Getting the Floor Layout Right in Your Home

Posted by Adam Hayman on 12th April 2022 -

Getting the layout of your rooms right is essential for creating a home which works for you now and in the years to come. Whether you are building your home from the ground up or making changes to an existing house, taking the time to plan and finalise the layout will save you money and disappointment. With more than 100 years of combined experience, our builders help identify and deliver the perfect layout for your family and lifestyle. This is part of our full plan and build service, which is available to customers in Richmond, Wimbledon and the surrounding areas.

In this post, we address vital factors to consider to ensure you get the layout right the first time round:

Function

Your layout needs to be practical. To achieve this, our builders suggest you imagine living your day-to-day life in the space. This will help you see which rooms/areas you would prefer closer together as well as any potential challenges a certain layout may present. For example, placing the kitchen too far from the door will mean having to carry shopping further.

We also advise customers in the Richmond and Wimbledon areas to consider how well different spaces work together. For example, placing a home office next to a noisy games room or playroom is a recipe for disaster; an office is no good if you cannot concentrate in it.

Lifestyle

Our builders iterate the importance of your layout matching your lifestyle. If you regularly have family and friends over, or host dinners or parties, your layout should cater to this by including a guest toilet on the ground floor. You should also make social spaces, such as a kitchen, dining room, living room and patio, easily accessible. This means guests should not have to walk through a private space to access them.

Other lifestyle factors to consider include how much you value family and alone time, how much storage you need (and any specific storage) and any accessibility requirements.

Wasted Space

A few wasted centimetres here and there can make a huge difference to the practical space you have inside your home. Consequently, to make the most of your new home or existing property in Richmond or Wimbledon, pay close attention to any areas which may result in wasted space. This could be because they are unnecessary or create a void.

Key areas our builders consider include:

• Hallways, landings and entrances – generally, these spaces are not very functional, so do not make them larger than necessary
• Under stairs, under eaves, around chimney breasts etc – these areas are often awkward and thus left empty, but they are ideal for built-in furniture/storage
• Bathrooms – while a large bathroom feels luxurious, is it necessary?
• Seldom used rooms – think about which rooms you use the most and allocate more floorspace to them. There is no point in having an expansive dining room, for example, if you only use it a few times a year