When it comes to building your own home you might be looking at the options that you have available for the layout of your home. It is something that you need to consider when you start working with a Residential Architects London way such as www.rbddesign.com.There are lots of different options that are available to you and here are some of them for you to consider.
Open Plan – this style of living is incredibly popular and it is most often used on lower levels of homes or in kitchen-dining areas. Some more modern homes have entire ground floors that are designed in an open plan format. One of the benefits of this layout is that it creates a very social space that people can spend time together in.
Kitchen-diners – if you don’t want to have an entirely open downstairs space you might want to consider having an open kitchen-diner. This allows you to communicate with your family and your guests whilst you are cooking an evening meal. This can help to make this space seem much more communal and cosy.
Traditional formats – if you want something a little more traditional in layout you will want to look at separate rooms for your kitchen, dining room and your living room space. This format of living can still be very modern if you look at the decor colours and patterns that you choose.
Designing the kitchen around family life
The kitchen is often where a family spends most of its time, so it deserves careful thought when planning a new home’s layout. Begin with size. Decide how much space the kitchen needs, then think about the layout, making sure there is room for children to move around freely without getting in the way of whoever is cooking. Good ventilation is important too, especially if the kitchen opens onto living space.
Storage and work areas need plenty of attention. Think about where food will be prepared, cooked and served, and where everyday items will live, so the room stays practical and uncluttered. You may also want separate zones, such as a spot for homework or a breakfast bar for quick meals.
Involve the whole family in the design. Everyone uses the kitchen differently, and you may be surprised by how many ideas they have. Taking each person’s needs into account at the planning stage gives you a kitchen that works for everyone and one you will be proud of, without necessarily costing more.
Making open plan space work
Open plan living has become much more popular, with kitchen diners and living kitchen diners now favoured over separate dining rooms in many new homes. If you like the idea, think carefully about how it will work for your household before taking walls out.
You do not have to go fully open plan. Glass partitions, including painted or decorative glass, can divide areas while still letting light through, and they add a distinctive look. It also helps to plan the room as if the walls were still there, so each part of the space has a clear purpose. Without that, an open layout can quickly start to feel chaotic.
Think too about times when people need quiet. Being able to close off part of the space is useful for homework or for working from home, while still keeping the sociable feel that makes open plan living appealing.
Making room for a larger kitchen
When planning the layout of a new home, the kitchen deserves careful thought. Its role has changed over the years, and a larger, open plan kitchen that includes the dining area is now high on many buyers’ wish lists. Building your own home gives you the chance to design that space from the outset.
In modern homes the kitchen works more like a family room. People cook, eat and spend time together in one place, and open plan living creates a sense of space while letting the family be together whenever they want.
A larger kitchen also means more storage, something most households want more of. Good storage in this room keeps clutter out of the rest of the house and lets you use the space practically. Planning the layout around how you will really live helps you avoid rooms that are rarely used and get the most from every part of the home.
