A few thoughts on the kitchen:

I'd move the range to be more centered on the island -- to give a little more work/landing space to the right of the range and a little more room between that area and the sink/d/w area.

Is that the refrigerator in the corner near the dining room? Looks like a S/S? You won't be able to swing the door open enough if the ref. is in the corner -- consider a small cabinet (full height) to the right?

I'd increase the overhang on the island -- to 14-15 inches -- I've got 13 inches and wish it were more-- it appears like you've got the room (not sure how tight that would make things on the corner near the angled counter, but if it is too tight there, I'd at least make the overhang on the long side of the island be 14-15 inches)

Where will the trash go? A suggestion -- put it in the island in the left most cabinet (opposite the range) -- I've got almost this same layout in my kitchen and debated where to put the trash -- really like having it on the island.

Great room - the fireplace does not appear to be centered in the room -- that would drive me nuts.

Is that grey square in the middle of the plan a large post? I get that something needs to hold up the second floor, but can't picture how that's not going to look random (I have a hard time "seeing" things in my mind from a plan, so I may be off base on this).

Good Luck.

Duplicate

This post was edited by RMSAustin on Thu, Feb 5, 15 at 23:33

First, I'm totally with you on the idea of building something smaller. When we were first married we moved into a small "starter house", and it was great until we had the two kids -- and I thought we needed MORE SPACE. In reality, what we needed was BETTER SPACE. In reality, our bedrooms and living area were good-sized; what we lacked was storage, and much of our space was laid out poorly.

One big thing I'd question: You talk about "when the kids are gone", which makes me think you intend to retire in this house . . . but I don't see a downstairs bedroom. I'd urge you to reconsider this; at 48 I can easily run up and down stairs now, but I see my mother at 70 having some mobility issues already, and I remember my grandmother in her last years. Think about it. I would hate to live in this nice house for years and years . . . and then find myself essentially forced to leave it because I could no longer easily reach my bedroom. Forced to leave at a time when I could no longer "do for myself" as easily as I can today.

Similar thought: I'd want the laundry to be close to the bedrooms. I buy into the idea of "keep the machines where the mess is generated".

Mudroom: I'd lose the coat closet door. The mudroom already IS a closet, and it's hidden behind a door itself. The easier you make it for people to hang their coats, etc., the more compliance you'll get.

If you keep the laundry where it's now located, do insulate the wall between the mudroom and the living room. In our first house, we had laundry "backed up against" the living room, and it was always so loud.

Powder room: I'd move the sink to the same wall as the toilet. The fewer walls that contain water, the better. A wall that contains plumb lines must be slightly thicker, and taking water around a corner will cost you a little more. Since the sink is probably the shorter item (and it's a more attractive item), I'd place it square in front of the door, and move the toilet under the window.

You mentioned a drop-down desk in the dining room -- I assume at the end of the room, perhaps between the two windows? Sounds do-able. Don't neglect electrical outlets in that area. I'd do built-in lights inside the drop-down desks (thinking of the one that was built into my college dorm desk/hutch). Your dining room is long enough for this purpose . . . but I do see one snafu: No acoustical privacy. If someone's watching TV and someone's cooking . . . whoever's working at a desk may have trouble concentrating.

I'd definitely go with an adjustable table. That'd allow you to have maximum space for your desk area . . . and when you "pack it up" and want a large dining area, you can expand the table. I note that your table could also expand into the living room area when you need a really big table. This is a good choice -- not over-sized, if it's just a few people, but the ability to go biiiiiigggg.

Think about that back door in the dining room. Right now it looks so easy to access the back yard from that door . . . but what about once you've placed a table in that spot? You're going to have to walk around the table to reach the door, and that's going to get old. I'd consider moving the door to the living room -- I'm thinking dead-center, straight across from the front door. You're probably not going to place furniture in that corner, and it would service the whole downstairs from a more central space.

You have a decent-sized pantry here . . . but right next to it is alllll that space under the switchback stairs. I would want that space! Even if it's not "prime storage space", even if it's shorty-space, you could still use it for storage of plastic boxes, or even camping equipment. Perhaps you could have rolling storage shelves placed conveniently on the edge of the pantry . . . and then you could roll them out into the kitchen to get at the rarely-used items tucked deep under the stairs. Whatever you choose, don't let them box in all that space!

I do not love that someone walking in with groceries must trapise the entire length of the house -- and through the cook's work area -- to reach the pantry. However, I don't see a way around this. This may be one of those "well, I know it's not a good choice, but everything else fits, and this is a compromise" items.

I'm kind of "eh" on the kitchen. I do agree that the refrigerator would be more convenient if it were just a foot or so from the wall -- just insert a narrow broom closet, and you'll be able to open your refrigerator comfortably. Consider this, too, about the refrigerator: Where are your glasses stored? With an extra-large window (nice) next to the refrigerator, you have no upper cabinets, no place to store glasses in a convenient place.

However, I don't see any place for books, and most of us have more than a few. Could you increase the width of the entryway by 12" and have floor-to-ceiling bookshelves to the right of the front door? They wouldn't be far from your office area. You might also find a bit more space in the dining room for a few more bookshelves.

This post was edited by MrsPete on Thu, Feb 5, 15 at 8:40

Regarding the refrigerator, you do not necessarily need to add a cabinet between the refrigerator and the wall. If you are having a normal depth refrigerator, all you need to do is shorten the wall so it is a bit less than the depth of the refrigerator. We have a French door refrigerator near a short wall and it works fine this way.

This post was edited by dekeoboe on Sun, Feb 8, 15 at 14:12

I think I'd put the garage door into the Hallway (outside the powder room) rather than into the mudroom. I have a winding entrance from my garage, and it isn't as windy as yours. You have lots of tight turns to get from garage to kitchen--all mostly right as you enter.

If you move the door to the hallway, you can then choose to go into the mudroom (if you have things to drop), or you can proceed straight to the kitchen.

This set up would also keep guests who arrive home with you (or your teenage children) from having to walk past the laundry machines and any assorted laundry which might be there/hanging. (I didn't read if you'll still have any kids in this home or not.)

Finally, you speak as though this may be your "retirement home". Maybe not. Maybe just the next (middle) 20 years... But, often, no matter our adult age, we can find ourselves temporarily disabled (re: stairs). I'd try to figure out how to at least get a shower in that powder room for if/when I needed to "live" all on the first floor following a temporary disability. I'm not even middle-age, and had about 6 weeks a few years back where I had a severe back injury that kept me on the first floor of our home. I was thankful I could bathe.

your not crazy, its crazy to build big.
Our current home has laundry with shower, toilet and sink in one room. Its a nice setup. More efficient use of space.

If it was my place I'd dump the formal dining room. Formal dining rooms are not useful for how most people live.
I'd go with the idea of having everything you need on one floor.

You don't mention age of kids. If they are in teens I'd look at it differently than if they are just toddlers.

Cute plan. I like the compactness.

Can you open the DW? Or will the door hit the cabinetry?

Moving the door from the mud room to the hall is a great idea.

You might consider a pocket door into the powder room. If someone were to fall in that PR, there would be no way to open the door to get to them.

If your garage is 21' deep all the way across, also check that it will hold your vehicle and allow people to move around it. 20-21 feet can be tight. 24-25 feet is a nice size, esp if you want to have anything *in* your garage.

Thank you for all the great
suggestions. Sorry for the delay in my
response.

The kids are 18, 9, 4, and 2

I will attach the second floor plan too but here are responses to some of your
input.

\*\*\* \= quoting previous post

\*\*\*I'd move the range to be more centered on the island \-\-
to give a little more work/landing space to the right of the range and a little
more room between that area and the sink/d/w area.\*\*\*

Great idea. we are
going to make that suggestion to the architect.

\*\*\*Is that the
refrigerator in the corner near the dining room? Looks like a S/S? You won't be
able to swing the door open enough if the ref. is in the corner \-\- consider a
small cabinet (full height) to the right?\*\*\*

Thank you very much
for pointing that out. We are going to
shorten that wall and it will be bricked as an accent wall.

\*\*\*Great room \- the
fireplace does not appear to be centered in the room \-\- that would drive me
nuts.\*\*\*

I noticed that
too. It will be fixed in the final
drawings.

\*\*\*Mudroom: I'd lose the
coat closet door. The mudroom already IS a closet, and it's hidden behind a
door itself. The easier you make it for people to hang their coats, etc., the
more compliance you'll get.\*\*\*

We agreed after you
brought this up. We are going to change
it.

\*\*\*I think I'd put the
garage door into the Hallway (outside the powder room) rather than into the
mudroom. I have a winding entrance from my garage, and it isn't as windy as
yours. You have lots of tight turns to get from garage to kitchen\-\-all mostly
right as you enter.\*\*\*

This was one of my
suggestions after the first draft of this plan came out but my wife does not want
people to see into the mudroom. She is
all about that clean wall being there.

\*\*\*If your garage is 21'
deep all the way across, also check that it will hold your vehicle and allow
people to move around it. 20\-21 feet can be tight. 24\-25 feet is a nice size,
esp if you want to have anything \*in\* your garage.\*\*\*

I noticed this too as
we have a Suburban to haul around all those kids. The final drawings will have extra depth in
the two car garage.