Seeing the the tulips emerge and pops of green in hedgerows is bringing huge joy this month. The new season is inspiring new projects and I have enjoyed discussing them with clients.
Two questions that I have been asked lately are, ‘Where do I start?’ and ‘How can I be sure that this design is the right one?’. The second question was asked by an Insider client who had booked a consultation with me, to discuss plans they had received back from their architect.
The answer to both of these questions is Spatial Planning.
spatial Planning | introduction
Spatial Planning starts with understanding what you would like your project to do for you, both now and in the future, and then designing the space around these requirements.
I always encourage clients to be as imaginative as possible in these initial discussions, it gives a really good insight into how they want to live in and use their space.
SpaTial planning | floor and furniture plans
Once the requirements are understood, attention turns to the floor plan and changes are made to optimise the space. Walls are moved, the correct size beds are dropped in, as are any larger pieces of furniture, bathroom fixtures and fittings, as well as much loved pieces that are to be reused in the design.
This process can throw up a number of options, each of which can impact the next. Recently we discussed the location of a guest bedroom. It was upstairs on the existing plan, however we suggested turning this into an ensuite bathroom with a utility and relocating the guest room down into the basement. This would allow the family to benifit from an ensuite bathroom upstairs and stop trips down to the basement with the laundry day to day. When guests came they would have their own space downstairs with a bathroom. Our final suggestion was a sofa bed in the playroom. This was next to the new guest bedroom and could then be used by any children who may want to stay next to their parents. Both these layouts work, however one may appeal more to you and your family.
Below we proposed an extension to a holiday home, that may become a permanent residence in the future. We moved the walls, doors and dropped in the furniture, giving the clients three versions of the floor plan to choose from. The first image shows the existing space, the second is one of the options we proposed. It gives the two larger bedrooms their own bathrooms, creates a larger fourth bedroom, a laundry cupboard and balances the windows on the back of the house.
spatial PLAnning | the details
Thinking through the different ways you could use your space allows you to feel confident in your decisions. This is important as you move onto the more detailed elements of the design, that make the space more personal.
Wine storage for a collector, space for a dog, muddy boots for a walker, sports equipment … this is always an important one to consider. A family with four sets of golf clubs and three cricket bags is going to need the storage space for not only these items but may also need to store a golf trolley, flight bag if they take clubs on holiday, as well as somewhere to charge the trolley battery and any accessories.
When these have a place and you are no longer tripping over muddy boots, sports bags or searching for lost charging cables … you can start to see if your space works for you.
SPATial PLANNING | how the space will evolve
Considering as many of these details as possible, allows you to think about how you want to use your space now, which in turn allows you to consider how you may use it in future.
A playroom will need storage for toys, however thinking about what the space may be used for when your house no longer has as many toys in it, could be beneficial. Joinery could be designed to incorporate a pull out desk and plugs for a laptop and printer. Allowing it to become a place to study, when the toys are no longer used as they once were, and you have teenagers thinking about needing a quiet space to work or revise for exams.
Once you have considered the Spatial Planning, you will be able to look at your project with a fresh perspective. You will see what needs to be incorporated, where you may have to make compromises such as giving up a double sink to enable you to have a roll top bath and walk-in shower in a master bathroom. When all of these elements have been discussed, it will become clear if the design works for you now as well as in five, ten and even twenty years time.
The next ‘Insider’ will be out shortly. If there are any other topics you would like to see featured, or you have any questions about Spatial Planning on your project do get in touch studio@alexandralangdon.co.uk.
In the meantime I hope you have a very Happy Easter.
