house needs several floors. If the family is small and space requirements are modest, then it is better to get by with a one-story house. But two-story house Still, there are advantages over a one-story building: with the same area, it is cheaper to build a foundation and roof, there is less heat loss, and it is easier to conveniently arrange the necessary rooms. But for a one-story building, you don’t need to build a staircase.
I am not a specific proponent of either one-story or two-story houses. I heard a lot of reviews from owners big houses who said that they don’t even go to the second floor. The children have grown up, moved away, and the huge house stands empty. On the forumhouse, many owners of two-story houses often write that if they were building their house now, they would build a one-story house instead of a two-story one.
Location of rooms in the house
When initially designing a home, think about where the sun will be and which rooms will be sunny, and which ones are not. The sun does not exist in the north. It is advisable to “turn” the living room to the west, the bedrooms to the east. Kitchen windows can face east, south; in a southern kitchen, air conditioning is desirable (it is advisable to immediately determine which rooms will have air conditioners). The staircase can be “pressed” to the north side of the house.When placing bedroom windows in the east, you need to take care of thick curtains, otherwise the morning sun can wake up sleeping people. It is worth saying that in the east, morning heating of the room from the sun is possible even in November. On the other hand, in summer the sun rises faster above the horizon and does not have time to heat the room much.
If there is a noisy street on any side of the house, then you need to first take this problem into account and not place bedroom windows on the side of the noisy street.
Windows facing south - good decision for those who like bright rooms, the plants in the room will also welcome the sun. It is bad in a room with south windows in the summer without air conditioning. It is advisable to plant trees on the south side in front of the house, which will block the bright sun, in winter there is no foliage and additional warmth from solar heating not prevent.
IN two-story house It is better to place all bedrooms on the second floor, the kitchen on the first floor.
Tips for planning your home
An example of a “classic” layout of the second floor of a house without using a corridor.
Click on the photo to enlarge.
Should avoid using corridors, rooms must be connected by rooms. If you do end up with a corridor somewhere, it should be wide. The corridors should be such that at least two people can easily separate, i.e. minimum 1.5 m in width.
A common mistake future homeowners make when creating their first house plan is not taking into account the thickness of the walls. But external walls and the internal load-bearing ones can easily be half a meter thick.
There is no need to make the rooms narrow, like in Khrushchev buildings. The closer the shape of the room is to square (rather than rectangular), the better. I advise you not to make the width of the main rooms less than 3 meters.
Interior openings without doors can be made quite wide, it looks good.
Rooms without sharp right angles, especially external ones, look more comfortable. All walls do not have to be straight; non-square rooms often look better.
You need to correctly calculate the required area for each room. You need to draw a room and carefully arrange all the necessary furniture, correctly taking into account its dimensions. After this, it may turn out that there is too much space in the bedroom, and in the living room, on the contrary, there is nowhere to put a table.
I advise you to immediately make a correct list of the required rooms. For example: kitchen, parents' bedroom, 1st child's bedroom, 2nd child's bedroom, office, bathroom on the 1st floor, bathroom on the 2nd floor, living room, 1st storage room, 2nd storage room, space for a comfortable staircase, hallway, laundry room, boiler room, corridor on the 1st floor, corridor on the 2nd floor. Next, by correctly arranging all the furniture in them schematically, you can calculate the minimum area of the future home.
Rooms that are too large are more difficult and costly to cool with air conditioning in the summer heat.
Although in two-story houses bedrooms are usually located on the second floor, it is advisable to have at least one bedroom on the first floor for the older generation or for yourself, so to speak, “for the future.”
It is advisable to design the house in such a way that in winter the doors can be used to block the natural movement of warm air flows along the stairs from the first floor to the second.
It’s not bad if the windows of frequently used rooms look out onto the courtyard: you can see who has arrived or has arrived, what the children are doing, etc.
The basement floor is good for many factors, but what is especially important is the fact that with a heated basement floor, the floor on the first floor will be much warmer, and there will be no need for floor insulation. But building a basement is an expensive proposition.
It is advisable to make the main interior openings wide, single interior doors 80-90 cm, more is not necessary, but less is also necessary. There is non-dismountable large furniture; it should be easy to carry into the right rooms. It is undesirable to make openings for doors of non-standard sizes; custom-made doors are more expensive than regular ones.
If, when developing a house plan, a dark room without a window appears somewhere and this definitely cannot be eliminated, then you can make windows between the rooms. Daylight will penetrate and the room can be used without turning on the lighting.
The kitchen and bathrooms in the house should be large; you should not skimp on space in such places. I have seen projects where many manage to create a tiny, uncomfortable bathroom next to the bedroom with a house area of 250 m2. There should be several bathrooms (WCs), at least two, and preferably three. There should be a bathroom on each floor.
If you make a bathroom near the bedroom, it is advisable to separate it small room from the bedroom see image. This room can be equipped as a dressing room.
If the owners are planning to have a dog, then if they need to bring it into the house, it will need to be washed somewhere. And if the bath is far away, then the dog can stain the floors and carpets, and besides, washing a dog in a regular bath is inconvenient and unhygienic.
Rooms with a ceiling height of two floors, for example, a living room, look very cool. This technique is also called “second light”. It is better to do such things in a very big houses. There may be difficulties in winter, because all warm air will go up.
It’s nice to have a kitchenette on the second floor with a small refrigerator, microwave and electric kettle. This is the case if you walk far to the first floor.
And it’s worth planning right away porch so as not to fuss about something incomprehensible later. The porch must have a canopy. By the way, the “canopy” of the porch can be the ceiling of the second floor, i.e. the porch seems to be recessed under the second floor, but this depends on the design of the house.
Many “wants” for the layout of a house will probably change when the conversation begins about the specific design of the house, its project. As an example - rectangular floor slabs, it is difficult to make oblique wall corners with them. Therefore, you will have to either abandon this idea or fill in a monolithic ceiling.
Availability of rooms
Should be separate laundry room, drying, ironing. It can be placed on the north side of the house (the illuminated sides are useful for living rooms).Should be separate boiler room, if necessary, it can be located in the basement. The boiler room must have water supply, sewerage, and a window. Attention! The area, volume of the boiler room, the presence of an exit to the outside, the area of windows must meet the installation requirements gas boiler, . The boiler room with access to the street can be used as storage space if desired. gardening tools, so as not to build sheds on the site. The boiler room is a source of noise, so it is not advisable to place it next to the bedroom. And although, according to the rules, a gas boiler (with a power of up to 60 kW) can be hung in the kitchen, it is still advisable to have a separate boiler room. The boiler in the kitchen is another “pleasure” in the form of a quiet, but low and continuous hum.
Many people want to build attic, especially those who previously lived only in an apartment all the time. I am not a supporter of attics; I think that a full second floor is better and more comfortable. However, building an attic is cheaper than a full floor with a roof, but this is the only advantage of an attic. "Romance" passes quickly. I am sure that the majority of attic owners, if they could go back and were not limited in finances, would build themselves a normal second floor.
It’s better to make two exits from the basement just in case. However, if there are windows in the basement (and they are needed), then this is not necessary.
You also need to decide whether you need veranda. The veranda blocks sunlight from other rooms; perhaps it is better to simply make a spacious and heated room with large windows along the perimeter of the walls as part of the house.
You always need at least one roomy pantry, better two or more.
In a two-story house, the space under the stairs to the second floor can be conveniently converted into a storage room. An example of this use of a large staircase.
Many men want to have a separate workshop. If you don’t plan it in advance, then you’ll have to remodel some room for it: someone turns a garage into a workshop, someone remodels an extra bedroom.
Tambour and hallway
The entrance to the house should not be directly into a large living room. Some kind of “vestibule” or hallway is required. Whether to build a vestibule or not is something everyone decides for themselves. It is believed that it is warmer with a vestibule, but two doors perfectly replace a vestibule.It is very uncomfortable to wear cold clothes and shoes in an unheated vestibule. Typically, supporters of vestibules are those who have built themselves a hallway that is too small and/or unheated. The hallway should be large enough and impassable in home life, then a vestibule will not be needed. Supporters of vestibules are lovers of vegetable gardens; if the house is “urban”, then you can do without it. Residents of harsh northern regions with snowy winters also advise building a vestibule.
The hallway in a house without a vestibule should not have free passages without doors to other rooms, otherwise the residents will feel uncomfortable when the door opens and frosty air flows into the living rooms. If it is difficult to build a completely “closed” hallway, then a vestibule is a must.
On the right in the picture I drew the entrance to the house without a vestibule. The entrance is through two doors immediately into a heated hallway with two windows. The small room is a wardrobe. On the right is the exit to the garage combined with the house, thus the “dirty areas” are combined. The hallway has a sufficient area, is impenetrable and is closed by a door from the rest of the house.
And now a few of my notes on windows:- Floor length windows look great. Especially when there is a good view from the window.
- When choosing the height of the window, also think about the fact that the curtains have a limited height. True, there are curtains whose width is limited, and the required height is cut off.
- When planning a window, think about how to clean it if it is large, especially on the outside.
- The window looks interesting without a battery at the bottom and a window sill recess for it. But this is just an observation.
- A skylight or even a glass ceiling looks great.
- The window into another room looks interesting.
- There is no need to worry that due to large quantity the windows will be cold. Modern double-glazed windows with I-coating have a heat transfer resistance higher than that of a 54 cm thick wall made of conventional ceramic bricks.
- We need to abandon the “Khrushchev method” of one window per room. A room with several windows usually looks more beautiful than one with one. But you also don’t need to be zealous with the number of windows, otherwise there will be nowhere to put the furniture.
- Windows with both opening sashes look much better than those with just one opening.
- The bathroom should have a full window, not a small window.
- There are many other useful tips on windows in the corresponding article.
Ceiling height
Many people, when drawing the layout of a house for the first time, do not think about the height of the ceilings. People who lived in apartments with low ceilings often later make themselves too high ceilings, so to speak “with a reserve.”Very high ceilings are additional costs: the cost of building walls increases, interior decoration and stairs, you will have to heat additional cubic meters of air and external walls, i.e. heating costs increase. The difference in air temperature at the bottom and top of the room can be from 0.4 to 1 °C per 1 meter of height, i.e. with a room height of 3.5 m, the temperature difference can reach 3.5 °C.
The ideal ceiling height is a very complex parameter; you must always take into account the area of the room. The ceiling should not press, but the room should not look like a well. I think that for a room with an area of 17 m 2 2.5 m is pressing, and 3 m is just right. But for a larger area you need a larger height. This means that it is better not to make rooms on the same floor significantly different in size, then you can choose optimal height. It is worth remembering that the finishing flooring will also “eat up” additional centimeters.
Low ceilings limit the use of some chandeliers: a tall person may simply hit their head on the bottom of a long chandelier.
Theoretically, it is possible to provide in the project different heights ceilings for different rooms one floor. By the way, I saw such a solution in St. Petersburg in the Hermitage, where huge halls are adjacent to small rooms with low ceilings. In small well rooms, you can lower the high ceiling with plasterboard or wood, creating a void between the ceiling and the false ceiling.
At high ceilings the doors can be made larger in height, not 2 m, but 2.30 is acceptable. True, then the doors will have to be ordered from workshops, standard doors Rarely are they that tall.
Too much small balcony. The owner of the house will realistically only go out to it a couple of times a year. But the balcony at least serves as a canopy over the porch.
Click on the photo to enlarge.
Do you need a balcony in a private house? Many people who have built a balcony often say that they do not use it, that it is easier to go out into the yard than to go to the balcony. If you want a balcony, then it is better to immediately make it large, no 3x1 m balconies. The balcony should have enough space for a sunbed (preferably two), a table, flower pots, etc. If you make the balcony small, it will only become decorative element on the facade of the house. Examples of spacious balconies: one and two.
A spacious balcony is especially good when the house is located in dense urban areas, when people practically do not have their own yard.
A spacious balcony-terrace can be located, for example, above a garage adjacent to the house.
It is better to make a balcony fence at least 1 m high, this is a safety issue. By the way, in GOST 25772-83 minimum height balcony railing in buildings up to 30 m high is exactly 1 m. But I personal experience I think that this is not enough, and it is better to make a fence 1.1 m high or even more.
The floor of the open balcony must be at least 10 cm below the lowest point balcony door. For example, if the floor of an open balcony and the floor in the room are a single slab, then in the opening of the future door you need to lay out one row at the bottom brickwork, plaster and only then put the door on top.
Snow can accumulate significantly on a balcony without a canopy in winter. During rains, water may stagnate if there is not enough slope.
Stairs
We must understand that comfortable staircase will take up considerable space in the house.If a disabled person will live in the house or old man, then in addition to the stairs you can install an elevator. There are elevators for small cottages.
What kind of garage should I make - combined with the house or separate? After all, a combined garage means some load from a car (possibly two) on the foundation (3 additional tons), if the house and garage have a common foundation. Although this is, of course, not much compared to the total weight of a brick and concrete house. On the other hand, an adjacent garage, even if not heated, saves heat in the house, but this plus is insignificant.Often, building a house and a detached garage can be significantly cheaper than building a house with a combined garage. It is important to distinguish between a “built-in” garage, when there is a floor of the house above it, and an attached garage, standing close to the house, but on a separate light foundation. The second option will be cheaper.
Exhaust gases from the garage can enter the house, so you need to provide good ventilation in the garage. Also, it is better to enter the garage from the house through two sealed doors, preferably with a glass opening. But there is still no guarantee that exhaust from the combined garage will not enter the residential part of the house.
The garage must have a slope for water drainage, for example, towards the middle and into the yard. The garage should have a tap with cold water and preferably drain into the sewer.
It’s good to make the entrance to the combined garage from the house from the vestibule/hallway, then you won’t have to take off your shoes several times.
The garage door should be comfortably wide so that entering it is an easy and quick procedure. The height of the gate must be adjusted to allow even a tall SUV or van to enter the garage. The gate height of 2.4 m should be sufficient for most modern cars.
The garage area should be sufficient to park two cars, and with a reserve, because... cars can be of different sizes.
Preferably in the garage inspection hole, but not required. To protect against precipitation and runoff from the garage floor, the bottom of the garage doors should be at least 10 cm above ground level.
In general, there are a lot of reviews from people who regret that they built a garage as part of the house. Many people say that it would be better not to bother with this option and just build it separately.
The house must have ideal ventilation in all rooms. Bathrooms, kitchens and washing and drying rooms should have excellent ventilation to quickly remove moisture.You need to decide right away where they will be safes. The safe can even be placed in the garage.
A large classic fireplace “like in a movie” is in most cases a stupid thing. Classic fireplaces are ineffective for heating, and construction costs are considerable. There are a lot of reviews from people who built a fireplace and say that they would not build it if there was such an opportunity. You need to build a classic fireplace if you really, really want to have one.
This is how buildings can be characterized in most cases square shape. At the same time, you will not have to limit yourself in any way in the sense of internal layout. The fact is that it is the designs of square houses with external simplicity that open huge space to implement almost any idea, so buildings rarely turn out similar to one another. And each is distinguished by comfort and competent planning, rationally distributing the internal space.
Ready-made projects of square houses are being implemented, both in aerated concrete or ceramic blocks, and in the more familiar brick or wood. If you want to save money, instead of the second floor you can arrange residential attic. Installing a basement will make the project a little more expensive, but will allow you to move some of the utility rooms downstairs, leaving more space for living rooms upstairs. So, ground floor can be used to place a boiler room, pantry, utility room and even a garage.
Secrets of proper planning
Projects of square houses do not limit us in choosing the purpose of this or that room, unless, of course, we are talking about a bathroom or kitchen. You can easily set up a study in the bedroom, and turn the workshop into a nursery. However, it is advisable to follow the layout that is listed in the documentation, since it is carefully planned and even oriented to the cardinal points. But what if, when purchasing ready-made documentation, you are not entirely satisfied with it? Is there a way out? Of course yes.
The first method is more expensive - you will have to order an individual home design. But you can do it simpler - it’s quite possible to order an architect to make small changes to the designs of square houses. For example, if you want to swap places between your bedroom and office without changing their size, simply moving the partition can solve the problem. Some wall materials it is also possible to replace one with the other without major changes to the documentation. However, more serious changes may entail the need to make additional calculations, and this painstaking work, of course, must be paid.
The layout of rooms in the house should be carried out at the stage for dividing and load-bearing partitions.
First of all, you should carefully check the prepared material for compliance with hygienic and building regulations. By accepted standards volume clean air, which is required for normal human well-being, must be at least 25 m³. The dimensions of future housing are calculated in strict accordance with these indicators.
- If it is less than 3 meters, then the area of residential premises should be about 9 square meters. m.
- When planning premises, it is necessary to take into account the level and sources natural light.
- It is also necessary to take into account the degree of ventilation and ventilation of the premises.
Floor plan of the house
Kitchen
During the design process Special attention You should pay attention to the layout of the kitchen, which should preferably be arranged in such a way that it is connected to the dining room. The optimal area of a combined kitchen-dining room is considered to be approximately 15 sq.m. When choosing the size of the room, you should take into account the amount of furniture that will be placed in it in the future.
Single dining room and kitchen
To a greater extent, it depends on her functional purpose in the house. The best option The area is considered to be approximately 9 square meters. m. The minimum width of the kitchen should be 2.5 meters. In a room of this size you can place everything you need: a refrigerator, stove, shelves, furniture, etc.
Bathroom, terrace, hallway
The area of the toilet and bathroom should be at least 4-5 square meters. m. As a rule, these rooms are located next to the kitchen, bedroom or combined with a laundry room. The minimum width of the corridor or hallway should be 1.5 meters. If these rooms are very spacious, then you can easily place racks for shoes, furniture, and outerwear in them. Square open spaces(verandas or terraces) should be about 20% total area Houses.
Read also
Layout of a house with an attic
Example of room layout in one-story house with two terraces Communications, foundation and basement
One of the important points is the correct distribution of air and heat in the house, which is most directly related to ventilation and the microclimate in the house. This issue arises especially acutely in warm regions, where good air circulation and constant ventilation are simply necessary.
Above the question most optimal location foundation relative to load-bearing structures and walls should be thought about already at the design stage. Thanks to this, unnecessary financial costs can be avoided in the future.
In almost any private home they always equip basement. To implement this step, it is necessary to study the geodetic features of the soil, flowability and groundwater level. Regardless of the soil characteristics, measures are taken to protect the underground space from dampness and mold.
In this video you can look at one of the best layouts for a house measuring 6x6.
Layout of a two-room house
A two-room, one-story house may consist of an entrance hall in which there are built-in wardrobes different needs; common room in which there is sleeping area for one family member; terrace, which is accessible from the hallway. In this case, the kitchen is combined with a dining room, which has a utility storage room (in the vestibule, for example) and convenient access to.
If you have, then you can make living rooms-bedrooms for family members on the second floor, and the first floor may consist of other rooms.
The decision on the distribution of space in a private home is a responsible matter. At this stage, the wishes of the owners regarding the location of residential areas are not simply laid down, but the proper placement of communications is planned. An excellent home layout will combine proper distribution of space, convenience and practicality.
You can do the process yourself, especially if your budget allows you to realize any idea. However, for the high-quality distribution of the available space, the correct assignment of functional load and the combination of the above with the convenience of living, it is better to involve a professional.
Work rules
Layout in construction refers to the division of space during the construction phase. All subsequent changes relate to redevelopment. Therefore, in order to avoid time-, effort- and financial-consuming adjustments, good planning of a private house should begin at the stage of laying the foundation. This is necessary in order to initially lay load-bearing walls and partitions.
The drawing must clearly take into account the dimensions of a private house and meet the basic requirements for the construction of residential buildings.
So, taking into account the standards for the volume of clean air in the room (23 m3), it is necessary to ensure with special care required footage, level of ventilation. Sources of natural light are also important.
Kitchen
The size of the kitchen should be calculated based on the amount of furniture and household appliances is planned to be placed there.
The best option for a private building is to combine two zones: cooking and dining. This increases the volume of the room with benefit for functionality.
The optimal area for a kitchen is 10 m2. For a kitchen combined with a dining room, 15 m2 is enough.
Toilet and bathroom
For private building, where is the holding sewer system is a real epic, it is important to use space and material wisely. For this reason, the toilet, bathroom and laundry room (if one is separate) are located next to the kitchen.
This placement allows you to comply with hygiene standards by highlighting a separate utility block. At the same time, there is a significant saving on material and installation work. sewer pipes and water supply systems.
If each of the premises is planned as separate, it is worth taking care of the appropriate footage. The minimum indicator in in this case will become 5-6 m2.
Distribution of area of houses of different types
It is now too expensive to build bulky mansions that require enormous amounts of energy and resources to ensure their functioning. Taking into account the cost of construction and land plot for such a building - even more so.
At the same time, compact buildings that fit on small areas land and combining all the areas necessary for comfortable living. It is in such buildings that the competent use of space becomes of paramount importance.
If we talk about the classification of private houses, then we can distinguish two division criteria: number of floors and size. The most common are compact one- and two-story buildings with an area of 6x6, 8x8 and 10x10 meters.
Taking into account limited space, a popular option is a building with an attic - a living space equipped under the roof.
Type 6x6
House layout 6 by 6 meters – difficult task. After all, with small parameters, you need to place all the necessary zones and make the home comfortable for living.
It would be advisable to place a kitchen/dining room and a bathroom with toilet on the ground floor. The attic will play the role of a recreation room, which can be divided into a bedroom and leisure area (or a children's room). More than two functional zones It will not be possible to highlight due to the dimensional characteristics of the room.
In some cases, home owners may sacrifice an indoor toilet in favor of a wood-burning steam room. And the correction of needs is transferred to a building such as a toilet on a personal plot.
Type 8x8
When it comes to an area of 64 m2, the process of allocating space becomes less complicated. So, the layout of a house 8 by 8 meters easily includes:
- hallway – 4 m2;
- bathroom – 8 m2;
- kitchen dining room – 15 m2;
- bedroom-living room – 22 m2;
- children's room - 15 m2.
This is the distribution when planning one-story house. If the presence of an attic is implied, redistribution will be required taking into account the stairs (about 8 m2) leading upstairs. Under the roof there will be free space for two bedrooms of 20 m2 and 13 m2.
With this footage, space planning for a two-story building can also be freely discussed. In this case, it is worth increasing the bathroom with toilet, dining room and hallway, and also adding a storage room on the ground floor. And the children's room, along with two bedrooms, will be located on the second floor.
Type 10x10
An area of 10 by 10 meters is sufficient to accommodate all the necessary premises on one floor. The layout of such a house with an attic will allow you to increase the size of the rooms or, if necessary, their number.
So, besides standard set(kitchen, living room, children's room, bedroom, bathroom), you can allocate space for an office or a specialized recreation area. If you move the nursery to the attic, you can equip a spacious steam room on the ground floor.
The layout of a two-story house of this size can be limited only by hygiene standards and fire safety requirements. Otherwise, there is enough space to implement the owner’s wishes.
It remains advisable to place the kitchen and dining room on the ground floor. It is better to immediately allocate 6-9 4 m2 for a storage room in a dwelling with a large number of inhabitants. At the same time, the toilet and bathroom can be duplicated for greater comfort of residents.
When talking about comfort, it is worth considering the needs of all inhabitants. Thus, the size of the building makes it possible to provide children of different sexes with separate rooms. This will be a significant advantage when children begin to grow up.
The placement of bedrooms on the lower floor should be planned, implying that the older generation will live in them. But the office should be located as far as possible from the most frequently visited premises. It would be better if it could only be accessed from the master bedroom.
When planning the initial placement of the home on the site and the rooms in it, it is worth leaving space for the construction of a wide porch or summer terrace. Such an element will not require significant investments, but will pay for itself many times over, especially in the summer.
Photo of the house layout
At the same time, family members can each do their own thing in the house. One is sleeping, the other is doing homework, the third is watching TV. At the same time, household members should not interfere with each other.
Everyone living in the house needs to have their own corner, and not necessarily a separate room. This could be a place for practicing a hobby - your own table, closet or shelving.
In a house with correct layout guests from the hallway can easily get into the living room and do not wander around looking for the toilet.
Layout of a house, cottage
Fig.1. An example of the layout of a one-story private house. Premises day zone: 1 - vestibule, hallway, 6 - living room, dining room, 3 - toilet, 14 - veranda. Rooms for night rest: 5,7,10 - bedrooms, 2 - dressing rooms, 8 - extended bathrooms. Economic zone: 11 - kitchen, 12 - pantry, 13 - garage, 4 - laundry, boiler room, workshop.In order for a built house to become the embodiment of comfort, coziness and efficiency, knowledge is required standard rules layouts:
1. Inner space houses are conventionally divided into zones, Fig. 1: residential and commercial.
The residential area, in turn, is divided into day and evening.
The daytime area of the premises consists of a vestibule, hallway, hall, living room, dining room, veranda, and toilet.
Rooms for night rest are bedrooms, dressing rooms, and extended bathrooms.
The utility area includes a kitchen, pantry, garage, laundry, boiler room, and workshop.
When arranging rooms, you should also pay attention to the position of the sun at certain hours and the view from the window.
2. Building a house with a minimum number of halls and corridors reduces the cost of living space.
The number and area of corridors can be reduced by combining the functions of the rooms: design some rooms as walk-through rooms or arrange a work area in the living room or bedroom.
The most advantageous option is considered to be a layout in which the kitchen, being a utility room, is adjacent to the living area of the dining room and common room.
In the house small area It is advantageous to place the premises of the day zone: kitchen, dining room, living room and even an entrance hall or hall in one volume - a common open space not separated by partitions, Fig. 1.
3. It is advisable that married couples and other adult family members have their own separate rooms in the house.
The most a large room- there will be a living room common area, where everyone can gather to relax.
It is convenient to have one more room in the house - a guest bedroom (office).
4. If several generations are planned to live in a house (for example, elderly parents, adult children, small grandchildren), then it is necessary to make the territory of each family as “autonomous” as possible (at a minimum, its own bathroom and bedroom, and at a maximum, a separate entrance ).
Moreover, it is better to locate rooms for elderly parents on the ground floor (items 5 and 3 in Fig. 1).
5. It is better to have two entrance doors in the house, one from the entrance to the site, the second from the terrace, or from the opposite side of the house, for household needs. Also, the number and location of entrances is influenced by the composition of the family (from paragraph 4 of this article).
If the entrance door is placed on the side facade, then Often you can get by with just one door for entering the house, both from the street and from the site.
6. The staircase (if there is one) should be illuminated by natural light(for security reasons). Therefore, in principle, it makes no difference where it is oriented, but there must be windows illuminating the staircase space.
When placing a staircase, it is important to understand whether you want it to be an active element of the interior or not. If you want, it is better to place it in the dining room or living room. If not, then in the hallway, corridor (pos. 12 in Fig. 1).
7. The project can provide for the possibility of expanding the area of the house as the family grows and the children grow up. Increasing the size is possible by adding an extension to the house or installing an attic.
Anyway the expansion option should be considered in advance.
For example, the house layout project in Fig. 1 provides for the possibility of arranging an attic. For this purpose, a space has been reserved for the stairs, which is currently used as a storage room (pos. 12), a large angle of inclination of the roof has been selected, and space has been left in the roof structure for inserting windows, etc.
It is irrational to build a large house at once unless necessary.
8. A fireplace is usually located in “common” rooms(dining room, living room). Whether and where a fireplace is needed in the house must be determined before choosing a project.
Installing a fireplace in an already built house will require installing a fireplace pipe and chimney, which is not always possible (the pipe, for example, will need to be routed along the facade of the house, etc.).
9. The house is simple rectangular shape with a minimum number of corners without projections, bay windows, balconies. Such a house has less heat loss through external fences. The shape of the house in the form of a rectangle with an aspect ratio of no more than 1:1.5, with the long side oriented to the south, will allow for more complete use of solar heat.
10. Simple form roofs reduce the cost of construction.
11. Proper orientation of the house to the sun and wind reduces heating and air conditioning costs. Living rooms the house is oriented predominantly to the south in order to make maximum use thermal energy sun. It is better to locate utility rooms on the north side.
12. Designing simple, short engineering communications home significantly reduces costs and increases reliability. For ease of communication, bathrooms in a two-story house should be located one above the other, and on the ground floor the bathroom and boiler room should be located closer to the kitchen.
13 For an economy class home give preference to a built-in garage in front of a free-standing one: it is easier to heat and it can accommodate part engineering systems at home, saving space. In addition, you will be able to access the garage directly from your home without going outside.
14. Give up the basement: the cost of construction and high-quality waterproofing basement is 1.5-2 times higher than the cost of building a floor. Instead, it is better to plan a spacious storage room on the ground floor of the house, placing it on the north side.
Move some of the auxiliary premises to
15. When considering a project, pay attention to the planning and Constructive decisions, providing sound insulation of rooms in the night zone.
Remember that extraneous sounds enter these rooms through all enclosing structures: walls, ceilings, doors, windows, as well as ventilation and other openings.
In general, the more massive and thicker the walls, ceilings, doors and windows, the quieter the bedroom will be.
For good sound insulation, there must be two lines of doors and at least a small corridor between the living area and the bedroom (item 9 in Fig. 1).
If the bedrooms are located on the top floor, then reinforced concrete floor — necessary condition good sound insulation night rest areas.
16. Build an energy efficient house.
When choosing a project, check the basic building parameters indicating the Estimate the average annual amount of energy required for heating, water heating, ventilation and air conditioning. The Russian government plans to equalize in the coming years domestic prices for gas with European ones.
17. Equip your heating system with thermostats, which will allow program the desired temperature in each room separately. Reducing the room temperature by 1 °C saves 5% of heating energy.
Used for heating a home, and in a room ventilation system - all this also allows you to save heat.
18. The entrance door to the house from the street must be separated from the premises of the house thermal gateway - vestibule. Due to the sequential opening of two doors in the vestibule, cold air from the street does not penetrate into the house. As a thermal gateway, it is allowed to install a closed and insulated veranda or vestibule at the entrance to the house.
19. The balcony of the house must have independent support in the form of pillars or rest on the enclosing structures of the first floor. The base of the balcony should not be a continuation of the ceiling, which means “cutting through” the wall, forming a bridge of cold.
20. Remember the larger the glazing area, the higher the costs will be for heating and air conditioning. The ratio of the glazed surface area of the window to the floor area should be at least 1/8.
21. Deciduous trees with a large crown can provide shade for the home during the hot summer months and reduce energy consumption for air conditioning up to 50%.
During winter, when deciduous trees lose their crown, sunlight easily reaches the surface of the walls and heats them, providing the home with additional thermal energy and helping to reduce heating costs.
Coniferous trees help protect the house from cold winter winds and keep it cool.
22. Build an environmentally friendly home.
Choose environmentally friendly materials for construction. More than 50% of all building materials on the domestic market cannot be called safe for health. Many of them are unable to pass even the simplest environmental assessment.
Do not buy the “fairy tales” of sellers, the prefix “eco” in the name, study the labeling - check in the regulatory documents (GOST, TU) to see if the material contains phenol, formaldehyde, or other harmful substances.
For about 30 years in the world there has been such a thing as sick building syndrome. The reason for this phenomenon is poor air quality in homes. According to environmentalists, home air is 4-6 times dirtier and 8-10 times more toxic than street air.
Features of the layout of a two- or three-story private house
Fig.2. Ground floor plan two-story house: 3 - bathroom with shower 3.9 m 2; 4 - office (guest bedroom) 11.8 m 2; 7 - pantry 2.7 m 2; 8 - boiler room 6.6 m 2; 10 - terrace 43.6 m 2; 
Fig.3. Second floor plan two-story house: 13 - dressing room 3.5 m 2; 14 — bathroom with bath 5.9 m 2; 18 — bathroom with bath-sauna cabin 8.5 m 2; 19 - laundry 4.6 m 2;
In two- or three-story houses, it is convenient to make a staircase, position 11 in Fig. 3, as a natural boundary between the day and evening zones. The premises of the day zone are usually located on the ground floor, Fig. 2. Bedrooms, dressing rooms, and bathrooms in the night area are located on the upper floors of the house, Fig. 3.
True, such a division of premises into floors is not always convenient or possible. Often you have to make another bedroom on the first floor, item 4 in Fig. 2. On the lower floor there is usually a bedroom for elderly parents or for guests.
IN multi-storey building, as in a large ventilation duct, there is a natural draft, under the influence of which air from the first floor rushes up the skylight of the stairs to the upper floors and the attic.
Layout option with front door per floor, provides the most effective work and a simple device natural ventilation attics and upper floors Houses.
Bathrooms in the house
In a multi-storey building bathrooms should be on each floor.
On the ground floor, the bathroom is located so that it is convenient for guests to use. It is better if the entrance to the guest bathroom is not visible from the living room.
If there is a bedroom on the ground floor of the house, then the bathroom should be located next to it, so that from the bedroom to the bathroom there is no need to walk through the living room past the guests. Guests can also use the same bathroom.
IN large bathroom in the bedroom area, position 18 in Fig. 3, it is convenient to place equipment for SPA procedures - for example, a bathtub with hydromassage or a steam bath-sauna cabin.
Utility premises
The boiler room is usually located on the ground floor of the house. Often a room is allocated to house the boiler in a garage attached to the house. The entrance to a solid fuel boiler room must be made from the outside, from the side of the fuel warehouse.
It is natural to place a food pantry near the kitchen.
It is convenient to have two dressing rooms in the house - at the entrance to the house and in the bedroom area.
Near the dressing room in the bedroom area, where linen and daily clothes are stored, it is convenient to have a washing machine, dryer and ironing board, pos. 19 in Fig. 3.
The laundry room should not be located in the garage. The constant need to carry laundry far away, and even up stairs, will not please the owner of the house.
Windows in the house
Large floor-to-ceiling windows provide contact with the space outside, make the boundary between the house and the garden almost invisible, and the room visually becomes more spacious. Low furniture does not block the view from the window and visually increases the height of the room. Large glass area in the room increases the costs of building and operating a house:
- The cost of constructing a block with glazing is higher than the cost of constructing a wall of the same area.
- Costs for heating in winter and air conditioning in summer increase.
But many owners decide to sacrifice economic benefits for the sake of the range of feelings that they experience in a cozy living room flooded with light with a wonderful view of the garden across big windows from floor to ceiling.
Often large windows and glass doors access to the garden, terrace or balcony is provided not only from the living room, but also from the bedrooms and kitchen.
Listen to your feelings and the opinions of your household members, where they would like to have such windows. When choosing, also consider the climate and the view from the window.
Thanks to the window, the corridor seems wider and less boring. If, when entering a house, room or corridor, your gaze rests on the window opposite wall, and behind it you can see the garden, then the rooms seem more spacious and make a good impression.
WITH outside on the windows of a private house It is recommended to install roller shutters. Closed roller shutters not only protect windows from burglary, but in severe frosts they reduce heat loss through the windows, and in summer heat reduce overheating at home sun rays. It is better to foresee the installation of roller shutters on windows in advance, at the design stage of the house.
Watch a video lesson on planning a one-story house with an attic:
What rooms in the house can be passable?
To make the house seem spacious, architects recommend combining the rooms of the day zone - making them passable.
Spacious rooms make it easier to breathe and give you a feeling of freedom.
Many people have a prejudice against walk-through rooms. Indeed, in small apartments With a high population density, a walk-through room is a big disadvantage in the layout. It’s a completely different matter in private houses, where the number and area of premises per resident is, as a rule, much larger.
Connecting and combining rooms, creating an enfilade or alcove reduces the area of corridors and halls, provides greater convenience and comfort of life in the house, and also allows you to create a unique interior in these rooms.
Connection of kitchen, dining room and living room
The most popular option for combining rooms in an economy class house is to combine the kitchen, dining room and living room ( Fig.2 pos. 5 and 6). This layout, as mentioned above, creates a spacious daytime area in the house, and also makes it possible to communicate between people who are in the premises of this area.
Cooking processes in modern kitchen pass quickly enough. Isolation and distribution unpleasant odors and other harmful effects are minimal. For this reason, there is no particular need to separate the kitchen from other rooms.
Food in the kitchen is usually prepared by the housewife or owner of the house. Depriving them of contact with other household members while cooking is not humane.
It is convenient when the dining room is located between the kitchen and living room. The kitchen sets the table and serves food. From the living room, household members and guests move to the dining room. This arrangement of the premises of the day zone corresponds to the natural course of events. Life in the dining room continues after the meal is over. See the layout in Fig. 1 and 2 above in the article.
It should be noted that open kitchen requires increased attention to maintaining cleanliness and order there.
Combining the dining room, living room and office - library
IN big house, where important guests are often received, and the food is prepared by a cook, they combine a dining room, a living room and an office or library. The rooms are connected by an enfilade - when the transitions between rooms are on the same axis, as in ancient palaces and estates. The living room is located in the center of this suite.
The connection of these rooms creates a presentable, formal area in the house, in which there is space to dine, relax in the living room by the fireplace, or retire and hold negotiations in the office.
From the bedroom to the dressing room and then to the bathroom
In the bedroom of a married couple, a private area is often arranged with a dressing room and a bathroom, as, for example, in Fig. 3, above, positions 13, 14 and 15.
It can be convenient to make a dressing room a walk-through room. This layout is good because the number of doors in the bedroom is reduced, and the sound of water from the bathroom is heard less.
People usually don’t spend a lot of time in the dressing room, so bedroom owners will not experience any inconvenience from a walk-through dressing room.
We move from one utility room to another
It is convenient to have utility rooms in one place in the house. It is more profitable, for example, to go to the boiler room through the laundry room, and to the laundry room through the dressing room, than to arrange a common corridor and separate doors to each room.