Narrow Width, Wide Appeal

by Mark Englund

Plan B-87106 A narrow home needs a striking front entry to capture visitors' interest. This home's entry offers a view into the dramatic living and dining rooms, both of which feature soaring vaulted ceilings. Careful siting and complementary designs create a charming community with plenty of appeal. Plan B-224-8512: This two-story design places the master suite above the garage to maximize space. Two additional upper-floor bedrooms are located at the rear of the home to allow a vaulted ceiling at the front. These techniques combine to create a spacious and roomy feel. Plan B-917: Thoughtful planning allowed this narrow design to maintain curbside appeal. Photos by Mark Englund/HomeStyles

Narrow width in a home's design does not necessarily mean narrow choices or narrow appeal. Instead, choosing a narrow design for a smaller lot can save on land costs. Those savings can then be funneled into design features that may have been cost-prohibitive on a wider, more expensive lot.

Many of today's buyers look more for quality of space than quantity of space. They are willing to trade the width and size of their plan for quality construction, energy efficiency and features like built-ins, home entertainment centers, relaxing master baths and state-of-the art kitchens.

A narrow plan poses several problems for home designers to overcome, though. Some of these challenges include ensuring sufficient privacy, capturing great views and providing a good-sized, accessible garage.

Privacy is a major concern for home buyers in today's suburban communities. As neighborhoods become crowded, privacy often decreases. With careful planning, however, homeowners can maintain their privacy.

To ensure privacy in a busy neighborhood, windows are placed predominately at the front and the back of a home. Patios and decks are carved into the footprint of the home, rather than tacked onto the rear of the home as an afterthought.

In plan B-87106 (see floor plan, this article), the outdoor living area is nestled into the corner of the plan--well screened from neighbors' views so the Joneses can't see what you're barbecuing.

Nothing against the Joneses, but even if we live in a busy community, our homes--both inside and out--need to create a sense of refuge from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Fences, privacy screens and landscaping can all complement the home design to ensure privacy.

View orientation is another important element of a narrow design. Because there are fewer rooms at the back of the home to offer a view, the plan needs to make the most of the available space. Any room that overlooks woods, water, a golf course or mountains needs to be a place where your family spends a lot of time. Why waste an extraordinary view on a bathroom or a guest room that you rarely enter?

Expansive glass, bright patio doors, sunny corner windows and dramatic vaulted ceilings are all used to make the most of a potential view. These techniques lighten and brighten the living space, and can also focus the eye toward a spectacular view down a fairway or across a lake.

The treatment of the garage is another important consideration when designing a narrow-lot home or a community of narrow designs. By rotating the placement of the garage door on a corner lot, the curbside dominance is eased. Designers sometimes place a bedroom or bonus area above the garage to downplay its visual dominance.

As today's communities grow more crowded, narrow-lot designs are becoming more common. Careful consideration of narrow-lot designs can ensure that your choices and the appeal of your new home are anything but narrow.

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