Have you ever given much thought to the way your home’s floor plan was laid out? If you had your home custom built, there’s a good chance that you gave it at least some thought. However, there is a certain element of “beggars can’t be choosers” when it comes to one that’s already been built. Regardless, your home’s floor plan does warrant some consideration.
Maximizing Space Efficiency
Some homes seem to sprawl so much that it doesn’t seem like using the space efficiently would really matter. In those cases, it might not. Most homes, however, aren’t that big. When it comes to smaller homes, using your space as efficiently as possible really matters. Things like how easy it is to get from one place to another, and for any given room to be an appropriate size and layout for its purpose matter. A quality floor plan takes these things into account.
Taking Advantage of Natural Light
The path the sun travels and your home’s orientation to it has a huge impact on the natural light you have available in your home. This is absolutely a matter of your floor plan. If you want to enjoy the morning sun while you’re cooking in the kitchen or eating breakfast, having those rooms placed so you can get that exposure is crucial. Similarly, if the softer light of the setting sun is relaxing, you might enjoy that more in your living room area in the evening, which means the placement for that room will matter too.
Organizing for Purpose
The layout of a room and its relation to other rooms matters form more than just the sake of efficiency. It can make a huge difference in how enjoyable it is to live in a home. Consider bedrooms, for example. Would you want to have the bedrooms placed right next to the kitchen? Given how much noise can be made in a kitchen, odds are that the answer is a “no”. Beyond that, it’s a good idea to group common areas and private areas. Chances of the private areas staying private are much better that way.
The layout of your home has a real role to play in the experience you have in it while you live there. The floor plan determines how efficiently the space is used. Even things like your access to natural light are impacted by your floor plan. As it turns out, there is little that your home’s floor plan doesn’t impact.
The general layout isn’t the only thing that matters. How you plan the layout for individual rooms matters too.
Read this to find out why it matters in your kitchen: 3 Kitchen Layouts and What You Need to Know about Them.
