Designing for Dignity: Multigenerational Living & Custom Home Floor Plans
For decades, the open-concept floor plan has been a defining feature of American home design; a symbol of connection, transparency, and modern life. But as our family structures evolve, that once-revolutionary openness is revealing its limits. Today’s homes in the Chicago area must serve diverse, multigenerational families who need shared spaces that foster connection while still protecting privacy, independence, and cultural identity.
To meet those needs, we do not need to invent a new type of floor plan, revolutionize architecture, or rather ‘reinvent the wheel’. We only need to seek inspiration from other cultures and how they’ve integrated and utilized multigenerational living spaces for thousands of years. To be clear, the goal isn’t imitation; it’s integration and paying respect to a further globalized world. By thoughtfully adapting principles rooted in respect, harmony, and adaptability, we can create custom homes in Chicagoland that are both deeply personal and universally functional.
Connected Autonomy: A Foundation for Elders and Independence
In Chinese, Taiwanese, Singaporean, Malaysian, and other Sinosphere cultures, there’s an architectural and design concept known as “Place with Purpose.” Heavily influenced by Feng Shui (風水), stability and grounding are key. When you plan your parents’ or grandparents’ suite on the ground floor, you're doing more than just future-proofing their independence. You're also symbolizing how your elders are the ‘roots’ of the family tree and it displays respect within the household hierarchy (孝 Xiào).
It is also important to note, the Ensuite is not meant to be a ‘guest house’ or somewhere entirely separate from the main family unit. It is “A Home Within a Home”; complete with a kitchenette, full bath, and living area, while still maintaining an organic connection to the main home. While having all of these amenities goes a long way in building this “home within a home”, by having dual entrances; a private exterior entrance to provide independence for your elders, while a lockable interior door allows easy connection when needed and privacy when wanted.
Another benefit of designing a space with your elders in mind is you are able to integrate accessibility in a way that is not readily apparent. No-step entries, wide doorways, barrier-free shower spaces crafted with warmth, artistry, and physical limitations in mind. The ultimate goal is to build a space that protects your elders independence, allows proximity and connection with your family, and to provide dignity, comfort, and respect to those who raised us and sacrificed for us.
Strategic Zoning: Creating Rhythm, Ritual, and Privacy
Strategic zoning is how we breathe life and dignity into a multi-generational home. It’s about building a space that feels rooted yet responsive. Whether we start with the wisdom of the Chinese principle of Feng Shui (風水), and embracing the notion of soft zoning to ensure a natural, harmonious flow (氣 qì). This means letting energy move freely and using architectural details rather than heavy walls to define space. This elegant approach is perfectly complemented by the Japanese spirit, history, and affinity for adaptability (可変性 Kahen-sei).
Instead of locking rooms into fixed uses as we so often do in American home design, we design with the above concepts in mind: subtle elevation changes or shoji sliding doors might transform a quiet, meditative corner into a bustling, shared dining area when hosting extended family and friends.
While Chinese design traditionally seeks stability and clear set hierarchy, Japanese design often champions fluidity and efficiency over all. By blending these two powerful concepts, we create a home that is both firmly grounded in respect and our elders in mind but effortlessly flexible to the ever-changing rhythms of family life.
Honoring Transitions: The Energy and Intentionality of Entry
The threshold between the outside world and home is a universal moment of transition, and designing it with intention supports both hygiene and emotional balance.
The Functional Threshold is inspired by Japan’s Genkan (玄関), where a recessed entry or vestibule with built-in storage helps preserve cleanliness and mindfulness. Shoes and clutter remain at the boundary, allowing the living space to be a sanctuary. This functional design is layered with the strategic principles of the Chinese Siheyuan (四合院) or courtyard house, where the entry sequence is always designed for privacy and respect. The use of a shielded door or a formal lounge placed near the entry acts as a crucial buffer. This prevents the family's private life from being immediately visible to the outside world.
More profoundly, this hierarchy dictates the placement of the generations. In the traditional Siheyuan, the most revered quarters, those for the elders, were situated in the North Wing, the most protected, stable, and auspicious area. This structural principle could be translated into modern design by placing the ground floor elders' suite in the deepest, most quiet corner of the home, giving them the highest status in terms of stability and peaceful seclusion. Meanwhile, the central courtyard nucleus remains the shared heart, drawing all family members toward a common space while maintaining the respectful distance inherent in the architecture.
Subtle Cultural Touchstones: Privacy, Harmony, and Identity
True generational harmony is often found in the subtle details that respect individual identity within the collective. Designers could nod to the Japanese concept of adaptability (可変性 Kahen-sei) by integrating layered lighting schemes or using the Fusuma (襖) principle, which employs lightweight, sliding partitions to gently shift a large room's mood from formal dining to intimate reflection. Identity is preserved through the creation of small, personalized niches, like a modest, dedicated display alcove (tokonoma 床の間) outside private suites, allowing each generation to express their personality without dominating shared space.
To reinforce communal unity and balance the structural hierarchy of the Siheyuan (四合院), the Chinese Yuánzhuō (圆桌) or Round Table might be introduced in the main dining area, signifying equality and completeness for all seated. Furthermore, the Siheyuan hierarchy is still honored by incorporating subtle elevation changes or different flooring materials to signify the entrance to the elders' quarters. This practice of Hierarchical Elevation lends a sense of dignity and distinction to the most senior residents, reinforcing their status as the 'roots' of the family. These physical touchstones ensure that while the family is united, each member’s presence and privacy are subtly yet powerfully affirmed.
Designing for Belonging
Multigenerational living isn’t a trend and it is disrespectful to the many cultures around the world that have employed multigenerational living for thousands of years to say so. Its a form of living that frankly makes more and more sense in the United States as our needs, wants, and the realities of the world evolves. Whereas senior living centers may have cost $1,000-2,000 a decade or two ago, many now are upwards of $6,000 a month. Not only has this become difficult to financially justify, we have also seen how many elder care centers treat our elders and how we often ‘discard’ those who raised us, sacrificed for us, and gave their youth to raise us with respect and love.
Around the world, families have long understood that closeness and independence aren’t opposites but partners in harmony. By studying and adapting these global traditions with respect and cultural sensitivity, we can craft homes that serve every generation with dignity and respect.
When we design with Connected Autonomy, Strategic Zoning, and Intentional Transitions, we move beyond style and into meaning. The result is not just a home that functions well, it’s one that feels right. A place where every story, tradition, and generation can coexist beautifully.
If you’re living in a home that now includes parents, grandparents, or adult children, you’ve probably noticed that the traditional single-family layout isn’t built for multigenerational life. What once felt like plenty of space can suddenly feel tight, noisy, or disorganized and its not because of anyone’s fault, but because the home itself wasn’t designed for the complexity of multiple generations under one roof.
The Real Pain Points of Multigenerational Living
Building a successful multi-generational home means tackling a handful of core challenges that traditional single-family house (SFH) layouts simply weren’t designed to handle, as evidenced by the typical raised front porches and narrow entries common in Chicago bungalows. Most homes fail to provide true privacy and boundaries, allowing different routines, sleep schedules, and lifestyles to cause friction fast. Crucially, the home suffers from shared space overload: the single kitchen, one living room, and sole laundry area are suddenly bottlenecks, making it difficult for multiple adults to maintain routines and autonomy without constant coordination. Furthermore, the typical SFH presents immediate accessibility challenges for elders with stairs, narrow doorways, and high-step tubs, directly limiting independence and safety. When every corner is shared, there's no retreat space for anyone to recharge, causing stress to build. Ultimately, the absence of clear physical separation exacerbates emotional overlap, blurring roles when parents become caregivers or grandparents take on parenting duties.
Why “Making It Work” Without Redesign Usually Fails
Many families start with the best intentions: turning a basement into a suite, sectioning off a dining room, or adding temporary walls for privacy. But over time, these quick fixes tend to create more problems than they solve. Converted rooms feel temporary, not comfortable or dignified, while shared kitchens and bathrooms continue to cause daily bottlenecks. Crucially, fundamental accessibility remains a concern, leading to safety risks that temporary solutions cannot address. As a result, stress grows quietly as family members struggle to find genuine personal space, and the home's ability to support the family declines. Moreover, property value can suffer if modifications aren’t code-compliant or well-integrated. When the home doesn't reflect how the family actually lives, the design itself becomes the primary source of friction
How to Start Planning for a Functional Multigenerational Home
You don’t need to know exactly what the renovation will look like to begin building a harmonious home; you just need to start thinking about the right questions. The planning phase is your chance to translate family values and daily routines into an architectural blueprint that truly works.
Start with Conversations, Not Construction: Gather the family and talk openly about routines, privacy needs, and expectations. What does independence look like for your elders? How can everyone stay connected without feeling crowded? These answers become the foundation for your entire design strategy.
Observe Daily Flow: Take note of where congestion happens. Is it mornings in the kitchen, evenings in the living room, or bathroom bottlenecks? Observing these moments helps you quickly identify where the home’s current layout works against the family dynamic.
Identify Accessible Zones First: Following the Chinese principle of Hierarchical Elevation, ground-level areas are ideal for elder suites. Think about proximity to a dedicated bath, potential kitchenette space, and outdoor access. Knowing where those stable, auspicious spaces could go helps guide all long-term planning.
Look for Hidden Potential: Utilizing the existing infrastructure of your Chicago home, such as: unused basements, attached garages, or even underutilized additions can become fully independent suites with separate entrances. With the right design, these spaces seamlessly function as “a home within a home.”
Incorporate Universal Design Early: Simple updates like lever-style handles, wider doorways, better lighting, and no-step entries make a monumental difference in comfort and safety, especially as mobility inevitably changes. This is the future-proofing that protects independence.
Design for Dual-Function Living: Inspired by the Japanese concept of adaptability (可変性), create flexible areas that can evolve with your family. A guest room could double as a dedicated caregiver suite; a home office can later become a small, quiet living space for an adult child returning home.
Bring in a Design-Build Team Early: A professional team doesn’t just draw plans; they help you translate complex family dynamics into lasting architecture. At R&R Chicago Design-Build, we use strategic zoning, accessibility planning, and cultural insight to create layouts that truly balance independence and connection for every generation.
The Goal: A Home That Adapts, Not Just Expands
A true multigenerational home isn’t about adding square footage; it’s about designing with intention. By thoughtfully integrating global traditions, from the Japanese mastery of adaptability to the Chinese structural reverence for lineage, we create homes that allow families to thrive together. Your home should grow with your family, it should never work against it.
If you’re ready to move beyond temporary fixes and design a space that truly supports your elders’ comfort and your family’s future, reach out to R&R Chicago Design-Build. Let us help you translate your family's unique dynamics and values into an architectural blueprint where every generation feels connected and, above all, has room to belong.
Writers Note:
We must note that the concepts discussed are not exhaustive, nor are they universally practiced by all within the Chinese and Japanese diasporas. It is crucial we do not overgeneralize or trivialize cultural traditions that have existed for thousands of years. Instead, we must honor the profound influence these cultures provide by showcasing their origins and focusing on how their principles of respect, hierarchy, and adaptability can be consciously integrated into modern American design. Ultimately, successful multigenerational living is a universal goal shared by countless cultures and peoples, and we gain both architectural and personal wisdom by learning from these global traditions.
