The floor plan is designed around a central and long double-height living room space, which is lowered two steps below an overlooking dining area to one side and a study area to the other, creating a sitting well. The stairs also translate into functional seating, which makes movable furniture superfluous. The shifting of a floor platform and changes of elevation conform to specific spatial characteristics. Rudolph aimed to create a variety of moods with a consideration of the programmatic needs of the occupants, “the reading area with its low ceiling and corresponding wall of books, the high ceiling of the main living area with its recessed seating, or the nestlike inglenook set on a level between the living room and the overlook.