08/04/10 – Dallas/Fort Worth – Single Family

Posted on: April 8th, 2010 | 22 Comments
  • MollyK

    Good morning,
    The family bath provides obvious functional space…as a psychologist, I’ve always thought the family bath provided a place for lessons on cooperation, sharing, privacy, etc. All kinds of social skills can be learned in a family bathroom, especially when there are siblings sharing the space. I think parents do their kids a disservice by providing each kid with their own bathroom…missed opportunities for learning good behavior (and learning conflict resolution).
    Well, enough preaching…I will say quickly that I am a proponent of the powder room if space is available. It provides a clean, private place for guests and, depending on the location, a quick and convenient bathroom for the occupants of the house.
    When you take a conservative line with family bathrooms you do a couple of really good things. First, you reduce the footprint of the floorplan which reduces the amount of building materials necessary. Second, you reduce the amount of water that is consumed by family members. (You can’t run water at 3 sinks if there’s only 1 sink in a family bath.) Third, you have more opportunity to configure the bathroom with a window for natural light. And don’t forget the social learning that can occur when humans are forced to share a bathroom.

  • MollyK

    Matthew,
    I have a technical question…
    If I want to submit a redesign project a day late (say, Thursday), should I post it to the day of the exercise (Wednesday) or the day I submit it (Thursday)? Does it matter?

  • Mid America Mom

    Hi guys- I like the color of the shirts! Thinking spring!
    *
    MollyK ..Learning conflict resolution I can see that. Also I feel when we have all these spaces or activities taking place in more private space (TV in the bedroom for a child) it takes away from the family negatively.

    Mid America Mom

  • BradW

    With a few minutes to kill, I clicked on one of the Facebook Fans and, by chance, I stumbled upon a website featuring architecturally significant homes for sale in Dallas by broker Douglas Newby. What is special about this site, IMO, is the informative and interesting commentary which accompany each listing. I am thoroughly enjoying browsing this site and would certainly enjoy meeting Mr. Newby who, I believe, shares my/our desire to improve residential quality.
    The home shown on the link is a mid-century modern in Preston Hollow. I have seen this home years ago in another publication and believe it was purchased then by a collector of mid-century furniture. Fascinating how things come round in this world. Anyway here is the link – http://www.dougnewby.com/featured_listings/dallasmidcenturymodern.asp or use http://www.dougnewby.com/
    I highly recommend this site – you will not regret spending some time there.

  • Elizabeth

    Also like a shared bathroom because when it comes to cleaning, youngsters helping are contributing to the family’s chores, rather than just keeping their own space clean! Kids don’t need private apartments, they need family homes.

    The Brady bunch set-up, though (2 doorways into same shared bathroom) I think would be a pain, because 1 door would always be locked (have to go around), unlocked, open.. a lot of set up for a moment of privacy!

  • MollyK

    BradW,
    What took you so long to find Douglas Newby’s website? I found it 2 days ago and have already perused it.;) I neglected to share since it was late in the evening when I finished browsing.
    Having some history with these homes can make such a difference in how we perceive their livability/functionality. Also, pictures do say a thousand words…sometimes I wonder how I would score floorplans if more of them were accompanied by pictures of furnished rooms.

  • MollyK

    MAM
    Yes, as a parent I know the negative impact you refer to…and there are plenty of psychological studies to back it up.

  • MollyK

    Elizabeth,
    Great points…I’m not sure how clean a kid would keep a private bathroom but having to share one makes everyone more accountable for its cleanliness.
    I can’t imagine 6 Brady kids sharing one bathroom. I think that constitutes 2 bathrooms…otherwise, Alice might have to become the “Bathroom Enforcer”.

  • Terri

    I feel that privacy and cooperation are equally important factors to consider when it comes to family bathrooms, so these segmented ones that allow both situations simultaneously appeal to me. The perfect setup is the water closet being separate–though it is more materials and space, it does allow more privacy.

  • Matthew North

    Molly K – I would post the design project on the Thursday – that way the most number of Slow Homers will see it! A lot of times people don’t go back and look at the earlier posts.

  • MollyK

    [img]shdallassfr1j.jpg[/img]

    Matthew…thanks for the reply.
    OK…Finally!
    Did today what I couldn’t do yesterday.
    I did not attempt a powder room but instead tried a mudroom with washer/dryer area. I think the plan is pretty clear. I did a slight variation on the Master suite by using the master closet as a dividing wall between the sleeping area and bathroom…I thought it provided enough separation to nix a door but leave a hallway with light from the two windows. I utilized one large shower with double shower heads and bench. Wanted the wall to be all glass but decided against it because the toilet was next to it. Had enough room to use a build-in around the bed which looks out into the back yard. (Hope the view is nice.)

  • MollyK

    Matthew,
    Did you see my comment from last night asking about the Urban Reserve houses I posted on Monday? I don’t see any of them on the Slow Home map.

  • Mid America Mom

    Family Bath.

    Basics.
    1. Good light. Prefer two sources. Natural light from skylight or window and then plenty of artificial light for the bathing area and mirror. 2. Keep a check on mold. We should not be solely relying on a window but on a good fan system to move the moist air out of the housing envelope. 3. Be green. Paint, stains, glues should be chosen to reduce your chemical load. This is a good place to use the rainwater with your collection system :) – especially the toilet. Go for lower flow faucets and shower heads. On demand hot water tanks for this room is something to consider. The toilet should be one of the more efficient models, less water used.
    *
    Design.
    -Size does matter. 5 by 7 is the bare minimum size but is not that functional. By adding at least a foot each way changes this. 6 by 8 you can get in a larger vanity and more room to move within the space. Remember bigger is not always better.. for the environment or your wallet :0

    -If you have three or more bedrooms sharing a bath, and you have the room, you should have two sinks in the space and move the toilet or bath to an area that can be closed off from the vanity. Small kids or the couple of the house may have similar bedtimes or morning routines.

    -There should be at least 18 inches of continuous room on the vanity. This is for those who need room for a hair dryer, curling iron, makeup kit, skin care regime, etc. And under this space you should have drawers to hold it all. Make sure a electric plug serves this area.

    -If this space doubles as guest bath, and you have the space, a segmented bath is highly desirable. Move the tub or shower out of view from the toilet and vanity serving this purpose. Who really wants to look at your shampoo bottles, huge bath towels, and loofah when they visit?

    -Finishes are important. Washable, durable, safe. Include cleaning friendly finishes for the tiles, hardware, and faucets. Real brass and marble need not apply. Washable walls. Tile or semi gloss paint are safe while wallpaper can be problematic with the moisture. Fabric window treatments and light fixture shades should be chosen with care as on occasion they should be cleaned. The flooring should not be slippery when wet. Wood, while it can be quite lovely, is not the best choice. Wood and water just do not mix well.

    *
    Mid America Mom

  • Mid America Mom

    Comment: Choice Homes Builder. Check out how they let you see options in the floorplan. For this one I choose covered porch 2. They do not list room sizes which can be tricky.

    Choose a ft. worth property, on the outskirts of town. Walk is 55 when I say threshold is 70. Better than energy star they say. Most homes in that neighborhood are n/s.

    A simple plan with three bed and 2.5 bath. They ruined the kitchen with an angle. It was not a bad layout to start. Back entry at first I had issues but realized that it opens to the storage door under the stair then it seemed fine. The covered porch I elected is nice in size. Family room is ok and the game room could stand a little more definition from hall but that is against circulation. Walk in closet for bed2 and the placement of the closet for bed 3 worked against this plan.

    Project Name: Falcon Ridge- E2101

    Size: 2101

    Project Address: 9905 Legacy Drive Fort Worth, TX 76108

    Project URL: http://www.choicehomes.com/comm_floorplandetail-e2101-10-com-308.php

    Slow Home Test Score: 13

  • Mid America Mom

    Comment: This plan tried a little too hard to put a kitchen nook in. The bedroom sizes are ok but the closets are a problem in design or size. The back entry from the garage was too tight to the laundry. I like the game room here and again the covered porch option.

    Mid America Mom

    Project Name: Falcon Ridge- E2164

    Size: E2164

    Project Address: 9905 Legacy Drive Fort Worth, TX 76108

    Project URL: http://www.choicehomes.com/comm_floorplandetail-e2164-11-com-308.php

    Slow Home Test Score: 10

  • Matthew North

    Molly K – we have arrived in Toronto after a heavy travel day so I am behind on my comments.

    First, I did see your comment about the post not showing up on the Slow Home map – I will have Webmaster Eric address this tomorrow.

    Second, your design project…..I have to say that your posts are becoming more sophisticated. I really like the spatial relationship of kitchen to the dining space – the dining table feels at “home” in the center of the plan of your scheme because you have a really comfortable proportion of circulation space around the table and it is grounded against the study desk wall which you have added. It reminds me of how Terri used the back side of the closet to ground the dining table in her scheme last week – I am thinking that there is Slow Home rule of thumb emerging that says something like “dining spaces can work in the middle of the plan as long as there is a wall element to ground one end of the table and adequate circulation around the rest of the table”. I also love the idea of the master headboard and the large shower. In your scheme I would probably change the swing door of the master bedroom to a sliding barn door as your architectural elements are making me think that your plan has more “loft” like characteristics. Good work.

  • Mid America Mom

    Comment: ****
    MUST CHECK OUT THE MASTER BATH. LMOL!!!
    ****
    …when I saw it in the is plan. Question I have- what would it look like if I did not take the options? Another development from Choice Builders in Texas. Rear facing garage.

    No address to really work off of and so no siting info. 9 walk score off of their mapquest location. Living and family space are fine (look at all the light into the family room). The dining I wish swapped with the living. Loft is ok. Back entry not the best. Kitchen I think is one of the best parts of this plan. I like the room configurations and closets but the master closet was too much to handle for a house this size.

    Project Name: Summer Meadow – D2336

    Size: 2336

    Project Address: golden rod ct desoto tx

    Project URL: http://www.choicehomes.com/comm_floorplandetail-d2336-4801-com-372.php

    Slow Home Test Score: 8

  • Mid America Mom

    Comment: Last from summer meadow. The master bath is hilarious. It should have its own zipcode.

    The kitchen literally looks like an after thought. I am not sure I have seen a kitchen worse than this. The L is broken up by the door to the garage! I cannot tell where a table is supposed to go. The living and family rooms are labeled but in reality it is one giant sized room. Only thing to like is parking and laundry.

    Mid America Mom

    Project Name: Summer Meadow – D2487

    Size: 2557

    Project Address: golden rod ct desoto tx

    Project URL: http://www.choicehomes.com/comm_floorplandetail-d2487-4802-com-372.php

    Slow Home Test Score: 6

  • Mid America Mom

    Comment: Another fro Holiday Builders. Golf course community, trying to be somewhat green.

    Not walkable at all. The middle of this ranch is horrible, basically huge halls. A dining room and living room are there- no light. Kitchen is poor. Baths ok. 2/3 bedrooms face sideyard :( Entry is fine. Dislike the plant shelf near the kitchen. The Den is a good size and faces the street.

    Mid America Mom

    Project Name: Fairways Champions Circle- Hidalgo B

    Size: 1965

    Project Address: 15724 Bent Rose Way Fort Worth, TX 76177

    Project URL: http://www.holidaybuilders.com/docs/image.asp?ImageID=164466&ImageType=0

    Slow Home Test Score: 11

  • Mid America Mom

    Comment: Pioneer Homes. This one outside Ft Worth center.

    What really sinks this plan is the kids retreat… off the front hall and not closed off at all. Seems like a mislabeled living room. Angle near the kitchen is an eyesore. 2nd Bathroom second bath does NOT have a door to the toilet area unless option which I would take along with the texas patio. Master bath layout bothers me with the sink to the tub … that could have been better. I think the dining is big enough for a table of 4. Closets were an issue- wic not necessary or placement.

    Mid America Mom

    Project Name: Ashford Park- Alton

    Size: 1797

    Project Address: 1505 Wickham Dr. Fort Worth, TX 76028

    Project URL: http://www.pioneerhomes.com/specdetail.aspx/Dallas-FortWorth/AshfordPark-50ft-Homesites/DTM001

    Slow Home Test Score: 6

  • Mid America Mom

    Comment: Another development from Pioneer. This plan feels traditional.

    The kitchen almost had it but the angled sink and pantry did not work. I do like the eating and living areas. The master bath suffers from design mishap. I like the closet over the stair area in bedroom 4. All rooms face the front or back of the home except the kitchen. No outdoor living space :(

    Mid America Mom

    Project Name: Trinity Heights- Cardiff

    Size: 2423

    Project Address: 408 Twin Knoll Dr McKinney, TX 75071

    Project URL: http://www.pioneerhomes.com/specdetail.aspx/Dallas-FortWorth/TrinityHeights-Homesites/DA9054

    Slow Home Test Score: 11

  • Mid America Mom

    Comment: Another builder- Mercedes Homes. The lots do not look to be n/s but all over the place. They have a green logic program and I would go for the green 3 AND 4 packages which has a trellis with solar panel on it.

    Talk about dining spacing working in the middle of plans Matthew. This is the most UNIQUE Dining room I have seen in Dallas! In the middle of the plan with two walls and halls on other two sides. But I think it works. It is the focal when you walk in the entries and does get some light.

    Pack alot in this ranch plan- 4 beds, dining, breakfast, and study. Side load garage. Bedroom 4 would not be a nice room to have. The only window, which is in the corner of the room, is tucked under a porch. It also is next to the entry and hall to the kitchen and utility room. The study would be quiet most of the times unless using the garage door. Here is a powder room for you MollyK. I do not see it getting used much except for guests. Interior kitchen that is ok in design except corner pantry. I would have put the pantry where the refrigerator is and that near the family room. I do like the patio entry. The master bath and closet need help as the angle takes away from them.

    It is funny but the rooms seem to work but the organization is not quite there.

    Mid America Mom

    Project Name: Inwood Hills- Bella

    Size: 2549

    Project Address: 108 Parkhaven Drive, McKinney, TX 75070

    Project URL: http://www.mercedeshomes.com/find_home/home_detail/index.aspx?COMMUNITY_ID=100267&HOME_ID=101056&INVENTORYHOME_ID=105504

    Slow Home Test Score: 11