Part 2 – Wong Residence, Texas

John Brown

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This is the completed concept design for the Wong residence.

James Scott

John – Nice plan as always. Another “Why didn’t I think of that” moment this morning. I am concerned that the front entry, washroom is too tight and the washroom seems to be just too exposed to the main living areas.

BradW

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John – The main floor washroom in many of these 700-1000sq ft floor plans often creates a problem as evidenced by your solution here. It forces a tight entry, it is visible from the kitchen and will, no doubt, feature noise/privacy concerns.

Also, I do not like the living room location at the front of the house. Admittedly, this is a personal choice and I accept your rationale for locating the rooms as you have done.

I have attached a revision to yesterdays plan. The bathroom has been moved away from the front window bringing additional light into the front entry.

Grace

I agree with Brad W’s issue with the half bath and placement of the living room, but, on the other hand, I don’t like having to move through the dining room and kitchen to get to the living room.

BradW

Grace – there is just no pleasing some people :) Which compromise can you live with?

Grace

Hmmm! Well, maybe where Terri had the bath would work–between the study and the kitchen. The door is visually private to the staircase, and, surrounded by books on one side and kitchen appliances on the other, the bath would be nice and quiet. I also think that John’s kitchen is a bit too large in comparison to the other areas, so this solution would shorten it somewhat.

BradW

Steve submitted a plan late yesterday which is worth a look. Very well considered. Perhaps to open for these clients and the dining room is narrow…but I could happily live in that space – the central fireplace and the study are great. A lot of glazing in the back – sun control measures would probably be required…

Louis Pereira

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I worked on the plans yesterday but I didn’t have time to post…

I had fun with this one. 150 years ago would have meant this house was built during the Victorian Era. It would likely mean that the house had a ‘parlour’ along the front of the house off the entry. So i thought that it would be interesting to re-introduce that concept but in a more open gesture.

I proposed a larger Entry like John’s plan with the parlour directly off this entry. The Dining Room is divided by a 2-way fireplace (see precedent) and built-in millwork. The Dining Room is open to a large Kitchen facing the garden.

The Living Room is separate Kitchen as requested by the client but accessible by way of a large architectural sliding wall door. The Living Room also has good views and accessible to the garden. The east wall of the Hall contains the W/C and Laundry.

The Study location is similar to John’s plan although more self-contained, with a writing desk and shelving for the vintage book collection. And what would be better than an intimate but modern Reading Nook (see precedent) to appreciate the children’s book compilation?

Terri

John,
I agree with the others this morning regarding the location of the powder room and how it impedes the entry somewhat. Although you’ve allowed for a little more spaciousness upon entering the house by moving the closet over and putting a recess with mirror and millwork directly before the door, but when I look at your plan I see a wider staircase than hall at the bottom. It seems that this would be a rather well-travelled hallway too, as it joins the family study to the living area and would probably be the route to the kitchen from upstairs (and vice versa). However, I don’t think you could move it over to where the pantry is now, as there is just enough cupboard space in your kitchen and losing some wouldn’t be great.

Also, I had the idea that the family wanted access to the garden from the living room; that’s why I moved it to the back even though locating it in that large front space is a better allocation for the purpose of the plan’s balance.

Terri

Louis,
I saw your posting after I wrote the above post. I like your reading nook very much. Also, dividing the living room into a “parlour” and family room seems like an excellent idea should the Wongs want to entertain while their daughter watch videos or hang out on the computer across the way.

Steve

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I like the minimial hallspace in John’s design that still allows for a complete circulation path and a very open plan. I’ve aimed for the same. (Sorry for repeating myself, but I posted too late for feedback yesterday.)

My proposal takes its lead from mention of a “walled garden” in the back and a “family” study. These reminded me of a classical Chinese scholar’s garden I visited recently. Within that tradition, living and study are at the rear of the house on the courtyard,and the kitchen is at the front near the street. Mr. Wong also emphasized the study, so I gave it more space than we’d typically see.

With a nod to feng shui, I balanced the rear exterior and reoriented the front entry progression to align with the central axis. An open stair to the 2nd floor allows a view from the front entry straight out the back door. The entry is separated from the dining/living space by a wood screen, door height, which allows hints of the light-filled space. If possible I’d lower the ceiling a few inches in the entry and between the kitchen and study. This and the central fireplace masonry are also nods to Wright which add, I think, to a sense of movement and centredness — yin and yang, in keeping with the subtle Eastern theme.

Your thoughts?

Jim

Nice Plan Louis, I’ve often wondered why people buy an old house and then modernize it inside (instead of updating)

I like the toliet where it is in John’s plan. What a bout flipping it so the door is in the entry?

There has been more than once I’ve had to hurry, and the less steps the better…

Although John said the clients asked for “seperation” of the kitchen, in the notes they have kitchen marked one on the level of importance.

John Brown

Brad,
I accept the comments about the guest bathroom. I had hoped that the millwork wall of bookshelves and pantry would have provided sufficient separation. Taking Grace’s comment about the size of the kitchen into account, I think the sight line situation would be improved by moving the millwork box closer to the rear wall.

Your comment about the living room at the front is ironic because I almost always put the living areas at the back (with the kitchen in the front).

John Brown

Louis,
Nice plan. I really like the idea of the window seat in the study. Do you think there is enough of a connection to the rear garden?

John Brown

Steve,
Thanks for reposting this plan. It deserves some discussion. Your strategy of putting the study at the back is really interesting. I had not considered it before. It allows the back of the house to remain open which is nice. I am particularly taken by the notion of a “scholar’s garden” and look forward to seeing your ideas for next week’s project of redeveloping that back yard.

Do you think the kitchen is too separate for a young family?

BradW

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Inspired by a variety of plans, I revised my first plan which located the kitchen at the front, dining and living at the back.

Louis – interesting design essentially splitting the living room into two smaller rooms – is it better to have more smaller purposeful rooms or fewer larger rooms?

James Scott

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Here’s my next revision, bar stool seating in the kitchen and the stairwell is surrounded on all sides by translucent panels.

I hope the idea works.

Louis Pereira

John – If it was my house, i would have the Living Room open to the Kitchen. This would change the dynamics of the kitchen layout because i would prefer a better connection to the backyard from the kitchen.

Louis Pereira

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Here’s a revised version to really open it up to outside…

jim baer

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ok. i know i am late to the game. but, i could not resist. so here is my two cents worth.

John Brown

Brad,
I like this latest version – particularly the extension of the stair wall to create a minimal separation of the dining and living areas without touching the rear wall.

John Brown

James,
I really like the way you have located the eating bar to look out at the garden. Similar to the Evergreen Garden Case Study project from a few months ago. It will be interesting to see how that impacts the development of the garden next week.

jim baer

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so after i posted…i started thinking about how lonely that poor little formal dining room was going to feel and how little use it would get……so i tried to integrate it into the flow of things some more. it is still a little too far from the kitchen, and i have TWO eating areas!!! but it is a scheme!

John Brown

Louis,
An interesting variation on the front parlor / rear family room scheme. It might take some creative persuading of the clients but I like the interior when it is more open.

John Brown

Jim,
I like your second scheme because of the location of the guest bath at the top of the plan. I would consider moving the millwork box separating the dining and living areas a little closer to the front to reduce the size of the front room and make the living space a bit bigger. It would be ideal if it could line up with the short hallway at the end of the stair but that might make the room too small. I

James Scott

Jim – More than 2 cents, a terrific proposal. Though I looked at your design, mine and a few others and I constantly thought of the Stein Residence of the In Detail review. A great way to separate the spaces, but make the transition between each space effortless.

I also think about the panel surrounding the cabinetry from the Stein Residence and wonder how something like that can be applied to the stairs of this house to add some pizazz.

Louis – Always with the great examples to support your ideas. Always with the inspiration.

Steve – I have asked for some feedback before on Feng Shui and other such disciplines. Thanks for your insight. I wish we could see more of that, we do live in a big but ever smaller world.

Now yesterday I left my plan and wasn’t able to make alterations since I had left for home and didn’t want to switch from PC to Mac. I thought it would be interesting and nice if someone else jumped in and took the next step. I think it would be interesting to take a project as a sort of relay. Someone starts with a demo plan, one person adds, then another, then another…everyone gets one shot and off to the next it goes. Open source Slow Home in a sense.

John Brown

James,
That is an interesting idea. Open Source Slow Home. As it is the end of the day, I will do a post about this again tomorrow to revive the conversation and see if there is interest in the group.

jim baer

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john

with a little pushing and shoving…it just might work!

jim baer

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over coffee, and after the slow home report, (thanks john!) i looked at my scheme again and sketched a refinement.

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