Kids room in Common House
From: RLob4Grell (RLob4Grellaol.com)
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 94 08:19 CST
We are close to solidifying the design of our common house here in San Luis
Obispo and are concerned about the placement of the kids room.

We are building a 3000sqft, two story affair. Downstairs we generally have
designed a quiet (west) side and a noisy (east) side. The quiet side has the
sitting room and one guest room. The nosiy side has the kitchen, lanudry and
kids room. The kids room is adjacent to the kitchen and is slated to take a
fair amout of the direct morning and early afternoon sunlight which could
otherwise be available for the kitchen.

We have chosen this compromise with the following assumtions:

1)   The kids (say ages 2-8) will tend to play where the adults are. The
adults in the common house before dinner, will generally be in or near the
kitchen. If the kids room is far away from the kitchen it won't be used.

2)  Kids will tend to play where the warm sunlight is. If the kids room is
not visually inviting (say, placed on the shady cooler north side), kids
won't use this room.

3)   Because the kids room is placed within view of the cooks (but separated
by glass) parents with toddlers or pre-toddlers will still be able to
effectively participate in the cooking.

Some in the group are concerned that we are comprimizing the placement of the
kitchen for the kids room based on shaky assumptions about the requirements
of the kids room.

How have other Kids rooms worked (or not worked)?

Is it too small (big)? Ours is 11 x 13 with a corner of stairs/stage

Is is contiguous to outdoor covered/enclosed space? Ours opens onto a small
covered deck and then to the only hard, flat space in the development

What time of day is it mostly used?

Is it used for home schooling?, Structured daycare?


Thanks for any direction

Rich Lobdill
Grell CoHousing Group
San Luis Obispo, CA


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