Can getting the proportions right help my room design?
Architectural designer Greg reveals why it’s important to strike the right balance when it comes to the size and layout of longed-for home improvements
Spatial proportions are a fundamental tenant of architectural design. A well-proportioned room results in a space that just feels right and keeps waste to a minimum. Although some designers have mathematical rules for proportions, right down to the size of a chandelier in relation to ceiling height or coffee table diameter vs sofa width, it is usually a balance of what looks right, common sense and logic. Here I pick out a few proportion-related problems that people encounter in home design:
Width vs length proportions
There is usually a comfortable ratio between width and length of a room, but most of us know a room is out of proportion if it’s overly long or narrow with awkward furniture layouts. If two rooms have been knocked together, it can still feel like two spaces due to its extended length, and the placements of piers (supporting the new RSJ beam) restricting the ability to use furniture that spans both zones. If your room is currently too small, ask yourself if it’ll be too big once knocked through and made twice the size. Consider instead expanding by 50 per cent, with the remaining space put to another use.
I try to design living rooms based around functions. For instance, when watching TV there are comfortable distances for viewing and for audio. Add in how many people are likely to be watching at the same time and you have an idea of the best furniture layout and some indicative room dimensions. A similar exercise applies for relaxed conversation between people in the space.
Height vs footprint proportions Bigger spaces really should have taller ceilings or they feel claustrophobic. This can be exacerbated when RSJS are used extensively in vast, openedup rooms. The larger the room and wider the spans, the deeper the RSJS. This results in reduced head height and less daylight getting in.
You can get away with lower ceilings in spaces like toilets and utility rooms, so an option could be to place high-level storage above a bathroom. Accessed from outside the room, they are a great place for stowing things like suitcases. Windows vs floor area proportions
A window size equating to 10 per cent of the floor area used to be seen as an absolute minimum. Twenty per cent is more normal, yet anything over 25 per cent requires justification under Part L of the Building Regulations. An overly small window can make a room gloomy. Likewise, a large expanse of glazing can make some rooms feel like goldfish bowls, and, depending on orientation, make them hot in summer.
Kitchen vs dining proportions
Big isn’t always better in kitchen design, and it is quite a dated concept to have a huge kitchen with everything in it. If you have space, it makes more sense to break down the kitchen with utility, larder and laundry rooms. I’ve seen huge horseshoe-shaped kitchens and a sea of repetitive unit doors taking up so much room that the adjacent dining area is only large enough for a table for four.
Storage proportion
A common complaint with modern houses is the lack of storage. It’s a mistake to think solely in terms of wardrobes and coat cupboards – think about different kinds of objects that will need storage now and in the future. By not accounting for things like bikes, sports gear, garden furniture, suitcases, and general accumulation, you’ll most likely end up with it dumped in a spare room or packed into the loft, so inaccessible it rarely gets used.