Can't tell what the square closet is so not sure you need to keep it. If not, here might be a possibility that is laid out within the space you already have.

In some ways, it might make more sense to swap the media and play rooms... probably need/want more square footage for the play room. But I'm thinking you probably don't want a media room that is open to the staircase.

The only way I see to expand the upstairs area without negatively impacting the front elevation is to pull the front right corner forward so that it is closer to even. That only gains you a few additional square feet... and the best arrangement for the rooms remains the same. You just get a slightly bigger playroom.

Thanks! That looks really great! Sometimes I look at the simplicity of what you put together and wonder why I couldn't have thought of the same thing!

My one other thought is that we could expand the space over the kitchen. It would change the front elevation, but it may change it for the better in that it would be more balanced across the front. It could in theory go 17" to the right, and 10' forward (keeping with the current lines) or as much as 14" if we change the portion you suggested expanding.

Any other thoughts given that spacing? We are not initially finishing the upstairs so the cost of adding the square footage at this time is minimal!

Thanks!

Oh, and it is probably also important to be able to access the bathroom without going around into the guest room, but still, bevangel you are closer with this drawing than we have been in looking at it for days!

Laura- This probably won't work, but I thought I'd mention it...just in case.

Have you considered putting the kids' rooms upstairs, with the playroom? Maybe keep the media room and wine cellar (and bathroom) downstairs, where the kids' rooms are now?

The kids' wing seems to be tucked in between the mudroom and garage. Maybe giving them their own space upstairs (with the small bedroom by your room for the nursery) would be a good idea?

If the den can double as a downstairs guest room, when necessary...then the wine cellar, media room and a bathroom might fit well into that space between the mudroom and garages. Again...just an idea :)

Lavender - thanks for the suggestion, but that won't work.

We are happy with the layout of the first floor (minus finding place for the wine cellar, which I believe kirkhall solved) and we would like to keep the kids rooms on the main floor.

Additionally, we are not finishing the upstairs when we first build the house, so the extra two kids bedrooms are really the priority (the house wouldn't appraise without them) whereas the media room/playroom and guest room upstairs may not be finished for 5 years or so (pool comes first).

I like bevangel's suggestion to put the media room in back on the one hand, because it is a good size/right size and it won't share a wall with the great room. However it will be right over the kids' rooms, right? That would mean no movies with amps in the evening for you/your hubby. How will you use this room?

Putting it over the kitchen solves the noise carry-down issue (through floor) because you probably won't mind if the kitchen is noisy at night. But, again, you'd want to be careful that the 5' of wall (your 15' v 10' ceiling height difference) that is shared between media and great room is well insulated or just not shared.

I'll think on this some more.

I like bevangel's suggestion to put the media room in back on the one hand, because it is a good size/right size and it won't share a wall with the great room. However it will be right over the kids' rooms, right? That would mean no movies with amps in the evening for you/your hubby. How will you use this room?

Putting it over the kitchen solves the noise carry-down issue (through floor) because you probably won't mind if the kitchen is noisy at night. But, again, you'd want to be careful that the 5' of wall (your 15' v 10' ceiling height difference) that is shared between media and great room is well insulated or just not shared.

I'll think on this some more.

Okay, try this.

You have plumbing in the kitchen, so use that plumbing as your bathroom plumbing for upstairs, rather than trying to use the kids' bathroom plumbing...

Put the guest room where Bevangel has it; play room where the media and bathroom is on Bevangel's; put the bathroom against the front/lower wall where Bevangel had the playroom and media to the right over the kitchen.

You can access the bathroom from the top of the stairs area, so it would be available to play room, media room, and guest room. And the media room would not interrupt the kids' sleep in the over the kitchen location.

You can put your wet bar/craft sink where it fits either near the bathroom, or over where the bathroom was originally... however it fits/how you'll use it.

Sorry, it would be laundry plumbing that you'd share with bathroom up--just extend that mudroom sink drain/supplies on up to the second floor... At least I think that is how it would lay out.

Hmm... That could work.

So you don't think the space should be expanded over the kitchen at all?

I was thinking the front elevation may look more balanced if the second story went more across the front of the house which would lend extra space to this whole setup...

That is what I am saying... expand the media room to be over the kitchen.

So, take Bevangel's plan except move the bathroom block (and turn) to the window area that is over the laundry window. Then, to the right of that from a hallway/area between top of stairs and new bathroom location, add your media room. The kids play room would be above their bedrooms--a place very unlikely to disturb their sleep since they won't be in 2 places at once. :) Therefore, the media room is above the kitchen.

AT least, that is how I am reading your exteriors with your interiors that you have provided. Am I off?

something like this:

Ah, I get it now!

That looks like it would work! Thanks!! :)

Kirkhall & Bevangel, I showed your suggestions to my designer and he came back with a slighty different approach. He also reminded me that we don't want to put the media room on top of one of the childrens rooms!

There was a few things I still wasn't quite happy with, so I made a few minor changes. What do you think of this?

- Double doors into the bedroom to let light in from the juliette balcony doors. The doors should likely be lined up.

- I didn't like where the designer originally put the closets and tried to play around with where to put them, but haven't quite worked it out yet.

- I'm not posisitve what the end wall of the rumpus room was lining up with along the front elevation so I need to get feedback from the designer regarding whether the bathroom and bar location work.

And of course - the rumpus room is still huge, and I have no idea what I will do with all this space, it is bigger than my living room! :) ha (I'm 7 months pregnant now with our first, and we plan on having one more, so I'm sure this will sort it self out with time!)

Also... one slightly unrelated question.

The thread about ceiling height has me thinking. Do you think 15' flat tray (or maybe those large grid/beam) style ceiling will be too much in our great room? The kitchen, den, master are all 10, and the childrens bedrooms are 9'