Intentional Home Design: How to Analyze the Flow of a Floor Plan
The way a home flows is just as important as the quality of the materials used to build it or even how beautiful it looks. Circulation in a home is one thing that the professionals at Creative Home Designs study and this science of foot traffic informs our home designs when we are creating the perfect custom floor plan.
Read to the end to learn all about some of the things we consider regarding the flow of a floor plan when designing the perfect custom home!
A CUSTOM HOME PLAN, DESIGNED INTENTIONALLY
We start by considering how a home will be used and then designing intentionally around that story. Some people use the home’s formal entry and front door as their main point of entry while others tend to use the garage entry exclusively.
Circulation patterns study the location of the garage, entryway, kitchen, living room, and bathrooms. We look at how the rooms are used to create a flow that makes sense for the occupants of the home.
ENTRYWAY
In homes where the front door is the main entrance, it’s a good idea to include a coat closet or two and a drop zone in the entryway to help reduce clutter within the home.
GARAGE
Many families use the garage as their main entrance. In homes like this, we encourage a plan with a mudroom and mud lockers to reduce clutter in the home. A mudroom also helps keep the rest of the home looking tidy since it is the perfect place to leave muddy work boots or soccer cleats.
OPEN-CONCEPT LIVING
LIVING ROOM OR GREAT ROOM
Open-concept floor plans seem to be here to stay. Remember, it’s important to consider what room your guests or home buyers will see from the front door so you don’t miss your chance at making a memorable first impression.
Some home buyers prefer a view of the Great Room or Living Room while others prefer to provide an open view of their backyard and outdoor living spaces.
Floor-to-ceiling windows are popular in these cases because they provide a room that is abundant with natural light. People are attracted to spaces with plenty of light so this is the perfect way to make your home feel magically welcoming.
KITCHEN
The kitchen should be located near the garage to make grocery trips easier. For homes in rural areas and for families that cook often, a pantry close to the garage is also important. For families that cook and serve meals often, we may also suggest a Butler’s pantry in addition to a traditional walk-in pantry.
It’s also important to make sure there is plenty of room surrounding the kitchen island to sit and walk behind each stool. We also make sure there is plenty of clearance for homeowners to walk past the refrigerator when the fridge doors are open or to walk behind a person who might be cooking at the stove.
DINING ROOM
If we include a formal dining room in the plan, we like to make sure there is plenty of room to stand and walk around the dining room while others are seated.
BATHROOMS
Bathrooms should be located near bedrooms and adjacent to shared spaces like the living room and kitchen. We will talk more about bathrooms in this blog.
BEDROOMS
Bedrooms should be situated close enough to the laundry room so that occupants don’t have to go far with their laundry baskets but far enough away that they don’t suffer from the noise from the washer and dryer.
Each bedroom should be positioned close enough to a bathroom. When considering the master suite, we also like to make sure the master suite is adjacent to a secondary bathroom or powder room, if possible since there is often more than one person living in that room.
SECOND-FLOOR LIVING
Your second floor landing should provide fast access to each bedroom on that story. There should also be plenty of bathrooms upstairs to accommodate the number of bedrooms and occupants as well as any bonus rooms or family rooms on that level. Modified Jack-and-Jill style bathrooms work great on the second floor.
Another thing to consider for your second floor is access to laundry. Think about adding room for a stacked washer and dryer unit or a laundry closet. You can also consider a laundry chute.
Be sure to include plenty of linen storage on the second floor so you don’t need to carry fresh sheets from the first floor every time you want to change your bed sheets.
TYPE OF HOME
If the custom home is being built for a specific family, we think about how the family will use the home. If the home is being designed for a builder, we consider the type of home when designing, as well as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms indicated in the specifics.
Here are a few examples.
FARMHOUSE
A Farmhouse design will typically include a mudroom, pantry, and utility room near the garage entry.
URBAN INFILL HOME DESIGN
In a row home, occupants may use the front door more often than the garage. For town homes and row homes, it may be important to include a drop zone in the entryway for keys and mail.
CLASSICAL HOMES
In more traditional designs, your staircase may be a central showpiece of your home design. Include a coat closet in this area.
READ OUR BLOG: Custom Home Designs: Which Home Design Style Is Right For Your Development?
PARTY PATTERNS
If you are planning to host parties or family holidays in your home, it’s important to think about conversation zones. A great home to host parties will include large gathering spaces as well as places to have intimate conversations.
Include several access points for the rear patio and two ways to enter the kitchen and dining room. This allows guests to spread out and have room to move around. A home with a wrap-around porch in the front would make the perfect place to host a party.
It's also a good idea to have two bathrooms or powder rooms on the first floor that are adjacent to the dining room and living area.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
POOL BATH
We like to include a bathroom that is close enough to the patio to be used as a pool bath. Some of our home plans include a pool bath or a bathroom that doubles as both a pool bathroom and a bathroom that can be used by the rest of the home.
FENG SHUI
Some homes owners prefer their home be built with fung shui principles in mind. If you are considering designing your home following feng shui best practices, remember that these design considerations may take a longer time than a home that does not follow these principles.
Be sure to be mindful of this when considering your design budget.
GALLERY WALLS
Many prairie-style homes often include gallery walls which are long hallways that feature either a statement wall or a place to hang portraits or artwork.
We will often include space at the end of the gallery wall to include a statement piece like a special piece of art, a one-of-a-kind lamp, or a unique fountain.
READY TO START DESIGNING YOUR INTENTIONALLY DESIGNED HOME?
See something you like? Browse more of our fantastic home design plans here. The experts at Creative Home Designs can alter any plan to fit your budget, needs, preferences, and the square footage of your property. For purchasing and customization options, please get in touch with us using the Contact form!