Traffic Flow

Does the traffic flow in your home adequately fit your lifestyle? Traffic flow is how people move around a room. The traffic flow of a room can determine the functionality of a room and overall ease of live-ability in a home. When planning a new construction or designing a remodeling project, if you don’t pay attention to the traffic flow of a room, you may find yourself frustrated by traffic hazards. To avoid this headache, it is important to be attentive to entry ways and walking paths. Heavily trafficked rooms, such as a kitchens, generally benefit from more than one passageway in and out of the room. Stand-alone islands in kitchens also make the room less restrictive and can add more storage space. Also, when considering traffic flow, the little things do matter. The direction of a door swing can make the difference between easy access to a room or a design faux pas and hinder your ability to decorate with furniture. To avoid a traffic hazard on your home project, create a traffic flow chart. First, make a rough traffic plan of the room you are interested in designing. Next, draw lines showing the paths people will take in this room; keep in mind any possible furniture, appliances or any other objects that will be in that room. Also, consider who will be trafficking the room. If children will be going through the room, you probably should keep in mind the rate of speed of the traffic in the room. Remember, careful planning can help create traffic flow that will make your newly remodeled room easy and enjoyable to use. ~K

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