I like floorplanner, and use it a lot (it gives you a good sense of 3d, etc.), but it is too cluttered for this forum--especially with all the dimensions on it. I can hardly read behind the dimensions to see what is actually there.

Can you take this plan that you like, and just a plain piece of graph paper, and post that (now that you've played with a lot of possibilities)?

(And, love Ankeny. :) I lived for 2 summers with a family in that area who were so generous. We are still in touch and they/their extended family are in that area.)

A few random comments in no particular order:

The 3'8" between the island and sofa is not enough. You will need at least 5'.

The dining room has no windows. Is it possible to put the stairs elsewhere and where do the stairs go to?

If space is tight, do you really need a tub and shower in the master? Why not put a nice soaking tub in the hall bath and put the space in the master suite to good use.

Put a pass though between the laundry and master closet. You will love it.

I know space is tight but it would be nice to have a little separation of the master from the kitchen.

Could the garage be detached a bit, allowing light into the rear rooms? You could have a connecting hallway for inclement weather.

Could you have more side windows?

I don't like the MBR suite, walking through a bathroom and past a toilet to get to a closet (or to the tub). I like a closet or pair of closets *between* BR and bath. You probably don't need a dresser in a bedroom; the purpose of a walk-in closet is to have all your clothes there. I DO want a bench at the foot of my bed though.

Would you like a door between master closet and laundry?

How will you use the basement? I wouldn't put stairs along an outside wall that could otherwise have windows in it.

The 3'8" between the island and sofa is not enough. You will need at least 5'.

---We will test tonight, but I took my cue from the NKBA guide lines which states: 8. Traffic Clearance at Seating: In a seating area where no traffic passes behind a seated diner, allow 32 inches of clearance from the counter/table edge to any wall or other obstruction behind the seating area. If traffic passes behind the seated diner, allow at least 36 inches to edge past or at least 44 inches to walk past.

The dining room has no windows. Is it possible to put the stairs elsewhere and where do the stairs go to?

---It does have windows above the stairs and the patio door. The stairs only go down as this is a ranch plan (forgot to mention that) Not ideal but not many options, other than maybe taking the stairs along the adjoining wall instead

If space is tight, do you really need a tub and shower in the master? Why not put a nice soaking tub in the hall bath and put the space in the master suite to good use.

---Possibly

Put a pass though between the laundry and master closet. You will love it.

--- My wifes idea so she will be glad to hear someone else thinks so.

I know space is tight but it would be nice to have a little separation of the master from the kitchen.

---Any suggestions, otherwise I think we are okay with this, but do agree with you

***I included a revised plan just to clean up a few measurements that probably aren't helpful for criticing. Also took off the wall from the entry to open it up a little, but not sure which is better. Thanks for your help!!

Here is a link that might be useful: House Plan 2.0

Could the garage be detached a bit, allowing light into the rear rooms? You could have a connecting hallway for inclement weather.
---Probably not

Could you have more side windows?
---Possibly, they would be in the childrens bedroom since thats the only space left for side windows. But with one window in both I think we are okay.

I don't like the MBR suite, walking through a bathroom and past a toilet to get to a closet (or to the tub). I like a closet or pair of closets *between* BR and bath. You probably don't need a dresser in a bedroom; the purpose of a walk-in closet is to have all your clothes there. I DO want a bench at the foot of my bed though.

----We have the dress now and have a closet and use both so I think the dresser stays. We are also okay with how the bathroom lays out right now. Ideally we would have had the master closet seperate from the bath, but are now okay with it.

Thanks!!

Would you like a door between master closet and laundry?

---Yes and there is one there now (a pocket door currently)

How will you use the basement? I wouldn't put stairs along an outside wall that could otherwise have windows in it.
----There are windows tehre now as the stairs just go to the basement.

I'm not sure there will be enough room for someone to walk by if there are people sitting at the island. If the stools are pushed in, you will probably be okay. If you move the sofa forward a foot, it should work.

I like the open entry. I imagine a little console table with a mirror above it.

I'm not sure there will be enough room for someone to walk by if there are people sitting at the island. If the stools are pushed in, you will probably be okay. If you move the sofa forward a foot, it should work.
I like the open entry.

--- I think I am leaning towards your idea, because I think it might be tight like you said

I imagine a little console table with a mirror above it.

---I think I am leaning this way as well. Instead of the table and mirror I think I want to go with bench and coat hooks.

Thanks!!!

Where will your dryer vent?

I'd want at least 48" walkway behind bar stools.

'Bar' seating (all in a row) is not good for conversation. You might plan enough legroom at the end for at least one stool there. (Two and two would be even better.)

I think you mean to have two sinks and faucets in the hall bath.

It is considered better to have natural light from two sides of a room where that is possible. Is there room in the secondary bedrooms for an overnight guest? (Trundle bed?)

I'd still try to move the basement stairs. How long is the stairwell bumpout in the dining area before the stairwell goes below grade? (Ours is five feet long for an 8-foot clearance.)

Alleys are common in Chicagoland. Garage entrances are directly off the alley, then there is some 'back yard' between the back wall of the garage and the house. (I understand the appeal of an attached garage, but I'd also welcome more light in the house.)

Overall, I'd say that you have a good start on a starter home plan.

I only see a couple of real issues.

First, will you have enough headroom where your basement stairs go under the bedroom wall?

Typically risers are about7.25 to 7.5 inches high and treads are about 11 inches long. It looks like you have about a 10 ft run before the stairs duck under the wall.

10 ft (120 inches) barely allows for 11 treads and that's if you make them each a tiny bit less than 11 inches long. Therefore you will also have have only 11 steps down before you reach the wall. That means that if the risers are 7.5 inches high, the stairs will drop 82.5 inches at the wall... which seems like it ought to be plenty because no one is that tall... but you also have to allow for the thickness of your floor joists. Those are likely to be another 10 to 12 inches deep.

If the joists are just 10 inches thick, you need an 82 inch total drop in order for a 6 ft tall person to have minimal headroom. Anyone any taller than 6 ft will have to duck or will bump his/her head. If the joists are thicker OR someone taller than 6 ft will be going down the stairs, you need additional headroom. The only way to get it is to either make the staircase steeper (i.e., make each riser higher, or make the treads shorter so you can squeeze in another step) or back the start of the steps further from the wall so you have room for another tread and riser.

Next, it looks as if you're using 24" or maybe 28" doors bedrooms on the bedrooms. I would caution against having doors that are narrower than 32" on any room where you need to get furniture in. 24" and 28" wide doors will work for closets and bathrooms... as long as no one in a wheelchair has to maneuver in/out. But squeezing furniture through a 24" or 28" wide doorway can be nearly impossible... especially if you first have to fit it down a narrow hallway like your two secondary bedrooms.

Also, standard exterior doors have 36" wide OPENINGS. It looks like yours MAY be drawn as just 32" wide doors. You simply cannot fit most modern refrigerators through a 32" wide doorway. And I doubt many sofas would fit thru a 32" wide doorway either. BTW, I would also want 36" wide doors into the laundry room (avoids scraped knuckles when carrying a laundry basket.)

Next, I agree that, as shown, you don't have quite enough room between the island seating and the sofa. But I don't think this is a problem because, if the furniture in your drawing is really to scale, your sofa can easily be moved 12 to 18 inches closer to the TV to give you more room behind it. (In fact, IMHO, all three pieces of living room furniture should be moved closer together. They're too spread out for comfortable conversation! I'd center the loveseat on the window and then move it forward away from the window and also move that chair in closer to the center of the room. A seating arrangement in the living room should give a sense of intimacy! But this is a decorating issue, not a building issue... except in so far as I'm saying your living room is plenty large. LOL!)

Finally, aesthetically, I don't particularly like having the master bedroom open directly off of the kitchen but functionally it will work. A friend of mine has a similar set up in her home but, to give the master bedroom a little bit more of a sense of "privacy" what they've done in their house is create a little "recessed entry" (alcove) for the master bedroom door with an art niche on each side. Here is a sketch to show you what I mean.

Their alcove is only about 12 inches deep total. The bedroom door hangs on the inner doorway and the outer doorway is just a trimmed out opening. The art niches are only a couple of inches deep... just deep enough to hold a small statue.

But the overall effect makes it clear that you're entering a different "zone" when you go thru the alcove. No one will mistake my friend's bedroom door for a door to the pantry.

If you would like me to, the next time I'm going over to my friend's house, I'll try to remember to take my camera and ask if I can take a picture of their recessed bedroom door to post for you.

First, will you have enough headroom where your basement stairs go under the bedroom wall?

----I think you are correct in that the stairway will need to be longer which shouldn't be a problem. The stairs were something I really just guessed on.

Also, standard exterior doors have 36" wide OPENINGS. It looks like yours MAY be drawn as just 32" wide doors. You simply cannot fit most modern refrigerators through a 32" wide doorway. And I doubt many sofas would fit thru a 32" wide doorway either. BTW, I would also want 36" wide doors into the laundry room (avoids scraped knuckles when carrying a laundry basket.)

----I couldn't remember what I had the doors at so I checked again. Most were at 30 and a couple at 32. I went and revised them all to be 32" with the one exception being the pantry which is at 28" right now. All exterior doors are currently at at 36"

Next, I agree that, as shown, you don't have quite enough room between the island seating and the sofa. But I don't think this is a problem because, if the furniture in your drawing is really to scale, your sofa can easily be moved 12 to 18 inches closer to the TV to give you more room behind it. (In fact, IMHO, all three pieces of living room furniture should be moved closer together. They're too spread out for comfortable conversation! I'd center the loveseat on the window and then move it forward away from the window and also move that chair in closer to the center of the room. A seating arrangement in the living room should give a sense of intimacy! But this is a decorating issue, not a building issue... except in so far as I'm saying your living room is plenty large. LOL!)

----After a quick revision I moved the living room in a little and now have a 4'6" walkway behind the island. I will test that tonight and see if we will want more.

Finally, aesthetically, I don't particularly like having the master bedroom open directly off of the kitchen but functionally it will work. A friend of mine has a similar set up in her home but, to give the master bedroom a little bit more of a sense of "privacy" what they've done in their house is create a little "recessed entry" (alcove) for the master bedroom door with an art niche on each side. Here is a sketch to show you what I mean.

---That is a good idea which I would definitely be interested in seeing a picture of if you happen to remember.

Thanks!

Where will your dryer vent?

---- Up out through the roof. Ideally I would have liked to gone out the side of the house.

I'd want at least 48" walkway behind bar stools.

---- I am now at 4'6"

'Bar' seating (all in a row) is not good for conversation. You might plan enough legroom at the end for at least one stool there. (Two and two would be even better.)

---- Yeah wasn't sure how to approach this or if for us this would be a problem. I considered having a curved edge so that people will face each other a little more.

I think you mean to have two sinks and faucets in the hall bath.

---- That is correct. The picture is not accurate. Sorry

It is considered better to have natural light from two sides of a room where that is possible. Is there room in the secondary bedrooms for an overnight guest? (Trundle bed?)

---- More windows equal more money and also not energy efficient compared to not having a window. I do enjoy extra light that extra windows bring in, but I am okay with just 1 window in each of the extra bedrooms. Yes, there is room for overnight guests
I'd still try to move the basement stairs. How long is the stairwell bumpout in the dining area before the stairwell goes below grade? (Ours is five feet long for an 8-foot clearance.)

Alleys are common in Chicagoland. Garage entrances are directly off the alley, then there is some 'back yard' between the back wall of the garage and the house. (I understand the appeal of an attached garage, but I'd also welcome more light in the house.)

---- Since the rooms that would benefit from moving the garage are the laundry, lockers and Master Closet, for me, I don't know if its worth moving the garage. I have looked into Solatubes so that might be the route I go.

Thanks!

PS I have been playing around with switching the Master Closet with the Master Bathroom as I think you are right that it would be better, but so far I haven't been able to make it work.

Re the extra windows equal less efficiency statement...

If you want the light, you can choose stationary windows (ie, just panes (double, triple, whatever)) that won't have the associated problems with leaky seals and other. Even if you had a series of 2x2 or 18"x18" windows along the "other wall", it would allow the light into the rooms. It is worth looking into, imo. Of course, I live in one of the gray-ist cities in America. So, windows and natural light are important to me.