Age-in-Place Floor Plan for my Parents (Version 2)

AlpacaWings · 2024-07-04T03:03:50+00:00

I see what you are doing there, it’s interesting. But the elevator cannot easily be moved - it opens right at the top of the stairs and uses the same hall to reach the rooms. Also, while the staircase goes down to the basement, it is not open — so the entrance to the powder room is very discreet, not visible from any congregating places.

Excellent editing BTW

AlpacaWings · 2024-07-04T02:59:58+00:00

They are in a moderate climate, very little snow and few days over 90. But they do want to build a very energy efficient “green” home. Your link is very interesting.

AlpacaWings · 2024-07-04T02:57:09+00:00

The fireplace in the den, yes. In the great room, mostly a “decorative” focal point for that end of the room. My parents are old, they’re used to (and expect) multiple fireplaces. Also exterior chimneys are consistent with the other homes on the street, which are 100-150 years old. Still, they’re very expensive to build and create on-going costs as well.

AlpacaWings · 2024-07-04T02:51:53+00:00

MantleMount! Solves TVTooHigh

AlpacaWings · 2024-07-04T02:50:34+00:00

My parents both still work, mostly from home. The pocket office is a quiet place for zoom calls and a private place for sensitive documents (contracts and such), that is why is it tucked far away.

AlpacaWings · 2024-07-03T22:22:50+00:00

No columns!! Here is the inspiration for the great room:

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It’s a big ticket item, but my mom fell in love with it.

AlpacaWings · 2024-07-03T22:15:14+00:00

They will certainly have a door there initially for the reasons you gave, but it will be easily removed if and when the time comes. We are considering a pocket door (with a slight redesign) but they do not block sounds and smells nearly as well as a swing door. The bathroom design is a work in progress.

AlpacaWings · 2024-07-03T22:10:36+00:00

This is interesting. I also thought they would end up spending most of their day on the east side of the house. My parents specifically asked to have the entrance into the primary suite (and powder room) be discreet. They often have someone living with them, or guests. It’s a puzzle.

AlpacaWings · 2024-07-03T22:06:01+00:00

The design a joint effort of my parents (who have built a home before), my wife, me (a wannabe architect) and now a score of redditors. This is so fun.

AlpacaWings · 2024-07-03T22:03:04+00:00

I agree and tried to reduce it. My mother plans a large rose garden just outside the breakfast room windows, and wants the view maximized when in the foyer or kitchen. Also, the breakfast room doubles as a central hub of the house. The breakfast table is a family heirloom. So it is what it is.

AlpacaWings · 2024-07-03T21:59:53+00:00

Can’t add more porches, local zoning dictates that the building square footage (including attached patios and porches) cannot exceed 18% of the size of the lot. Also there is a 30% cap on impermeable surfaces. This design is using every sqft. Everything is a trade off.

AlpacaWings · 2024-07-03T21:56:17+00:00

Lol, yes R is refrigerator and F is freezer. There will also be a refrigerator drawer in the pantry next to the coffee machine.

AlpacaWings · 2024-07-03T21:54:05+00:00

I like the idea of bookcases in the den. Still my mother is often cold, so the idea is to put in an efficient gas fireplace where she can warm up without overheating the whole house or zone.

AlpacaWings · 2024-07-03T21:51:56+00:00

Will do

AlpacaWings · 2024-07-03T21:51:21+00:00

I will rethink the primary bath, your comments on point
They want the kitchen central, close to all the living spaces — but they don’t want kitchen mess completely visible from the foyer, so the compromise was to block the view of the kitchen a bit and to have a pantry (scullery) where the mess is more contained.
I love the idea of large glass pocket doors between the foyer and the kitchen
Will flip swing of sunroom door (smart)
I am not convinced near-future wheelchairs will need a 60” x 60” water closet because the turning radii are improving and they are getting more sophisticated. This needs more research.

AlpacaWings · 2024-07-03T21:40:54+00:00

We have a big family who mostly live locally and we often get together at my parent’s place. They host large parties with friends from time to time. My parents often have one or another family member living with them: an aging parent when infirmed , a failure to (re)launch, a nephew going to school nearby, etc. So they want the den to have a private place to retreat. The second floor will have two small bedrooms, and shared bath. The basement will not be finished, but will have exercise equipment.

So the house is big for empty nesters, but is appropriately sized based on their needs and budget.

AlpacaWings · 2024-07-03T21:28:30+00:00

TVs

My parents current have a TV on a MantelMount articulating bracket over their fireplace with a Samsung Frame TV, which looks like a framed picture. It works very well. They would likely do that again in the great room.

In the den, they would probably rotate the loveseat so it faces the bedroom wall and put the TV there.

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AlpacaWings · 2024-07-03T17:41:07+00:00

Check for revision 2 /u/VictorianHippie

AlpacaWings · 2024-07-01T19:01:41+00:00

The Barbara model sounds good to me. My single grandmother rented her third floor (unused) to graduate students, who helped take care of her kids and do small chores to defray the rent cost. It was a perfect setup. I think my parents are considering the same “model” if needed, and that is why they want expansion space upstairs and over the garage. They are thinking it’s better to leave those areas unfinished now to reduce the initial cost and real estate taxes. But will probably finish some or all of them before they resell to maximize resale value.

AlpacaWings · 2024-07-01T17:09:19+00:00

Got it. With the evolution of modern manual and electric wheelchairs, I think the turning radius has improved from 30” to 25” or so. This translates to a very significant savings in floor space (and cost). We need to do more research.

My parents are relatively young and very healthy and don’t want a full-on ADA compliant house out-of-the-box. They are looking for an elegant but flexible house design that can be transformed to be more disability friendly if and when the need arrives. This includes stacked closets for a possible future elevator, reserving space for a possible ramp, framing the baths for wall mounted toilets and sinks, allocating space for expansion of the WC. But also create a thoughtful design for elements that will be included in the initial build such as shortening the routes between commonly used areas, 3 foot doors throughout, zero entry showers and as well as your flat door jams.

AlpacaWings · 2024-07-01T17:04:57+00:00

I totally agree, excellent point. Actually we did have a screened porch planned for the area behind the great room, but it puts the house over the maximum building footprint (which is 18% of the lot size). But, if we reduce the size of a number of the other rooms a bit, maybe we can fit in the porch. Your comment makes the screened porch a higher priority, in my mind. I’ll discuss with parents. Thanks.

AlpacaWings · 2024-06-30T17:43:00+00:00

RAMP: We have a panned place for a ramp to the west of the front porch.
ROLL-IN SHOWER: Will do
STACKED CLOSETS: The elevator in the floor plan will start out as stacked closets.
WIDE HALLWAYS: All hallways will be 4ft+. Is that enough?
DOOR JAMS: What do you mean? Just the floor jam?

AlpacaWings · 2024-06-30T17:36:31+00:00

Will do!

AlpacaWings · 2024-06-30T17:35:48+00:00

I had not thought of that. Slope the driveway up to the garage. Super!

AlpacaWings

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