Coastal/golf course retirement home - floor plan suggestions?
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)
5 years ago- 5 years ago
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Comments (31)We're already at the "old age" with problems stage, so have gradually adapted most areas to suit our limitations. What has amazed me is how suddenly the body changes have seemed to come all at once. We have a 4x2 on a quarter acre close to amenities, and I would hate not to have it. I love having all our varied fruit trees and raised garden beds, but admit I have a strong young man to help for 2 hours a week. Had spinal and knee ops last year which has limited what I can do. Bad part of getting old is the mind staying young - tells the body to do something beyond it's present state. Example is lifting a huge bag of fertiliser out of car boot. Result was spinal surgery, and being told that lifting heavy objects will put me back under the knife. The 1 thing left to do in the bathrooms is install higher toilets, as the knees don't bend so well any more. Walk in showers, bidet toilet seats, and heated bathrooms are a boon, and grab rails are well used. We have a small step to the patio, but have installed a ramp for that, otherwise we have no other steps. Rugs and carpet have been replaced with tile which is easier for using walking frame. Installed more and brighter lights for OH,s fading eyesight, and replaced our t.v. with a larger one. Have enclosed part of our huge patio to create a sunroom off the family room. This brings more warmth into it when the sliding doors are open, and we can vent the heat in the hotter summer months. Our next project is to replace our [only] 4 years old kitchen so we don't have to bend or stretch so much to reach what we need, especially all my appliances and gadgets. Now all we have to do is hope we live long enough to enjoy it lol !...See MoreNeed help with my luxury holiday rentals floor plan!
Comments (56)Oh wow you have been busy! It's funny, I was at my Mum's today and we were discussing your plans. We decided the bunk room was a bit small and she suggested moving it back like you have done. Agree the fireplace will be be better on the western wall, with flow from the kitchen to the backyard with large doors. I'm torn about whether the changes to make the mudroom bigger are changing too much what I loved about the previous iteration, i.e. the void and the toilet placement. Although my hubbie wasn't sure about the toilet where it was previously as he was worried sound would carry into the lounge I never thought of that to be honest and really liked how it entered from under the stairs ♀️ No views to the south so no need for the window seat, would prefer the void I think and no need for bath downstairs. Which version do you think works better? Perhaps the mudroom was big enough? I did like the extra room off it for storage etc Thanks so much for the renders, I'm a bit concerned that it now doesn't look like my original picture. I'm really trying to keep the look as American as possible with the pitch of the veranda and the pitch of the roof. This style has been my dream and is really so much a part of my vision. I don't want something that looks similar to other houses. Sorry if this seems silly. My builder did mention about the gas bottles and how they need to see their truck. Good idea between the carports. I wonder if it's cost prohibitive to have them buried at the front? Can I ask what the total sqm is for both upstairs and down?...See MoreNeed ideas for exterior and interior colours for our coastal house
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Comments (129)DB.....A LOT of ideas and advice flying around here.......skimming through I see you are endeavouring to establish a basic concept for a designer/architect to consolidate for you, which is great.......whilst you may think this is a logical approach to achieve the best outcome, you are arguably just throwing around random ideas rather than properly resolving/focusing on the critical aspects ........my advice is do this: firstly clearly ascertain two things on paper, not in plan or building format but in writing...that is 1. List all your requirements/needs/goals and 2. Nominate a budget. Next, identify/research a logical local designer/architect option and approach them with this information....A designer's job is to come up with an appropriate concept/solution that best balances your requirements, aligned with a budget and of course make it viable within context/site. Sure, you want a cost effective/modest result, that's fine, and that will influence the solution, but as a general comment it feels like there is massive potential being missed considering the site..it dens;t necessarily have to be that big or fancy, but you have to put the EXPERIENCE of the home front and centre of the process, and not just think of it as a kitchen or whatever laid out this way or that ....This is about an amazing site and the living experience of that and the design should be based on this and bring together your specific requirements elegantly balanced in context......The issue I have scrolling through all this is that you have all these almost disconnected ideas of building form, but you have this incredible site....... the process of resolving the spaces ideally needs to develop from cues of the immediate environment/site in order to make the most of it since you are pursuing a customised solution.....agree with MB, every project has a budget and ultimately from experience this is in general the ultimate/overriding constraint. This project could be anything upwards from $500K and it will come down to the working out how far you want to take it, and what your priorities are over various levels.......this one has seriously significant potential -make sure you make the most of it as you're truly fortunately to have this opportunity to build a home for you and your family to enjoy there.......best of luck :) PD...See More- 5 years ago
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- 5 years agoHi 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.
- 5 years agoMy 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.
PRO5 years agoSuch 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 :)
- 5 years agolast 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 
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoLove 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
- 5 years agolast 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 - 5 years ago
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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
- 11 months ago
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