Bungalow Design: How to Create Space, Light, and Privacy on One Level

Bungalows are often misunderstood.

They’re sometimes seen as small, dark, or compromised homes. In reality, a well-designed modern bungalow can feel more spacious, calmer, and more connected to the outdoors than a two-storey house.

The key difference is this: you don’t rely on stairs to separate space, light, and privacy.

Everything has to work harder on one level.

This article explains how good bungalow design achieves that, and what to watch out for if you’re planning a self-build or replacement dwelling.

Why bungalow design is different

In a two-storey house, space is stacked. Bedrooms go upstairs, living spaces stay downstairs, and privacy is handled vertically.

In a bungalow:

• All rooms sit next to each other

• Daylight has to travel further

• Privacy must be carefully planned

• Circulation can easily dominate the layout

That means layout, roof form, and window placement matter more than almost anything else.

Start with zoning, not rooms

One of the biggest mistakes we see is designing bungalows room-by-room instead of zone-by-zone.

A strong bungalow layout usually has three clear zones:

• Public spaces – kitchen, dining, living

• Private spaces – bedrooms, bathrooms

• Quiet support spaces – utility, storage, study

These zones don’t need walls everywhere, but they do need separation.

Good zoning avoids:

• Bedrooms opening straight onto living spaces

• Long corridors with doors either side

• Noise travelling through the whole house

A subtle change in direction, ceiling height, or daylight source can be enough to define one zone from another.

Courtyard layouts create space and privacy

Courtyards are one of the most effective tools in modern bungalow design.

They allow you to:

• Bring daylight deep into the plan

• Create private outdoor space without fencing

• Avoid overlooking neighbours

• Blur the line between inside and outside

Rather than pushing all rooms to the perimeter, a courtyard lets the house wrap around light.

This works particularly well on:

• Edge-of-village plots

• Infill sites

• Wider but shallower plots

Courtyards don’t need to be large. Even a modest, planted space can dramatically improve light and privacy.

Bring light in from more than one direction

Daylight quality matters more than daylight quantity.

A single large window at one end of a bungalow will leave the middle feeling gloomy.

Instead, successful layouts use:

• Rooflights to pull light into the centre

• Corner glazing to widen views

• Clerestory windows to maintain privacy

• Courtyards to introduce side light

This layered approach creates softer, more even light throughout the day—and avoids the harsh contrast of one over-glazed elevation.

Avoid the “bungalow corridor problem”

Long corridors are the silent killer of good bungalow design.

They:

• Waste floor area

• Reduce flexibility

• Block daylight

• Make homes feel institutional

Better alternatives include:

• Short, offset circulation routes

• Using living spaces as connectors

• Visual links rather than physical corridors

If you must have a corridor, it should:

• Be naturally lit

• Serve storage or views

• Feel intentional, not leftover

Privacy comes from planning, not fences

Privacy in bungalows is often misunderstood as something solved with hedges and blinds.

In reality, it’s achieved through:

• Window placement and height

• Courtyard orientation

• Level changes and planting

• Internal layout decisions

For example:

• Bathrooms can face inward to courtyards

• Bedrooms can use high-level glazing

• Living spaces can open fully where privacy allows

This approach creates homes that feel open without being exposed.

Think about how the bungalow will be used over time

One of the biggest advantages of a bungalow is adaptability.

Good design allows for:

• Single-level living now

• Reduced mobility later

• Home working or guest use

• Future extensions or adaptations

That means:

• Wider doorways where possible

• Logical service routes

• Clear structural logic

• Flexible rooms rather than over-specific ones

This kind of thinking doesn’t add cost, it adds longevity. Thinking about a bungalow self-build?

We regularly help clients assess whether a bungalow is right for their plot and design layouts that balance space, light, privacy, and planning policy.

If you’re at an early stage, a feasibility review can save time, cost, and frustration before you commit.