Recognizing Basics of Good Design

No matter whether you are buying your first home or your dream house, certain design principals are universal.

For example, the walls against which beds are placed in the master and secondary bedrooms should be opposite the doors of those rooms.

Why? Because the wall facing the door is the focal point of the room. The longest uninterrupted wall in the bedroom is usually the one where home buyers put their beds. Placed anywhere else, the bed is likely to block a window or two.

In larger, more expensive houses, the wall may be long enough to accommodate a king-size bed and two night stands. In smaller houses--or rooms, for that matter--perhaps only a twin or double bed will fit. Either way, for the most dramatic effect, it should be opposite the door.

Let’s look at a typical 2,000-square-foot house through the eyes of some of the nation’s top residential architects. Remember, although the house you are considering may be smaller or larger, the design principals are the same:

* Foyer: The house should open into a foyer. Otherwise, says Mark Kaufman of Kaufman Meeks Partners in Houston, you’ll be stepping through the front door directly into the living room.

The foyer (or the hallway leading from the foyer) should hold a coat closet and perhaps even a half-bath powder room. And you should be able to see all the way through the house to the outside.

According to Kaufman, such a sight-line “extends the home visually, making it feel more spacious.” Opening the front door and looking directly into a closet, a wall or stairwell compresses the entry.

In most two-story houses, the stairs are in the foyer, permitting the designer to create volume at the point of entry. Such placement also allows for high transom glass over the front doors, which adds to their drama and elegance.

In the latest layouts, however, the stairs are frequently set in the middle of the house so they can continue easily into the attic for storage or possibly even a third-story expansion, Kaufman says.

Also, central stairways are usually designed in an L- or U-shape with a platform turn at the mid-point, a concept that is preferable to one long, straight stairwell. Such a placement can also move the stairs out of sight from the front door.

This arrangement allows the entry foyer to be “much more intimate and understated,” says the architect, who often adds such detailing as columns, ceiling treatments and flooring patterns to give the foyer elegance and impact.

* Living and dining rooms: In a typical 2,000-square-foot house, these two rooms are usually adjacent to each other in an arrangement that “helps achieve the perception of larger space,” points out Arthur Danielian of Danielian Associates in Irvine. If the two rooms are separate, they’re usually smaller.

The living room should be a minimum of 12 feet by 13 feet, but Danielian says another foot on each dimension is preferred. And the room should have volume, created either by a high, sloping ceiling or, if there is another room above, higher ceiling plates.

Eight-foot ceilings are still standard, but spacious 9- or 10-foot ceilings have been making a comeback. Higher ceilings also allow for such design features as transom glass over the doors, taller 8-foot doors or higher “feature” windows.

Danielian says the dining room “should be no smaller than 11 feet by 11 feet.” Dining rooms should also have volume, though they are generally not as big as the living room. A sense of spaciousness can be accomplished with tray or coffered ceilings and perhaps a circular window or two.

There should also be some kind of structure that separates the living and dining rooms and defines the two spaces. A different ceiling treatment will do the trick, as will a curving header above the passageway between the rooms.

* Family room: Also known as the gathering room, media room, hearth room and, if it is large enough, the great room, the family room is the center of the house and the place where the occupants do most of their living.

“Family rooms are lifestyle rooms,” says Quincy Johnson of Quincy Johnson Associates in Boca Raton, La. “Home buyers should set their minimum requirements based upon how they expect to live in this area.”

Typically, the family room is close to the kitchen or breakfast area and features a fireplace. But the fireplace is no longer the sole focal point of this space; nowadays, a television set is frequently substituted.

Everyone will use this space a little differently, but Johnson says television placement is paramount. You should be able to see the set from every corner of the family room, the adjoining breakfast room and maybe even the kitchen.

Many of today’s better designs feature a media wall for the TV, fireplace, home entertainment center and bookshelves. And as you move up in price, you’ll see built-in recesses for big-screen TVs.

Sometimes, however, the recess extends into another space of the home. Johnson believes that it’s better, and also more economical, if the recess is on an exterior wall where it can be extended out under the roof overhang.

Furniture placement is another important consideration. You should be able to position a sofa and perhaps even a love seat so that you can watch television comfortably and without glare. But you should also have a view through your windows or doors to the outside.

One final consideration: In too many family rooms, there’s space for a sofa but not for a recliner. Remember, people don’t generally watch Monday night football from a love seat.

* Kitchen and breakfast nook: The first thing to look for in the kitchen is light. There should be “a wash of natural light” streaming in from over the sink and from the adjoining breakfast nook, says Charles Harker of the Martin Architectural Group in Philadelphia.

Also look for an abundance of task lighting to illuminate work areas, plus other decorative “wall-wash” and general fixtures. You can never have too much light in the kitchen.

Next, you’ll want a “good delineation of worker space and watcher space,” so that the “kitchen work triangle” is not interrupted by walk-through traffic, Harker advises.

The triangle, measured from the refrigerator to the stove to the sink, is generally prescribed to have a perimeter of no less than 26 feet, with no one leg longer than 9 feet and no shorter than 4 feet.

The average-size kitchen should have at least 21 linear feet of counter-top with base cabinets below. The primary food preparation section should have at least three contiguous linear feet of counter-top that is not in the circulation path. There should also be at least 2 feet of counter on one side of the sink, and 1 1/2 feet on the other.

If there is a good-sized pantry closet, Harker says, you won’t need as much wall-hung cabinetry, which will help make the room look more open. But in a 2,000-square-foot house, expect at least 10 linear feet of wall cabinets.

If there is a kitchen island, it should be useful, with base cabinets for storage and at least one electric outlet. Depending on the shape of the room, you may be able to sit at the island or the counter between the kitchen and family room for an informal meal.

When seated at this counter, each diner needs a 1-by-2 foot space for plates and elbows. If the traffic pattern is behind the diner, at least 3 feet of clear space is necessary. If the bar is not in the circulation pattern, 2 feet will suffice.

* Master suite: Today’s master suite is “more than just a place to sleep,” says Doug Sharp of Bloodgood Sharp Buster in Des Moines, Iowa. It is “a quiet refuge, an escape from the busy activities of the day.”

It should begin with a defined entry to give it a feeling of priority and privacy. This can be accomplished with double doors or by pulling the door back from the hallway to create a small entry foyer.

The master bedroom in a 2,000-square-foot house should be about 250 square feet, minimum, or about 13 feet by 19 feet. It should have one wall long enough to accommodate a king-size bed and two night stands. This wall should have two full electrical outlets, and the opposite wall should have an outlet plus a cable jack for the television.

One corner of the room should have enough space for a small reading area. This corner should be able to hold a comfortable chair and floor lamp and should also have “at least 5 feet of window space” for natural light. A three-window arrangement, perhaps as a bay projection, would help define the area even more.

Ceiling heights and special treatments “can add a sense of intimacy,” Sharp advises, noting that tray ceilings are the rage right now. If the master is on the first floor, you’ll want a private patio. If it’s upstairs and there is no deck, there should be a view of the frontyard or, preferably, the backyard. Also keep in mind that a “good separation” between the bedroom and bath will allow one spouse to sleep while the other gets ready for the day.

An ample master bath will have two sinks separated by a knee space to serve as a dressing area. It will also have a separate shower (42 inches minimum), a 42-by-60-inch garden tub and plenty of lighting. The toilet should have its own private compartment.

The two closets ought to have 22 feet of single pole hanging space at a minimum. There also should be a linen closet, but if space is tight, shelves in one of the main closets will suffice.

* Secondary bedrooms: Designers have a “fresh perspective” on secondary bedrooms and baths, says William Devereaux of Devereaux and Associates in McLean, Va. As a result, buyers no longer have to compromise on this part of the house.

Nowadays, secondary bedrooms have both style and utility, with functional closets and baths. Such considerations are important, because if there are no children, these rooms can be used as home offices, hobby rooms, guest rooms or as bedrooms for the returning college graduates who have yet to conquer the world.

Buyers still have to consider size and quantity, however, and Devereaux suggests that three larger bedrooms (11 feet by 11 feet minimum) may be a better choice than four smaller ones.

Why? With three secondary bedrooms, there should be enough space for walk-in closets in all bedrooms. If you choose to have four bedrooms, you’ll have to be satisfied with linear closets. But either way, no secondary bedroom closet should be less than 6 feet wide.

Also, with three bedrooms, there’s a chance that you’ll get a secondary bath, which can be reached directly from two of the bedrooms, instead of just from the hall.

Whichever configuration you choose, however, make sure the secondary bathroom has two sinks and a compartmentalized tub-shower and toilet. This allows two people to use the room at once. Otherwise, one of the kids will be heading to your bathroom.

Keep in mind that if the master bedroom is on the same floor as the secondary bedrooms, the two rooms shouldn’t share a common wall unless a closet buffers the master from noise in the other bedrooms.

* Laundry room: No longer merely a closet, the laundry room is a home’s “center of utilitarian life,” says Kaufman.

In larger homes, utility rooms can be as big as secondary bedrooms in average-sized homes. Utility rooms often have built-in peg boards, cabinets, a soaking sink, ironing board and sometimes even a desk for the household computer.

In homes in which the bedrooms are on the second floor, the trend is to place the utility room or closet upstairs as well. But frequently, the better choice is to leave it on the main level, where it can also serve as a mudroom. Having the washing machine and dryer next to the sleeping area may save a few steps, but it limits the time period when laundry can be done, which can crimp the style of working parents.

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How Does the House Fit?

Probably the best way to judge a house is to pretend you live in it. For example, pretend you’re greeting guests at the front door. Where will you hang their coats?

Most important, measure your furniture. Will it fit in the spot you are considering, or will you have to give it away to charity? Don’t rely on the model; most furniture in sample houses is scaled down to make rooms appear larger.

Also try these tricks suggested by James Carper, editor of Professional Builder magazine:

* Take your car up the driveway to see if there’s enough room to turn around. This is especially important if you drive a minivan or sports utility vehicle.

* Try moving around in the kitchen: from the refrigerator to the stove, from the sink to the dishwasher and from the refrigerator to table. Is there enough counter and storage space in the right locations?

* Bring in your boom box. Set it down in the family room and turn up the volume in order to simulate your kids watching TV or listening to music. Now go into the den, master bedroom or wherever you plan to retreat. Listen carefully: Is it quiet enough?

* Carry something that simulates a full load of wash from the laundry room to the bedrooms. How many stairs and corners did you have to maneuver en route? How many doors did you have to open?

* Pretend you are carrying groceries from the car to the kitchen and carrying a load of wood to the fireplace.

* Have your mate sit in a chair at the dining room table to see if there is enough room to walk between the chair and the wall or the china cabinet. If there isn’t, how are you going to serve guests?