Why Is The Design Of Public And Private Home Spaces Important?

When designing a house, the public and private areas of the home are a key factor in creating a useful and practical house as well as maintaining harmony in the household. But what do these mean for you? How should you integrate public and private areas? And what benefits does good planning provide everyone? Here's what you need to know.

What Are Public, Semi-Private, and Private Spaces?

Every home, no matter how large or small, has three different areas of use.

The public spaces are those in which the household greets and entertains outsiders. It generally includes the foyer, living room, a guest bathroom, and the front yard. Semi-private areas are those which are used by all family members and more intimate guests. Think about rooms like the kitchen, dining room, family room, and outdoor entertainment areas. Finally, the private areas are bedrooms and bathrooms, home offices, and hobby rooms.  

Why Are Public and Private Spaces Important?

Why should you consider the layout of public and private spaces when designing a home? First, this is a practical necessity. You may not want to walk your new boss through the messy kitchen when you invite them for dinner. And a bedroom by the front door means less privacy and possibly a lot of awkwardness. The public spaces, then, are generally situated at the front of the home with privacy increasing as you go farther in. 

Public and private delineations are also important for household members to get along. Everyone needs to feel a sense of privacy in designated areas. Good positioning of bedrooms and bathrooms helps reduce noise pollution and foot traffic that interrupts privacy. And placing something like the home office in private areas of the house creates a distraction-free environment and boosts security. 

Even within semi-private spaces, good planning will help keep the peace. Can you boost the feeling of privacy when kids have to share a bedroom? What about for parents with a busy household? How can you provide multipurpose rooms that are flexible enough to satisfy the recreational needs of multiple family members? 

How Can You Create the Right Balance?

Getting the shape, size, positions, and qualities of public, private, and semi-private spaces right can be challenging. But it's one of the biggest ways to design a house everyone will enjoy. Learn how to accomplish this in your own designs by meeting with a customized home builder in your area today, such as Scott Hedrick Construction, Inc..