What does 2+1 mean?
In Turkey, flats are described as “2+1”: two bedrooms and one living room, i.e. a two-bedroom apartment. The kitchen, bathroom and hall aren't counted. The size of a 2+1 varies a lot by district and building, and you'll see 2+1 listings of very different sizes. That's why it matters more to look at the dimensions of each room than at the number of rooms.
Example plan: 80 m² net
The plan below is Nodaform's ready-made 2 bedroom template. Its external dimensions are 10.20 × 9.20 m, and the sum of the rooms' interior areas (net area) is 80.3 m². All rooms open off a hall; the front door is at the end of the hall.
| Space | Inside dimension | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Living room | 5.60 × 4.20 m | 23.5 m² |
| Kitchen | 4.00 × 4.20 m | 16.8 m² |
| Bedroom 1 | 3.60 × 3.00 m | 10.8 m² |
| Bedroom 2 | 3.00 × 3.00 m | 9.0 m² |
| Bathroom | 2.80 × 3.00 m | 8.4 m² |
| Hall | 9.80 × 1.20 m | 11.8 m² |
Minimum room sizes in the Turkish regulation
Turkey's Planned Areas Zoning Regulation (Planlı Alanlar İmar Yönetmeliği) sets the minimum area and minimum short side of the rooms every home must have (article 29). Halls and corridors can't be narrower than 1.20 m. Under the same regulation, the clear width of a flat's front door is at least 1.00 m, and that of room doors at least 0.90 m (article 39).
| Space | Minimum area | Minimum short side |
|---|---|---|
| Living room | 12.00 m² | 3.00 m |
| Bedroom | 9.00 m² | 2.50 m |
| Kitchen | 3.30 m² | 1.50 m |
| Bathroom | 3.00 m² | 1.50 m |
| Toilet (WC) | 1.20 m² | 1.00 m |
| Hall and corridor width | — | 1.20 m |
The second bedroom in the example plan is 3.00 × 3.00 m, i.e. right at the 9 m² limit. If you draw a smaller room, you fall below the regulation. Details may change over time, so for your own project check the current text and your municipality.
Layout tips
- Keep the hall clear. If room doors open into the rooms, no door leaves swing into the hall. All doors in the example plan work this way.
- Don't let door swings clash with furniture. Don't put a wardrobe or bed where the door opens; it fits on paper, but at home the door won't open.
- Don't put the wardrobe in front of the window. In the bedroom, place the wardrobe against a wall without a window.
- Measure the distance between the TV and the sofa. In the example plan the TV is on the left wall, opposite the sofa.
- Keep the bathroom close to the bedrooms. In the example plan the bathroom is in the same row as the bedrooms.
Drawing your own 2 bedroom floor plan
If you have a sketch or measurements, the easiest way is to draw the rooms one by one. In Nodaform you draw a rectangle with the room tool and type in the dimensions; the area is calculated automatically. When you drop a door or window onto a wall, the opening sits in the wall. If you're not sure how to take measurements, read the how to measure a room post first.
- Interior dimensions and area of each room
- Bedrooms at least 9 m², short side at least 2.50 m
- Hall at least 1.20 m wide
- Door swing direction, with clear space in front
- No tall furniture in front of windows
The plans and dimensions in this post are layout ideas. A building permit, structural design or construction project requires a design by, and approval from, a licensed architect and engineer; ask your municipality about the details of the regulations.