The master is too wide as shown, but not wide enough to create an extra seating area. It's wasted space. The master closet is also oversized for the amount of storage space that exists in it. It's too wide. The kitchen is also vastly oversized the for the size of the house, but with no connection to the living area, it's isolated and not social. Even with it open to the dining room. It would be better to reverse the dining room and living room locations, with the stairs adjacent to the entry, not crammed over to the side so that there's no opportunity for a window for that room.

When you do have kids, a second toilet on the main level will be crucial (especially if you hope to ever use that tub.)

This plan is a decent layout for a couple or even a family with one small child. We lived in a few very similar plans (one was a townhome, but similar sf) and my husband was bumping into walls by the time we added in all the toddler playthings (which I argue are essential to a mom's survival - allowing me to actually brew coffee in the morning with both hands :)) It really drove him nuts - but we didn't have a basement. Maybe you guys are more capable at working in small spaces with lots of "stuff" around though and if that's the case, then my only other comment would be that adding a pantry would be a huge selling point to me. For some reason adding kids to the food equation quadruples the amount of food you need around the house. It makes no sense but then you are at that point all of a sudden and the pantry becomes a huge deal. Maybe a portion of the mudroom could be allocated for that?

If this is a long term home though, you might want to consider adding one more bedroom (even just a nursery sized one that could function as a pocket office later.. It could add significantly to your parenting sleep in the future. The small spaces were really hard on our marriage, but I know not everyone is like that. Lots of our grandparents raised flocks of children in homes this size and did great.

I agree that the master's dimensions are a bit funky. I'd try moving the bed to the back wall . . . then enlarging the closet a bit . . . or enlarging the bath. The goal: You want comfortable walking space on three sides of the bed . . . but you don't want open, gaping, wasted space.

I see the point in wanting one nice bath, and if you're talking about keeping the kids upstairs 'til they're 2-3, then moving them into the basement rooms, you'll be fine with this. They won't actually be USING the bathroom for a while, and when they do, you'll want to supervise them. You'll be glad to have a large, open bathroom in which to watch them bathe and sit on the potty (for what'll seem like hours -- I did not enjoy potty training).

However, the toilet looks kind of "squished" back in that back corner. I think you should downsize the vanity to one sink (so you'll still have ample drawer storage) and allow some comfortable space around that toilet. I think you could also allot a little more space for the shower. It doesn't look bad now . . . but it could be really nice with a little more space.

The coat closet separating the entry from the living room is practical.

I agree that a pantry would enhance the kitchen's usefulness. I'd lose the desk and refrigerator cabinets . . . and instead make that wall into a reach-in pantry. You really are a bit over-cabineted right now, and this'll give you less expensive -- and better -- storage.

I'd also turn the island the other direction -- it should parallel the longest dimension. That would give you a larger island and would give you a clear walkway from the garage area. It would also place the island a comfortable distance from the counters -- right now it's too far from the range side.

In the mudroom (?) you have a closet and a storage bench -- good -- but I'd lose the closet doors. A mudroom is a pass-through room, a storage room. I wouldn't put doors on a closet within a closet. Also, once you have children, the easier you make storage, the more likely they are to use it. So if hanging a coat means ONLY reaching up and placing it on a hook, they're more likely to do it than if they have to open the door AND hang it on a hanger or hook.

No fireplace?

Are those stairs to the far right? How are they usable?

I know no one ever thinks they're going to sell the house they're planning to build. But this floor plan is very similar to a house we rented while we were building, and I believe it was a rental because they couldn't sell it.

In my area, having only one bathroom on the main level would kill resale. I think you should find a way to add in a powder room, at least. Also, in my opinion, a private master bath is inherently nicer than any bathroom that has to be shared with kids and guests.

In the foyer area, a tiny bit more width would make a huge difference-- as it is now, you would have to hold the door open and back against the wall to let people in.

If the plan is for the kids to sleep in the basement, I would want the stairs to the basement to be much closer to the master bedroom. I think you could put stairs between the foyer and the living room, but they'd need to be switchback stairs, which would eat up more space.

Or you could make the house a split entry-- it's not my favorite home style, but it has advantages if you're planning to have significant parts of the home in the basement.

I've never met a child who will sleep in the basement, except maybe a older teen. When my parents decided to give all three siblings their own bedroom in a three bedroom house, my parents moved their bedroom to the walkout basement. If you plan on having children (or guests) in the future, you need another bathroom-at the very least. You've drawn some rooms too large, and others too small. An architect would do a better design job for you, or go buy some small house plan magazines and see what you find. Edited to add: Is your bed really drawn to scale? Try placing chests, night stands, and bed in the room to find your space requirements. You have too many doors in the MB. Your bathroom and closet door should hopefully be one.

This post was edited by voila on Wed, Oct 22, 14 at 16:47

Here is an example of a small house plan. You can see how many rooms they can fit in a small house and still give you a large master, including a laundry room. I would never want to do laundry in the basement in a custom built home.

Here is a link that might be useful: