1. Design and Function of Interior Space

2. TRENDS IN HOMES - FYI
Homes have gone from an average 1,695 sq. ft in 1974 to 2,349 sq. ft. in 2006, even though family size has decreased.
19 % say the kitchen is the most important but kitchens occupy about 12% of most homes.
Children’s room matter least.
Prior to the 1970’s, the average bedroom was 9’x10’ (about the size of today’s walk-in closets). By the ’70’s they were about 11’x11’. Today it is rare to find bedrooms smaller than 12’x12.
Walk in closets and plenty of storage is critical
57% of homes today have 2 and ½ baths.
New buyers consider the family room as the most important feature

3. Living rooms and dining rooms are less popular today than they were in 1970
In 1974 only ½ had room for two cars….1/2 were 1 car garages. And now On the west coast alone, 1/3 of all garages are 3 car garages.
“Flex space” is popular in homes now.
Rooms that can do double-duty are important
Open floor plans are more common now
43% of starter homes built this year will contain high-speed wiring.
Flat screens are helping to replace the “dedicated media room”. Flat screens are often hidden behind art work, cupboards, etc.
In the 1970’s average ceiling height was 7 feet 9 inches. Today the standard is 9 feet on the first floor, 8 feet on the second.
7 out of 10 homeowners prefer a newly built house to a previously owned one.

4. A. 3 Basic Interior Living Zones
Living and Social Area
Used for activities and entertainment
Living room, dining room, family room, game room, great rooms, entry ways, porches, dining etc.

5. Sleeping/Private Area
Quiet, comfort, and privacy
Bedroom, Bathroom, Closets, and Dressing rooms.

6. Service/Work Where household work is done.
Kitchen, Garage, Office, Basement, Utility/Laundry room.

7. B. Traffic & Circulation Patterns of the Home
Circulation - the route that people (Family, Work , Service, and Guest) follow as they move from one place to another throughout the home.
Generally 3-4 feet in width of space is allowed for major circulation paths and feet of space for minor circulation paths.
Circulation Frequency - refers to the number of times a route is repeated in any given period of time.
Generally routes with high circulation frequency are short and direct in a good floor plan.
THINK Frequency of use, Location, and Length – when
deciding which pattern will provide the easiest access from
point A to point B.

8. 4 Basic Types of people to circulate
Family – follows each member of the household throughout the home (hardest to predict, most complex)
Service – relates to the movement of people in and out of the home as they make service calls, deliver goods, read meters, take garbage out, …
Work – Common household tasks.
kitchen is generally the hub of the work circulation
Guest - involves movement from the entry to the coat closet and to the living room with access to a powder room. (easiest to predict)

9. Effective Circulation Guidelines
Bathrooms should be located next to bedrooms with easy access.
Easy access from entry to other parts of the house
Indoor living areas have easy access to outdoor areas
Related rooms are close together.
High frequency routes are short, direct, and simple
Excessive hall space is avoided.
Rooms should not be cut in half by circulation routes
Direct access from the main entry of the house to the social / living areas and bathrooms
Locate the kitchen near the garage and service entrance.
Easy access to the basement, garage, and storage areas
Clothes and care center should be in a convenient location since many trips are made to this work area

10. Ask yourself these Questions
Can the cook prepare a meal without worrying about constantly walking into someone going by?
If people can eat in their rooms or living areas, can they get there without leaving a Hansel and Gretel trail through the entire house?
If you spend a lot of time grilling outside on the patio, is it convenient to the inside food prep area?
Do you have to walk through to the other end of the house to reach the outdoor grill?
Can you bring the groceries right in from the outside without having to go through the living room?

11. Guest and Service Circulation
Entry, living/entertainment, dining, patio, or ½ bath are not in private area’s of the home.
Service entrance should have easy access near the kitchen and basement stairs
Guests should be able to move from the entry to the living area without having to pass through other rooms
Ask Yourself
How do guests travel to the living room when you are entertaining?
Do they have to go through private areas of your home?
How do they get to the powder room (1/2 bathroom)?
Is the kitchen handy for serving food and drinks to your guests when you are entertaining?

12. How to Draw Traffic Patterns (family, work, guests, service)
Guest Circulation Pattern
Pro’s and Con’s of this
Traffic pattern.

13. C. Important Room Relationships
Bathroom & Bedroom
Kitchen & Dining
Mudroom & Garage
Garage & Kitchen
Kitchen and outdoor living space
Living and dining areas
Can you think of others?

14. Room Relationships Dictate how functional a space will be
Bathrooms should be located close to bedrooms for convenience and privacy**
Kitchen by garage and the service entrance**
Kitchen area adjacent to the dining room for ease in serving food.
Dining area adjacent to the living room for convenience in entertaining.**
Plumbing lines located near one another** This will save you money, water, and fuel.

15. Room Relationships Cont’d
Related rooms should be close to one another
Fireplaces/closets back to back or stacked
Easy access from garage to kitchen and storage areas
Laundry room close to bedrooms
Bathroom near guest area
Coat closet by living room
Clothes closets between sleeping and activity areas provides a good sound barrier.
Storage should be incorporated throughout the home**

16. D: Sizes and Shapes of Rooms
Room sizes will be set by
the number of rooms needed
the cubic footage possible for a certain amount of money that the rooms fit into.
housing type of construction and style.
amount of furniture and its arrangement
activities that will go on in the room
number of people to use or occupy the room.
SEE THE INFORMATION IN THE STUDY GUIDE FOR THESE MEASUREMENT GUIDELINES

17. Storage Adequacy and Considerations
Storage should be incorporated throughout the house – not just in one area.
Storage space needs to be adequate—10-15% of the home
Food, kitchen utensils, clothes, linen, laundry, misc
Should be convenient and easily accessible
Easy to clean, to see into and to reach
Storage Types:
Built-in—cannot be moved around the room, an architectural detail of the room
Cupboards, closets, pantries, etc….
Furniture—can be moved from one room to another
Desks, chests, dressers, trunks, armoires, etc…

18. Wall Space
An effective floor plan consists of useable wall space that is not broken up with windows and doors.
Consider location of electrical outlets, television cables, phone plugs, etc…
Enough wall space potential furniture arrangements.
Wall space for using and hanging interior decorations

19. LET’S EVALUATE………

20. FLOOR PLAN #1

21. FLOOR PLAN #2

22. FLOOR PLAN #3

23. FLOOR PLAN #4

24. FLOOR PLAN #5

25. Group Floor Plan analysis

26. Interior Space Assignments
1. Use that attached handout and floor plans to evaluate Circulation, Living Zones, Room Relationships, Sizes, Shapes, Storage, and Wall Space
2. Walk through a house and evaluate it for the design and function of interior space
Walk through your house or another house (like a model home) and evaluate it using the attached checklist.
3. Complete the Floor Plan for a family attached page.
Read the scenarios of 2 families and decide which floor plan fits their lifestyle, needs, and wants.

27. BELL QUIZ #3 FLOOR PLAN KEY
1. What things are included in a work triangle A. Refrigerator, sink, and garbage compactor B. Sink, garbage compactor, and stove C. Microwave, stove, and refrigerator D. Stove, refrigerator, and sink** 2. Bathing and dressing are two activities associated with the ___________area. A. Living/social. C. Service/work. B. Sleeping/private. * D. Utility/storage. 3. Which one of the following statements about a full bathroom is true? A. It should be visible from the living area. C. It should be on the main floor only. B. It should be located near the garage. D. Be easily accessible from bedrooms * 4. A well-planned living room could have: A. More than one conversation area. C. A centrally placed fireplace B. Areas for social as well as quiet activities. D. All of the above. * 18. Which of the following rooms would be the LEAST important to locate the kitchen near? A. Dining area. C. Service entrance. B. Living room. * D. Storage/pantry area.

28. BELL QUIZ #2 Understanding Floor Plans KEY
1. One of the major advantages of drawing floor plans is to:
A. Judge space dimensions in a room. **
B. Judge the cost per square foot.
C. See how the outside of the house will look when finished.
D. Identify elevation details.
2. Floor plans are used for all of the following EXCEPT:
A. To study architectural details of the home.
B.To study a room/home for suitability to lifestyles of the family.
C.To assemble a decorating plan.
D.To study the color and design of backgrounds. **
3. A floor plan shows:
A. The layout of the rooms. ** C. The orientation of the home.
B. The proper level for the footings. D. The elevation drawings.
4. What scale is most commonly used for residential plans?
A. 1/8” = 1’ C. 1/3” = 1’
B. ¼” = 1’ ** D. ½” = 1’