Buying or building a house is a big step for any family. Like most of us, you may be on a budget and would like to get the best home for your money. At the same time, you want your family to be comfortable, not only now but in years to come. With that in mind, what is a good-sized house for a family of three?
Depending on a family’s lifestyle, 94 square meters is a good size house for a family of three consisting of two adults and one child. This includes a master bedroom with an ensuite bathroom, another bedroom for a child, a full bathroom, a guest toilet, an open plan kitchen, and a lounge with a large kitchen island for an eating area for six people.
Some of us were raised in large houses and others in small apartments or flats. A “good size” could simply be what you are used to. However, there is no reason why you can’t be comfortable in a smaller house, even if you’re used to a large home. Living in a small house is not necessarily synonymous with being uncomfortable and cramped. With some careful planning, your family of three could live happily and comfortably in a space smaller than you might imagine.
This article will discuss whether or not a big house really is necessary for a family to be happy. We will also determine what many would consider minimum sizes for each room and space. I will also discuss if extra rooms like garages, pantries, and sculleries are essential.
We have also drawn up an example floor plan for a family of three that you are welcome to download and use as a template. To download the plan in .PDF format, scroll down to the end of this article.
DO I NEED A BIG HOUSE TO BE HAPPY?
We live in an age where less is becoming more. However, many of us are still stuck with the idea from previous generations: That having a big house is important. We are indirectly burdened with ideas that “we need room to grow”, that we need space “to entertain”, with multiple eating areas, so we have “options for different occasions”. Not to mention the belief that we need numerous spare bedrooms for the family that rarely visits. But, is it really important to have a big house? Will a bigger house make your family happy?
Having a big house is not necessary to live comfortably or happily. In fact, a big house can add more stress and financial strain to your life. Big houses are more difficult to secure and take more time to clean. What’s more, a recent study shows that the majority of people only use a fraction of their homes, while the rest of the space is wasted.
If you can shake off your desire to obtain the status symbol that comes with owning a large house, you may find that a smaller home brings your family closer together, frees up much of your time to do the things that you love to do, and removes a lot of the financial strain that comes with buying and maintaining an unnecessarily large home, of which most of the rooms will never get used. In fact, a recent study found that 68% of a family’s time was spent in the kitchen/nook or the lounge, while the rest of the rooms got little to no use!
| “…smaller space provides the kind of intimacy that many families yearn for. Because there are rarely separate rooms or closed doors, tiny homes encourage conversation rather than avoidance. The small and intertwined living and eating spaces make every dinner a family dinner. While living in such a small space can be challenging at times, the positives outweigh the negatives.” Rachel Jones – How Tiny Living Benefits the Whole Family |
It is entirely up to you how big you would like your home to be, but keep in mind that there is plenty of evidence that open plan living is allowing more and more people to live more comfortably in smaller spaces while freeing up a lot of their time and money for the more important things in life. What would you do with all that extra time and money?
HOW MUCH SPACE DOES A FAMILY OF THREE NEED?
You’d be surprised by how little a family of three actually needs to live comfortably. As long as your layout is well thought out, and space is used efficiently, a family of three only really needs a house containing the following spaces.
| Room: | Length and Width: | Area: |
| Master Bedroom w/ Ensuite Bathroom | 4.5m x 5m | 12sqm |
| Passage, Entrance, and Linen | 14.5 x 1m | 17.4sqm |
| Children’s Bedroom | 4m x 3m | 12sqm |
| Bathroom | 4.3m x 2.2m | 9.5sqm |
| Guest Toilet | 1.4m x 2.6m | 3.6sqm |
| Kitchen | 6.2m x 3.8m | 24sqm |
| Living Room | 3.6m x 4.3m | 15.5sqm |
| Total: | 94sqm |
Keep in mind that we are not suggesting tiny spaces, rather less space that is rarely used. Multi-purpose spaces help to eliminate rooms that are seldom used.
Additional rooms such as a garage, scullery, pantry, office, etc. might seem essential. However, these spaces could all be integrated into the existing rooms in the table above with some thought. For example, there is no reason a laptop couldn’t be deployed in the eating area on the kitchen island, completely removing the need for an office.
Instead of a scullery, strategic placement of the kitchen sink and washing machine could screen them from plain sight. Extra cupboard space in the kitchen would make a pantry obsolete. Suppose you’re adamant that your can needs to be parked undercover. In that case, a carport might be a much more affordable option than a brick-and-mortar garage.
An example of a well-designed home for a family of three. This layout includes a master bedroom with an en-suite bathroom and toilet, a children’s bedroom, a fully fitted main bathroom, a guest toilet, and an open plan kitchen and lounge. All of this in the space of 94 square meters.
*Scroll down to the end of this article to download this plan in .PDF.
In the sample floor plan, you may notice that none of the rooms are particularly small; rather, by combining areas to create multi-purpose spaces, a lot of space is saved and allows for a more open feel.
THE MASTER BEDROOM
HOW BIG SHOULD A MASTER BEDROOM BE?
While sleeping is an essential and cherished human function, we hardly need to have more space in the bedroom than its intended use. So, as a bedroom is perceived as an essential room, it might not be a room where we spend a lot of time as a family. A large bedroom should be seen as a luxury rather than a “must-have”.
A good-sized Master Bedroom, including an en-suite bathroom, could be as small as 18.8 square meters, around 4.7m wide and 4m long. This size will comfortably fit a double bed, side tables, and a decent-sized cupboard for two people, as well as an en-suite bathroom with a closed toilet, bath, and vanity.
The Master Bedroom should ideally have space for a dresser; however, a well-designed vanity in the en-suite bathroom can serve the same purpose. Side tables add some practical storage for personal items.
EN-SUITE BATHROOM
An additional en-suite bathroom adjacent to the Main Bedroom is a highly sought-after commodity. It gives the adults a little more privacy, making it an appealing feature that increases the house’s resale value. An en-suite bathroom is not essential, but it can reduce stress and conflict in the mornings when each family member competes for the bathroom before school or work.
A good size for an en-suite bathroom could be as little as 5.78 square meters or 1.7m x 3.4m. This is enough space for a large vanity with a basin, a bath, and a private toilet. A shower could be included above the bath. An open en-suite bathroom sharing open floor space with the bedroom gives both rooms a more spacious feel.
HOW MUCH CUPBOARD SPACE DO I NEED IN MY MASTER BEDROOM?
Cupboard space is a very personal thing. Each individual has different needs for storage, based on their habits, jobs, hobbies, activities, etc. Some are hoarders, and some are minimalists, but for the sake of starting with the absolute basics, how much cupboard space will a couple need?
Ideally, built-in cupboards should be 60cm deep and 60cm wide. At a minimum, each person should have 2 units of 60cm x 60cm cupboard space. Women generally need more space than men. For that reason, allow for another 60cm x 60cm cupboard. The total cupboard space in the master bedroom should be 3m long and 60cm deep. (5 units of 60cm x 60 cm).
Discuss this with your partner and be realistic. Look at how much space you are using at the moment, and take it from there. You might be happy to get rid of a lot of your old clothes. By doing that, you could save a ton of space and help the needy by donating them. It might sound daunting at first, but thousands are taking the “30 Wears” challenge and are realizing how many items of their clothing are never worn.
| “the percentage of clothes that go unworn is a lot higher than most consumers think. A study with 18,000 heads of households in 20 countries, conducted by relocation and removals company Movinga, revealed that the majority of consumers around the world are highly delusional about how much they own versus how much they actually wear.“ Marjorie van Elven – People do not wear at least 50 percent of their wardrobes, says study |
THE CHILDRENS BEDROOM
HOW BIG SHOULD A CHILDREN’S ROOM BE?
Children’s bedrooms are often neglected and seem to be an undersized afterthought. A size 3 meters by 2 meters might suffice as a nursery, but it will be grossly undersized when your child starts school, and even more so when they hit their teens and need more space for their own activities. It helps to have a bit of flexibility to cater to the kids as they grow up and their needs change. With that in mind, how big should a children’s bedroom be?
A good-sized child’s bedroom should be around 4 meters long and 3 meters wide, or 12 square meters. It should also have space for a desk and chair. This way, the bedroom, which is usually a quiet, private space, can be used for other activities, such as studying, homework, hobbies, or reading, especially if you do not have any other space in the house.
This 12 square meter layout can also work if you end up with a second child. There is enough space to position two single beds side by side; however, this would take up the space required for a desk. In this situation, bunk beds could do wonders in opening up enough room for a desk. Keep in mind that this arrangement should be temporary, at least until one of the children reaches their teens, especially if they are of the opposite sex.
A child’s room could replace a guest room too. If you have family over often, it may be useful to add another meter to the length of this bedroom to make space for a double bed. Most children have no issue sleeping in the living room when the grandparents come to visit; in fact, I remember doing this as a child, and I loved it.
HOW MUCH CUPBOARD SPACE DO I NEED IN THE CHILDREN’S ROOM?
Similar to the cupboards in the master bedroom, this will depend on the child’s habits and routine. Also, keep in mind the possibility of a second child and allow for cupboard space if the child’s room will ever be used by guests.
A good-sized cupboard in the children’s bedroom would be 1.8m x 0.6m, three units of 0.6m x 0.6m. This consists of one section with shelves for folded clothing, one section for hanging clothes, and a third section that is half shelves and half hanging, making provision for a second child, or to be used by guests.
THE MAIN BATHROOM
There are many factors to consider when designing the main bathroom. Some good questions to ask are; How big should the bathroom be?; Do I need a linen cupboard?; Do I need a separate guest toilet?
HOW BIG SHOULD THE MAIN BATHROOM BE?
For the most part, the main bathroom will be used by the child. However, it will also be used by guests sleeping over, and when the en-suite bathroom is occupied, one of the parents can use the main bathroom.
A good-sized bathroom, including a toilet, bath, shower, and basin with a vanity cupboard, will be 4.2m x 1.8m, or 7.56 square meters. To save space, one could exclude the bath or the shower.
Bath, Shower, or Both?
Nowadays, with water being a scarce and expensive commodity, homeowners prefer to shower instead of bath. However, families with small children might still prefer bathing the little ones, and a bath may also be used to hand wash and soak linen. Clearly, a bath can serve many applications. If you do not have the budget/space for both, you could opt for a bath and install a shower head and screen. Now you have the best of both in one solution.
A separate guest toilet?
Many people prefer having the toilet separate from the rest of the bathroom, often including another hand washbasin. This allows for more than one person to use the facilities at a time, also allowing more privacy, and is incredibly convenient when you have guests. Others prefer to have a toilet in the bathroom, in addition to a guest toilet, as shown on the sample floor plan.
While a separate guest toilet is not absolutely essential, it is highly recommended if your budget allows it. It is helpful to have a guest toilet when you are hosting. If the bathroom is occupied, then the guest toilet could be a lifesaver. A guest toilet takes up as little space as 1m x 2m, including a hand wash basin.
An excellent position for a guest toilet would be somewhere near the entertainment area or near the house entrance.
HOW BIG SHOULD MY LINEN CUPBOARD BE?
Many people include the linen cupboard in the bathroom, which makes perfect sense for many households. Another good position would be the passage so that people can still access it while the bathroom is in use. Ultimately, the position of the lined cupboard will be determined by the layout of the rest of the house.
A linen cupboard doesn’t have to be big, and a good size would be a single unit of 60cm x 60cm. That should be enough space to store extra towels, linen, toilet paper, and other bathroom supplies. Placing the linen in the passage allows access even when the bathroom is occupied.
THE KITCHEN
WHAT DO I NEED IN MY KITCHEN FOR A FAMILY OF THREE?
This is largely dependent on your family’s lifestyle and habits. Do you use a laundromat, or do you wash your own clothes? If so, do you hand wash or use a washing machine? Do you have a place to hang your clothes to dry? If not, then you’ll want to include a tumble dryer. What about cooking? Does your family cultivate a home cooking culture, or are you more of a take-out and eat-out kind of family? These are just a few questions to ask yourself when considering what your kitchen contains, and ultimately its size.
As a good baseline, a fully fitted kitchen might contain the following:
- Washing machine
- Tumble dryer
- Dishwasher
- Stove
- Oven
- Microwave, kettle, toaster, etc.
- Sink
- Bin
- Cupboards
- Kitchen Island with “Breakfast Nook”
A study found that 68% of the family’s time was spent mainly in the kitchen/nook and the living room. This is important to cater for. In addition to all the kitchen essentials, it would be wise to incorporate a decent-sized island with enough seating space for the family of three, along with a few guests.
In recent years, the kitchen has become the heart of the house, where families and friends cook, eat and clean together in a fun and social setting. An island with a nook and seating area can accommodate this, and in most cases, completely eliminate the need for a dining room. With a well-thought-out design, the kitchen can do a lot to bring families together.
This example shows how a kitchen 6 meters long by 3.8 meters wide can really become a multi-purpose area, making a home office, dining room, laundry room, scullery, and pantry obsolete. This is part of an example plan I drew up for a family of three. Feel free to use this as part of your own layout. You can also download the full plan in .PDF format for free at the end of this article.
HOW BIG SHOULD MY KITCHEN BE?
For the sake of getting the most bang for your buck, it would be wise to combine cooking, eating & entertaining, cleaning, laundry, and work into one well-designed multi-purpose space. Not only do you save space, but you also make a lot of these chores less mundane and lonesome. This combined area also does well to bring the family together.
A good-sized kitchen that includes enough space for cooking cleaning, eating, storing, entertaining, and working would be around 6m long and 3.8m wide, or 22.8 square meters. Small living actually benefits from a larger kitchen. In a small house, an open plan kitchen with a large island can replace a dining room and a home office, so the extra space in the kitchen is well justified.
- Cooking doesn’t always have to be a chore when you have a well-designed kitchen that gets everyone involved. A well-thought-out space allows room for the child to do homework while mom and dad cook. Why not involve everyone in the cooking process?
- Eating and entertaining can be accommodated in the kitchen too. Why must the cook be left alone in the kitchen while the guests have all the fun in another room? Combining these areas makes it more social for everyone, and cooking becomes a fun activity rather than a chore.
- Cleaning up can also be made more bearable when you’re still able to interact with family and guests. In fact, it might encourage them to join in and help. Even if they don’t, you’ll appreciate the company. The cleaning area should include a double sink, dishwasher if you need one, a broom cupboard, storage for cleaning supplies, and some counter space to work with.
- Doing the laundry in this area will also be less tedious when you have some company while your partner helps your child with their homework on the kitchen island. This is made possible by including some counter space for ironing and folding and under-counter space for a washing machine and a tumble dryer.
- Working at home is becoming more and more common and is worth considering even if you don’t. Having a workspace is ideal and doesn’t mean you have to be locked away in another part of the house. It can also be used by your child to do their homework. You could even allow for some shelving underneath the kitchen island for files, stationery, etc.
THE LIVING ROOM
A living room is a place to relax, watch your series, play a board game or read a book. This is where you have a few friends over for a glass of wine, catch up and have a laugh. The living room is where most families will spend the majority of their time. For these reasons, it would be good to have an open plan living area that is adjacent to the second most used area, the kitchen.
HOW BIG SHOULD MY LIVING ROOM BE?
A good-sized living room for a family of three is 3.5m x 4m. This is enough space for a four-seater L-shaped couch and two armchairs, seating a total of five people. A simple tv unit that takes up little space and a wall-mounted flat-screen tv make the area feel more open.
Positioning the living area adjacent to the kitchen does well to open up space and increase the number of people you can host at a given time. In the sample plan we drew up, you could quite comfortably host ten guests in one open area, all of which can see the tv if you are watching a sports match, for example.
OPTIONAL (BUT NOT NECESSARY) EXTRAS
All of the above will be a great starting point for the basic family of three, even if you have a large budget. What it does not cover are the individual needs of each family and family members.
If your family culture revolves heavily around fitness, then a home gym might be essential. If your family does a lot of outdoor activities like camping and cycling, you’ll certainly need garage space to store all your equipment. A garage might also be considered essential in certain climates where you need to protect your vehicle from extreme weather. Really, there is no “one size fits all”, and you’ll have to evaluate your family’s needs individually and design your house around them.
With that in mind, let’s consider some of these extras and help to determine if you really need them.
DO YOU NEED A GARAGE?
An argument I hear all the time goes something like this:
“A garage can be the most important factor in resale. It is the first thing many homebuyers look at when looking to purchase a potential property. Most people want a safe place to store their cars, which is usually one of the most expensive things a person will ever own.”
But, we are not determining what is best for resale; we are deciding what is best for your family. Do you really need a garage? Can you live without a garage?
You should ask yourself, “why do I need a garage?”
Do you need to protect your vehicle from extreme weather or from being broken into? Do you need the space to store equipment essential to my family’s lifestyle, such as fitness equipment, camping gear, or bicycles? You need to be honest with yourself here. Do you really need a garage? If the answer is no, you’ll be saving yourself a small fortune that can be used more constructively elsewhere.
If you can not afford to build a garage outright, but have determined that it is essential for your family, then you might want to plan ahead and make sure you position your house to cater to a future garage addition. If you only need your cars to be covered, a carport might suffice as a much more affordable option. With that in mind, what is a good size for a garage? A good-sized garage for one car is about 18m² or 6m x 3m. A good-sized garage for two cars is about 36m² or 6m x 6m.
DO YOU NEED A SCULLERY?
For some, a scullery leading from the kitchen is considered one of the most practical rooms in a home, but is it really essential, or have sculleries been made obsolete?
While the scullery is enjoying a comeback in some modern homes, new technology, along with larger and better-equipped kitchens, have made sculleries virtually obsolete. Those who do opt to include a scullery in their home, do so mostly based on the homely charm and nostalgia associated with bygone ages.
Furthermore, it is good to consider how a scullery (an isolated cleaning area) will affect your family’s lifestyle. Let’s look at that next.
How will a scullery affect your family’s lifestyle?
The scullery is nothing more than an isolated cleaning area. In my experience growing up, and I am sure it is similar for many others, the person left cleaning up is often “out of sight, out of mind”, isolated, while the rest of the guests have all the fun in a separate room. In fact, I have observed it to be a sore point for many other families too.
For the sake of efficiency and bringing the family together, you may want to combine this area into the kitchen so that it makes use of common space but is slightly screened to hide the dirty dishes. By combining these areas, the person cleaning up is not left all alone in this “cleaning dungeon”, and they can still interact with friends and family while doing so. This layout may even encourage others to help with the dishes. If not, at the very least, the person cleaning up can still enjoy the company of their friends or family.
Really, the benefits of combining this area into the kitchen outweigh the few benefits of having a scullery.
| “The nature of dishwashing, on the other hand, encourages couples to stand in the kitchen together and work simultaneously until the job is done. That kind of teamwork, especially when practiced regularly, often makes partners feel more connected, ready to tackle the gross and the curdled, in and outside of the sink.” The Atlantic – Doing Dishes Is the Worst |
All of the above will be a great starting point for the basic family of three, even if you have a large budget. What it does not cover are the individual needs of each family and family members.
If your family culture revolves heavily around fitness, then a home gym might be essential. If your family does a lot of outdoor activities like camping and cycling, you’ll certainly need garage space to store all your equipment. A garage might also be considered essential in certain climates where you need to protect your vehicle from extreme weather. Really, there is no “one size fits all”, and you’ll have to evaluate your family’s needs individually and design your house around them.
With that in mind, let’s consider some of these extras and help to determine if you really need them.
DO YOU NEED A GARAGE?
An argument I hear all the time goes something like this:
“A garage can be the most important factor in resale. It is the first thing many homebuyers look at when looking to purchase a potential property. Most people want a safe place to store their cars, which is usually one of the most expensive things a person will ever own.”
But, we are not determining what is best for resale; we are deciding what is best for your family. Do you really need a garage? Can you live without a garage?
You should ask yourself, “why do I need a garage?”
Do you need to protect your vehicle from extreme weather or from being broken into? Do you need the space to store equipment essential to my family’s lifestyle, such as fitness equipment, camping gear, or bicycles? You need to be honest with yourself here. Do you really need a garage? If the answer is no, you’ll be saving yourself a small fortune that can be used more constructively elsewhere.
If you can not afford to build a garage outright, but have determined that it is essential for your family, then you might want to plan ahead and make sure you position your house to cater to a future garage addition. If you only need your cars to be covered, a carport might suffice as a much more affordable option. With that in mind, what is a good size for a garage? A good-sized garage for one car is about 18m² or 6m x 3m. A good-sized garage for two cars is about 36m² or 6m x 6m.
DO YOU NEED A SCULLERY?
For some, a scullery leading from the kitchen is considered one of the most practical rooms in a home, but is it really essential, or have sculleries been made obsolete?
While the scullery is enjoying a comeback in some modern homes, new technology, along with larger and better-equipped kitchens, have made sculleries virtually obsolete. Those who opt to include a scullery in their home do so based on the homely charm and nostalgia associated with bygone ages.
Furthermore, it is good to consider how a scullery (an isolated cleaning area) will affect your family’s lifestyle. Let’s look at that next.
How will a scullery affect your family’s lifestyle?
The scullery is nothing more than an isolated cleaning area. In my experience growing up, and I am sure it is similar for many others, the person left cleaning up is often “out of sight, out of mind”, isolated, while the rest of the guests have all the fun in a separate room. In fact, I have observed it to be a sore point for many other families too.
For the sake of efficiency and bringing the family together, you may want to combine this area into the kitchen so that it makes use of common space but is slightly screened to hide the dirty dishes. By combining these areas, the person cleaning up is not left alone in this “cleaning dungeon”, and they can still interact with friends and family. This layout may even encourage others to help with the dishes. If not, at the very least, the person cleaning up can still enjoy the company of their friends or family.
Really, the benefits of combining this area into the kitchen outweigh the few benefits of having a scullery.
DOWNLOAD THIS HOUSE PLAN FOR FREE
If you don’t know where to start with your floor plan, feel free to download our template for free. The floor plan template is in .PDF and .DWG that you or your architect/draftsman can edit in AutoCAD. Enter your name and email address in the contact form below and I will email it to you.