second floor, couldn't figure out how to post more than one pic at a time. :/

Lori

Here are some thoughts. Overall I like the plan, nice wide open spaces.

1. I would add a coat closet by the entry on the other side of the powder room as that nook will be a waste anyway.
2. Think about furniture placement in the master bedroom. With two walk in closets you will have two doors and most of that wall maybe tough to get in a bed and nightstands.
3. I do not see windows in the design - but I would make the living area a little larger and portion windows accordingly.
4. On the second floor the loft area is too big. I would personally make the bedroom 2 bath larger.
5. Perhaps consider both upper bedrooms with their own bath.
6. Bedroom 3 - I do not understand both closets in that room - is it tied to roof lines?
7. I would floor in the open area on the second floor as people here have said heating and noise can be an issue especially if kids are sleeping up there.

Again just IMHO based on our experiences.

There seems to be something wrong or out of scale with your plans. Are you sure of your dimensions and clearances?

In addition there does not seem to be any concept to this design. It seems to be an assemblage of rooms and spaces connected together without further thought. For example, the entry is small and confused, the living area seems too small, the guest powder room seems too small, the kitchen may not be possible to design efficiently, there's only one wall in the MBR for the bed (and it's the wrong wall), the bar appears as large as the dining, etc. Same sort of issues with the second floor.

You need experienced design help before you consider your plans complete.

Good luck with your project.

Here are some thoughts. Overall I like the plan, nice wide open spaces.

1. I would add a coat closet by the entry on the other side of the powder room as that nook will be a waste anyway.

L: That's what it is ;) Just a little step in spot with coat rack/shelves and rubber mats to catch muddy boots :)

2. Think about furniture placement in the master bedroom. With two walk in closets you will have two doors and most of that wall maybe tough to get in a bed and nightstands.

L: picture gives more detail.This is actually just like our current MBR, but the right door goes into the MB. Our furniture fits :) and I really like my room, so I replicated it here.

3. I do not see windows in the design - but I would make the living area a little larger and portion windows accordingly.

L: right, just now working on those with the roof lines, dormers and front elevations. (that's DAD's dept!! lol)

4. On the second floor the loft area is too big. I would personally make the bedroom 2 bath larger.

L: HA!! there is no loft area too big for us crazies. Kid/teen area with tv, video games, bean bag chairs, sofa sleeper, elliptical machine. And my computer armoire & filing cab, that are mostly just storage units now that all comuters are lappys and wireless :) I'm planning on having the computer "home base" there, with the routers and what nots...

5. Perhaps consider both upper bedrooms with their own bath.

L: Thought about that, but need the loft area more. One kid is 18, other is 11. They can fight over a bathroom for another couple years.

6. Bedroom 3 - I do not understand both closets in that room - is it tied to roof lines?

L: exactly! this is a 1.5 story. three dormers across the front, large shed dormer across the back.

7. I would floor in the open area on the second floor as people here have said heating and noise can be an issue especially if kids are sleeping up there.

L: Our house is the friend hang out for kids & adults. We actually love the chaos of being able to hear the kids doing their thing, if they get to loud they're told to head to the rooms with doors closed. Usually the kids are telling the adults to shut the h@ll up, b/c we get kinda rowdy. lol
This plan really reflects our daily living, entertaining lifestyle.
Thanks for looking, and giving me ideas!

lol ignore that random "chair" out to the right... was on the computer but I moved it... ha!

"Posted by virgilcarter (My Page) on Fri, Feb 8, 13 at 10:49

There seems to be something wrong or out of scale with your plans. Are you sure of your dimensions and clearances?
In addition there does not seem to be any concept to this design. It seems to be an assemblage of rooms and spaces connected together without further thought. For example, the entry is small and confused, the living area seems too small, the guest powder room seems too small, the kitchen may not be possible to design efficiently, there's only one wall in the MBR for the bed (and it's the wrong wall), the bar appears as large as the dining, etc. Same sort of issues with the second floor.

You need experienced design help before you consider your plans complete.

Good luck with your project."
Thanks virgil yep pretty sure. It is very similar to our current home, with the addition of the .5 story, and a couple rooms adjusted. Turned the bedroom "wing" into the MBR/LND area. It works currently.
I really enjoy your posts and value your opinions....keep them coming!!!

Make sure your double sinks in the master bath are usable simulatneously. Maybe mock it up (or if you already know because you have this arrangement, then you know).

I know, that as a taller person, my rear sticks out further away from the sink when I bend over it to wash my face, for example, and I'd not want to be rear-bumping my partner... So make sure you won't have to occupy the same floor space to use the sinks simultaneously (otherwise, why have 2 sinks?)

ah...good thinking...

we are both quite vertically challenged, but a future homeowner might be tall.

We are building this on family property...so it's unlikely that there will be any other owners for many years, but it's good to think that way.

I'll sketch in some peeps! :)

although, I can see, at least in our house, how rear bumping might be pretty entertaining! :)

You sound like a fun-loving family.

Better than sketching, I'd mock it up--use some boxes in the garage and set them up in the same configuration. Or, use your existing bathroom space and mock up the L configuration with one of the current sinks and its counter as the other leg of the L. You really need to feel the space, and not just look at it.

You have no idea...ha...we live in a pretty small town (1200ish). For the last 15 years we've had a Halloween party that pretty much shutdown the town for a night. We take fun & entertainment pretty seriously; )

That is a really good idea with the boxes! I'll do it!

Do you currently have a master bathroom with no natural light? Our basement bathroom has no natural light and our main floor hall bathroom only has a sun tunnel. Those are fine, but I couldn't live without natural light in the master bathroom.

Kudos to you for really thinking about how you and your family will really live in this house!

I too like natural light in bathrooms, but perhaps this is not an issue for you. I'm wondering about the thought behind the angled doorway near the bar? Visually, I want to square this off and line it up with the door from the master bedroom. Without knowing dimensions, the coat closet seems small. Are you planning to store family coats, shoes, backpacks, etc. in the laundry room? With it being so close, I might opt to also include a space for guest coats and such in the laundry as well. This would allow you to make the powder room larger (maybe even wheelchair accessible, just in case?).

I look forward to seeing your progress!

In fact, if your w/d are drawn to scale, then your powder room is way too shallow. You'll want a 5' dimension front to back where the toilet sits. Generally w/d are also around 5' maybe 5.5'. So, I'm a little concerned that may not be "to scale"

The angle wall at the back is to open up that space a bit more....I know it seems odd. We have a few angle walls in our house now and we love them.

The W/D are quite possibly not to scale. I kinda just plopped the boxes in there last minute, and forgot to go back to that one. Good call kh. I need to fix.

pdr room is same dimensions as current 1/2 bath...it's tight, but functional. The MBath is wheel chair accessible, so not too worried about the 1/2.

daisyblue, thank you! I have tried to think about that a lot. The laundry/masterbath/master bedroom is about the only thing DH requested b/c he's a diesel mechanic/welder/fabricator and we also crop farm. He does not come home clean!!! He'll be able to come in from the garage, ditch the dirty before he even surfaces in the rest of the house. :) woohoo!! Family coats, boots & whatever will be in the laundry and the garage is big enough for stuff too. (and both of our diesel trucks!) We have shoe shelves in our garage now that I love and will be going with us. That little coat closet is twice what I have now! lol :) I'm planning on putting coat racks in there, and boot trays.

Mstr Bath with no natural light...I've kinda been thinking about. Current one has the smallest window known to man, and the shade is always pulled, so rarely is there ever really natural light in there. I would like to consider some light tubes.

A few things have been scooted here & there on next set of drawings to make supporting walls and roofing work.

I have prelim elevations too, but only got to look them over quickly when dad was here for a few today. He's going to send me some copies this week. It looks just like what I had in my head...which made me pretty happy!
Hopefully have enough to start getting my GC and subs lined up. We're basically contracting it out ourselves. With some help.

I've already got friends lined up for BBQ & Beer nights to help with staining, painting, and whatever else I can convince them to do.

Went today to pull some beams out of a barn that was blown down a few weeks ago. I'm hoping they'll be perfect for the front porch posts and a hand hewed one for the fireplace mantel. Going back soon and getting the barn wood for the wainscoting/chair rail in the great room. All things that can just hang out in the barn until ready to use.
Also going to have friend build me the range hood in the picture!!! It's just a surround for a standard range hood. I want to have it done before we start cabinet looking so I know how far apart the top cabinets need to be.

Now if I could get the surveying places to get on the ball and get me some estimates, we'd be at least making progress.
Think we have re-visited the basement/crawlspace discussion. Just trying to decide what the best thing is to do.

wow...I need to go to bed, I'm totally rattling...

Sorry!!!! Thanks again for making me look at things closely & differently!
keep it up! :)

well....I thought I posted this picture! oops :)

I would like to consider some light tubes.

That will need to be plan out well since bedroom 3 is directly about the master bathroom.

I think I would shrink your island down a bit too. It seems a little large for the space.

I think lighting your Mbath well will be fine and you won't miss the natural light there. Just make sure to light it from multiple places/angles and not all lights at the ceiling level.

"That will need to be plan out well since bedroom 3 is directly about the master bathroom."

LOL wow... brain freeze. Wouldn't it be fun to have light tubes running thru the bedroom? Sheesh.

Island is getting sized down...b/c yeah, I'm short. And while I want the storage space under it and the large surface area for large meals...I don't want to have to crawl on a stool to reach the center of it! :)

I'm planning on vanity lights, and some cans maybe in the Mbath?? along with the fan light combo in the WC and over the shower? Does that sound sufficient?
Haven't talked to the electrician yet.

I haven't read all the responses but here are my thoughts.

The landing at the bottom of the stairway is unnecessary; the stair will take up less room and look better if it is straight.

Then the entrance foyer can be made into a rectangular room with trimmed wall openings instead of passages with eroded corners. There will probably be space for a real closet and the half bath can move toward the awkward alcove and storage can incorporated into it.

The kitchen island should be a stronger simpler shape to fit with the simplicity of the plan.

I don't like the idea of having the master bed facing a wall with the two closet doors but that is a personal preference.

I agree with others about the area behind the powder room. Hard to tell dimensions from a little picture but the shape of the space behind it doesn't seem right. I also don't like the sink next to the toilet rather then the two facing each other. Again, personal preference.

The island shape is interesting. If someone sat on the right side of the island, would there be enough room to walk behind them into the dining room? They might feel cramped sitting in that corner.

I'm having trouble picturing the bar area as well. It doesn't seem like it would flow very well. Maybe the back bar area could be L shaped in the corner and the bar island could be more like the shape you drew for the kitchen?

I like it Renovator8! I love hand sketches :) The fp has to be in the dr though...
I have a huge entertainment center that was built for me by a family friend. It has to go with us. Silly, I know...but something I'm not willing to part with.
I have lots of inspiration pictures with dining room fireplaces. I love them.
I REALLY LIKE THE WINDOW SEAT idea!!
Like the straight stairs too, and that really helps the entryway. I'll send that to dad. Thanks!

I have been struggling with the island shape. I was kinda just waiting until I meet with the cabinet guy to work that out.

I hadn't ever thought about the bar being L shaped with a smaller island just like the kitchen. Def something to think about! I'll have to try to sketch it.

Thanks guys!! I'm so glad I asked.

brooksms, on the master facing the closets...that's what I have now? I'm good with it, but I can see where you're coming from!
I tried to come up with a way to get one of the master closets to open up into the mbath, but it's ok the way it is...

Is that a bar in the back corner? Why would you want that in your dining room or anywhere else?

If I'd wager a guess, the bar is to serve drinks during parties...

you got it jrldh.

I know how we roll. :) That has been something I've wanted in my house for years. I have my "nook" in my house set up like a bar now. It is well used.

Can't help you there. I haven't seen a bar in a living space since my fraternity days.

This may be another scale issue: how much room is there to walk from the front door into the living room? You've drawn a chair on the right side and an end table on the left side. Looks like pretty tight walking space to me.

Well Renovator8 living in my house might be kinda like your fraternity days...it's a three ring circus all the time.
Only with cats, dogs, kids, friends, and Lord only knows what else at times.

littlebug5, that layout isn't set in stone. Was just trying to see if it would work for exactly that reason. Might only wind up being one chair, or a bench. :) Oh...I just looked at it again. The bench is probably what you're talking about... Yeah It won't work there.

Hi Lori,

As per bringing natural light into the Master bath, is there any chance you can run a chase through the bd 3 closet so you can use a sun tunnel? We are in the process of doing that to bring light to a main level bath. The contractor is almost done this sun tunnel, and it seems like it will bring plenty of light despite traveling quite a distance from the roof (we went with a 14 inch, rigid sun tunnel). However, you have to think about what the dome from the sun tunnel will look like on your roof. If the sun tunnel emerges on the south side the dome is lower profile than if it emerges on the north side. Velux also makes a sun tunnel that has a flat profile for the roof (looks like a regular sky light from the roof).

Good luck with your design.

Carol

Thanks Carol!! Might look into that :)

Lots of changes going on in the master bath/closet area...
I leave home before dh, so I pretty much get dressed in my closet every morning so I'm not bothering him. This layout puts my closet connected to the mbath and give me a little more wall space in the master. We're rarely at the sink at the same time and do fine with one in the master now.
Does take out the rump-bumping problem too, which I was kinda looking forward to. LOL :)

If you anticipate using the bar for entertaining, I'd want it in between the living and dining room as a separator to the space. And the BIG reason to do that is so that you can have windows and light in the dining space. It will be dark and isn't really well differentiated as a destination currently.

And the kitchen....well, angles are "interesting" but they are awkward and space wasting in real life. And cost more. That isn't a kitchen that I would want to cook or entertain in.

I'm sure you've read the various poss on the negatives for giant tall open spaces. One positive in your case is that most of the home's public spaces are tall, so that keeps the mineshaft feeling to a minimum. But, it doesn't negate the poor climate control and sound transmission issues that such a space creates. Really think about if you are buiding a home or a public building here :)

hmm...good food for thought. I'd never thought about doing that.

Our home has a tendency to be a public building, but I totally see what you're saying. I've thought the same thing several times.

What is it about the kitchen you don't like? Just the island shape?

There should be plenty of natural light coming from the windows in the gable, and the dormers...