Every home has zones that cluster similar uses:
Private zone
This is where the bedrooms are, a quiet space to get away.
Public zone
This is where any guests would access, such as your great room, dining room, kitchen, and entry.
Service Zone
This is a zone that encompasses service spaces that only the occupants of the house would access. This would include pantries, mudrooms, and laundry rooms.
The house shown below uses a back service hallway to access a washroom for anyone enjoying the outdoors. The benefit of this is that the flooring will likely be of a material that could take some water, say, for kids running in from the pool, plus any wet bathing suits could be easily dropped off in the laundry room for drying.
The extra benefit of a layout like this is that while you are cooking in the kitchen, you can also be running a load of laundry without having to truck up and down stairs. It’s a multi-tasker’s dream!