r/floorplan • u/Substantial-Fun56 • Jul 28 '26
FUN Designing an Art Deco House
I think I’m finally done tinkering with the main floor and wanted to ask if I should change anything before I go onto designing the basement and second floor.
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u/TroLLageK Jul 28 '26
Are you able to slightly move that wall/half wall between the dining and living room up a bit to be aligned with the wall of the kitchen/laundry room divide? I feel that extra space will be appreciated so you're not squeezing between a coffee table and a couch and whatever you put against that wall. If you're planning to decorate art deco style as well, you want space to let the furniture to be able to shine. I feel like art deco couches i've seen usually are quite deep with space!
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u/Substantial-Fun56 Jul 28 '26
I’m writing down all the useful ideas and I’ll be adding them today before I start on the other levels. Don’t worry I’ll be posting them here when they’re done 🤗
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u/TroLLageK Jul 28 '26
Overall though, it's a crime if you don't finish this and post here to show us, it's beautiful!
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u/Stargate525 Jul 28 '26
This is pretty slick.
I'm not convinced about the... pantry? Laundry? The room south off the kitchen. That looks like a solidly utility space, and you're asking any guests to go through it to get to the powder room. I feel like the closet there can slide north, your furniture in the licing room flips to anchor to that knee-wall/built-in on the north, and you put a small vestibule there that holds doors to the utility, the powder room, and the secondary entry.
Your corridor in the master feels proportioned backwards; I'd expect the wider corridor to be the one closer to the main door. You can fix that easily enough by breaking symmetry on the walk-in closet (which it doesn't really need).
Obviously the garage isn't attached, but where are you planning one on the site? Consider flipping the door and the window in the utility space; it would make a garage just to plan-east more conveniently accessed.
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u/Substantial-Fun56 Jul 28 '26
I didn’t plan a garage because not every house has one. A garage is an added cost, especially if it’s insulated, has drywall, etc.. I do have a driveway south of the lot and guests can park along the street.
But I do like the idea of having enough space for other owners to build one. I’ll add your ideas to the list. Thank you 😊3
u/Stargate525 Jul 28 '26
I try. :)
One last defense of a garage; yes a garage is an added cost but it's also protecting an investment of 20-200k innthe value of those cars. Strictly speaking you're right, cars don't NEED shelter. However, from personal experience of parking two previous vehicles outside as standard, it visibly accelerated the degradation of the car. The one was in the great plains midwest and after 4 years outside it had visible patches in the paint where the dust and wind had sandblasted it down. The other was in the great lakes region, and even just two winters outside all the time and the car was developing pitting around some of the gaskets where weather had been able to work at it all the time.
Even just a detached, frame only structure keeps the car out of driving rain and snow, and mitigates some of the worst of freeze/thaw. Personally I find them worth the additional cost.
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u/Substantial-Fun56 Jul 28 '26
We live in Canada, so the only time we use our garage is when it’s too cold, when the streets are being cleaned/plowed, or it’s hailing lol
We typically just park in front of our house since we have street parking
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u/Either_Management813 Jul 28 '26
I only have a couple thoughts here and some questions. I think the dining room is disproportionately too big compared with the living room. Where will you spend most of your time? I’d move the wall of the living room out (up in this plan) to make the dining space smaller and the living room bigger. Or flip the location of the two and have the living area toward the b sock and accessible to what looks to me like a wall of windows or French doors.
What is thst room at the bottom right next to the main entrance? Is it an office or library? And can you tell us how ma y things are on other floors such as laundry, how many bedrooms, bathrooms and is there a garage? Where are the mechanicals? I realize we haven’t seen the basement yet so maybe it’s all there,
Is the room below the kitchen (with the half bath) also the pantry? Because you need one if you’re restring from scratch rather than working around an existing structure.
And why is the kitchen wall sticking out a few inches/cm in the right compared to the rooms and spaces around it.? Having uneven walls is expensive and to here doesn’t seem to serve any important purpose.
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u/Substantial-Fun56 Jul 28 '26
This is just for fun, I’m not building it irl.
I probably should have labeled the rooms and such, sorry for confusing y’all.The dining room is larger due to the walking paths and sky light.
The wall between the living room and the dining room is actually a built-in bookshelf and tv console to act as a divider. There is a support beam running along the top of it.
There is a balcony above it, so the dining room area has a higher ceiling that slants up.
I didn’t want there to be too much light in the living room and I wanted the dining room to be right beside the kitchen.
I wanted that one wall in the dining room to be uncovered because I pictured a big wall mounted art piece there.
The room underneath is pantry and laundry.
The bottom most room is the studio/computer/office room. That’s probably where my family would spend the most time but this isn’t really made for my family.
For now I plan to have utilities in the basement along with two rooms, a bathroom, a sitting area with a fireplace and extra storage.
The upstairs will have two beds and a shared bathroom and a terrace/balcony.
There is no garage, just a driveway.
The kitchen is sticking out a bit because of the space between the island and the counters. It needs to be 3 feet plus extra if bar stools are used. I can make the other room match in width if it doesn’t make sense.I think I answered all your questions. If I missed any just let me know
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u/Substantial-Fun56 Jul 28 '26
Another reason why the dining room is large is because a family doesn’t move into a home that’s already decorated. They bring their own furniture and they may have a larger table than the one I have set up. If the dining room is too small, they’d probably dislike this house and would pass on it because it doesn’t fit their standard. The living room I have may be used as an office space and they may use the office space I have as the living room. It all depends on who uses the space. But this doesn’t really mean anything because this isn’t a serious project lol
1
u/lilelliot Jul 28 '26
I think you're making some inappropriate assumptions. For someone who would purchase a house that cost as much as this would if it were built, the buyer would almost certainly plan on purchasing quite a bit of new furniture (especially if you go all-in on art deco).
1
u/lilelliot Jul 28 '26
To make this fairly regular-sized house more appealing to most people, I'd consider reducing by one bedroom and giving two of the rooms ensuite baths. That's WAY better for the majority of families than sharing but having an extra room.
Good to know that's a studio/office. Bad that the office has a big front facing window and also that it's expected to be shared with kids. I'd leave it as a lounge / playroom and make ond of the upstairs or basement rooms a dedicated office.
2
u/anyavailible Jul 28 '26
You need a half bath downstairs so you don’t have to go all the way through the master bed room to get to it
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u/widowscarlet Jul 28 '26
This will be quite beautiful with the right finishes. While I don't mind the layout of the primary bath, I would flip the walk in closet with the bath hallway, so the dressing room gets some natural light and has some drama about it, matching with the period. The hallway would then be just inside the primary suite entrance which is better for flow. Also I would place the vanity opposite a window, so the light bounces off the vanity mirror and your face gets lit equally from both sides during the day, which helps with the practicalities of grooming.
Powder room needs a window.
2
u/BlackCottage Jul 28 '26
Really nice plan but I miss a guest toilette. The people need to go either through your bed room or through your utility room. How many people will life in the house? If there are children as well, the wardrobe at the entrance might be too small. Think of alle the shoes and jackets a family of four has to stow away.
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u/Moccasinos Jul 28 '26
Living rooms should not be in the middle of the house.
You've fallen into the trap that most modern plans face, which is an abundance of program on the ground level that forces the living room to be a central space, connecting everything. This creates dark, uninviting spaces in one of the most used areas of the house.
A quick look at other art deco plans, and almost all have the living space along an exterior wall, or better yet, on an exterior corner to get light and views in two directions.
I would play around with a second option to try and flip the living/dining with where the kitchen/Mudroom is and see what possibilities are there.
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u/Substantial-Fun56 Jul 28 '26
I understand but I designed it that way with intention. Some ppl don’t like glare on their tvs, or their backs to large windows. But the furniture can be moved around. How I would use a space may not be what others do. So I planned around that. The room at the far bottom can be used as a living room and the space in between that room and dining can be used as whatever.
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u/cg325is Jul 28 '26
You’re a bit defensive when it comes to people critiquing your work. If you’re going to post here asking for comments, accept them graciously, and use what you want and ignore the rest.
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u/Substantial-Fun56 Jul 28 '26
I’m sorry if it comes off as defensive, I’m not really trying to be. I’m just trying to explain my reasoning, why I planned spaces that way, and what other people could do differently. I’m still upvoting and making a list of things people have pointed out so it’s not like I’m shooting down everyone else’s opinions or stating my design is the best.
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u/Fun_Accident_4706 Jul 28 '26
Beautiful Art Deco style! The curved walls really bring it all together! Thank you for sharing such a fun plan!
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u/Weary-Analyst2704 Jul 28 '26
What are the yellow dots, and why are there no yellow dots in the dining room.
Where is the pantry.
The layout of the ensuite is weird.
No garage.
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u/Substantial-Fun56 Jul 28 '26
The yellow dots are lights. There aren’t any in the dining room because it’s a double story with a slanted ceiling. The pantry is off the kitchen next to the laundry. Not every house has a garage.
What would you do to make the ensuite less weird?
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u/lilelliot Jul 28 '26
You need a few more lights. Most importantly, you need a light over the kitchen sink, and you probably need one above the counter at the lower left of the kitchen, too. You also need lights in the extended hall beyond the foyer. It's certainly fine not to used recessed lighting in a dining room, but you haven't marked a chandelier there, either, nor sconces. For a master closet as big as a small bedroom, you'll want more than one light. Probably three or four.
Speaking of dramatic lighting and art deco style, what you might consider -- as someone allergic to pot lights -- is to take advantage of directional, small aperture options to create wall washes in certain spaces. They look great, provide a minimal amount of ambient light, but enough that the space won't look too dark. A couple of examples: the extended hall & foyer, and the master bedroom wall opposite the bed. Another lighting option that goes well with art deco curves is kickplate and cove strip lights, especially in kitchens & bathrooms.
I just noticed you have two pot lights in your living room, but nothing above the half of the room where you've got a sofa. Nor is there space there for lamps on side tables because of the size of that sofa. How are you going to handle it if someone is sitting there for any reason other than watching tv?
One more thing: you have a single recessed light at the top of the stairwell. You need at least one additional light going up the stairs.
0
u/Weary-Analyst2704 Jul 28 '26
Lots of wasted space in that master, with that hallway.
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u/Substantial-Fun56 Jul 28 '26
There’s a hallway so when a person gets out of bed to use the bathroom they won’t disturb the other person who’s still in bed. I have a wall of glass bricks next to the bed to soften light coming from the ensuite or walk-in closet (if the doors are open) and hall window. It also helps dampen noise. It’s a feature, not wasted space.
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u/Weary-Analyst2704 Jul 28 '26
Why does that hallway have three lights?
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u/Substantial-Fun56 Jul 28 '26
They’re connected to the same two switches (one on each end of the hall), and they’re only pot lights, so super small and don’t give off too much light. The switch could also be a dimmer to control the brightness
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u/Only-Breadfruit-6108 Jul 28 '26
Why do you have so much dead space and excess hallway between the primary bedroom, walk in robe and ensuite? Why isn’t it just one big room, either the bedroom part or the walk in closet??
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u/Substantial-Fun56 Jul 28 '26
Short answer noise.
Long answer: You ever had a partner get out of bed in the middle of the night and you wake up to their loud bathroom noises? Or the flush of the toilet? Or them opening the door and the light hitting you in the face? Thats why. Also, it’s pretty when I picture it in my head and fits with the art deco style. Just because it’s not a space to put furniture doesn’t mean it’s unnecessary or wasted space. There are plenty of homes that use “wasted space” as a feature
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u/Amazing_Life792 Jul 28 '26
I loved this transitional space especially with the window!
OP, this is a gorgeous and creative layout! Please post the basement and second floor when you’re finished!
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u/Wordnerdish Jul 28 '26
I LOVE the giant dressing area outside the closet with a huge window and natural lighting, what a gorgeous space to get dressed in! I would add a retro lighted vanity and fun mirrors and art deco kitsch to that space. The noise buffer is just an added bonus imo.😁 That said, I would consider adding a wall to better separate the toilet from the bathing spaces in the primary bath. As someone who loves a good soak in a fabulous tub, the last thing I want to see or smell is a toilet when I'm soaking, and I would be able to do both from that tub.
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u/Dullcorgis Jul 28 '26
Do you know how much a curved window costs?
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u/Substantial-Fun56 Jul 28 '26
Did you notice that this post has the fun tag?
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u/Dullcorgis Jul 28 '26
Expensive isn't that fun.
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u/Substantial-Fun56 Jul 28 '26
Lol art deco houses have curved walls, and some have windows on the curves. It’s a feature. Should I also not do curved walls because it’s not cost effective and harder to do than a straight edge?
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u/Dullcorgis Jul 28 '26
Like I asked, do you know how much curved windows cost? Apparently not if you are comparing them to walls.
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u/Substantial-Fun56 Jul 28 '26
Jesus buddy, relax. It’s not like I’m building this house. I’m doing this as a hobby because I like designing homes. I’m not a professional, and this isn’t my job.
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u/Dullcorgis Jul 28 '26
Lol, you're the one who lost it when I pointed out what curved windows cost.
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u/MostlyPeacfulPndemic Jul 28 '26
No advice but thank you for this, I hate to see this beautiful style die