For many people, a beautiful staircase leading from one floor of the house to another is a kind of work of art and a lifelong dream. Are you planning to build two-story house? Or have you decided to add a second floor to a private house where you already live? Congratulations on your choice - building a second floor is more economically profitable than expanding the living space of the first. Firstly, this way you will leave more space on the site where you can arrange a garden with a seating area. And secondly, you will reduce the cost of the foundation, which is one of the most expensive stages of construction.
Later in this article you will receive useful ideas and options for arranging the second floor in a private house, including 10 schemes for planning rooms in two-story houses and 20+ photos of the design of corridors and areas on the 2nd floor.
Adding a second floor to a private house: what you need to know
If you are going to build private house from scratch, then you can skip this section of our article and go straight to a review of the types of layout and design of second floors. Here we will look at what is needed to add a second floor to a private house.
A radical way to add a 2nd floor to one-story house is to tear down the roof, then build a second floor and install a new one. It is resorted to when the form of the second level does not coincide with the first. If the boundaries of the new floor completely coincide with the old one, then you can carefully remove the existing roof and, after the addition, put it back on the house. Finally, a second floor can simply be added to a private house with a flat roof.
For inspiration, we invite you to take a look at these photos of private houses before and after adding a second floor.
It is worth noting that building a 2nd floor is not an easy task. You will need to find a contractor who has experience in this type of work and also obtain a building permit.
Typically, experienced contractors collaborate with other professionals such as engineers, architects and designers, which can make the task much easier. The services of an engineer are required to calculate the weight of the structure and confirm that existing house will withstand its addition. The designer must develop a design for the second floor and fit it under the first so that they fit well. An architect will help you choose where to place the staircase and position the windows so you can enjoy the best views.
An important point to consider before adding a second floor to a private house: you will need to redo all the laid engineering systems: electricity, heat and water supply, as well as ventilation. Are you still determined to achieve your dream? Then see how you can make and beautifully design the second floor in a private house!
Layout of rooms on the second floor of a private house (projects and diagrams)
Of course, the layout of the rooms and general layout the second floor in a private house depends, first of all, on its size. For example, when an attic floor is being built, there may be only one room on the second floor - a hall (a recreation area, a gym or a games room with a billiard table), or a bedroom combined with a bathroom and a dressing room. An example of this type of second floor is presented to you in the following projects with diagrams.
If the area of the second floor is not inferior to the first, then there can be much more rooms. Accordingly, the interior layout will be more complicated, and its design will be a corridor or area with doors leading from it to different rooms.
Typically, second floor projects in small private houses include master, children's and guest bedrooms with attached bathrooms and dressing rooms. Here are 4 such schemes two-story houses.
In large private and country houses The second floors, in addition to bedrooms with bathrooms, can have play and lounge areas, where there are comfortable chairs, bookcases and other furniture for relaxation and comfortable pastime.
Finally, someone may prefer the layout of the second floor of a private house with a large . Indeed: from the second floor the view is better! Why not enjoy it when entertaining guests in the evening or at breakfast in the morning?
Finishing and design of the second floor in a private house (20 photos)
Now it’s time to look at visual examples of what the design of the second floor in a private house can be. Let's consider 3 main options: the attic, the design of the corridor on the second floor and the design of the 2nd floor with a recreation area. Save best photos Note to self!
1. Design of the attic floor (4 options with photos)
In small private houses, the attic floor usually consists of one common room. The absence of unnecessary partitions and doors allows you to preserve the original architecture of the attic and enjoy its ceiling with beautiful beams. In the following photos you are presented with 4 options on how you can decorate the attic floor in a private house:
2. Finishing and design of the corridor on the second floor of a private house
Even if your project for the second floor in a private house is a simple corridor with doors to different rooms, it can still delight you with its unusual design. For this you can use:
- Rich color of wallpaper, paint or wall panels;
- Bold flooring with patterns or bright colors;
- Numerous framed paintings and photographs on the walls;
- Spectacular ceiling lights and sconces;
- Beautiful stair railings, etc.
When the width of the corridor allows, you can also equip it with narrow built-in cabinets, console tables, niches and reading corners.
The next photo shows interesting design second floor in a private house. At the top of the stairs there is a reading nook by the window. The corridor to the right leads to the dressing room, and the corridor to the left leads to the children's room and bathroom (2 closed doors), after which it ends in a common sitting area for the whole family.
3. Design of the landing above the stairs to the second floor
The area around the stairs to the second floor can be quite difficult to design. When the area of a private house allows, an open space with a “balcony” enclosed by stair railings is left there.
Layout of a private house: photos, projects. Take it and build your own house. For many developers, despite the wide variety private house projects, remains the most acceptable: a two-story cottage with such parameters can easily fit on a small plot and provide the necessary living comfort for a family of several people. In addition, the overall dimensions of the house offer economical use of energy, thereby reducing the cost of operating the property.
A two-story house takes up little space on the site, but is very functional inside
Layout of a two-story cottage and its advantages
Construction country cottage in some cases, it is the only way to solve the problem of purchasing housing. In addition, any layout of a private house gives the opportunity to let your imagination run wild.
The future owner can adjust everything regarding his home:
- layout;
- facade finishing;
- interior decoration and furnishings;
- arrangement of the local area, garden or yard, etc.
A two-story cottage is the best option for a large family
Useful advice! Experts recommend using two-story house plans for another reason that cottages with an area of more than 150 square meters are already classified by the state as luxury housing. According to current legislation, luxury housing is subject to additional taxation, thus, significant amounts will be spent on maintaining the house.
One-story buildings are still in demand among developers (), but every year they are gradually being replaced by projects of private houses 8x8 m or more. Moreover, this state of affairs applies not only to suburban buildings for permanent residence and buildings located in the city, but also to country cottages used only in the warm season.
Diagram of a house 8 by 8 meters with a garage for two cars
What is the attractiveness of two-story house projects?
The increased interest in two-story buildings is due to the following points:
- Houses with two floors allow you to achieve significant savings in terms of land. The area for the building is small enough to free up additional usable space on the territory for the construction of utility and other small structures.
- Projects of two-story houses, which involve the construction of a building on the basis, bring significant savings. Moreover, this saving concerns not only the construction process, but also the cost of materials. An example for comparison is a large one-story building built on a brick base with a similar total area as a two-story building made of. In this case, the foundation will occupy a much smaller area, the cost of roofing will decrease, since the size of the roof will also decrease.
- The energy efficiency of two-story cottages is significantly higher than that of buildings with one floor, since the lower part of the building will partially heat the upper rooms.
- The layout of two-story houses made of timber, as well as buildings based on panels and stone, always look solid and solid against the background of one-story buildings.
During the construction of two-story houses, special attention is paid to the safety of staircase structures
Photos of two-story houses 8 by 8: layouts from different years and their differences
For recent years The construction industry has undergone significant changes. Moreover, these changes affected not only building construction technologies, equipment used on construction sites, and materials. Even the approach to project development has changed, as evidenced by modern photos private houses, the layout of which looks different than half a century ago.
Pay attention! Based on photographs, specialists can easily distinguish houses that were built more than 10-20 years ago. The fact is that the building materials used in the construction of cottages have completely changed their appearance.
Gradually, materials of the modern generation are replacing such familiar raw materials as wood or brick. In the markets you can find siding made of plastic; it is widely used as a cladding material.
Spacious house with a large carport, built from modern materials
The changes also affected the parameters. Standard height ceilings from 3 m decreased to 2.8 m. On the one hand, rooms with high ceilings create more space, on the other hand, a cottage with three-meter ceilings takes longer and is more expensive to heat.
Brief classification of changes in private house projects
Over the past 50 years, humanity has made significant progress in the construction of buildings. The advent of frame technology upended all established norms regarding the quality of cottages and the speed of their construction.
Layout of the first floor of a cottage 8x8 m with a terrace and a parking space for a car
Soviet-built houses have a characteristic imprint of their time. Against their background modern buildings have a number of distinctive features:
- the number of windows has changed;
- the dimensional parameters of window structures have increased;
- ruler building materials not only improved, but also expanded significantly;
- slate was replaced by others (profiled sheets, metal tiles, flexible varieties of tiles, ondulin, etc.);
- design and architecture have improved, become more beautiful and complex.
Living room on the second floor with panoramic windows and wood trim
The reduced ceiling level is determined by the desire to save on heating and simplify the process of interior finishing, as well as all subsequent repairs. It is inconvenient to work with ceilings 3 m high; gluing wallpaper and whitewashing used to take a lot of time.
Useful advice! The most optimal ceiling height is 2.5 m. In general terms, it is considered the minimum, so you should not reduce the ceiling level below this parameter.
Modern houses have not only a functional layout, but also a presentable appearance
Although today there are two-story houses made of timber, glued material is extremely rarely used for the construction of modern cottages; rounded or profiled options are most often used. Despite the environmental friendliness of wood, the market can offer alternative raw materials that are practical, affordable and have similar properties.
Most houses require the installation of large, wide window structures. In Soviet times, rooms were equipped with small windows, minimum quantity of which there were about 5 structures per room.
An example of a simple and comfortable two-story cottage
Projects of private houses 8 by 8 made of timber and foam blocks
Before choosing one of the materials that will be used for construction as part of the layout of a private house 8x8 m, it is worth thinking in advance what type of construction you hope to get and what properties and characteristics, in your opinion, your future cottage should have.
The following factors may influence the choice of material:
- number of storeys of the building;
- the budgetary possibilities you have;
- climatic conditions of the area where the construction and further operation of the house will take place.
Useful advice! If the building structure has a complex architecture with many additional elements, a material such as timber will create difficulties during the construction process. In this case, it is better to give preference to foam blocks or other material.
3D diagram of a two-story house made of foam blocks
There are a number of criteria that can be used as the basis for your choice:
- moisture resistance;
- environmental cleanliness;
- construction time;
- soundproofing properties;
- efficiency;
- ability to retain heat and withstand high temperatures;
- convenience during the construction process;
- fire safety.
Private two-story house 8 by 8 m: comparative characteristics of the properties of materials
Comparison of technical characteristics of building materials for building a house:
| Selection criteria | Foam block | timber |
| Ecological cleanliness | ||
| Advantageous material properties | A lightweight cellular structure made of concrete, the density of which is controlled by the proportions of mixing materials such as foaming agent, sand, water, cement | The raw material for production is natural wood, the quality of the material and the natural beauty of its texture are preserved |
| Flaws | The composition contains substances of synthetic origin, so the material cannot be called completely environmentally friendly | If laminated veneer lumber is used, it means it contains synthetic substances (glue) |
| Thermal conductivity (wall thickness requirements) | ||
| Advantageous material properties | The minimum thickness is 0.16x3.5=56 cm | Depends on the type of wood 0.18x3.5=63 cm The properties of laminated veneer lumber are not lost over time |
| Flaws | Only two-layer laying of the material can affect the reduction in thermal conductivity | During the processing process, the top, most durable layers of the material are removed, which increases heat loss |
| Moisture resistance | ||
| Advantageous material properties | High level of moisture resistance | Wood has increased porosity |
| Flaws | Over time, foam blocks undergo destruction (cracks, products crumble), due to which the ability to repel moisture is lost. Repairing these damages will require significant costs. | Without treatment with special protective agents, the timber will strongly absorb moisture, and under its influence it will become damp and moldy in cold weather, crack and dry out in the summer. |
| Fire safety | ||
| Advantageous material properties | The composition of foam blocks is completely free of flammable substances | None |
| Flaws | None | Wood is considered the most fire hazardous material |
| Sound insulation level | ||
| Advantageous material properties | Due to the two-layer laying of the material, a very high level sound insulation | Sufficient level of sound insulation |
| Flaws | None | None |
For two-story houses 8 by 8 m, not only the properties of the materials are important, but also technical specifications, which may affect the construction process of the building.
The technical side of houses made of timber and foam blocks
Comparison of ease of use and construction time of a house using various building materials:
| Selection criteria | Foam block | timber |
| Construction time | ||
| Advantageous material properties | Due to the convenience, light weight and geometric features of the material, construction is carried out in the shortest possible time | Thanks to new technologies, construction is carried out very quickly, especially if laminated timber is used |
| Flaws | Not every domestic manufacturer can offer high-quality material; you should be selective in your choice trademark or purchase foreign-made foam blocks | None |
| Economical | ||
| Advantageous material properties | Foam block belongs to the budget category materials, the cost of the finished wall is 50% of the price of building the same wall from timber | The building does not require additional external and interior decoration, it can be done at will, the cost of building the foundation is minimal |
| Flaws | Due to external finishing, the final cost of the structure can be much higher than when using profiled timber; the cost of building a foundation is high | High cost of material procurement |
| Convenience during construction | ||
| Advantageous material properties | Thanks to the correct geometry of the material, construction is not difficult; the foam block is lightweight and easy to process (cutting, slicing) | The timber has a regular geometric shape, making it very easy to build houses from this material. |
| Flaws | Crumbles and breaks quite easily | Due to the heavy weight, installation of the material requires the participation of assistants |
Layout of a house with an attic: photos and features
If we are talking about creating a foundation for a cottage made of timber, there are practically no restrictions, since a house made of this material is light in weight.
Useful advice! To save money cash When building a house, you can start building the foundation yourself. Wooden cottagesThisallow.
Most often, two-story house plans 8 by 8 m require the installation of the following types of foundations:
- columnar;
- tape;
- combined.
Example of the first floor of a cottage
If timber with a cross-section of no more than 15 cm is used for construction, you can limit yourself to installing a columnar base. At the same time, it is not recommended to perform additional insulation, as well as to make façade finishing work. Glued laminated timber can be used.
Wind loads affect the stability of the house, so it is recommended to install a combined or strip type base. This requirement especially applies to cases where the cross-section of the material exceeds 15 cm.
An example of the layout of an 8 by 8 house with an attic: photo of a cottage made of timber
Below is the layout of a two-story house 8x8 m - a good example of proper distribution of internal space. The facade of the building has a symmetrical external design, while the front and back of the house are significantly different from each other.
Due to the fact that the attic floor protrudes far forward, a lot of free space is created under its roof. Using this unusual technique, the architect was able to create a comfortable terrace behind the house.
Project of a two-story house 8x8 with an attic: view of the facade with the main entrance
The highlight of this house is the presence of an outdoor stove near the house. The terrace space can be used for relaxation, even during rain. The large area allows you to install garden furniture or small sofas in this area. can be used for cooking over an open fire.
Useful advice! Taking into account the fact that wood is a fire-hazardous material, and the stove structure is adjacent to the house, it is not a bad idea to take care of safety. Impregnate the wood around the stove with special protective agents. In addition to this, you can line this area with a material that has non-flammable properties. Suitable for these purposes natural stone or brick.
House with attic: view of the backyard with terrace and stone oven
Features of placing rooms in the house
The layout of the first floor contains all the necessary premises for comfort:
- entrance hall with wardrobe;
- full bathroom;
- a kitchen with a small adjacent room that can be used as a pantry;
- large living room with stairs leading to the second floor;
- a bedroom that can be used as a guest room or a room intended for the residence of an elderly person (climbing stairs to the second floor for disabled and elderly people can be problematic and dangerous).
With an attic: plans for the first and attic floors
The upper floor, as can be seen on the plan of a two-story house 8 by 8 m, is intended for relaxation and sleep. , leading from the first floor, ends in a fairly spacious hall, into which all the remaining rooms open:
- bathroom;
- children's room with wardrobe;
- a small room adjacent to the chimney (here you can install exercise equipment and store things);
- large bedroom for parents combined with an office.
The parent bedroom has a long balcony under the roof. It overlooks the backyard and is located directly above the terrace.
Prices for building a cottage made of wood
The total cost of construction includes costs for the following stages:
- purchase of material;
- construction work;
- transportation of materials and equipment;
- additional services.
Layout of the 1st floor of a two-story wooden house
Other factors may also affect the cost. The main part of them concerns:
- types of material;
- material sections;
- difficulties that may arise during the installation process;
- project features;
- prices of developers, their professionalism;
- remoteness construction site from a development company.
Pay attention! Average prices for construction 1 m² wooden cottage with two floors is in the range of 4200-10000 rubles. (provided that the material has a natural moisture level).
An excellent option for decorating the living room of a log cottage
The table shows the average prices for the construction of 1 m² of building, excluding cost:
- foundation installation;
- performing a draft version of the roof;
- organization of the subfloor.
Average prices for the construction of a country cottage made of wood:
To save money, it is recommended to use standard houses. Thus, you can reduce the price by about 20,000-30,000 rubles. Thanks to the turnkey service, you will have the opportunity not to overpay for the delivery of materials. In addition, you can always reduce the list of services by eliminating unnecessary procedures. These procedures include installation of flooring.
3D project of a simple but at the same time comfortable house on two floors
By using glued and profiled timber, which has previously gone through a drying process, the costs of subsequent insulation work will be reduced. On interior walls It is better to use material with a smaller cross-section than for external walls. Experts often recommend cladding a building using imitation timber. As a result, you will not only save money, but also get a beautiful appearance of the cottage.
It is very important to plan the interior space of residential premises in advance. The first place here comes to the convenient location of living and utility rooms, bathrooms, corridors, and recreation areas. A serious approach to planning helps create comfortable conditions for each family member.
Defining Principles
The main principles according to which the interior space of a private house should be planned are prudence and common sense, analysis of the individual needs of residents, and possible prospects for reorganizing the living space.
An important aspect of planning remains the hospitality of homeowners. It’s one thing to lead a measured, calm life away from the bustle of the city. It’s quite another to regularly host friends, acquaintances, and business partners on your own estate.
In order to turn your plans into reality as quickly as possible, experts recommend making a small sketch of the future layout with your own hands. At the same time, it is advisable to note the most important points, which must be implemented in the future layout.
Among other things, when planning the interior space of a room, it is worth carefully considering any connections that will be convenient when moving from one room to another. The above diagram is called functional planning program. Its creation is considered the first requirement of most modern architects and interior designers for building owners.
Living room
Many experts believe that minimum size The living room must be at least 18 m2. The optimal area of this room is considered to be about 30 m2. Only then will there be enough space in the living room for convenient location furniture, organizing feasts, receiving guests and ordinary relaxation with a large family.
Bedrooms
They plan the interior space of a residential building, taking into account the number, area and location of bedrooms. Competent helps to create an individual space in which you can comfortably retire.
An area of about 10 m2 is considered optimal for any bedroom. The most comfortable area, taking into account the presence of a large wardrobe, double bed, and storage cabinets, is 15-16 square meters.
If a new addition to the family is planned in the distant future, then planning the interior space of one of the bedrooms should initially be used as an office or other functional room. Having arranged the room taking into account future redevelopment, after the birth of the child it can be easily converted into a nursery.
Bathroom
It is most convenient to locate toilets, bathrooms or close to the kitchen and bedrooms. Such premises are defined as night and day zones, in which residents spend the bulk of the day. And therefore, close proximity of bathrooms becomes very advisable.
Halls and corridors
If we talk about halls and corridors, it is absolutely not recommended to make them too narrow. The internal space of such passage rooms must be at least one and a half meters wide. A great idea is to combine corridors with the living room, when the room becomes a passage.
Recreation area
The presence in the house of such premises as play room, a billiard room, a room with a home theater, etc., becomes advisable only if it is truly justified. Otherwise, due to infrequent use, such premises will only take up unnecessary valuable space in the house.
An excellent alternative is to organize play and recreation areas as part of the living room. To do this, it is enough to perform competent zoning of the room, using the services of professional interior designers.