FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter X Instagram Tiktok YouTube Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe
Log In
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Restoration
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
Log In
Drawing Board

Drawing Board: Houses that Flow

Learn about two fundamental design consideration to add flow to a floor plan

By Katie Hutchison Issue 206
  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles

What is it that captivates us about houses we love? I imagine that most people would identify abundant daylight, interesting views, nice details, and inspiring yet comfortable spaces. I suspect that eventually folks also would comment on how well the house flows.

Although often unsung, flow is a fundamental design consideration. Flow is largely a function of circulation patterns—how people routinely move through a space. However, good circulation is more than just defining a logical path through a house. By regulating daylight, views, and the relationship between spaces, good circulation improves the comfort of the house.

Bring light through the hallway

A corridor with light and views is inviting. Improve flow by allowing people and daylight to move easily between the hallway and individual rooms, In the drawing, the relatively porous wall allows the hallway to borrow space from adjacent rooms, and for the rooms to borrow views and daylight from the hall. Although the hallway feels like it overlaps with the more private rooms, it does not intrude on them. If noise is an issue, use French doors and interior windows to preserve a sense of openness.

Linear paths are easy to navigate

There are two primary circulation patterns: linear and circular. Linear circulation is best suited to rectangular or elongated floor plans. It creates an easily navigable house because rooms, or spaces, are arranged along a line. Although linear patterns risk seeming overly long, the distance from one end of the line to the other allows for a progression from public to private spaces along its path.

Axial circulation through adjoining rooms is the most efficient form of linear circulation. Movement is through rooms rather than through hallways. This layout requires less square footage and can give the home an intimate feel. As you move from interior space to interior space, room attributes, details, and furnishings change, making for a richer experience than walking through a corridor.

A single-loaded corridor is a linear passageway with living space off to one side. It requires more square footage than circulation through adjacent rooms, but the separation can afford more privacy and uninterrupted floor space. Single-loaded corridors aren’t always enclosed on both sides. Windows along the exterior edge can wash the corridor with daylight, while an interior edge defined by open doorways and walls of different heights passes light to adjacent rooms.

A double-loaded corridor is a hallway with rooms on both sides providing access to multiple, independent spaces, each with direct access to daylight on at least one side. However, double-loaded corridors can be disorienting because they generally lack the visual cues of daylight, views, and differentiation. To make the corridor less institutional or disorienting, look for ways to open the wall between the hallway and each room.

Linear paths enhance privacy

The primary circulation path in this home is the long linear path from kitchen to bedroom, moving from public spaces to private areas. Views through windows at each end of this corridor engage the eye with a pattern known as enfilade. The views are framed by a series of doorways that draw you along the intended path, creating flow from end to end.

Another shorter linear path moves from the closet in the entry hall to the powder room and gives arriving visitors a quick sense of the scope of the spaces available to them. All paths through the house have windows on at least one side

Circular paths bustle with energy

Circular circulation patterns involve moving through adjoining rooms, not hallways, in a circular fashion. They are common to condensed or boxy floor plans.
It can be harder to get one’s bearings in circular circulation patterns than in linear patterns, and they generally don’t offer as much privacy. However, circular patterns do tend to bustle with energy: Children and pets love to chase each other around them.

Target-style circulation takes place in a tight circle around a central service core (the bull’s-eye), making it fast and easy to go from room to room. Elements requiring less daylight (closets, fireplaces, and stairs) typically comprise the central core. The next ring of space allows for movement through doors and doorways between rooms while preserving the outer ring of space for communal living with direct access to daylight.

Perimeter-style circulation works well in more open, somewhat square plans. Living spaces occupy eddies of more interior space and borrow daylight from the animated perimeter. Circulation through the outer ring requires traveling a lengthier route than in target-style patterns, but it improves access to the outdoors and reduces interruption of shared living spaces.

Dead ends kill Flow

This cruciform plan is fairly compact, with rooms reaching out from a central service core and target-style circulation around the core. It flows easily: Foot traffic does not interfere with room function, and communal and private spaces get direct daylight.

It’s also a very efficient plan. All rooms are relatively close, and they typically have at least two entrances. This flexibility is the strength of circular plans, so avoid dead ends that kill flow. The doorway in the dining room might allow some bustle to intrude into the office, but the dining table can double as a project area. When the office serves as a guest room, it benefits from quick access to the kitchen. Eliminating the door would reduce the plan’s flexibility.

Match circulation patterns to the house shape

Before designing a new home or renovating an existing one, consider how important daylight, views, variety, privacy, and openness are to you. Then choose and implement the circulation strategies that best suit your needs, floor plan, and site. For example, if you prefer threading rooms along a site feature, then linear circulation may be the best fit for you. If you favor creating a sense of informal movement while taking in a variety of vantage points efficiently and fluidly, then a boxier plan with circular circulation may make sense.

If you’d like to improve flow in an existing house, reconsider doorway and window placement to take advantage of the circulation pattern appropriate for your current or proposed floor plan.

Drawings by the author

Fine Homebuilding Recommended Products

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

100-ft. Tape Measure

Laying out mudsills and foundations for new homes and additions requires a bigger tape measure than your everyday carry.
Buy at Amazon

Original Speed Square

A Speed Square or rafter square can help you cut rafters, measure angles, and accurately guide your saw for straight and angled cuts. It's a must have.
Buy at Amazon

Plate Level

A plate level allows to you plumb walls accurately because it registers off the plates without touching potentially warped or twisted studs. This one can reach the plates on 12-ft. tall walls.
Buy at Amazon

Sign up for eletters today and get the latest how-to from Fine Homebuilding, plus special offers.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters
×

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

New Feature

Fine Homebuilding Forums

Ask questions, offer advice, and share your work

  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

More Drawing Board

View All
  • Making a Room Under a Deck
  • Balustrades
  • Drawing Board: Second-Floor Additions for a Ranch House
  • Baths with Freestanding Tubs
View All

Up Next

Video Shorts

Featured Story

A New Approach to Foundations

Discover a concrete-free foundation option that doesn't require any digging.

Featured Video

How to Install Exterior Window Trim

Learn how to measure, cut, and build window casing made of cellular PVC, solid wood, poly-ash boards, or any common molding material. Plus, get tips for a clean and solid installation.

Related Stories

  • From Victorian to Mid-Century Modern: How Unico Fits Any Older Home
  • Designing the Perfect Garden Gate
  • Vintage Sash Windows Get an Energy-Efficient Upgrade
  • Design and Build a Pergola

Discussion Forum

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
View More Create Post

Highlights

Fine Homebuilding All Access
Fine Homebuilding Podcast
Tool Tech
Plus, get an extra 20% off with code GIFT20

"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Video

View All Videos
  • FHB Podcast Segment: A Homemade Radiant Heat Floor Assembly
  • FHB Podcast Segment: Can a Pretty Good House Have a Fireplace?
  • Building a Detached Shop with Full Utilities and HVAC
  • Interior and Exterior Finishing Details for a 1950s Ranch-Style Home
View All

Whole House Design

View All Whole House Design Articles
  • Townhouse Transformation
  • Ramon Martinez, Site Supervisor
  • Eichlers Get an Upgrade
  • Fight House Fires Through Design
View All Whole House Design Articles

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 332 - July 2025
    • Custom Built-ins With Job-Site Tools
    • Fight House Fires Through Design
    • Making the Move to Multifamily
  • Issue 331 - June 2025
    • A More Resilient Roof
    • Tool Test: You Need a Drywall Sander
    • Ducted vs. Ductless Heat Pumps
  • Issue 330 - April/May 2025
    • Deck Details for Durability
    • FAQs on HPWHs
    • 10 Tips for a Long-Lasting Paint Job
  • Issue 329 - Feb/Mar 2025
    • Smart Foundation for a Small Addition
    • A Kominka Comes West
    • Making Small Kitchens Work
  • Issue 328 - Dec/Jan 2024
    • How a Pro Replaces Columns
    • Passive House 3.0
    • Tool Test: Compact Line Lasers

Fine Home Building

Newsletter Sign-up

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox.

  • Green Building Advisor

    Building science and energy efficiency advice, plus special offers, in your inbox.

  • Old House Journal

    Repair, renovation, and restoration tips, plus special offers, in your inbox.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters

Follow

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell or share my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2025 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

  • Home Group
  • Antique Trader
  • Arts & Crafts Homes
  • Bank Note Reporter
  • Cabin Life
  • Cuisine at Home
  • Fine Gardening
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Green Building Advisor
  • Garden Gate
  • Horticulture
  • Keep Craft Alive
  • Log Home Living
  • Military Trader/Vehicles
  • Numismatic News
  • Numismaster
  • Old Cars Weekly
  • Old House Journal
  • Period Homes
  • Popular Woodworking
  • Script
  • ShopNotes
  • Sports Collectors Digest
  • Threads
  • Timber Home Living
  • Traditional Building
  • Woodsmith
  • World Coin News
  • Writer's Digest
Active Interest Media logo
X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Online Learning

  • Courses
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • FHB House
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Follow

  • X
  • YouTube
  • instagram
  • facebook
  • pinterest
  • Tiktok

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 70%

Subscribe

You have 1 free article remaining.

Get complete site access, including thousands of videos, how-to tips, tool reviews, and design features.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in

Privacy Policy Update

We use cookies, pixels, script and other tracking technologies to analyze and improve our service, to improve and personalize content, and for advertising to you. We also share information about your use of our site with third-party social media, advertising and analytics partners. You can view our Privacy Policy here and our Terms of Use here.

Cookies

Analytics

These cookies help us track site metrics to improve our sites and provide a better user experience.

Advertising/Social Media

These cookies are used to serve advertisements aligned with your interests.

Essential

These cookies are required to provide basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website.

Delete My Data

Delete all cookies and associated data