A 20' square two level home.
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That looks fine and really makes a difference!
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Thanks mate.
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Would love to see a plan of the layout Mike.
I've found when planning small spaces it's always worth starting around most common furnishing. A standard sized 3 seat L shaped sofa and a standard rectangular 4 place dining table.
A few places I've done with similar layouts to yours, I've flipped the bench at the rear of the kitchen to create a bar separating the kitchen from the lounge area. This way you can fit the dining area comfortably within the kitchen and the lounge can take up the full front space. Your current arrangement of the sofa backing to the (assuming) dining area isn't ideal.
Here is an example of what I'm meaning around planning space around furniture.
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Thanks Richard, Sorry I was so slow replying, we have an old and slightly senile cat gone missing and I have been out a lot looking for her.
I agree on the seating and dining area but the whole ethos behind this was a home for one university graduate with a short term dual residency. No allowance for kids at all so something temporary prior to embarking on a family home. The sofa is way oversize for the property and if the was a standard two seater there would be room to get around it to the dining area. The table would probably do for four so a meal with friends would not be out of the question and there is the possibility of a sofa bed for alcohol based emergencies. If I had not given myself such strict size rules There would also be the potential to offset the tv/dining area too so perhaps I was being a little too rigid.
Thanks for taking the time to consider and comment, being an amateur I have to learn with every oppertunity I can get.
I hope the views I added come across OK, I tend to have the wall exteriors as a seperate group so any textures are more likely to be consistent.
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Better sofa.
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Interior shot with smaller sofa.
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All good mike, I'd say from the plan and the fact it is only a one bed home, that the kitchen is over equipped.
Locating the kitchen as a long installation along the right wall would have given a better layout, or even put it to the wall against the stairs.
Unfortunately mate, for the current layout furnishing is problematic.
BTW sliding doors or outward swinging doors opening to the yard space are a massive space saver.
I hope you found your cat mate!
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Thanks for the advice and education, I am thinking like an amateur too much and will realign the direction a bit. No sign of the cat, she is old and a little demented, as in senile I think. Not looking good.
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Mike we house sat last year and the home owners cat buggered off while we were there for the week and didn't return for months. It's not time yet to start thinking negative thoughts.
Very cute BTW, is she a russian blue?
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She is just a very pale grey with the white blaze and feet. I reckon she is just an average moggie otherwise, no particular breed.
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Cat returned this morning after a confrontation with a neighbour, not going into details but their cat spends most of its time in our garden. Vengence etc.
After days of running around the area until 10pm I am going to be looking at layouts with reference to Richards helpful comments. I am not sure I can get in to the 20'2 though. We shall have to see.
Sorry I went on a bit about Ellie the cat.
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Rethinking the layout and it has gone from 20'2 to 20'3. A different take on en-suite which I would appreciate feedback on if possible. The use of an open plan shower and sink arrangement reduces the footprint reduction of the room with less internal wall.
the white objects on the left are placebo cod and wardrobe and vertical blinds also reduce infringement on usable space. Funnily enough another little gain is the increase in windows to improve light ingress into the bedroom space which imho improves the feel of the shared space. The green hued wall next to the wardrobe is a toilet (enclosed with a door too). Render as ever with renditioner pro v3.
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Plans, Ground floor on right and first floor on the left.
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Small buildings represent fascinating challenges.
Several months ago, we were working on a a low cost student housing scheme with a similar footprint of 6 x 6 metres (two storey of course)
Several things tormented me during that process, not the least of which was how to distribute the spaces usefully between Living and Amenity (Utility), and whether or not cross function (and the extent to which we should go with that) is appropriate give that there is a difference between the formal and informal needs of student accommodation to that of say a traditional house.
Secondly, we concluded that students should also be afforded a sense of lifestyle which is commensurate with a balance of study and relaxation and their social needs.
Thirdly, it would be quite common for two people to share this type of accommodation and therefore sleeping arrangements should reflect this and the design should allow for a degree of flexibility (eg double/queen beds for couples or 2 single beds for non partners). Sleeping arrangements present some difficult challenges especially if we become obsessed with considering all the likely scenarios.....! Perhaps it pays to avoid being too overwhelmed by this and simply surrender some good design principles and concede that not all options can be provided for.
Richard makes a very good point when considering doors. Sliding and outward opening (in the case of external doors) can offer significant space and circulation gains.
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More.
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Dear Mike,
How energy neutral do you think you can make the house. One of your views showed a shallow pitched roof. Could the roof be designed to include solar heating panels and some PV panels?
Regards,
Bob -
There should be no problems with attaching solar panels etc to the roof, shallow pitch will reduce the problems of angles to the sun. The intent of the low pitch is to direct and save rainwater in several tanks about the building. Snow in a harsh winter might be a problem though.
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I cannot see two strangers sharing this kind of accommodation with one bedroom. People are just not inclined towards this and the potential for abuse is too high to even consider. My only concern for accommodation would be a singleton and a short term share with a PARTNER. There is the potential to go smaller and this has been done in a few places where the size used is 10m2 which is on the low side and more like caravan accommodation but possible if it is a singleton. Post grad is the market aimed at here.
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Mike, I think Gareth was suggesting that the upper floor could be divided into two bedrooms. Certainly the space you have upstairs is fairly large for a single bedroom in such a small home. Little need to squeeze both the kitchen and bathroom as you are envisaging.
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Thanks for the clarification Richard. Gareth, sorry I missed your intent, I hope I have not come across as rude and apologise if that is the case. I have spent a lot of my time in very small rooms and the op was for a small residence for a post graduate living in their own space, possibly for the first time purchase. The second series is a study in the 10m2 student accommodation that I was looking at being proposed in Sweden I think. They had the shower above the toilet and I remember being appalled at the thought of having a shower while sitting on the loo. It came across as plain nasty to me. I also wanted an illusion of space which is why I ended up breaking the bathroom facilities into room regions instead of having the three s's in a separate room. The kitchen is still downstairs in the both versions, next to the beer cooler.
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