Elements of a Great Floor Plan
by Teresa A. Morgenstern

   What would it take to fall in love with another house? In a competitive market, home designers and builders push the envelope to reach the most discriminating of well-versed home buyer. In Florida, we’re all familiar with the open floor plan.home buyer in the Sunshine State want to enjoy the outdoors, with interior views and a great lanai, year-round. Over the past 20 years, the open floor plan has experienced an incredible evolution.
   “Years ago the outdoor area was a simple screened-in porch, maybe five or six feet across,” says Brian Phipps, president of A. Brian Phipps Design, Inc. “Now we have verandas as deep as 16 or 18 feet with beautiful upholstered furnishings, dining areas, fireplaces and fully equipped outdoor kitchens, all overlooking a gorgeous pool pavilion. All of our home designs place great emphasis on this natural experience.”
   Americans are known for a “bigger is better” mindset. According to U.S. Census data, the average home size in 1973 was 1,660 square feet. Today, that figure has jumped 40 percent to about 2,330 square feet under air to include nine-foot ceilings, two stories, four bedrooms, three baths, a study and a two-car garage. In the upscale market, homes exceeding 5,000 square feet are the norm.
   Phipps, who designs waterfront homes in the $3 to $12 million dollar range, works closely with clients who want it all inside including the opportunity to savor every picturesque view outside. “Typically, this is not their first, second or third home,” he explains. “They’re sophisticated and have done their research.They’ll come into my office with pages pulled from magazines.”
   The master bedroom suite is an important element of a successful design. Often taking up an entire wing, the suite enjoys views, a comfortable seating area, sometimes a morning kitchen and, occasionally, an exercise room. First-floor suites usually feature doors opening to the pool pavilion and second-floor suites often enjoy generous balconies. More and more, walk-in closets in this sanctuary include stackable washers and dryers. The master bathroom is more like a Roman spa than the “necessary” of yesteryear. With all of these “extras,” this luxurious space is taking on mammoth dimensions.
   “The master bedroom used to be on the first floor, but with the trend toward two-story designs and the integration of the elevator into many designs, we’ve been able to move this space into any area of the home,” Phipps comments. “It is a very individualized retreat.Where we used to devote up to 800 square feet to the master bedroom suite, in some cases we’re up to 2,400 square feet.”
   Somewhere along the way, the living room has fallen by the wayside. A grand salon is usually an elegant formal space close to the entryway that can set the tone and capture floor-to-ceiling views, but it’s not the heart of the home. Sure, there might be a wet bar and room for a piano and gorgeous fireplace, but the living room is no longer the primary entertainment space. As we watch the shrinking living room morph into the fancier grand salon, we’re also seeing the kitchen/family/entertainment areas take center stage in the overall scheme of things.
   “The kitchen is tremendously important,” says Albert Sanchez, president and co-owner of Gibraltar Homes. “One of the challenges now, with both the open layout and the larger room size, is to use varied cabinet styles and surfaces for a comfortable integration into the style of the dining and entertainment areas.”
   Trends in the kitchen involve multiple work stations and space for everyone, chefs and guests alike. “We’re doing some innovative things with kitchen layout, such as islands and peninsulas with curved tops, where seating arrangements will serve to involve guests,” says Sanchez. “You can’t overlook the importance of a good design in the kitchen.”
   Sanchez has also noticed the trend toward two-story homes, and his company often uses the second floor to offer a flexible design. “Some people are calling it a bonus room, and this area is usually tailored according to our client’s wishes,” he explains. “We’re finding that a billiard room with a wide-screen TV and a refreshment bar is popular. They might not want to use it for guest bedrooms, but they definitely like to have that space. As land prices continue to increase, we are finding that our clients want to incorporate square footage in creative ways and that often involves a second floor.”
   Clearly, on the high end of the market customization is key. Builders report that home buyers are not looking for Plan A or B, but rather they want their own personal look. The most obvious result is that home designers and builders work closely with their clients from day one of the building process and offer options galore.
   In the open kitchen and family areas, materials used to integrate the various dining and lounging spaces are many. Plans that favor arches, circles and octagons over the traditional square or rectangular shaped rooms are conducive to a soothing free flow. Boundaries between spaces are subtly defined by columns, dramatic ceiling treatments and attractive floor selections. Stone and wood floors and wood ceilings can be used effectively with zero-pocketing walls of glass to open outdoor living spaces to interiors.
   “When these rooms flow into each other and out onto a veranda with beautiful furnishings, it just increases the overall appreciation of the home,” says Sanchez. “A great floor plan really does have a lot to do with the lifestyles and goals of our buyers. They appreciate good finishes, exquisite floors, unique countertop surfaces and cabinetry that is as beautiful as it is functional. They understand that a great floor plan is necessary to showcase these materials.”
   Last but not least, the garage does not escape the attention of the discriminating homebuyer. In the home that has everything, the garage is almost the last frontier for design finesse, and no surprise, but it is getting bigger. Many builders are incorporating some cabinetry for extra storage. At the extreme high end, garages are under air and occasionally feature tile floors.
   “I’ll bet that 80 percent of our homes include three-car garages,” says Sanchez. “We try to have them with a side entry for curb appeal. Buyers really want that.”