04/03/10 – Toronto – Small Single Family <2500 sqft

Posted on: March 4th, 2010 | 45 Comments

Plan Summary – Part 2 ( video )

The Serenade Rose

04/03/10 – Toronto – Small Single Family (PDF)
04/03/10 – Toronto – Small Single Family (JPEG)
04/03/10 – Toronto – Small Single Family (Demo)
04/03/10 – Toronto – Small Single Family (Full Symbol Library)

  • MollyK

    Good morning everyone,
    Just reviewed the exercise for today…this should be interesting. A plan with some bedrooms…fun!
    Matthew…
    It seems that you’ve been getting some digs about your tight hold on the parameters for the redesigns. I felt compelled to share some thoughts with you. I think you provide a thoughtful holistic view of the SlowHome concept. For example, your recent explanation of scoring the SlowHome test (prompted by my confusion) helped me “reset” my parameters. Now I feel more confident with my scoring…it is more consistent and the results (final scores) are a better reflection of SlowHome philosophy. In addition, what some may say is your “militant” hold on parameters in the redesign exercise is what I call setting ‘real-world’ constraints. You don’t always want to give us a blank plan to work with because in the real world homeowners rarely have the money (or time, or resources, or structural freedom in the home, etc.) to tear everything out and start from scratch. Your parameters mimic reality, and in reality we must work within the constraints of a project. Hmmm…working within one’s constraints, what a novel idea. I think it shows your commitment to SlowHome and your integrity in this field. You really do “get it.”

  • Mid America Mom

    HI- thank you for having a plan with bedrooms this week!

    Not sure when I will post as it is an off the computer day for most of it. I look forward to the challenge.

  • John Brown

    Good morning everyone,

    I just reviewed yesterday’s discussion and I have to say I am really impressed. I think that this was the most active and stimulating conversation to date on the site. I am sorry that I was tied up in meetings and unable to participate – particularly about the garage.

    This is the kind of discussion that I hoped the site would engender. Yesterday surpassed my expectations! Congratulations and thank you to everyone, particularly Molly K, Jenny, Mid America Mom, Murray,and Terri, for your active participation.

    When one combines discussions like this with the work that everyone is doing analyzing houses using the slow home test and working on the design project exercises, I think we are building a compelling case for change. This kind of grass roots movement can make a difference and what you are doing is important. After all, it happened with food!

    In the very near future my sense is that we will have built up enough momentum, and background work, to start getting the message out to a much broader group of people. Consider how much activity there is happening on the site without any real promotion or publicity. We will be launching a Facebook link to help people spread the word to their friends as well as a concerted push to contact blog sites and other publications to tell the great story of what you are all doing.

    Have fun with the design project today. – I agree with Molly K and M.A.M., it is nice to have some bedrooms to work with.

  • Matthew North

    Molly K – Thanks so much for your feedback! I really appreciate it. I think you raise a really good point. In my mind, the most powerful position of the design exercises would be to take the exact same number of pieces in the plan (windows, doors, bathrooms, bedrooms etc.) and then reassemble them into something that is more than the sum of the parts – being guided by the Slow Home principles. This is more challenging than leaving everything up for grabs because it forces the designer to work within a fixed set of parameters that are not as flexible – but the reward of arising at a solution is both exciting and satisfying. In my experience of designing and building over a hundred projects, I can honestly say that the real life rules and restrictions are ever present. The influence of the site, building codes, City regulations, budget, client expectations and programming do place restrictions but do not limit creativity or possible solutions. I look forward to seeing the designs today and I am going to have a good think about your comments for future exercises!

  • Murray

    [img]tosmallhouse01.jpg[/img]

    Looks like I am the first to post. An enjoyable exercise.

  • Murray

    [img]1_tosmallhouse01.jpg[/img]

    Try again – the first one looked a bit squished (15% smaller in the horizontal!)

  • Terri

    Matthew,
    I agree with you wholeheartedly. It’s a much more interesting challenge if we have strict parameters that mimic the real world of building. I came to have an interest in home design just because of mentally reconfiguring every place I lived in. (I’m still doing it, unfortunately!)

    Murray,
    Nice work. Is that a washer/dryer in the kitchen though? That would be my pet peeve; otherwise, the space flows much better.

  • MollyK

    Terri,
    I’m right there with you…my interest in home design came from living in houses and saying to my husband “This could have been designed better”…”I think we need to move this wall”…”What were they thinking, obviously it was a man who designed this laundry area.” Last fall I made my husband build wing walls in our oversized living area for reasons that are would take too long to cover. It’s a blessing and a curse to know what you want after you’ve experienced what you currently have.
    Murray…
    I’m trying not to look at your designs since I haven’t finished mine. I’m having a hard time staying motivated today. But I’m looking forward to viewing them later!
    Matthew…
    I had an idea for a challenge redesign. What about a 2-phase project? Take for example today’s bungalow exercise…why not have us redesign the living/dining/kitchen area as Phase 1. THEN we redesign the bedrooms/baths as phase 2…BUT we aren’t allowed to change Phase 1. Or maybe you pick someone’s Phase 1 and we have to redesign Phase 2 from it. Just some variations to keep things interesting and challenge us using some real-world constraints. Many people have to renovate in phases because of money so I thought breaking up a design into 2 parts might be cool.

  • Murray

    John,
    It would be useful to have a jpeg of your completed design to refer to on its own rather than within the video – I thought about this last week, too. I agree with your reasoning for separating the front den/bedroom from the master – I didn’t think of that, obviously. It was the central staircase that set the ball rolling for my proposal.

    Matthew,
    I am also in favour of real-life parameters to work with, though I can imagine the frustrating challenges.

    Terri,
    Mea culpa – yes, that is the w/d in the kitchen.

  • BradW

    [img]shweek541.jpg[/img]

    Tried to consider wheelchair accessibility in the bathrooms. The windows in the dining room I would revise but…

  • Terri

    [img]rosecott.jpg[/img]

    I’m not really happy with this plan. I started with the idea of keeping what I liked about the original, and I guess I got off track from there! I wish the stairs ran from back to front to offer more width in the living/dining space… My dining room looks cramped, but I’m thinking that it wouldn’t be used daily if the breakfast/bar could have comfortable chairs (I popped in stools). The sunroom corner has room for plants.

    Think I may tackle this again later, if I find time.

  • Terri

    BradW,
    Excellent plan. Simple and Open–very SLOW. Congrats!

  • Sarah W

    [img]tosmallhouseconverted.jpg[/img]

    Here’s mine – I know I have some wasted space; since I got rid of the sun room, I found myself with some leftover floor area. I truly think that any modification to the original plan would be an improvement!
    -Sarah

  • MollyK

    [img]shtorontosf1r1j.jpg[/img]

    I’m not totally satisfied, but here it is. I know, I know…the long, narrow mudroom. Well, I decided that the empty wall space could be the perfect location for the home’s electrical panel and home automation system. I created 2 smaller sitting areas because I wanted to. I like comfortable seats near the kitchen…as a child there was a small love seat in a niche beside the kitchen area. Everyone wanted to sit there and talk to my mom while she cooked. I wanted the master bath to have an open shower entry for a wheelchair but I don’t think the dimensions are correct. Thought about a 2-way fireplace between the dining table and kitchen sitting area but it never came to fruition.

  • Sarah W

    Oops – I forgot to add the laundry back in. I guess you could take out the desk that I put in and have it there!

  • MollyK

    I looked over everyone’s plans to this point…Murray, BradW, Terri, John and Sarah W. I think all of them have great elements. I think it was a bold move for Murray and Sarah W to swing both bedrooms to the opposite side of the house. Terri’s concern about circulation around the dining table is warranted but the design itself is nice…I can see well-lite art on the back wall of the stairs. That’s a great way to make a wall become more than just a wall! BradW’s design, as usual, feels so crisp and clean…a place for everything and everything in its place. Loved it. Finally, not to forget John, I loved his master bedroom! The built-in closets with the tv on the wall…as my kids say “that was the bomb!”
    It was great to find inspiration in all of them.

  • MollyK

    John,
    Are the nominees for this week going to be posted tomorrow for voting? And then have the winner announced Monday? You mentioned the nominees on the redesign video so I just wondered if the format had changed.

  • Jodi J

    [img]week7desprojtostudentsmodel1.jpg[/img]

    A few notes on the redesign:
    - kept all windows/patio doors in existing locations
    - shifted front door to centre of entry
    - moved garage passage door so that there is a shared entry between garage and front foyer
    - the front foyer uses a lowered ceiling to define the space
    - laundry room at the back of the plan –> also serves to accomodate traffic entering the house from the rear yard

  • Jodi J

    - forgot to mention that I attempted to keep the private spaces bundled on the left side of the plan, and the public/shared spaces to the left side

  • Jodi J

    - oh! and of course, each bedroom has either front or rear windows (no side yards)

  • Margo

    [img]margosmallhouseplanlayout11.jpg[/img]

    Ooh, this was a tough one. I’m not a huge fan of the master layout, but the rest of the house strikes my fancy.

  • MollyK

    Sarah W and Jodi J
    Both of you had similar dining/living layouts. I’m kinda hung up on the 2-way fireplace concept and think your plans could easily accomodate one. Place it between the dining and living area but have it free-floating (floor to ceiling connection only.) It would provide a degree of separation but in an elegant, cozy way. I love the idea of a little more wall space for pictures, artwork, and accent lighting.

  • Matt KB

    [img]torontosmallhouseplanforstudentslayout11.jpg[/img]

    This week was a hard one! I still have wasted space! All i really wanted to do was move the stair. oh well!

  • Matthew North

    Hi Everyone – this exercise has proven to be a real challenge! I am so happy that so many of you have posted – interesting how there are two main schools of thought with regard to the zoning of the plan. One side is clearly splitting apart the two bedrooms front and back – the other camp is combining them on one side of the plan. Generally, I would have always thought that grouping the bedrooms together would be the most efficient solution, but in review it looks like splitting them results in the least amount of “leftover” space and a clearer circulation system. Keep the designs coming!

  • MollyK

    Margo,
    You have some great elements. There is something appealing about the nature of your den/front bedroom. It is quite private. My criticism is the bathroom…please forgive my candor but you’ll have to crawl over the toilet to get into the bathtub.
    I like your use of built-ins throughtout the plan and how you gave the dining table a wall which I think helps ground the space. My concern on this side of the house is circulation to the Master bedroom.
    I spent a long time working on my plan too…you were not alone in thinking this exercise was tough.

  • Terri

    Interesting to see that there are so many variations with this difficult plan. Like the master bedroom at the front–I think a senior citizen would like this too. As Molly says, there are strong elements in everyone’s–even within the “bedrooms together” camp or the “bedrooms apart” camp. I spent too long on it and came away dissatisfied, so I don’t think I’ll subject myself to another round of frustration after all. (Every possibility seems covered anyway!)

    Matt KB, If you’re still around, your plan didn’t link up.

  • BradW

    [img]shweek542.jpg[/img]

    Some refinements – added fireplace in dining room for John and changed the windows for a large sliding french door ($ but worth it) – changed the back entry (no closet but you have room for boots and hooks on the wall…in the previous plan I liked being able to go from the garage straight down the basement stairs) – master bath accessible for guests (adds a door, no sure if it is worth it)

    It would be nice if I could add a couple of feet depth-wise to the plan – I would give the garage more depth so the back wall of the garage would align with the back wall of the kitchen and add some space to both the master bath and the mud room.

    Anyway a fun 10 minutes playing with some ideas…

    Finally, John really did a nice job on the redesign this week. I think he might have a promising future as an architect! :)

  • MollyK

    BradW,
    I like your re-redesign as much as the first one. In fact, I like some of your new elements better. I dislike garage entries into the foyer…too much chance for dirt and messes to hang out there. Your entry through the laundry is preferable to me…hangers and shoe area work fine for me. The fireplace and sliding French doors are down right elegant. Love it, love it!

  • Laura K

    [img]torontosmallhouseplanforstudents.jpg[/img]

    revised floorplan

  • Mid America Mom

    [img]tosmallhome2.jpg[/img]

    Well first chance to post my revision. Did some internet research tonight. Removed the fireplace. I moved the window in the kitchen slightly and the garage door goes to the corner.

    We now have a shared entry which retains its generous size. The closet is moved and a entry piece and chair are added. The living room and part of the dining room are now the second bedroom and bath. I tucked the toilet in back and used the window for light. The stair is closed to this hall and opened on the other side to the great room.

    I felt we needed an open plan, more on that later. The great room is about 20 by 19 and the slider remained where it was on the back wall. I placed a non built in desk by the stair and thought the side wall would be nice for a TV. The kitchen is a U with the peninsula side having a half wall. Side by side counter depth refrigerator is next to an Oven. There is a cooktop further down. A deeper pantry is around the corner.

    You may wonder what I was thinking with such a deep kitchen, with extra appliances, not putting a sink under the window, and the half wall. I had to do a little internet research. This home is designed to be wheelchair accessible now or in the future (minus the front bath and bedroom opening). So the kitchen needs at least a 5 foot inner space. There is a need for generous prep space near the cooking. Also due to a loss of lower cabinet storage as you need to open up for knee space under the sink and cooktop. That requires a good anchor (the half wall helps) for the countertop. I thought we would have some rollout shelving or swing type shelving in the pantry. If someone is NOT wanting to have this accessible right now the work triangle is still retained comfortably.

    The hall leading to the master is wider. I toyed with the idea of having a sliding or bifold door for the laundry. The master is designed with the thought of a king size bed, a dresser off the foot of it (again they cannot store much vertically), and the couple both in wheelchairs. The walk in has a sliding door entry of 4 feet wide. The size of the closet is larger than we normally like but then the rods where they store most of their things have to be low. The bath is about 7 width to help with moving with the chair. The toilet is tucked behind a half wall(not sure if that is ADA compliant but I thought it would be helpful). Here is a roll in shower with a flat sill and a seat that folds down in case they want that.

    You may wonder about the accessibility of the front bedroom. It was not designed to be but I could do that by widening the hall by .5 to 1 foot more. I admit it… I really like having a 5 foot closet in the hall on that side.

    Thanks for checking my plan out and reading all my comments on it!
    Mid America Mom

  • Mid America Mom

    Oh I was trying so hard to get the plan posted before CSI. And murphy’s law- the cable is out.
    ********
    Anyone else feel that stair area is our “enter the wasted space dead zone” in this plan?
    ***********
    So instead of launching into more redesign (I need a break!) I have gone through everyone’s plan so far that I could. John,I did not think tucking the kitchen back in the old dining area would work. But the extension of it to the center of the plan takes away what would have been wasted space. Murray, 15% LOL You have a great buffer between the bedrooms and the living room for noise. Terri, I like that you thought to keep the living in front as that is a nice sized space. BradW, though your revised plan changed much of this, I think it was clever how you gave the garage a few feet for the door and added it to the laundry facing the center of the plan. Margo, I liked that you brought the fireplace back into that sidewall. SarahW, I think you really utilized the space well. All I see is a central hall. MollyK, the front bath with two doors is so considerate of your guests. Those staying the night or for a few hours. JodiJ, that back great room is a great size at about 14 by 27 (I had one about that size once upon a time it was great to play with).
    If I forgot anyone I am sorry. Again MATTHEW and JOHN I loved the chance to plan with bedrooms!

  • Jenny

    Slowhomers,

    I love these plans. No I don’t have my own at the moment but I was of the split bedroom school.
    Now that I’ve cheated and seen them all I can’t really submit. I am impressed too that people have considered the accessibility issues as well.

  • Mid America Mom

    Hi Jenny- maybe next time you can just download the JPEG and NOT click on our inciting comments ;)

    Last week people felt free to modify or incorporate from other plans. Matthew loved it. I am sure everyone here would be fine if you wanted to give it a go.

    Mid America Mom

  • Corey

    [img]torontosmallhouseplanforstudentsmodel.jpg[/img]

    Here is my plan. I saw the stair as potentially starting to be a central piece of furniture itself, something that could hold media, books, china and silverware, maybe even an workspace off the kitchen.

  • Mid America Mom

    Corey- is that to the ceiling as wrap around? I can imagine a peek a boo type of thing, spaces where you can see through, with some great downlighting in the stairwell there.

  • Wayne

    [img]redesignedtorontosmallhouseplanforstuden.jpg[/img]

    Here is my redesigned floor plan, talk about a challenge.

  • Matthew North

    Jenny – I think you should submit! pick a plan that someone else has done and work on that one. I’d love to see what you can come up with!

  • Mid America Mom

    OOPS inciting? That is way off. Did not mean to say that above . I meant enticing !

  • Anonymous

    Molly K,

    Thanks for the suggestion about the two-way fireplace….it’s always great to have a second set of eyes offer a fresh opinion. Great idea!

  • Jodi J

    forgot to enter my name in my message to Molly K. :)
    It was Jodi.

  • Lacey

    [img]5_torontosmallfloorplan.jpg[/img]

    Ok, last place I’m going to post this one…. :)

  • dominique

    [img]dominiquetorontosmallhouseplan.jpg[/img]

    tough, there’s still a lot of wasted space!

  • Mid America Mom

    [img]tosmallhome3.jpg[/img]

    OK. Thought I would try something that is never seen anymore. A kitchen in the front. I kept in mind the needs for wheelchair accessible still. So that means 5 foot spaces (so they can turn), about 4 foot hallways, and sliding doors.

    The entry door swings the other way. The front of the plan we switched the bump out and other window. When you first come in you can see the dining area and the openess of the stair and living room. There is a closet, entry from garage, and place to sit. The stair is completely open all around. Near it and facing the living room is a built in bookcase. I was not sure if I should have that wall extended from the bedroom toward the entry but thought it would be nice to break that into a more private space.
    **
    The back hall retains two accessible bedrooms, laundry, and 2 baths. The Laundry moves to the middle so we can extend the length of the master closet a little bit more. I was not sure what to do with a door to this so I went bifold. The hall bath is slightly longer than the old and I threw a tub instead. The master bathroom has expanded into the room. The shower is still a roll in. The bedroom now sports a queen bed.
    **
    The living now has a fireplace and access to the backyard. The sofa would be more modern with NO armrests on the end so someone could transfer more easily. I left a chair out of the plan so you can see where someone could wheel up to the sidetable and other chair.
    **
    The kitchen is an L where we have a working open space of at least 6. I tried to get the sink under the window! Toward the middle of the plan is a side by side counter depth refrigerator and opposite is a counter height pantry. That leg of the kitchen triange from sink to refrigerator is long but within the guideline of 9 feet. The total triangle is within the guideline as well. The dining area can handle a larger table that is centered to the bump out window.
    **
    As it is now I have no clue how the roof would stay up (but I am not an architect). But I realize that we could do something with columns or other element like Corey suggested around the stair. That could be fun.

    I think I am going to settle with this :) Off to bed for me.

  • Vickie

    [img]tosmalhomeplan.jpg[/img]

    Here is my revision… very challenging. Although I think I kept is safe. MAM, interesting last submitted plan with the kitchen at the front. Needed a minute to visualize what it would be like…

    Matthew, next week’s floorplan will be posted much sooner in the day! I apologize.

  • Vickie

    and well, looking at it again from a different eye (since it’s posted), I see alot of wasted space… sigh.