It's hard to see but I like it.
Can you post a better picture?
You are going to get many comments about that garage protruding that much. Very few houses look nice with a garage like that.
The kitchen needs some work.

I agree with your concerns, and the kitchen really does need work. Consider your basic work triangle: sink, stove, fridge. They're way too far apart . . . And separated by an island. With all that kitchen space, your designer should be able to do better.

I agree with your concerns, and the kitchen really does need work. Consider your basic work triangle: sink, stove, fridge. They're way too far apart . . . And separated by an island. With all that kitchen space, your designer should be able to do better.

Hopefully this is a better picture...

I agree, your dining room is much too tight, esp if you plan to have bar stools at the peninsula (less so, if you don't, but still too tight).

Are you going to want your guests to have to walk past the mudroom to get to a bathroom? I like the location of it, I think you might need a door. Plus, the study can really only ever be a study and never another bedroom due to the other bath location.

The kitchen is odd. why is it so open to the hall? (and are you okay with seeing your laundry room from the very large opening to the kitchen?)

And, can someone please tell me the purpose of a keeping room? We don't have them here. And, I see them frequently on these plans (I think they must be common in GA). What in the world are they for/used as/etc? It looks like maybe a small family room? But, almost too small to be useful in the way I use a family room... So, just wondering.

@ Kirkhll-the term keeping room is very common here in the south. I had never heard the term prior to living here (SC). It's a synonym for family room but I have noticed a big trend in having these off the kitchen and surrounded by windows. Everyone uses them for a smaller casual gathering (couch and one or two chairs with tables and benches.).

Here is what I plan on sending back to my designer tomorrow....

Keeping rooms are very popular here (southern TN) and basically are used as a casual gathering room focused around kitchen (and typically have another fireplace). With young children, I plan on using this room as the messy family sitting area/play area while I cook. The main family room is going to be "adult only" no toys allowed area... Also, we will use the keeping room as a separate space when we do have guests. Guys watch the game in Family room the gals gather in the keeping room.... etc... (or adults in family room/ kids in keeping room...) The designer made this keeping room 14 x 15 which I think is actually to big. I mainly want it as more sitting area/sunroom in the kitchen. We will have a large backyard it will overlook and then are views past the back yard is golf course.

Here is what I plan to send back to designer drawn by hand. You can reference above plan to see how it fits house. What do you think?

The other scenario I was thinking about is moving the stairs to where the current laundry room is (as a "u" staircase) and then somehow relocating laundry to between keeping room and pantry/bedroom....

I like a lot of things about your plan. I'm wondering what your butler's pantry is going to look like-- they aren't typical in my area, so I don't know what is standard and if it's a dressy area or something more utilitarian, but as you have the design now, your butler's pantry will be in clear view from the foyer. I'm not sure if that's intentional because it's pretty or accidental or what...

Also, I'd be tempted to connect the bathroom to the keeping room and the bedroom-- then if the kids need to run in and go they can either cut through the bedroom if they are coming in from the garage, or access it right from the keeping room, since that's going to be the place you spend most of your time.

zone4newby: Thanks, I hadn't thought about how the foyer would see right into butler's pantry. However, I think that will be okay. If I go with this version of plan, the butler's pantry would just be additional kitchen cabinets where I would store all my serving dishes, seasonal dishes, stemware, etc. So it wouldn't be messy...

I will say. It says have a china cabinet (where I wrote where I could put one) but I really don't have one yet. If I had a butler's pantry, I wouldn't need a china cabinet.... I would just have the table and chairs and maybe a serving buffet instead on that wall.

That's also a good idea about connecting bathroom to keeping room and bedroom. I just wonder how it would flow with 3 doors but will definetly bring up to my designer tomorrow...

This is a much better kitchen now. I would eliminate that peninsula and make the island bigger in the kitchen. You could put seating in the island and it would leave more room in the nook.

The kitchen forum can help you with good layouts, including distance from island seating to a table with walk space between them, sink and appliance layout and details.

I like this better too
One thing--do you want any kind of hall closet for front door users' jackets, etc? In my area, that is needed. Depending where in Tennessee you are, that may or may not be needed...

also,
I'd want some way to close off the mudroom (maybe double pocket french doors, or similar) for when I was entertaining or had guests staying in the guest room.

okay, one more
do you want access to the bath from the keeping room if that is where your kids will be? As is, they will be running through the kitchen to get there.

Here is my designers updated draft. I think I really like it....

Second floor...

Yes! It looks great!
You still don't have a hall closet (for front door guests) so that maybe isn't important to you. I am glad they got the access to the bathroom from the keeping room. I only worry that one or the other door to that bathroom will be locked when someone needs it (that is a problem with double door bathrooms.)

But, overall, Nice!

Oh! And, don't forget to get your Master WC door switched to a pocket or outswing door for safety!

I like it too. I agree with the 2 entrances into the guest bath, but that is the best way to have that room accessible where you need it!

I also want to second putting an outswing door on your master toilet room - we failed to do that and I never paid attention to posts here about it. Not long ago my husband was sick in the bathroom and I realized the danger of having an inswing door. If we had changed it around I would have to keep the door closed at all times and I guess that's why I chose the inswing.

I'm in southern TN too! (SE corner to be exact!)

downsy:
Where in SE tn? I am in Chattanooga!

Kirkhall:
Our "guest" closet it's just located down the hall between study and master bedroom. It's actually nice there for my husband and I since we use it more for our winter coats than for guests...

Will look at the bathroom door swing! I will ask my builder for a pocket door there since my husband and I usually don't bother actually shutting the door and I don't want the outswing to always be open.
Thanks for all the input!
Now the next hurdle is getting the detailed bids from the three builders we have narrowed our search to. We have gotten "general idea" bids but they all wanted to see the design plans before giving the "detailed" bid.

Yes - Chattanooga, Hixson to be exact. Are you building in Council Fire? (you mentioned golf course) If you have any questions regarding building, etc - you can email me by clicking on my name and I'll respond and give you my telephone number. We have been in our home for just under 11 months. Good luck!

downsy:
Where in SE tn? I am in Chattanooga!

Kirkhall:
Our "guest" closet it's just located down the hall between study and master bedroom. It's actually nice there for my husband and I since we use it more for our winter coats than for guests...

Will look at the bathroom door swing! I will ask my builder for a pocket door there since my husband and I usually don't bother actually shutting the door and I don't want the outswing to always be open.
Thanks for all the input!
Now the next hurdle is getting the detailed bids from the three builders we have narrowed our search to. We have gotten "general idea" bids but they all wanted to see the design plans before giving the "detailed" bid.

I think the kitchen layout still needs work. You're going to walk back and forth constantly around that little island, and people who want to cut through the kitchen are going to zig-zag through your work area.

I've attached a sketch of a more simple floorplan that I think is better for several reasons -- sorry I scanned it sideways:

- Your major work triangle is enclosed in an efficient area.
- People can walk straight through the kitchen without interrupting your work.
- You still have your penninsula seating and open area facing the window.
- You have a long, uniterrupted bank of cabinets "behind you" that'll be good for things you don't necessarily need right at hand: Your stand mixer, a bowl of fruit or cake, the microwave.
- You could gain more counterspace by moving the refrigerator to this "back wall".
- You could flip-flop this and have the "back wall" to the left, if that makes more sense to you.

Negatives:
- You have two blind corners, which are problematic and sometimes expensive. I'd consider having one open into the casual dining area, perhaps for outdoor cooking utensils.
- Your stove is still on an interior wall; thus, venting will be more difficult.

So first bid has come in (still waiting on other two builders) and it is 50-75K over budget. Builder said it is more than anticipated since the first floor has so much square footage versus the upstairs. We are looking at either reducing square footage and/or elimating unfinished basement. I am leaning towards elimating basement. If we did that we would only have a two car garage on main level and a storage room underneath house in tall crawl space under master bedroom. Builder said that he would pour concrete and have double doors there.
We also would elminate (for now) built-ins around fireplace and mudroom, and screen on back covered porch.

Downsy:
No, not council fire we actually will be building in Ooltewah off Snow Hill Rd. We just sold our house that was in Chattanooga. I am not seeing a link to an email address can you email me?

Maybe GW took away the ability to email here because I don't see my edress or yours when I click on my user name or yours.

Email me at
windowaccents@epbfi.com