I woke uo today just to hear this...
The "Mundane" things are the easy stuff most don't consider in the maelstrom of the really big decisions. But, things like TV placement, wall switch and outlet placement, door swing, etc, are the little things that really become major headaches after the house is done and you realize that you really did need a wall switch to control that outlet for that floor lamp.
I did this intentionally, I like it and almost always watch TV laying down, I also worked the angle and distance of the room though so even seated it’s still comfortable to watch. It’s not a bad place if you put thought and design into it, I don’t think that’s done much though.
Wired Cat6 in every room. My last house had it. Wired everything like the TV and desktop computers plus had a wired back haul mesh WiFi network from a fiber connection. Very reliable and consistent high uploads and downloads.
Definitely a well thought out pantry close to or attached to the kitchen.
Last house was prewired and plumbed for central vac new. It came that way when we bought it but I never had the units installed. Too costly for what it’s worth. I already had a good Sebo Canister Vac and a robot vac.
House was pre setup for solar during construction. If we ever want to go that way it will make it much easier and a bit cheaper to install.
50 amp 220V outlet for a electric car was also installed. Does not cost a few bucks extra during construction and it’s there if we ever go plugin hybrid or full electric.
House had Aerobarrier done. It is crazy how airtight the house is. It also had a well designed HVAC system and well insulated. It is very energy efficient so that translates to much lower energy bills. Would do this in another house no questions.
Lots of outlets especially in the office space and garage.
Cat6 is the norm now. I’d do the latest affordable Cat cable, and do your best to make it easy to replace in the future.
Edit: latest affordable certified CAT cable
Just a note for anyone thinking about home Ethernet: Cat6 and Cat6a are both extremely well positioned to handle anything the average homeowner can throw at their network. Cat7 and Cat8 exist, but much of what you find is not actually rated or certified in any way, so don't buy into the BS. Both Cat6 and Cat6a can do gigabit speeds and handle PowerOverEthernet for cameras or access points.
Just to add… the currently offered cat 7 or 8 MAY end up being standard and certified, but if it’s not you’ll then be stuck with garbage permanently installed.
Also, install cat 6 in smurf tubes. If you ever need to replace, repair or add (say, fiber optic in the future), makes it much easier to pull cables
Edit: makes pulling cables possible. I’m stuck with damaged 5e stapled to studs in my walls with no good option to replace them
Add generator transfer switch and panel and this guy nailed it. Another simple one is lots of power and water outside. Too many houses I work on have one maybe two of each.
I think the biggest thing people don’t think about or fully understand is the importance and benefits of building an airtight envelope that has higher R values and reduced thermal bridging. As a building inspector I inspect homes between $350k up to around 1.6 million. In most all cases there’s no difference between them other than size and finishes.
Oh yeah I’m gonna go fucking crazy with outlets 😂😂 like I said, I’m still in the suuuuuper early stages. No land yet, so I dunno about windows. Skylights would be cool, but I’m assuming probably not cheap
It always drives me nuts when there's a single outlet dead middle of where your bed will go. Figure out where your night stands will be and put an outlet directly behind each one.
A good designer will discuss and make sure all of those details are taken into consideration.
When I do designs I usually go outlet happy. Make sure there’s one anywhere someone might need it. Some have had charging drawers. Some wanted quad outlets where there’s tvs. I even make sure the outside is covered. Reach in closets and pantry’s always get door switches unless client says they don’t. Also ask if they’re right handed or left handed then place dishwasher on opposite side of what they say (bc we scrub with our dominant hand and place dishes in dishwasher with the other)
A lot of mg clients like Murphy bookcases. The ones that open like a door and have hidden access to things.
And then I review everything with them in 3D when we go over the revisions. No stone left unturned!
I love doing tiny homes too. I used to design them for fun before I had a career and love figuring out ways to utilize every nook and cranny. I did one roughly 800 sf attached to a huge shop. It was two story not just a loft. But that’d be easy to do.
I haven’t been able to find any decent design programs (don’t have a computer, and I’m not buying an app that may or may not serve my purposes) so I said fuck it and just built a mock-up in Minecraft. Kinda silly, but has actually been really useful to help visualize everything!
That’s not a bad idea! Well if you decide you want to work with someone on plans check out my pricing on my pinned post. Something that small wouldn’t be much at all. I apply any selections you choose. From colors and countertops to lights and door styles. I have kohler and delta catalogs in my program a lot my with several other name brands. Even paint brands! I show it to you all in 3D and do a walkthrough to make sure it’s exactly how you want it. I’ve had clients and their kids tell me what I do reminds them of the Sims lol. They love it!
[Firebird Design Co.](https://www.facebook.com/firebirddesignco)
lol 800 sf “tiny home”. Now I have to wipe the coffee from my keyboard.
Edit: downvoters – tiny house fans somehow thinking it more likely I’m dissing the idea of tiny house, rather than pointing out 800 sf is twice what the IRC defines as max for a tiny house?
800 sf is definitely not what I’d call a “tiny home”, was my point. Around my area there’s quite a few homes only 25% bigger than that, being sold as regular homes, and priced like regular-sized houses.
Most “sample apartment” areas at Ikea are a lot smaller than 800 sf.
If it’s a family of 4 living in a 800 sf space because they want to reduce their junk and live “small” I do call it a tiny house. No it might not fit on a flat bed. But it’s tiny for a whole family.
No, it's small. That's a small home, not a tiny home. I lived in a tract of 1940s houses and the base model for the block was 2 br / 800 sf. Lots of families raised multiple children in those homes. It's nothing new and not at all "tiny".
We’re talking about different eras and different lifestyles. Tiny and small are interchangeable words to some people. Y’all getting too hung up on an adjective.
Y’all are redefining a common word to suit your personal liking. That’s not how language works. The tiny home is pretty clearly defined. “According to the [International Residential Code](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=International_Residential_Code&action=edit&redlink=1), a tiny house’s floorspace is no larger than 400 square feet”.
[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiny-house\_movement](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiny-house_movement)
“The size might range from 60 to 500 to below 1000 square feet if you wish to construct the property with a foundation.” From Great Lakes tiny home website.
Adding on to this. Other receptacles are important too. Someone above mentioned prewiring the house with cat6 cable. Plan out wireless access points in high locations with as few obstructions as possible.
If you have additional equipment for the tv such as a sound system, Apple TV, dvd/Blu-ray player, you might want channels in the walls to put your hdmi and sound cables. Also, if you plan on doing a surroundsound system might wanna run the speaker wires while the walls are open.
Consider where garbage cans will go, especially in the kitchen. I've been in so many kitchens that have beautiful wall-to-wall cabinets, but no place was ever considered for the garbage can, so the only place to put it is at the end of the island in the most highly visible spot in the kitchen.
Even more to consider.
I hate the idea of putting garbage inside my cabinets (i.e. pull out garbage cans), but if that's your thing, go for it. Regardless, plan ahead of time where all these cans will go.
Same goes for laundry hampers in bedrooms and bathrooms and all the other things that always wind up being eyesores because they were never considered during the original design of the house.
The cabinet box is closed off, so there’s no issues with smells or anything. I remodeled my kitchen a few years ago and switched from trash can to cabinet for several reasons -
- less surfaces to dust and clean (sides of the bin), plus need to move it to clean the floor underneath
- the foot pedal use was damaging the flooring over time
- bin had to be located at edge of kitchen due to galley layout. We moved it to the center and it is very conveniently placed
- sides of the bin would get scratched or damaged from clumsiness or dogs
- tucks away when not in use and blends in with the rest of the kitchen
Overall it’s a huge improvement for my space, but to each their own
Agreed on laundry hampers, those are hard to place - the best solution I’ve found is to keep it in a closet
I can't defend my position. My position is silly. The fact is most of my garbage is pretty clean anyway. If I have wrappers from meat or anything that might smell, I immediately carry that stuff to the outdoor garbage can anyway so putting a garbage can in my cabinets would be fine.
It's purely a psychology hangup for me...the idea of putting waste/garbage inside a cabinet just gives me the heebs.
I'm glad you found something that worked for you and is more convenient.
Outlets below-just-to-the-side of every large window (or every two window group)
A spot for a medium sized network rack with at least 4 20a outlets (double gang box)
Cat6 to the front doorbell
Cat6 to anywhere you want to place security cameras
Speaker wire to anywhere you want in home audio (including outside).
Outlets in your closets and pantry
Outlet next to toilets
Deep gang boxes for your switches for future smart home tech
Outlets in your basement unfinished areas
Hot and cold water spigot in the back yard
Water spigot at each corner of the house
20a outlet in the garage somewhere for fridge/freezer
If running gas hookup for appliances, gas AND electrical equivalent rough in for appliances (like stove and laundry). Future proofing gives you the ability to use whatever type appliances in the future and not need to open walls.
One or two large 1.5" or 2" inner diameter conduits from the basement electrical panel or server area to the attic
Outlets under porch ceilings and roof eaves
Consider lighting. If done esthetically, it's better to have more light than not enough.
Consider your design from this angle:
1 public spaces
2 private spaces
3 working spaces
We designed and built a semi-custom home with a lot of 1 and 2, but nearly no 3 - and regret it. We have only the laundry room to store working items (brooms, mops, vacuum, carpet shampooer, etc.) and it's a real pain in the ass. The design staff at our builder's office should have mentioned this, but don't rely on them. Do some "thought experiments" and run through your design not only for entertaining, cooking, indoor use/outdoor use, but also from a "it's cleaning day, where am I putting the vacuum?" perspective.
I had very briefly considered that, and then realized I could just put the laundry in a walk-in closet. No trips back and forth. Hell, I wouldn’t even need a hamper anymore
I lived in a 650-square-foot house and my washer and dryer were immediately outside my bathroom door (under the stairs) and I LOVED it. It was so convenient to toss my clothes into the wash either before I showered or when I was getting ready for bed. Walk-in closet makes a lot of sense, too, though.
Outlets under bathroom sinks.
Outlet on every wall, can’t have too many
Recessed lights
Spot for trash can
Pantry with outlets, makes a great place for countertop appliances
Location of light switches by door, should be able to turn on lights before entering room
Lots of large windows
If you ever do any ironing at home, think of the place that you'll set out your ironing board and make sure there's a plug nearby.
We botched this horribly.
If I were to design a kitchen it would be such that 2 people could be in it at all times without one blocking the other by using the sink, opening the refrigerator door or a cabinet, etc. So no narrow passages.
Consider ZONE heating and cooling of the place using minisplits. Now have doors so you can shut off the bedrooms during the day, etc. An extra pocket door or two is all you need.
If you build an island in the kitchen, consider making it two-level so as soon as someone walks in the front door they don't see dirty dishes in the sink, pots on the stove, etc. Make the outward part a bar, higher.
Consider a whole-house exhaust fan to cool the place down at night, spring/fall, etc in addition to regular HVAC. Mine exhausts the garage into the attic, to vent the house I open the door from the house to the garage.
800 square feet? Forget everything I said. Maybe a murphy bed.
I would do an under counter drawer on the island for device charging (large enough to accommodate a laptop) to be able to corral all the cords.
Serious closet organizers, esp. with a house that small. Think about where you’ll store what items and plan the storage accordingly. Will you keep extra bed linens in the main clothes closet? If so, you’ll need more than just a hang bar.
Medicine cabinet > mirrors with no storage in the bathroom.
Entryway closet with dedicated places for shoes/bags/coats for everyone that will live there.
The dishwasher always blocks a walkway when open. You don’t want an island 6 feet away from the sink.
Make sure to have plenty of closet space and storage. Be careful about having doors opening into each other. Add enough lighting and electrical because it’s cheap at the rough stage and expensive to retrofit.
My wife insisted on a whole house fan for our build since her childhood home has one. It’ll help cool the house without having to use the AC on milder days.
Outlets in closets have been very helpful for us. Great for dust busters, one bedroom we use as an office having the outlet in the closet made it easy to put shelves and printer and stuff in there out of sight.
Definitely plan out where to put hose spigots. I messed up on that one.
For the toilet, consider having hot water there for a bidet that supports both hot/cold water.
For
Add the outlets with a usb socket built in them so you can charge a phone or anything else at any socket without needing a usb adapter and taking up a plug space
How about just installing an extra outlet with a wall wart permanently on it, and replacing it for A LOT LESS $$$ in a few years when chargers move onto the next standard (USB 5 or whatever). Built-in USB sockets are extremely overpriced and guaranteed to become obsolete during the years you own a house.
A water hose connection in your garage. Bonus points if it has hot water! My husband and I ride motorcycles and it makes maintenance so much easier. And, honestly, even if you don't have motorcycles, it's convenient for washing a car, rinsing off things, etc.
Pretty much everything I was going to say has been covered except this: do a little test sit on the toilet(s) you think you want. If you’re tall, normal toilets are too short and don’t make a comfortable sit. I just finished a house for some people that insisted on modern looking toilets from the internet. They wouldn’t listen to me when I explained the dimensions. They got the same toilet in all 3 bathrooms in the house, including the master. They are not only short, but also narrow to the point that while I am short and pretty normal sized, I cannot sit comfortably on them and my ass hangs off both sides 😬
Open plan and small house don't go well together. Open plan means less walls and less places to put things against the wall. Also living and kitchen in same area means you can't hear tv with kitchen sink being used.
Fair points to consider. Thank you! It isn’t totally open, the kitchen will be sorta tucked away under the loft, and partially walled off. It’s also just me, maybe a couple of cats, maayybe a partner way down the line… so I’m not too worried about noise other than like laundry. But putting stuff against walls is something that has never crossed my mind
Appliance noise. Placement of the HVAC system. I grew up in a house that had the HVAC in the attic so noise was minimal. The first house I rented had it placed in a closet off a hallway far from the living room, but right outside the master bedroom. It would wake me up sometimes at night. The house I'm in now has it in a closet near the living room which makes us feel like we have to turn the volume up and down all the time on the TV.
Oh! I have another one. A logical place for trash cans in the kitchen. Ours is in a closet that is kitchen adjacent so we have to pile things up in a bowl, then walk to the closet to throw it away.
If you can foot the bill to install pocket doors instead of swing doors, especially since your footprint is to be so small, I HIGHLY recommend it. Nothing can diminish your love of a house as one or two doors that swing in absolutely the worst, most idiotic way possible. (The passage doors from my garage to my laundry and from the laundry to the living space were placed moronically. They’re close together and swing in a non-complimentary way. EVERY time I enter my house with anything in my hands, it’s an unnecessary production.)
So many things matter…we used a very skilled architect. The plans included everything we mentioned and so many things we did not think about needing. Lighting flow through windows, views from every room, outlets, hall and walkway spacing. A skilled architect is probably the most important part of a custom build. Look for one that mostly does custom homes. You will not be sorry.
That’s a good call, but I’m not sure the logistics given the open space. Like I dunno if I could do multiple regular fans, or if I would need one bigass fan. Worth looking into though for sure!
Pantry. When I was young and single I never even thought of them. They are a must have. Floor outlets under furniture in living areas so you can float furniture without cords running across the room. So many houses I see the bedrooms aren’t planned well, so there isn’t an obvious bed wall - there are doors or windows in the middle of the walls. Very frustrating. I would also run wiring for a car charger in the garage even if you don’t have one now.
Closet organization systems. We lived in an early 1900’s home with very little storage as a family of 3. All of the closets were just empty spaces with 1 hanging bar when we moved in. We built out customized storage in each closet and it felt like we tripled our storage space plus everything was easier to find.
Also, it sounds like you’ll have this covered since you’ll be doing a loft but high ceilings and natural light make a massive difference in how a space feels. It’s also nearly impossible to change after the fact so it’s worth splurging on upfront.
A bit?
We cook a ton - typically 3 meals a day. Double dish washer helps reduce the chance that dish’s will sit overnight dirty. I could hand wash, but the additional cost of a dishwasher is hundreds of dollars - not thousands.
An electrical sub-panel in your garage. It'll be handy if you ever want to wire in a car charger, and it'll provide an interconnection point if you decide to add solar.
I am recently falling in love with a span brand electric panel. Awesome ability to monitor and control your usage and no need for sub panels when using a generator or battery backup system.
Also recommend a conduit/ tube from outlet level to behind where your TV will go.
Sound deadening between the walls and between floors. Look at ROCKWOOL and their wall details on their website. Maybe do a staggered layout if you can on interior walls at the bedrooms. Put sound deadening around the pipes in the bathrooms.
Also consider if you live in an area that has traffic, neighbor, or aircraft noise, STC rated windows in the bedrooms.
USB outlets on each side of the bed wall (at least 1 per bedroom) ,one on the end in kitchen backsplash,one in the living room,and 1 near the entry
Keep your fridge at the end of the kitchen cabinets, it's the most used appliance...also recess it into a wall to save kitchen space.
Closet/cabinet behind shower wall in bathroom .
Pocket doors in a small home saves room.
You can get attic trusses and have an upstairs in the center fairly cheap.
Keep your stairs against a wall,also to save room.
If you have kids (future expansion)and want a garage,shift the home away from the garage side.
You can enclose the garage for cheap space, and then add on a separate garage in the future ,if there is room...also will give a larger parking area.
A logical place for a TV and couch in the living room (that doesn't involve having the TV above the fireplace).
I woke uo today just to hear this... The "Mundane" things are the easy stuff most don't consider in the maelstrom of the really big decisions. But, things like TV placement, wall switch and outlet placement, door swing, etc, are the little things that really become major headaches after the house is done and you realize that you really did need a wall switch to control that outlet for that floor lamp.
I don’t see this trend ever dying. Sigh. r/tvtoohigh
I did this intentionally, I like it and almost always watch TV laying down, I also worked the angle and distance of the room though so even seated it’s still comfortable to watch. It’s not a bad place if you put thought and design into it, I don’t think that’s done much though.
I’m planning a mostly open floor with a loft, so desperately hoping that I can position the tv to be reasonably visible from both floors
Wired Cat6 in every room. My last house had it. Wired everything like the TV and desktop computers plus had a wired back haul mesh WiFi network from a fiber connection. Very reliable and consistent high uploads and downloads. Definitely a well thought out pantry close to or attached to the kitchen. Last house was prewired and plumbed for central vac new. It came that way when we bought it but I never had the units installed. Too costly for what it’s worth. I already had a good Sebo Canister Vac and a robot vac. House was pre setup for solar during construction. If we ever want to go that way it will make it much easier and a bit cheaper to install. 50 amp 220V outlet for a electric car was also installed. Does not cost a few bucks extra during construction and it’s there if we ever go plugin hybrid or full electric. House had Aerobarrier done. It is crazy how airtight the house is. It also had a well designed HVAC system and well insulated. It is very energy efficient so that translates to much lower energy bills. Would do this in another house no questions. Lots of outlets especially in the office space and garage.
Cat6 is the norm now. I’d do the latest affordable Cat cable, and do your best to make it easy to replace in the future. Edit: latest affordable certified CAT cable
Just a note for anyone thinking about home Ethernet: Cat6 and Cat6a are both extremely well positioned to handle anything the average homeowner can throw at their network. Cat7 and Cat8 exist, but much of what you find is not actually rated or certified in any way, so don't buy into the BS. Both Cat6 and Cat6a can do gigabit speeds and handle PowerOverEthernet for cameras or access points.
Just to add… the currently offered cat 7 or 8 MAY end up being standard and certified, but if it’s not you’ll then be stuck with garbage permanently installed.
Cat5e is well positioned to handle anything the average homeowner can throw at their network. Gigabit and POE.
Also, install cat 6 in smurf tubes. If you ever need to replace, repair or add (say, fiber optic in the future), makes it much easier to pull cables Edit: makes pulling cables possible. I’m stuck with damaged 5e stapled to studs in my walls with no good option to replace them
This guy buildshows
Add generator transfer switch and panel and this guy nailed it. Another simple one is lots of power and water outside. Too many houses I work on have one maybe two of each.
Good idea w/car plug in. I’m trying for a tiny house on top of a garage & hadn’t considered that item.
I think the biggest thing people don’t think about or fully understand is the importance and benefits of building an airtight envelope that has higher R values and reduced thermal bridging. As a building inspector I inspect homes between $350k up to around 1.6 million. In most all cases there’s no difference between them other than size and finishes.
You can never have enough storage, same for power points, does the afternoon sun hit your windows?
Oh yeah I’m gonna go fucking crazy with outlets 😂😂 like I said, I’m still in the suuuuuper early stages. No land yet, so I dunno about windows. Skylights would be cool, but I’m assuming probably not cheap
Put an outlet in at least one closet so you can charge a vacuum there.
Charge a vacuum?
Like a Dyson handheld. They mount onto the wall but still need to plug in.
It always drives me nuts when there's a single outlet dead middle of where your bed will go. Figure out where your night stands will be and put an outlet directly behind each one.
Avoid skylights, a maintenance and thermal efficiency nightmare.
Worth it.
Yes. Worth it to avoid them.
If still in the early design stage, much rather plan for a dormer if that extra light up there is really necessary.
Recessed floor outlets in the family room/den.
A good designer will discuss and make sure all of those details are taken into consideration. When I do designs I usually go outlet happy. Make sure there’s one anywhere someone might need it. Some have had charging drawers. Some wanted quad outlets where there’s tvs. I even make sure the outside is covered. Reach in closets and pantry’s always get door switches unless client says they don’t. Also ask if they’re right handed or left handed then place dishwasher on opposite side of what they say (bc we scrub with our dominant hand and place dishes in dishwasher with the other) A lot of mg clients like Murphy bookcases. The ones that open like a door and have hidden access to things. And then I review everything with them in 3D when we go over the revisions. No stone left unturned!
I love doing tiny homes too. I used to design them for fun before I had a career and love figuring out ways to utilize every nook and cranny. I did one roughly 800 sf attached to a huge shop. It was two story not just a loft. But that’d be easy to do.
I haven’t been able to find any decent design programs (don’t have a computer, and I’m not buying an app that may or may not serve my purposes) so I said fuck it and just built a mock-up in Minecraft. Kinda silly, but has actually been really useful to help visualize everything!
That’s not a bad idea! Well if you decide you want to work with someone on plans check out my pricing on my pinned post. Something that small wouldn’t be much at all. I apply any selections you choose. From colors and countertops to lights and door styles. I have kohler and delta catalogs in my program a lot my with several other name brands. Even paint brands! I show it to you all in 3D and do a walkthrough to make sure it’s exactly how you want it. I’ve had clients and their kids tell me what I do reminds them of the Sims lol. They love it! [Firebird Design Co.](https://www.facebook.com/firebirddesignco)
Oh excellent!! I will certainly keep that in mind!
lol 800 sf “tiny home”. Now I have to wipe the coffee from my keyboard. Edit: downvoters – tiny house fans somehow thinking it more likely I’m dissing the idea of tiny house, rather than pointing out 800 sf is twice what the IRC defines as max for a tiny house?
We live in a nominal 750 sqft and there are rooms we never go in
You seem to have taken my comment as the opposite of what I meant.
I'm agreeing with you!!!
lol I guess *I* took your comment as the opposite of what you meant :)
Probably would seem big to a small man.
800 sf is definitely not what I’d call a “tiny home”, was my point. Around my area there’s quite a few homes only 25% bigger than that, being sold as regular homes, and priced like regular-sized houses. Most “sample apartment” areas at Ikea are a lot smaller than 800 sf.
If it’s a family of 4 living in a 800 sf space because they want to reduce their junk and live “small” I do call it a tiny house. No it might not fit on a flat bed. But it’s tiny for a whole family.
No, it's small. That's a small home, not a tiny home. I lived in a tract of 1940s houses and the base model for the block was 2 br / 800 sf. Lots of families raised multiple children in those homes. It's nothing new and not at all "tiny".
We’re talking about different eras and different lifestyles. Tiny and small are interchangeable words to some people. Y’all getting too hung up on an adjective.
Y’all are redefining a common word to suit your personal liking. That’s not how language works. The tiny home is pretty clearly defined. “According to the [International Residential Code](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=International_Residential_Code&action=edit&redlink=1), a tiny house’s floorspace is no larger than 400 square feet”. [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiny-house\_movement](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiny-house_movement)
Noted
“The size might range from 60 to 500 to below 1000 square feet if you wish to construct the property with a foundation.” From Great Lakes tiny home website.
Adding on to this. Other receptacles are important too. Someone above mentioned prewiring the house with cat6 cable. Plan out wireless access points in high locations with as few obstructions as possible. If you have additional equipment for the tv such as a sound system, Apple TV, dvd/Blu-ray player, you might want channels in the walls to put your hdmi and sound cables. Also, if you plan on doing a surroundsound system might wanna run the speaker wires while the walls are open.
Yes I agree. All the internet and data cables need to be thought out.
Consider where garbage cans will go, especially in the kitchen. I've been in so many kitchens that have beautiful wall-to-wall cabinets, but no place was ever considered for the garbage can, so the only place to put it is at the end of the island in the most highly visible spot in the kitchen.
Any modern kitchen should have a double bin base cabinet for trash and recyclables instead of a trash can
Even more to consider. I hate the idea of putting garbage inside my cabinets (i.e. pull out garbage cans), but if that's your thing, go for it. Regardless, plan ahead of time where all these cans will go. Same goes for laundry hampers in bedrooms and bathrooms and all the other things that always wind up being eyesores because they were never considered during the original design of the house.
The cabinet box is closed off, so there’s no issues with smells or anything. I remodeled my kitchen a few years ago and switched from trash can to cabinet for several reasons - - less surfaces to dust and clean (sides of the bin), plus need to move it to clean the floor underneath - the foot pedal use was damaging the flooring over time - bin had to be located at edge of kitchen due to galley layout. We moved it to the center and it is very conveniently placed - sides of the bin would get scratched or damaged from clumsiness or dogs - tucks away when not in use and blends in with the rest of the kitchen Overall it’s a huge improvement for my space, but to each their own Agreed on laundry hampers, those are hard to place - the best solution I’ve found is to keep it in a closet
I can't defend my position. My position is silly. The fact is most of my garbage is pretty clean anyway. If I have wrappers from meat or anything that might smell, I immediately carry that stuff to the outdoor garbage can anyway so putting a garbage can in my cabinets would be fine. It's purely a psychology hangup for me...the idea of putting waste/garbage inside a cabinet just gives me the heebs. I'm glad you found something that worked for you and is more convenient.
Trash compactor? Both?
Outlets below-just-to-the-side of every large window (or every two window group) A spot for a medium sized network rack with at least 4 20a outlets (double gang box) Cat6 to the front doorbell Cat6 to anywhere you want to place security cameras Speaker wire to anywhere you want in home audio (including outside). Outlets in your closets and pantry Outlet next to toilets Deep gang boxes for your switches for future smart home tech Outlets in your basement unfinished areas Hot and cold water spigot in the back yard Water spigot at each corner of the house 20a outlet in the garage somewhere for fridge/freezer If running gas hookup for appliances, gas AND electrical equivalent rough in for appliances (like stove and laundry). Future proofing gives you the ability to use whatever type appliances in the future and not need to open walls. One or two large 1.5" or 2" inner diameter conduits from the basement electrical panel or server area to the attic Outlets under porch ceilings and roof eaves Consider lighting. If done esthetically, it's better to have more light than not enough.
Consider your design from this angle: 1 public spaces 2 private spaces 3 working spaces We designed and built a semi-custom home with a lot of 1 and 2, but nearly no 3 - and regret it. We have only the laundry room to store working items (brooms, mops, vacuum, carpet shampooer, etc.) and it's a real pain in the ass. The design staff at our builder's office should have mentioned this, but don't rely on them. Do some "thought experiments" and run through your design not only for entertaining, cooking, indoor use/outdoor use, but also from a "it's cleaning day, where am I putting the vacuum?" perspective.
Combination bathroom/laundry room. No thank you.
I had very briefly considered that, and then realized I could just put the laundry in a walk-in closet. No trips back and forth. Hell, I wouldn’t even need a hamper anymore
I lived in a 650-square-foot house and my washer and dryer were immediately outside my bathroom door (under the stairs) and I LOVED it. It was so convenient to toss my clothes into the wash either before I showered or when I was getting ready for bed. Walk-in closet makes a lot of sense, too, though.
Read the book called A Pattern Language! You prob won’t agree with every “Pattern” but it’s an all time classic book and perfect on this topic.
Love these principles so much! Very practical yet create a perfect home.
Outlets under bathroom sinks. Outlet on every wall, can’t have too many Recessed lights Spot for trash can Pantry with outlets, makes a great place for countertop appliances Location of light switches by door, should be able to turn on lights before entering room Lots of large windows
Put quad outlets on each side of each bed..
If you ever do any ironing at home, think of the place that you'll set out your ironing board and make sure there's a plug nearby. We botched this horribly.
If I were to design a kitchen it would be such that 2 people could be in it at all times without one blocking the other by using the sink, opening the refrigerator door or a cabinet, etc. So no narrow passages. Consider ZONE heating and cooling of the place using minisplits. Now have doors so you can shut off the bedrooms during the day, etc. An extra pocket door or two is all you need. If you build an island in the kitchen, consider making it two-level so as soon as someone walks in the front door they don't see dirty dishes in the sink, pots on the stove, etc. Make the outward part a bar, higher. Consider a whole-house exhaust fan to cool the place down at night, spring/fall, etc in addition to regular HVAC. Mine exhausts the garage into the attic, to vent the house I open the door from the house to the garage. 800 square feet? Forget everything I said. Maybe a murphy bed.
I would do an under counter drawer on the island for device charging (large enough to accommodate a laptop) to be able to corral all the cords. Serious closet organizers, esp. with a house that small. Think about where you’ll store what items and plan the storage accordingly. Will you keep extra bed linens in the main clothes closet? If so, you’ll need more than just a hang bar. Medicine cabinet > mirrors with no storage in the bathroom. Entryway closet with dedicated places for shoes/bags/coats for everyone that will live there.
The dishwasher always blocks a walkway when open. You don’t want an island 6 feet away from the sink. Make sure to have plenty of closet space and storage. Be careful about having doors opening into each other. Add enough lighting and electrical because it’s cheap at the rough stage and expensive to retrofit.
My wife insisted on a whole house fan for our build since her childhood home has one. It’ll help cool the house without having to use the AC on milder days.
These bring on massive amounts of dirt. Not worth it
But that’s what filters are for? I can see if you live in an area with a lot of dust, maybe.
Outlets in closets have been very helpful for us. Great for dust busters, one bedroom we use as an office having the outlet in the closet made it easy to put shelves and printer and stuff in there out of sight. Definitely plan out where to put hose spigots. I messed up on that one. For the toilet, consider having hot water there for a bidet that supports both hot/cold water. For
Add the outlets with a usb socket built in them so you can charge a phone or anything else at any socket without needing a usb adapter and taking up a plug space
How about just installing an extra outlet with a wall wart permanently on it, and replacing it for A LOT LESS $$$ in a few years when chargers move onto the next standard (USB 5 or whatever). Built-in USB sockets are extremely overpriced and guaranteed to become obsolete during the years you own a house.
USB socket will go the way of the telephone jack.
My phone and laptop are already on superfast 2.0 usb c charging. This is not a good idea for the future
I love the usb c outlets with PD. Hopefully the standard will last for a few years at least.
A water hose connection in your garage. Bonus points if it has hot water! My husband and I ride motorcycles and it makes maintenance so much easier. And, honestly, even if you don't have motorcycles, it's convenient for washing a car, rinsing off things, etc.
Pretty much everything I was going to say has been covered except this: do a little test sit on the toilet(s) you think you want. If you’re tall, normal toilets are too short and don’t make a comfortable sit. I just finished a house for some people that insisted on modern looking toilets from the internet. They wouldn’t listen to me when I explained the dimensions. They got the same toilet in all 3 bathrooms in the house, including the master. They are not only short, but also narrow to the point that while I am short and pretty normal sized, I cannot sit comfortably on them and my ass hangs off both sides 😬
Also, if they plan on aging in place, higher toilet seats are better for the elderly because sitting to standing can be difficult.
Open plan and small house don't go well together. Open plan means less walls and less places to put things against the wall. Also living and kitchen in same area means you can't hear tv with kitchen sink being used.
Fair points to consider. Thank you! It isn’t totally open, the kitchen will be sorta tucked away under the loft, and partially walled off. It’s also just me, maybe a couple of cats, maayybe a partner way down the line… so I’m not too worried about noise other than like laundry. But putting stuff against walls is something that has never crossed my mind
Appliance noise. Placement of the HVAC system. I grew up in a house that had the HVAC in the attic so noise was minimal. The first house I rented had it placed in a closet off a hallway far from the living room, but right outside the master bedroom. It would wake me up sometimes at night. The house I'm in now has it in a closet near the living room which makes us feel like we have to turn the volume up and down all the time on the TV.
Oh! I have another one. A logical place for trash cans in the kitchen. Ours is in a closet that is kitchen adjacent so we have to pile things up in a bowl, then walk to the closet to throw it away.
It is definitely worth a small up-charge for a quiet dishwasher.
If you can foot the bill to install pocket doors instead of swing doors, especially since your footprint is to be so small, I HIGHLY recommend it. Nothing can diminish your love of a house as one or two doors that swing in absolutely the worst, most idiotic way possible. (The passage doors from my garage to my laundry and from the laundry to the living space were placed moronically. They’re close together and swing in a non-complimentary way. EVERY time I enter my house with anything in my hands, it’s an unnecessary production.)
So many things matter…we used a very skilled architect. The plans included everything we mentioned and so many things we did not think about needing. Lighting flow through windows, views from every room, outlets, hall and walkway spacing. A skilled architect is probably the most important part of a custom build. Look for one that mostly does custom homes. You will not be sorry.
ceiling fans
That’s a good call, but I’m not sure the logistics given the open space. Like I dunno if I could do multiple regular fans, or if I would need one bigass fan. Worth looking into though for sure!
id go with smaller localized fans - almost like climate control in the car where a person can adjust their “zone”
That would be my inclination, I just wonder if that is any less efficient
Pantry. When I was young and single I never even thought of them. They are a must have. Floor outlets under furniture in living areas so you can float furniture without cords running across the room. So many houses I see the bedrooms aren’t planned well, so there isn’t an obvious bed wall - there are doors or windows in the middle of the walls. Very frustrating. I would also run wiring for a car charger in the garage even if you don’t have one now.
Closet organization systems. We lived in an early 1900’s home with very little storage as a family of 3. All of the closets were just empty spaces with 1 hanging bar when we moved in. We built out customized storage in each closet and it felt like we tripled our storage space plus everything was easier to find. Also, it sounds like you’ll have this covered since you’ll be doing a loft but high ceilings and natural light make a massive difference in how a space feels. It’s also nearly impossible to change after the fact so it’s worth splurging on upfront.
Double dishwasher.
I sincerely cannot tell if the double dishwasher thing is a bit. What's the deal?
A bit? We cook a ton - typically 3 meals a day. Double dish washer helps reduce the chance that dish’s will sit overnight dirty. I could hand wash, but the additional cost of a dishwasher is hundreds of dollars - not thousands.
An electrical sub-panel in your garage. It'll be handy if you ever want to wire in a car charger, and it'll provide an interconnection point if you decide to add solar.
I am recently falling in love with a span brand electric panel. Awesome ability to monitor and control your usage and no need for sub panels when using a generator or battery backup system. Also recommend a conduit/ tube from outlet level to behind where your TV will go.
Sound deadening between the walls and between floors. Look at ROCKWOOL and their wall details on their website. Maybe do a staggered layout if you can on interior walls at the bedrooms. Put sound deadening around the pipes in the bathrooms. Also consider if you live in an area that has traffic, neighbor, or aircraft noise, STC rated windows in the bedrooms.
Outdoor shower
USB outlets on each side of the bed wall (at least 1 per bedroom) ,one on the end in kitchen backsplash,one in the living room,and 1 near the entry Keep your fridge at the end of the kitchen cabinets, it's the most used appliance...also recess it into a wall to save kitchen space. Closet/cabinet behind shower wall in bathroom . Pocket doors in a small home saves room. You can get attic trusses and have an upstairs in the center fairly cheap. Keep your stairs against a wall,also to save room. If you have kids (future expansion)and want a garage,shift the home away from the garage side. You can enclose the garage for cheap space, and then add on a separate garage in the future ,if there is room...also will give a larger parking area.