What makes a multigenerational home comfortable for everyone?

Talk through meals, laundry, work, television, visitors and outdoor space. Is everyone expecting one shared kitchen, or is a separate refreshment area important? Does someone need a quiet sitting room or a private entrance?

Any additional kitchen or separate living arrangement should be reviewed against the rules applicable to the property. Describe the intended use clearly to the design team before assuming it can be approved.

Consider the route between a bedroom and its bathroom. Check whether visitors must pass through another person’s space. Separate sleeping areas from the noisiest gathering zones where possible.

A private suite should have somewhere to spend time beyond the bed. A chair, a view and useful storage can matter as much as another few feet of bedroom width. Ask how the person will receive a visitor or make a phone call without occupying the whole household’s living area.

Picture the morning when everyone leaves at different times. Look at parking, entry doors, kitchen circulation, laundry and bathroom use. Then repeat the exercise for an evening when someone has company and someone else wants an early night.

This makes the practical conflicts visible while they can still be solved on paper.