31/03/10 – Dallas/Fort Worth – Townhomes

Posted on: March 31st, 2010 | 43 Comments

Day 71 John’s Design Project – Part 2 ( video )

31/03/10 – Dallas/Fort Worth – Townhomes (PDF)
31/03/10 – Dallas/Fort Worth – Townhomes (JPG)
31/03/10 – Dallas/Fort Worth – Townhomes (Demo)
31/03/10 – Dallas/Fort Worth – Townhomes (Full Symbol Library)
31/03/10 – Dallas/Fort Worth – Townhomes (Completed Concept Design)

RSVP to Slow Home in Toronto

  • BradW

    [img]shdp571.jpg[/img]

    Grouped the front entry, the back entry and the stairs. No upper cabinets along the side wall of the kitchen. Not perfect but better.

  • Mid America Mom

    NEW to SLOW HOME?
    -
    Try your hand at redesigning a fast townhome from a large mass developer in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area to one that is more slow.
    -
    If you do not have software that allows you to draw floorplans there is an option. If you use Windows download the JPEG and open in PAINT (usually in the accessories folder), if MAC I am not sure but someone may know, please leave a comment.
    -
    Yes we can design a slower mass produced townhome :)

    Mid America Mom

  • Mid America Mom

    John/Matthew- just so I have it correct. With an 8 foot ceiling what width and length would a straight run stair have (and at what point UNDER that stair is headroom?).

    Thanks!
    Mid America Mom

  • MollyK

    [img]shdallasthrev1j.jpg[/img]

    OK…I realized when I was almost finished that I didn’t have a closet at the back entry. In addition, my front entry is not well defined. I decided to submit the plan anyway because I’m burned out at the moment.
    I wasn’t sure about adequate space for both eat-in bar and dining table so I opted for a banquette. I thought it was unique given the typical layout I was working with.

  • MollyK

    Just checked John and Brad’s plans…I see the simplicity in their use of walls to define both entries. I think I’m much better at incorporating walls when I’m actually standing in the home but on paper I just loose sight of this element.

  • Matthew North

    MAM – with an 8 foot ceiling, the stair width should be about 3 feet and the rise of the treads should be 7 ” – 7.5″ so the run will be 12 – 13 feet. Looking forward to seeing the design!

  • Matthew North

    Brad W – I like your design. Both the front and back entry are great. I would change the door swing on the door from the garage. I like the idea of the kitchen and TV millwork integrating along the party wall. I think a U-shaped kitchen would also work well in your scheme. Overall, your proportions are good.

  • Matthew North

    Molly K – I won’t let you get burned out – Slow Home needs you!!! Thanks for submitting the plan – I love the banquette idea and can imagine how that would look – I think if you slid your fridge down to the corner, you could slip your back entry closet where you have the wing wall that divides the back entry door from the counter top. I’ll see if I can sketch on your plan and post.

  • Matthew North

    [img]1_mollyk.jpg[/img]

    Molly K – Here’s my take on your design.

  • Matthew North

    [img]1_bradw.jpg[/img]

    Brad W – Here’s my take on your design.

  • Margo

    [img]dallastownhouse.dwg.jpg[/img]

    This should represent a better use of space. The circulation area is a bit large, but it’s an improvement.

  • MollyK

    Matthew,
    Sorry about the front door…I forgot it. (Talk about your “open” concept.)
    I think the back entry works better. I do have one comment about the kitchen…the placement of the frig against the wall. Wouldn’t that interfere with the door swing? I wouldn’t want the door swing on the left side because you have to walk around it when you open it. But a right-hand swing isn’t much better in my opinion…it would hit the wall. I like alot of room for my door swing…I would opt to put in a small narrow cabinet between it and the wall to allow for that swing. What is your view on this issue?

  • Jodi J

    [img]week10desprojtostudents1.jpg[/img]

    a few notes on the redesign:
    - flipped the front door swing and slid it over to accommodate a sidelite
    - changed entry closet doors from door to bifold because of swing interference
    - reworked the base of the staircase so it no longer had the wonky 45 degree angle –> now works to help define the entry
    - created a clear circulation path from the front entry to the back garage door (which itself was moved) and aligned the powder room within this corridor (tucked in behind the staircase assembly)
    - all service rooms (powder room, kitchen) at the back of the house where the light is at a minimum while principle living spaces were kept towards the front
    - garage passage door now has coat closet/bench to a) define the area and b) serve as a place to unload after entering from the garage
    - two-sided fireplace used to define dining from living room
    - kitchen walled off so as to define and maximize the space in the dining room
    - main floor ceiling height change used to define living spaces from hallway
    - powder room door switched to pocket door
    - basement door switched to inward swinging, so as not to interfere with traffic in the main hallway

  • Laura K

    [img]dallasthnhsedesprojstudentedition.jpg[/img]

    Dallas Townhome Design Project

  • Laura K

    [img]1_dallasthnhsedesprojstudentedition.jpg[/img][img]2_dallasthnhsedesprojstudentedition.jpg[/img]

    Dallas townhome revised

  • Matthew North

    Molly K – your comment on the fridge against the wall is a good one – this is a tricky detail as the swing of the fridge door cannot extend past the line of the fridge itself otherwise it will rub on the drywall or not open all the way – the hinges on most counter depth fridges prevent this, but the traditional, stand alone type of fridge often do not. If budget was tight and the client could not afford a counter depth fridge then the location of the fridge may have to be moved away from the wall.

  • Corey

    [img]plan.jpg[/img]

    struggled a little bit with this one to get everything to not only fit but be proportioned appropriately.

  • Sarah W

    [img]dallastownhouse.jpg[/img]

    I found this one quite tricky – I am not totally happy with the end result, and I wish I had time to play with it more! =(
    The front closet is a bit wimpy, and I wasn’t sure how to complete the stairs properly. I think the kitchen is an improvement, though, and the back entry is a bit better too (since you don’t enter directly into the kitchen).

  • MollyK

    [img]shdallasthrev2j.jpg[/img]

    Matthew,
    Here’s your revision with modification. I tried shorting the banquette against the wall and the kitchen island as indicated by your sketch. However, what remained was a large empty space between it and the stairs. So I shifted both elements (see picture) as much as possible towards the stairs while leaving enough circulation around them. I believe that creates balance with the other living area and circulation path while reducing wasted space.

  • Frances Grant-Feriancek

    [img]1_shdp57demo.jpg[/img]

    Hi all,

    I haven’t looked at anyone’s design yet…there were so many ways to go with this plan. I can’t wait to see what everyone else has done.

    I had the kitchen in every corner before I settled on this configuration. At one point I even had the stair direction flpped, but I thought that would have had too great an affect on the upper floor.

    The brown square in the kitchen is a butcher block.

  • MollyK

    [img]shdallasthrev3j.jpg[/img]

    Matthew,
    I’m having way too much fun “tweeking” this floorplan. Take a look at my additions…enlarged back entry, wrap-around banquette with L-shaped island with extra seating, wing wall at front entry for a better defined space.

  • Terri

    [img]dalth.jpg[/img]

    I tried another stair run first (more of an L) but ended up back here. Another struggle this week. Looking forward to checking out all the posts since I started a couple of hours ago!

  • Terri

    Matthew, or anyone really, could you tell me how to get a larger thumbprint of my plans? I’m saving them at 200%, but that seems to be making them even smaller than Normal size in Paint. THANKS!

  • MollyK

    Frances,
    I like your butcher block…I can imagine slicing a standing rib roast while guests look on from the dining table. That is a nice imagine…both elegant and delicious.
    I also thought about flipping the stairs to the back…but other elements dictated its final location in all my plans.
    I believe you have a build-in unit along the entire wall opposite the stairs. I like that idea as well…it adds interest, especially since there are no windows for a view. Lighting plays a principle roll when added under shelves within the build-in.

  • Vickie

    [img]dallasthousefinalfloorforjohn1.jpg[/img][img]1_dallasthousefinalfloorforjohn1.jpg[/img]

    Design considerations –
    I didn’t want the garage door to be at the end of circulation from the front entry. Therefore, moved the back entry over, although it then causes it to be at the bottom of the stairs (still in circulation path). Perhaps this is a bit of a problem. I’m also aware the bathroom is quite small… maybe another design to come!

  • Terri

    MollyK,
    I like your banquette idea (of course!) and I think your latest version is great, but perhaps the counter face of the run behind your banquette should line up with the closet’s end (out from wall). That way there should be 3 ft of floorspace between the two kitchen counters. It looks like not much over 2 right now.

  • Vickie

    I change the bathroom door to a pocket door, allowing to rotate the toilet, giving more leg room.

  • Vickie

    [img]1_dallasthousefinalfloorforjohn2.jpg[/img]

    oops. here is image.

  • Matt KB

    [img]dallasthnhsedesprojstudenteditionforeric.jpg[/img]

    This is my attempt

  • Mid America Mom

    [img]dallastown2.jpg[/img]

    Sorry not much time for this today. Maybe later I will play some more.

    Want to show you this crazy idea with stair AND kitchen I found on apartmenttherapy- http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/at-australia/look-kitchen-stairs-melbourne-067441

    Mid America Mom

  • Dominique

    [img]townhomedallas.jpg[/img]

    I had a difficult time with the dining room…and defining it as it’s own space.

  • Frances Grant-Feriancek

    Molly,

    This plan did take work, glad to see you bounced back.

    Yes you’re correct, lots of millwork. Seperate units for both the dining and living areas.

    Where my plan falls short is in closets…I really liked John’s entry-stairs-powder room block. I tried to incoporate it in my plan but I couldn’t get it to work!

    Terri, this was bothering me also my summitted plans are so small.

  • MollyK

    Terri,
    The measurements are as follows:
    area between the back corner of closet to the corner of “sink” counter is 2’8″
    area between two kitchen counters (sink to stove) is 3’4″
    Lining up the corner of the “sink” counter with the closet corner makes the area between the kitchen counters 4′ wide. Is there an industry standard for the circulation area between 2 counters?
    Looks are deceiving…I’m not leaving much to chance anymore. I learned how to calibrate the architect’s scale on my PDF software and now I can measure every inch of a floorplan, right down to the size of each stair tread.

  • BradW

    Matthew – It is funny that you revised my L into a U…I initially did the U, changed to the L as an experiment, ran out of time and simply posted it with the “better but not perfect” comment. Anyway the U shaped kitchen works well – thanks for the revision. Also, kudos to John who, I think, developed a very nice solution this week. The old dog still has some teeth…:)

  • Matthew North

    Slow Homers….I have been out of the office most of today….I’m going to review and comment on all the plans tonight – make sure to check back later!

  • BradW

    [img]shdp573.jpg[/img]

    Here is my revised plan…

  • MollyK

    [img]shdallasthrev4j.jpg[/img]

    Hey Matthew,
    Here’s one more “tweek”…a combo of #2 & #3.

  • Cat

    I find it interesting that almost everyone chose to move the garage entrance to back under the stairs. It seems to work much better there. I was also interested in Corey’s plan which didn’t move the back entrance, but still managed to fit in a laundry room and a study/desk area. I liked the plans that gave more room to the living space instead of the dining space. I think John’s living space might be a little tight. MollyK’s banquette idea might really work — I like that she fit in some barstools in the last incarnations of it. I don’t ever want to eat on a barstool, but I like being able to sit somewhere and watch and talk to the cook.

  • Mid America Mom

    [img]dallastown3.jpg[/img]

    Before I look at John’s plan and the others here is another design for the first floor and for the second (it needed help too). The master suite needs more work but I am too tired.

    I was inspired by the live/work Dallas townhome posted yesterday and went for a large skylight.

  • Murray

    [img]1_dallasth.jpg[/img][img]2_dallasth.jpg[/img][img]3_dallasth.jpg[/img]

    Late to it – good work everybody.

  • Murray

    Triplets – I tried submitting a couple of times without a comment, but was denied, though it seemed to keep track of my attempts to submit

  • Murray

    [img]shdp57existasis.jpg[/img][img]shdp57exist150.jpg[/img]

    Trial for Terri – sorry to waste space. I’ll write back if it works.

  • Terri

    Murray,
    Thanks for trying to fix “my” problem! Your plan is very similar to my first try at this–the front closet, stairs, powder room section is identical. I guess I couldn’t find a way to make my kitchen/dining fit to my liking, so I went to Plan B. Nice to see someone put it together though.

    MollyK,
    I guess looks are deceiving. It still looks to me like your counter depths are almost the same distance as the floor area between them. You are making them 2 feet deep, aren’t you? Congrats on trying so hard to incorporate Matthew’s comments and revising your plan over and over. I give you my title of Slow Homer of the Week (it was mine last week so I figure I can do the honours…) ;)