1. Room Relationships and Sizes
Chapter 10
Room Relationships and Sizes
Which Kitchen would you prefer?

2. Introduction
Residential Architecture probably has more amateur experts than any other field
Wide exposure to houses causes many people to feel that they can design their own
Wide media exposure and availability of home improvement retail stores have produced educated consumers with an increased sensitivity to design

3. Major Floor Plan Design Considerations
Number of inhabitants
Age & Gender
Family activities/ entertainment habits
Desired number of bedrooms and bathrooms
Desired kitchen appliances
Budget and home style
Intended length of stay
Future plans to add on or finish basement
Live in guest with disabilities
Style of Home
Neighborhood covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&R’s example)

4. What is the most important room in a home?
Women
Kitchen
Family Room (Great Room)
Master Bedroom/ Bathroom
Exterior
Kids Rooms
Laundry Room
Bathrooms
Garage
Men
Garage
Master Bedroom/ Bathroom
Exterior
Bathrooms
Kitchen
Family Room (Great Room)
Kids Rooms
Laundry Room

5. What would you consider the Living Area to be. Service Area
What would you consider the Living Area to be? Service Area? Sleeping Area?
Entry/foyer
Living room
Den/Study/Office
Family room (Great room)
Dining room/ Nook
Den/ Study/ Office

6. What advantages/disadvantages do Main Entrances bring?
Main entry is the focal point of the house and provides protection against the weather
Typically no smaller than 36” door (30)
Side lights
Double doors (5’ or 6’)
Transom windows
Service entry is used by the family between the house and garage, yard, or service areas
No smaller than 32” door (28)
Flooring issues due to wet location

7. Foyer/ Entry
Used to greet guests, hang coats, and provide access to the rest of the home
Should create a warm, inviting feeling and enhance traffic flow
Keep foyer proportional in size to the rest of the house
Typically in smaller homes 48” wide min.
Meet and greet center, so take into consideration your personal bubble

8. Entries
Serve as a transition point
Main entry
Foyer
Service entry

9. Living Area Points to consider: How the room will be used
How many people will use it
How often it will be used
Type and size of furniture that will be placed in it
Placement

10. Living Room
Designed according to the needs and interests of the homeowner
Not common in starter home
Size is determined by the typical number of guests that will be entertained
9’ diameter seating area is comfortable
Used for formal entertaining and quiet conversation
Untouchable room for guests only
Usually placed near the entry

11. Family Room Most used room in the house Windows give a bigger feel
Used for many different activities for a variety of people
Space plan for TV seating arrangements etc.
Minimum size should be 13’ x 16’
Subtract walkways
If fireplace is used, room should be increased in size
Space plan how furniture would work in at least two different ways to determine size

12. Dining Room
Located near the kitchen for easy serving and the living room for easy passage
Formal dining is about 11’ x 14’ Min.
Plan for hutches or other furniture to be in room and still allow for traffic flow
Lighting considerations
Determine number of seating requirements and give at least 36”-44” around table for easy maneuvering with chairs pulled out.

13. Dining Nook/ Bay Window or Door
Located near the kitchen for easy serving and the living room for easy passage
Small dining is 9’ x 11’ minimum
Determine number of seating requirements and give at least 36”-42” around table for easy maneuvering with chairs pulled out.
Nook needs to be near the dining and kitchen areas for family meals
Most commonly used as dual dining in starter homes
Bays work great to get out of traffic flow and allow lots of natural light

14. Flex Room Den/Study/Office
If we want to count it as a bedroom what do we have to have?
_____________________
Den, study, or office is used for quiet reading and study
Great room to be off front entry
Double doors or wide opening to feel more open and inviting

15. Sleeping Areas
Number of bedrooms will depend on the size of the family and the ages of the children
A minimum of two sleeping rooms should be provided
Keep plumbing away from bedroom walls by placing a closet between them
Bathroom access with full or ¾ in general area

16. Bedrooms Place on the southeast side of the house
Place on rear of home for privacy
Typically on one end of home separate from living areas
Minimum of one room size is 120 sq. ft. (No wall less than 7’)
Rule of thumb is no smaller than 10’ x 12’ so a dresser or furniture will fit
Size of bed and sex of child determines size
Try to stick with rectangle shape for furniture placement alternatives
Place windows as to allow functionality
Minimum of 24” on each side of the bed should be provided
Provide space of approx. 36” between dresser, desk and other objects (walkway)

17. Master Bedrooms/ Bathrooms/ Closets
Master bedroom should have additional space for sitting and bathing
13’ x 16’ is nice size to allow extra space for sitting area
12’ x 14’ is minimum to feel like it is actual a master bedroom
Window seats are great way to give bigger feel in very little space
Bays are great options with separate entrance to private patio or covered patio with hot tub or other features
Typically have own bathroom
Soaker tub instead of standard tub/ shower combo (36” x 60” or 36” x 72”)
Separate toilet room with closing door
Typically two sinks or separate his/ her vanities
Typically have walk in closet (Min. of 6’ x 6’)
His/ her sides with space saver design
Built in shelves for shoes and sweaters, pants, etc.

18. Closets Males need at least 48” and females 72”
Minimum of 30” is needed to prevent wrinkling of clothes
25” deep closets will provide finished dimension of 24”
Clothes typically stick out approx. 20” on hangers
Can be used to buffer noise between rooms
Coat closet should be near entrance
Min. 24” wide x 24” deep
Linen closet near all bathrooms
Min. 2’ wide x 18” deep for 12” shelves

19. Bathrooms Each bathroom should have an individual access
Jack n Jill bathrooms are very popular
Separate toilet and shower from sink area
Two-story house needs two full bathrooms
Place bathrooms back-to-back to reduce the amount of plumbing
Types:
Full

20. Service Areas
Kitchen
Serves for meal preparation and often includes areas for eating, working, and laundry
Considerations:
Kitchen work areas
Work triangle
Counter arrangements
Counter and cabinet size
Appliances

21. Kitchen Locate near dining area
Windows usually allow for supervision of children
Keep near garage or carport for easy grocery unloading
150 sq. ft. considered small
Pantry/ Storage area
Appliances:
Microwave
Oven
Stove
Fridge
Dishwasher

22. What are the 3 Kitchen Centers?
Cleaning Center
Includes sink, garbage disposal, and dishwasher
A 30” x 48” clear floor space should be provided in front of sink
Double sink is 32” x 21” and wider
Placed in 36” wide base cabinet
Dish storage should be near the dishwasher
Dishwasher in 24” wide cabinet
Place 21” away from cabinets at right angles to door
36” of free space for loading and unloading dishwasher
Avoid placing sink and dishwasher on different counters

23. Storage and Preparation
Storage Area
Need 18” beside refrigerator
Upper cabinets are 12” deep and base cabinets are 24” deep
Pantry in corner or as built in cabinets almost required
Place Fridge next to service areas & sink
Preparation Area
Includes sink, cooking units, and clear counter
Slide in range and cooktops fit in 30” wide base cabinet
Provide 18” each side of stove
Double wall ovens full height cabinet 30” wide
One clear area of 48” necessary or 72” if more than one person will be preparing food
15” wide cabinets are smallest size suggested to keep usable

24. Kitchen Work Triangle Is there a perfect arrangement?
Formed by drawing a line between the preparation, storage, and cleaning areas
Stove, Sink, Fridge
This maintains traffic flow and efficiency in preparing food
No side of triangle should be less than 4’
Always place workspace between each station
Sum of sides should be at least 15’ but not more than 22’
Avoid passing traffic through work triangle

25. Counter Arrangements Straight Corridor or Galley L-Shaped U-Shaped
Islands

26. Cabinet Sizes Overhead Cabinets 12”-18” deep 24” above Fridge
Full depth
9”- 48” wide
3” increments
Kitchen Base Cabinets
24” deep
36” high
9”- 48” wide
Bathroom Vanity Cabinet Depth
22” deep x 32” high
Raised or adult height in Master bath
36” tall

27. Utility/ Laundry Room
Space needed for cleaning and caring for clothes and long term storage
Place near the kitchen or bedroom
Include a laundry chute if possible
Sinks
Ironing Board
Cabinets

28. Garage Minimum space for single car is 12’ x 20’
Take into consideration the steps coming into garage and increase by that distance
Minimum space for two cars is 20’ x 20’
Remember garage is a work area
Research what car is going to be parked in there
Trucks need 21’ sometimes plus 2’ to walk around
Provided 48” at rear of garage for workbench
Typical widths for 2 car garage door is 16’
18’ wide door gives more breathing room between cars
2’ minimum wing walls on each side
8’ wide door for 3rd car garage, 9’ door for more breathing room (Trucks)
Blend into the rest of the residence
Determine height requirements for cars as well

29. Bonus Rooms
High pitched roof allow space to be converted to bonus room
Typically above garage

30. Traffic Patterns
Traffic Flow - The route people follow as they move from one area to another
Circulation pathways should be between 36” and 48”

31. Bringing it all together with exterior elements
A balcony is above ground that projects from a wall or building with no additional supports
Enclosed patio or deck
Walkways
Walkout Basements
Entrances other than front door