Design and Function of Interior Space

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 critical57% of homes today have 2 and ½ baths.New buyers consider the family room as the

most important feature

TRENDS IN HOMES - FYI

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 importantOpen floor plans are more common now43% 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.

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.

Sleeping/PrivateArea

Quiet, comfort, and privacy Bedroom, Bathroom,

Closets, and Dressing rooms.

Service/Work Where household work is

done. Kitchen, Garage, Office,

Basement, Utility/Laundry room.

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

2-2.5 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 – whendeciding which pattern will provide the easiest access from point A to point B.

B. Traffic & Circulation Patterns

of the Home

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)

4 Basic Types of people to circulate

Related rooms are close together. High frequency routes are short, direct, and simple Bathrooms should be located next to bedrooms with easy access and for

convenience and privacy** Easy access from entry to other parts of the house Indoor living areas have easy access to outdoor areas 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 ** Kitchen area adjacent to the dining room for ease in serving food. ** Dining area adjacent to the living room for convenience in

entertaining.** Bathroom near guest area Coat closet by living room

Effective Circulation Guidelines

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 (view hyperlink for more questions)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?

Guest and Service Circulation

http://www.home-decorating-room-by-room.com/trafficpatterns.html

How to Draw Traffic Patterns (family, work, guests, service)

Guest Circulation PatternPro’s and Con’s of this

Traffic pattern.

Dictate how functional a space will beRelated rooms should be close to one another

Bathroom & BedroomKitchen & DiningMudroom & GarageGarage & KitchenKitchen and outdoor living spaceLiving and dining areas

Plumbing lines located near one another** This will save you money, water, and fuel.

Clothes closets between sleeping and activity areas provides a good sound barrier. **

Storage should be incorporated throughout the home**

Room Relationships *** on circulation guidelines

Room sizes will be set bythe 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 arrangementactivities that will go on in the roomnumber of people to use or occupy the room.

D: Sizes and Shapes of Rooms

SEE THE INFORMATION IN THE STUDY GUIDE FOR THESE

MEASUREMENT GUIDELINES

Storage should be incorporated throughout the house – not just in one area.

Storage space needs to be adequate—10-15% of the homeFood, kitchen utensils, clothes, linen, laundry,

miscShould be convenient and easily

accessibleEasy to clean, to see into and to reach

Storage Types:Built-in—cannot be moved around the room,

an architectural detail of the roomCupboards, closets, pantries, etc….

Furniture—can be moved from one room to anotherDesks, chests, dressers, trunks, armoires, etc…

Storage Adequacy and Considerations

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

Wall Space

Group Floor Plan analysis

1. Use the 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.

Interior Space Assignments

FLOOR PLAN #4

FLOOR PLAN #1

FLOOR PLAN #2

FLOOR PLAN #3

FLOOR PLAN #5