Basic Home Areas: HOME ZONES

Housing Supplement to Chapter 16

PRIVATE ZONESERVICE ZONE

SOCIAL ZONE

Private Zone

• Provide quiet, comfortable areas for sleeping and relaxing.

• Also provides a private place to bathe and dress.• The bedroom and bathrooms are the core of the

private zone

Private Zone Furniture Arrangement• Three purposes of the

private zone:– Sleeping– Bathing– Dressing

• A functional bedroom will have space provided for the following:– Sleeping– Storage of clothing– Dressing

• There should be a minimum of 22 inches on each side of the bed to safety and ease of making the bed.– Exception: Twin beds are small and can be made from

one side

Placement of Rooms• Split-bedroom plan - separates the master

bedroom from the other bedrooms.– Allows for more adult privacy.

• Bedroom for guests may also be separated.– This provides a more private area for your guests

when they stay.

• Each bedroom should be close to a bathroom. – This is for function, everyone needs to use the bathroom.

This needs careful consideration when deciding how many bathrooms and where to place them.

Master Bedrooms• Master bedrooms follow their own rules. • They have their own private bathroom and

should serve as a retreat.• They should be designed to suit the occupant.• Many times this space accommodates other

activities.– Space for reading, work area, balcony etc.

• In some instances the master bedroom & bath are not separated, but kept in one large open space.

Bathrooms

Full bath- sink, toilet, tub, and shower. Shower may be separate from tub or combination.

Half bath- Only sink & toilet (powder room)

Three-quarters bath- sink, toilet, shower

Bathrooms• If a home has only 1 bathroom, it should be

located so that it is easily accessible to all areas of the home.

• If you have only 1 bathroom remember that guests will be using it- keep this in mind! – It is connected to a bedroom, you may want to make

that room an office instead so that guests are not walking through your private bedroom area.

• There should be at least one bathroom per floor.

Doors & Windows• Recommended location for door is in the corner of the

room so it will not break up wall space.• Two exterior windows

provide cross ventilation.– Better air flow.

• Windows placed lower on walls interfere with furniture arrangement and allow for less privacy.

• Consider windows when deciding where to place the bed.– You may not want early morning

sun directly shining onto the bed.

Closets• Recommended location for closet is adjacent to

room entrance. • This allows for more insulation from noise between

rooms• Built-ins are closets attached to the walls.

Closets• “Walk-in Closets” are deeper than 4 feet.– This is a term often used by

realtors to jazz up a listing. – Americans like Walk-in closets

and a trend toward more storage space continues.

• Dressing Circle = 42 inches– This is how much space you need to safely dress

yourself without bumping into other things. – Some people include a chair or bench in their dressing

circle so that they may sit down- very common for elderly.

Closets• Armoires are pieces of furniture that are used

if no closet exists in room.– Very common in other cultures or older homes.

At one time you had to pay taxes based on the number

of rooms in a home- a closet was considered to be room.

This meant that only the wealthy could afford to

build a closet in their home, leaving most to use

armoires and dressers to store their clothing.

Furniture• The bigger the furniture, the larger the bedroom

should be.– Placing large furniture in a small space will make the

space seem even smaller!– You have to have space to

walk around and move.

Furniture• Bedside tables should be same

height as mattress. – This allows you to reach things

quickly and without accident.

Good lighting is needed in

makeup/ dressing areas.

Service Zone

• This is where household work is done.• The kitchen is the core of the service zone. • This is typically the busiest and nosiest area in the

home. • It also includes garages, laundry, and workshop

space.

Kitchen Work Centers• Functional kitchens have 3 basic work centers: – Food Storage: refrigerator & cabinets– Cooking: range, stove top & oven may be separate. – Cleanup: sink & dishwasher

• These centers are built around a major appliance or fixture and center around a major chore.

• Most kitchens also provide counter space for food preparation.

The Work Triangle• The work triangle evaluates a kitchens efficiency. • It is formed by drawing an imaginary line

connecting the sink, range, and refrigerator. • These are the core of the 3 work centers.

The Work Triangle• The triangle should not be so small that the kitchen

is cramped. Nor should it be so large that the centers become inconveniently far apart.

• Ideally the total length of the triangle should be between 12-22 feet.

• This increases to 14-24 feet if wheel chair accommodation is needed.

• The work triangle functions best when the 3 sides are nearly equal.

• Other traffic should not pass through the work triangle.

Kitchens• Some homes have their kitchen and

dining area in separate rooms this is called a closed plan.

• But today, more and more kitchens open into the dining room or family room, this is called an open plan. – It is great for families who

are very large or like to entertain and have guests.

– Cooks can continue to prepare food and still visit with guests or monitor children.

Kitchens • Depending on the home and its occupants, the

kitchen may house additional work spaces.• Small office space is commonly seen

in today’s modern kitchen. • In small homes/ apartments the

kitchen and laundry may be combined.

Kitchens• The kitchen should always be located near the

dining room. – This is where food is served, if they are far from one

another, it is more likely that a mess will be made when serving food.

• If there is a garage, the kitchen should be located near that entryway for ease in loading and unloading items.

Kitchens• If there is an outdoor entertaining area, like a

patio or deck, there should be easy access from there to the kitchen as well.

• In American culture the family BBQ is popular, some homes have an outdoor kitchen centered around the BBQ grill.

Common Kitchen Layouts

One-Wall

Corridor

L-Shaped

Common Kitchen Layouts

U-Shaped

Island

Peninsula

Laundry Areas• The laundry area can be located almost

anywhere in the home.• They are most commonly located near a

kitchen or bathroom.– Laundry areas need

plumbing for water and drains, as well as electricity it is cheaper if you place it close to other areas that have plumping and electric as well.

Laundry Areas• The laundry area needs to have an exterior wall for

dryer ventilation. • The floor in the laundry area should be washable. • Many areas include: a sink for soaking items,

clothesline for drying, and bins for storage. • The laundry area is also

commonly used for storage.

Social Zone

• This part of the home is used for activities and entertainment.

• The living room and dining room are the core of the social zone.

Living Rooms• Can be formal or informal depending on the needs of a

family.• Typically the living room is formal, if there is another

family room or play room in the home; and informal if it is the main gathering area for family members.

• Should not serve as a main circulation route into and through the home. – This will wear down your

flooring quickly and make it hard to visit with guests or watch TV because of constant interruption.

• Ideally the front door should open into a foyer or hallway.

• Should be next to the dining room for easy transition from socializing to dining.

Family Rooms• Not all homes contain a living room and family room. • This is an informal room that should

be used to meet the needs of the family.

• It is sometimes called: great room, media room, play room.

• Can be used for anything!

Dining Rooms• An informal dining room is located in the kitchen. – Typical for an open floor plan.

• A formal dining area is separated from the kitchen. – Typical for a closed floor plan.

• Although formal dining rooms are separate from the kitchen, they should still be close and easy to access.

• Some homes have both informal and formal dining areas.

Entryways• Make the first impression of a home. • It controls circulation to different

parts of a home.• The floors in the entryway should

be durable, water and soil resistant, and easy to clean.

• Some entryways are closed off, while others open directly into the living space.

Patios, Porches, and Decks• They extend the living areas of a home to

the outdoors.• May be used for conversation, relaxing,

playing, entertaining, dining, and cooking.• Can add value to the home as well as

curb appeal.

Furniture• The ideal diameter for the primary conversation

area is 8-12 feet. • If you have a large space

you may need more than 1 furniture grouping. – This is typically a space

for 2-3 people.– May center around a

piano or window.

Furniture

• In a small space, the housing zones may be combined into one large space.

• Furniture placement is limited, but important because it will determine where each zone starts and stops.

Furniture• Architecture as well as function should be considered

when placing furniture. • There may be certain locations where things must go on

account of electricity or door and window placement. • Where you place furniture will help control the flow of

traffic- The path people take as they walk from room to room

• Furniture placement can encourage or restrict traffic flow.

• Do not overcrowd the room with furniture

• Group furniture around a focal point like a fireplace.

Accommodating for Special Needs• Special housing accommodations may be need

for many reasons: Aging, Injured, Walker or wheel chair access, Animals, Children, etc.

• Common accommodations that are made to homes include: – Bedroom & bathroom on main floor- no stairs. – 4-5 feet of space around door ways and furniture. – Handrails and ramps– Gates and locks on cabinets