I am designing a ranch house / B&B, and I would like input as far as the layout and structure goes. The plan outline is for the house to be a replica of the older style ranch house with today's innovations for the perfect vacation getaway.

My initial idea is for two stories, an attic, and a basement. I would like for the first level to include front room, kitchen with medium pantry, dinning room, lounge with wet-bar, home office big enough for 2 separate work spaces,2 master bedrooms with baths, 3 other bedrooms, and 1 bath. The second level to consist of 5 guest rooms with small personal sitting rooms and small bathrooms. Open garage/basement for storage, laundary, vehicles, and workshop. The attic/loft an open space for storage or other uses.

I know what I want the house to consist of but my own layout ideas always seem to fall flat. I would like for the rooms to be open and airy and flow together smoothly.

Opinions and ideas needed!

I can only comment on a focal point in the kitchen-- how about a large Western themed tile mural in tumbled marble tiles.... Very dramatic..


http://www.AliciaTappDesigns.com
Images on tiles

First, start by writing a "program" for the house, listing each space and the desired square footage for each. Add 15% to the total for wall thicknesses and circulation space. See if your two main floors balance; if not, adjust one or the other so they are equal size.

Second, draw a "bubble diagram", with a bubble for each space, with lines connecting the bubbles that must be connected. Hint: separate the house into 3 zones, public, semi-public and private, and group the rooms appropriate to each zone together. Example: living room is public, family room might be semi-private, and your own bedrooms private. Think in terms of who might be permitted to enter each space. The more clear these zones are, the better your floor plan will be.

Third, start laying out the rooms in accordance with the final bubble diagram, and the square foot areas of the program. Keep the circulation simple and clear. Small straight hallways are good, long convoluted hallways are bad. Think in terms of the paths people will follow to get from space to space.

Some refinements might be to keep in mind the orientation of the house. Where will the sun rise? Is that where you want morning light? Where will it set? Is that where you want evening light. From which direction will guests apprach the house? Where will they park? From which direction will utilities reach the house? Try to keep plumbing facilities grouped closely. Are there any spectacular views? What rooms should have the views?

It's a juggling act for a while, and a few balls will be in the air at all times, until you start to get it right. Invest in a big roll of cheap tracing paper and a roll of drafting tape and use them lavishly. A good design will probably have several layers underneath it, and the progress should be from so-so to good to better to best, as you add layers of tracing paper.

Good luck. Hope this helps.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Richard Hetzel,