Interior Zones and Floor Plans
you will need a book
3 Basic Interior Zones
 1 – Living and Social
Area
– Living room, dining
room, family room,
game room, great
rooms, entry ways,
porches, dining etc.
Sleeping/Private
 Bedroom, Bathroom,
Closets and Dressing
rooms.
Service/Work
 Kitchen, Garage,
Office, Basement,
Utility/Laundry room.
Storage
Storage should be at least 10% of the total
square footage of the home. (i.e. 2,500 sq. ft.
home should have at least 250 sq. ft. of storage)
 Consider the items to be stored (Christmas
decorations, food/cleaning supplies, hobbies/
entertainment, memorabilia, etc.)
 Consider the ease of access to storage
areas
Traffic or Circulation Path
 The route that people follow as they move
from one place to another.
 3-4 Feet should be allowed for circulation
paths.
 Types – Family, Work & Service, Guest
Good Family Circulation
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Bathrooms should be close to bedrooms.
Indoor living next to outdoor living area’s
Other related rooms close to each other.
High use routes should be short and simple.
 Closed floor plans separate rooms
 Open floor plans have less walls, save on
cost of building materials, and home feels
more spacious
Work/Service Circulation
 Service entrances should be located near
the kitchen and basement stairs.
Kitchen Work Triangle
 Is the route from the center
of the sink, to the center of
the stove to the center of
the refrigerator and back to
the sink.
 Smaller work triangles will
save steps.
 For safety reasons there
should be no cross traffic.
Cross traffic can cause
spills and other accidents.
Other Aspects of Good Work
Circulation
 Easy access to
the basement,
garage and
storage areas.
 Clothes care
center in a
convenient
location.
Ask yourself these Questions
Can the cook prepare a meal without
worrying about constantly walking into
someone going by?
If people can eat in their rooms or living
areas, can they get there without leaving a
trail through the entire house?
If you spend a lot of time grilling outside on
the patio, is it convenient to the inside food
prep area?
Do you have to walk through to the other
end of the house to reach the outdoor grill?
Can you bring the groceries right in from
the outside without having to go through
the living room?
Guest Circulation
 Entry, living, dining, powder room or ½ bath not in
private area’s of the home, porches, patios,
entertainment rooms.
 Ask Yourself
 How to guests travel to the living room when you
are entertaining?
 Do they have to go through private areas of your
home?
 How do they get to the powder room?
 Is the kitchen handy for serving food and drinks to
your guests when you are entertaining?
http://www.home-decorating-room-by-room.com/trafficpatterns.html
Important Room Relationships
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Bathroom & Bedroom
Kitchen & Dining
Mudroom & Garage
Garage & Kitchen
Kitchen and outdoor living space
Living and dining areas
Can you think of others?