Floor Plans that Shine
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The exterior above, for a 3,000 square foot home, was the one upper-income nexers responded to most favorably. The open floor plan of a 2,800-square-foot home, however, was their favorite.
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The plans for this 1,900 square foot home received a lukewarm response, in part because nexers didn't like having to go through the kitchen and dining room to enter the great room.
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Neither income group was thrilled with the townhouse option, saying it was too much space.
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Nexers saw a variety of single-family home floor plans. Each plan was developed to explore the response to a particular design element - one-story living, master down with optional second floor, traditional two-floor living with no downstairs master or, for upper-income groups, a four-bedroom home versus three bedrooms. The upper-income respondents saw three floor plans that ranged between 2,500 and 3,000 square feet, designed specifically for their lifestyle and price point. The plans the middle-income group saw ranged between 1,900 and 2,200 square feet of living space.
Upper-income nexers expressed considerable enthusiasm for the overall openness of the plans and liked the master bedroom on the first floor with two additional bedrooms upstairs. They liked flexible spaces throughout the house and a large storage area on the second floor.
They reacted negatively to a plan that showed an entry from a motor courtyard. Some didn't like the driveway and garage in front of the house.
Middle-income nexers also liked the master bedroom downstairs and two extra bedrooms plus flex space upstairs. However, they felt that traffic flow fell short in the plans. They disliked having to walk through the kitchen and dining areas to get to the great room. Another objection is the garage as the primary focal point in the front elevation of the home. They preferred a porch in the front of the house.
In addition to the single-family plans, both groups viewed a plan for a four-story townhome with an elevator. Many ruled out the townhome, saying it was more space than they needed, elevator or not. For the respondents in this primarily suburban area where single-family homes predominate, the townhouse product simply did not motivate them.