albyrne

Coastal/golf course retirement home - floor plan suggestions?

albyrne
5 years ago
Hi Houzzers…

Currently in the concept design phase for our retirement home, to be located on NSW South Coast. This will be ‘forever home’ for a couple only, with, all going well, our occupancy from about 18 months time. The block is at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac located just under a kilometre from the beach, with a fairly narrow frontage to the north. We have ocean glimpses to the front, and beautiful views through the trees at the back to the adjacent golf course. The bushy block slopes down to the front, falling about 1.5m from back to front, and there is a caveat preventing us building on the rear 10 metres backing onto the golf course. During summer we’ll definitely get a brisk north-easterly sea breeze on many days.

The picture is the first draft of architectural concept. We’ve already asked that dining/kitchen/living be reconfigured to one big space, preferably with kitchen adjacent to the big deck. We really like the fact that, as we asked, the home itself is single level, and the fact that almost every room will have a view to a courtyard of some description or to the golf course. The front courtyard will be mostly shielded from the street by a screen of vertical timber battens that will be continued across the front face of the garage and the front of the house itself.

Noting that stair-free access is likely to become a need in the medium term, I’m thinking that we should be asking for, potentially, a rethink of the front half of the plan that perhaps sees a gate into the front courtyard adjacent to the garage, and a curved path/ramp that joins the deck beside the spa and outdoor shower. At the cost of some courtyard space, this would present the opportunity to add an entry alcove into the reconfigured kitchen/dining/living space (replacing the proposed entry at the front of the house), and allow a redesign of the hobbies room and study to address our primary concern - not enough storage space.

Any further comments, tips or suggestions would be welcomed…

Comments (20)

  • oklouise
    5 years ago

    sounds like a gorgeous location but do you plan to use an outdoor clothesline, is the spa only for private use and do you need or want access into the backyard? my initial reaction is to suggest a side by side garage would be so much more convenient than tandem and a fly screened alfresco would shelter the deck and create a covered walkway from garage into the house (with space for a ramp) and make outdoor living more comfortable and the length of each boundary would make the spaces easier to understand

  • Kay
    5 years ago
    A happy coincidence, we are doing the same here in Victoria, moving in on Friday.
    Cannot wait for golf course living & we don’t even golf.

    Drawings look great.
    Some thoughts
    Will you need to move 1 car to get the other out or is there 2 way access out of garage.

    The kitchen dining seems smaller than the living, is that intentional?

    The hobbies room is great, we changed 1 of the usual bedrooms to a utility/store

    We get those same winds & our man alfresco is on the North.
    It wasn’t till framing stage that we walked around & thought of needing a small outside sitting area on the west side somewhere.

    Just to have an evening drink out of the wind if we want.

    Is the Laundry big enough, I always use a spacious laundry.

    Best wishes & enjoy the journey
  • albyrne
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    Thank you @oklouise, once we’re both retired, we’ll be dropping back to one car (plus the electric golf cart tucked into the back of the garage), so we’re not perturbed by tandem garage. We’ve had tandem configuration in a previous home, and were quite happy. On this block, a double garage would, I think, have looked too dominant from the street, given the fairly narrow frontage.

    The roof line of the house is already intended to extend over the deck to the garage, so we will have covered access to/from.
  • albyrne
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    And, sorry I missed the first sentence of your response. Haven’t yet decided on a location for outdoor clothesline, but likely to on the back wall. This will only get occasional use. The spa is definitely for private use. We’ll be sheltered from view from the street by the timber screening across front of courtyard, plus the house itself. The plans don’t show the intended wide single step down from the back of the deck (ie: behind the BBQ location) to allow access to the backyard.

    Very interested in any suggestions for reconfiguring hobbies/study if the need for entry at the front were eliminated by the proposed ramp described above...
  • albyrne
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    And thanks to you @Kay, as well. We’ve already asked for reconsideration of the kitchen/dining/living - to turn it into one big space. We’re hopeful that the size and orientation of the large covered deck between house and garage will allow us sufficient shelter from the summer afternoon NE breezes. If not, I’ll just have to go and play a round of golf!
  • dreamer
    5 years ago
    Hi Albyrne, you are moving to my husbands idea of heaven. Congratulations. My first thoughts for closing existing entry and making storage are attached. With shelving around two walls. I agree, the type of environment your moving to, does not warrant a formal entry. On the outside you could make a feature wall with planting or stone wall. Obviously steps, and landing would be removed.
  • dreamer
    5 years ago
    My other thought was to make two long shelve units, ceiling height, running between each room, you could have each end open, or closed with a sliding barn type door.
  • dreamer
    5 years ago
    Photos of walk in storage option or walk through storage option.
  • PRO
    Paul Di Stefano Design
    5 years ago

    Such a great opportunity for a project!

    We've done these before, and like everything it should always be all about connection to the site and celebrating the lifestyle that comes along with this location.

    Here is a (larger) residence we developed for a similar golf estate context, with restrictions on setbacks and an odd shaped allotment:


    13th Beach Golf Links Residence · More Info


    And the floor plan, although the plunge pool/landscaping changed a bit:


    The thing is on yours, it feels like it's missing opportunities and could (should!) be better..

    You're on the right track with your instincts about the entry, and the living kitchen dining, as well as the front.......

    The issues I see are about distinguishing of the private and secondary spaces. Eg You shouldn't be walking past a bathroom or laundry to get into the main space, or approaching a kitchen from behind.

    Do you entertain / have friends over? The BBQ is so clunky - on to a wall that BACKS onto the beautiful view (!!!???!!)

    The approach into the kitchen/dining is particularly poor, and it like there are aspects of the house that don't capitalise on the best outlooks to the golf course, like the kitchen & master bedroom. This outlook needs to be maximised and if the master is to outlook more privately, then fine, but the view needs to be given to something better than the walk in robe.....

    The kitchen/dining should be "speaking" to the view, not tuning it's back on it like it is

    Without picking it completely apart I'd suggest considering perhaps a bunch of broadform concepts that are rough, but quickly look at options of how to configure the spaces in different ways, before then honing in on fine detail. you need to get the main "skeleton" in regards to zoning and connection to place/outlooks and north light properly sorted first.

    With such a fantastic small scale brief and amazing context there is really no excuse not to have this close to perfect from a design point of view, and to do this the design needs to be more responsive and tuned in to connection to the context and outlooks and simultaneously managing/distinguishing the main living from the private spaces.

    this is the type of house that should "embrace' and "open up" to the outlook/environment, with expansive southern glazing aspects and views from the entry through, interesting little internal pockets, and perfectly balanced and discretely managed private zones considering the scale

    I'd be thinking about the value factor in that if this ever needs to be sold then the hobbies and study can function as a true 2nd or 3rd bedroom and so the bathroom needs to be managed accordingly.

    It's kind of on the right track, but my feeling is that whilst it "ticks the boxes" with the spaces on paper, it's needs rethinking in terms of the overall and the key will be in sorting the flow and zoning with sensitive consideration and prioritisation given to the specific outlooks from every single aspect internally

    As you say , this is your "forever" home, and so it deserves to be exactly that, which at the moment, conceptually, it's falling well short of.

    Apologies if it's bit harsh/firm, comments well intended & hope considered helpful :)

    Best of luck PD :)

    www.pauldistefanodesign.com

  • oklouise
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    some ideas to consider..having the double garage set back on the block would have less impact on the frontage, allow more storage and workshop space, includes rear access for the buggy and off street parking can be useful in a cul de sac... having the spa off the master bedroom could be interesting and include an outdoor shower and beach access through the east courtyard, there's a new covered front entry, extra storage, rearranged kitchen and option for a more generous laundry and, as much as i love the look of the angled walls they don't make the ensuite or study more spacious or easier to furnish and access along the east side of the house for access to the ensuite for the toilet could be useful instead of walking through the house from the backyard


    with the slope towards the front do you plan for a concrete slab with steps at the front and walking out the back at ground level or piers needing steps back and front?

    albyrne thanked oklouise
  • siriuskey
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Love that garage, it is a lot like ours, I was playing with the same idea for this build earlier today. with a different floor plan for the rest of the house, Love the look of the coloured floor plan you can just visualize people living in it. Our architect designed house floor plan showing garage. and totally agree that those sharply angled walls are a waste of usable space.Our living areas over look water but the same applies to overlooking a golf course




  • siriuskey
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    This is the very rough sketch I was playing with , working the garage similar to our house, we are at the end of a cul de sac with a very small street frontage very similar to yours.

    I have moved the laundry and replaced it with a large window with with a bench seat to let light into the house and gallery, When entering the house you will have a view through to the golf course, You won't see the kitchen.



    albyrne thanked siriuskey
  • albyrne
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    Thank you so much to all above for the valuable and inspiring ideas. This input has given us good information and useful ideas to consider prior to our next feedback meeting with architect at the end of the month.

    A.
  • ddarroch
    5 years ago
    North facing double garages on narrow blocks are a bit of a bugbear for me. Dominating the frontage, limiting northern light, making the home dark & colder in winter.

    So I applaud the OP for bucking the trend & considering a tandem garage, that is appropriate for their living circumstances.

    Though I must say that oklouise has done a good job in tucking that double garage out of the way, so as to not shade the home badly.

    One other comment, about roof design. OP, you may want to consider a skillion roof design over your living areas. This will give you the opportunity to have north facing clerestory windows. Brightening up your living areas, & making them warmer in winter (passive solar design).
  • siriuskey
    5 years ago

    Did your designer show you a 3D of how the tandem garage looks from the house as it appears to be lower do you see a lot the roof?, 6 or so steps up from where the Buggy is parked

  • albyrne
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    Thanks again to all.


    Last week's meeting to thrash out some ideas led to this revised rough sketch...




    This gives us:

    -- more coats storage near the front door for visitors

    -- good size linen storage adjacent to laundry

    -- a 'drop zone' adjacent to kitchen (near the door into bedroom)

    -- 1800mm high wall between ensuite shower and toilet, to eliminate overspray (and provide location for future grab rail)

    -- possible bathtub in a great location, although I think we'll go without it, and have an internal rockery/fernery at the southern edge of the the ensuite shower recess in lieu, combined with skylight overhead (I love the fantasy of feeling like I'm showering 'outdoors')

    -- revised kitchen/dining/living arrangement that still gives room for BIG island bench

    -- possible ramp access, although still need to figure out best configuration/location

    -- move electric golf cart to standalone 'shelter shed' located to rear, to allow more usable space in garage


  • albyrne
    Original Author
    5 months ago
  • littleswamp
    5 months ago

    Looks great - enjoy

  • oklouise
    5 months ago

    very impressive, hope you have a long and happy life in your new home