The importance of good floor plan

The first two houses I had built had problems tied to dysfunctional floor plans. Architect are woefully incompetent when it comes to designing functional, free-flowing floor plans.

Instead, they get carried away by the external shell of the house and, then, do their best to jam a floor plan inside.

In our third home that we just built, I spend 80% of my time and efforts on the floor plan, and then – only then – I worked the outside appearance. From this positive experience, I can offer the following rules for designing the best floor plan possible:

• It must incorporate the input from all stake-holders 
• It must match the user's lifestyle (eating, resting, entertainment habits) 
• It must offer a natural traffic flow that works for all users 
• It must maximize location, views and sun It absolutely must be created in 3-D so every stake-holder can see how it looks like and works including its ceilings (a crucial detail!) 
• It must contain all furnishings and furniture so there's no last minute surprise 

Only then, can one worry about the outer shell...