It is dependant upon the site and it's surrounding area. It is one of the dangers of taking a preconceived plan and plopping it on a site.

The back porch would feel more open if the bump out for the Master walk in closet was moved to the end of the house.

I love a good L shaped plan. Especially when it's designed to take best advantage of passive solar heating and cooling. However this doesn't seem to be a good plan

Right away, look at how you have to get laundry from upstairs and from your master to the laundry room. It means either walking right through the work zone of your kitchen or walking around through the living room and then the kitchen.

The closet in the master gets prime real estate with three sides facing outside, which is useless for a closet but would be great for a bedroom.

Your dining room is stuck onto the end like they couldn't find another way to get it to work. The kitchen gets no natural light.

Yes with the master closet where it is, I think it might feel closed in.

Do you have a site yet? Where is it? What's your family dynamics?

I think you'd feel closed in long before you got to the back porch: the only access is from the front hall and the small keeping room. I think I'd turn the house so that the back porch is the front porch. You walk down the hall toward the view of the long-porch door,mturn into the LR, and the full view is before you. And you can see the view from the dining room, and from the kitchen, AND from the keeping room.

Love the plans great layout. Nothing wrong with L shaped homes. Your going love that back patio.

I'm sorta with Mark B. on this one. IF you intend on spending a lot of time on the back porch and there's a nice view to the right - scenery, sweeping lawn, woods, etc. - I'd be kicking myself each time I'd be on the rear porch wishing I could see over there. On the other hand, it would be perfect for my narrow city lot (assuming the house would fit, which it wouldn't!) because the small yard is directly back and the sides would provide privacy from the neighbors.

This particular plan has a "horse with blinders" feeling to sitting on the back deck. As long as you look straight ahead you will have a wonderful view of whatever your land possesses. If you want a sweeping 180-degree vista this is not you plan.

Take your pick!

The arched lines represent the view you will NOT get from that deck. Identify the desirable views and the undesirable views, then design your house.

One of the first things I do when I design a home is visit the site. I observe the topography, vegetation, orientation, VIEWS, visible soil condition, local nuclear waste dumps, existing utilities, VIEWS, existing structures, nearby existing structures, closest roadways, water features, VIEWS, and anything else I can take in.

Can you share a site survey (blocking out any private information) and panoramic images of the site?

When one starts to analyze this rather charming plan it's clear there's a contradiction in the design, and clear that the design was not for a specific site, but rather is a generalized plan factory design, designed to plop (architectural technical term) on a site--any site, anywhere, who cares what or where it may be?

For example, the house's main public spaces (living room and dining room) and the all-important master bedroom all face the front of the house and whatever may be located on the site in that direction. And that's where the highly picturesque front porch (a la HGTV) is located, and a costly little item it will be for something so likely to be so seldom used!

Yet the major private outdoor space and any conceivable private usable outdoor areas are in the rear of the house, facing 180-degrees from the front of the house.

So, here's a house with a split personality: 1) the public areas of the house and the expensive porch facing the front, which is the direction that is likely for all visitors, garbage pickup, postal delivery, and lost souls asking for directions; 2) the private usable outdoor areas, where most entertaining and family activities will take place, facing the back!

This is a perfect example of why a custom home design should begin with a thorough site analysis, as Mark describes above, and why plan factory houses, no matter how cute, seldom fit well on individual properties with their individual characteristics.

Said differently, creative custom homes which respond to and grow from their site, accentuate and maximize the site's individual and unique characteristics and don't try to be all things to all folks on all sites, everywhere...

'Nuff said! :-)

If you really like this plan and are just looking to tweak it, I kind of like bpathome's idea of flipping it so the back porch becomes the front and the front becomes the back. It would put the big covered outdoor space out back, where presumable your best views will be, while keeping the front porch that your husband loves (and I'm with him on that, I love them too, but no need for one quite this big that overlooks the driveway).

The keeping room will be his office.

And he's ok with you and whoever else is going in and out of his office constantly to get to the mudroom, the garage or to do laundry? He doesn't need any privacy in the office?

Since you'll be working with an architect, keep an open mind to any new ideas they have.

The original SL idea house was a remodel on a relatively small corner lot so I think the architects did a good job responding to the site. If you are set on this plan I hope you can make it work for you, with your specific site and needs. If your DH is willing to have a smaller office easy enough to create a hallway there in the keeping room and the closets could be reach-in pantries ;-)

Good luck!

If these inspiration photos are what you want, get an architect. Otherwise, you'll be getting a watered down version of the inspiration pics that "try" to get there, but end up failing. There are many DETAILS in the inspiration pics that will be overlooked by most designers and then further watered down when you build. Or - they'll get drawn, but not spec'd.

I would find that plan very closed in and the entry hall unwelcoming. Depending on your site orientation - the back could be a hot mess if you get evening sun beating into the corner.

I think the flow is REALLY BAD in this plan. Maybe the best they could do for a remodel, but not starting from scratch. And the only nice way to get to the back porch is via the keeping room (or hubby's office!), no decently accessible coat closet, laundry issues, everyone running through your work area in the kitchen to get to the garage, etc. I think as internet available plans go, this one is especially bad.

The sooner you get the architect involved the better off you will be.

The worst way to utilize an architect: Here's a floor plan, change it.

The best way to utilize an architect: Here's a list of my needs and wants, here is the site plan, let's have dinner and walk the site while we chat.

In defense of front porches...we have one across the entire front of our house and we sit on it for probably 2 hours a day every day. It really is an extension of our living space.

Your change does not improve the flow of the house at all - adding an outside door to the far end of laundry room simply adds a walkway in a room that doesn't have a lot of space to spare.

I would make 2 trips with laundry baskets to and from the bedrooms before I'd be looking for a better solution! You have the chance to fix that problem now.

You said you wanted to reduce square footage - yet you start with a plan that his a ton of wasted space. Every single room has a path to another room, which will limit furniture placement, and effectively reduce the size of each room. The kitchen needs a lot of work - and I'm not sure it can be improved significantly within the current layout. The master closet in the corner makes me want to cry - why put a closet where your best views are?

You don't say anything about children, but unless you have room for a living space upstairs, this home is not going to work well for a family with teenagers. Young children hang out with adults, but teens have different interests - either the kids and their friends or the adults should have a place to hang out.

It may sound like we're picking on you, Boomer, but what we're trying to do is help you build a home that will make you happy every day. The best way to do that is to hire a residential architect to develop a plan that will suit your lot, your lifestyle, and your future. I don't believe that this is that plan.

You keep mentioning how nice it felt when you walked through the house. Walking through and LIVING in a house are two different things. Note the two ways to get from your bedroom to the laundry room. Both of them go through the kitchen which is less than ideal. And your path for any other activities like going to the mudroom, your hubbies office or the garage also mean going through the WORK ZONE of your kitchen because let's be honest. We all take the path of least resistance. (My arrows show the two paths to the laundry room.)

Also note how your hubby will have very little work room. First is the problem with the french doors opening in, and then is the path through the office. His work space will basically be 11'5" x 11'8".

The living room space is better but that too will be less than you imagine because of walkways. So your usable living room will be 18' long (taking off for the fireplace and walkways) x 12'4".

Plus your new version does nothing to open up your views.

However it appears from your comments, we're not going to dissuade you from this plan as it appears your heart is set on it. In that case I wish you the best.

There's very little significant difference in any of the plans, IMO. If you are using an architect (your father-in-law), what is he doing for you? It looks like he is simply responding to your personal ideas and not contributing the value that an experienced architect can and should contribute to making a unique and creative design which is responsive to a site, one's needs and wants and budget.

Not trying to be critical, but I'm confused about why you are posting here and what you expect from your father-in-law.

Looked at the pictures on the Southern Living site. It appears to be designed to create some semi private space on a tight corner lot and the house and garage creates a nice buffer to the streets. I feel like this is a plan to BLOCK bad views, not accentuate good ones.

I think the outdoor space looks lovely on a small lot, but the back and other side will lack privacy. I am not sure I would put this house on a larger lot, as it would seem / feel unnecessarily cramped and constrained. Note that the outdoor spaces that look the nicest are not the ones that are shown on the plan, but the ones further out. and they may look weird on a larger / unconstrained lot

Also - the pictures and fitments are a fine showcase to shiplap and Joanna Gaines-esq style, but do nothing for livability. The light in the center hall looks really nice, but think that the upstairs bedrooms will suffer from plainness / one window on one wall because if it.

It will be expensive to build, as well with a lot of roof structure for the livable square footage

Everyone has different priorities.... good luck in whatever you decide

If you are likely to have a detached garage, possibly also look to no-garage houses for inspiration. Maybe take not just one but a group of inspiration concept plans to your FIL and tell him what you like/don't like about each of them. Let him give you something new that feels familiar and right. In the end it might very well evoke the feeling of the Farmhouse Revival plan you like but still be quite different and suited for you and your property :-)

For example, here are a few other house layouts without garages by an outfit related to the firm that did the Farmhouse Revival plan.

http://ourtownplans.com/plans/family-homes/54-wilmington-place

http://ourtownplans.com/plans/family-homes/26-monroe-avenue

http://ourtownplans.com/plans/family-homes/248-broussard-road

Good luck!

Have you asked your father-in-law how he normally works with clients? Find out what his usual process is - for most it's not going to be clients bringing him prefab plans for input, but rather a more holistic process of them bringing a list of needs and inspiration images (of which could certainly include plans and photos of houses built from those plan) and what they like about those images. Then, if he's like most architects, he'll work to design something that meets the needs and wants of the clients.

I actually don't think the law firm is the best analogy, as you're asking for something very different from an architect. But to use that analogy, I imagine most clients don't come in saying, "I want you to file for a type whatever injunction using this specific argument, and also make motions x, y, and z. Do you see a problem with that?" Rather, they come in saying they want a will, or they want to make a competitor stop using their trademark, or they want compensation from the person who ran over their fence. The lawyer then figures out the best path to get to their goal. You're trying to figure out what motions to file, rather than just stating your desired end goal and letting the expert pick the path.

There is a difference between: "A person comes to our office and knows what they want to do . . ."; and, A person comes to our office and knows how they want to do it . . .

The practice of law and the practice of architecture are vastly different since the fields are vastly different. If you don't see that, there's little to be said.

I can not, and either can anyone else, give you good pertinent advice without knowing where you plan on plopping your preconceived floor plan.

I will repeat, "Can you share a site survey (blocking out any private information) and panoramic images of the site?"

The problem is that you actually only wanted validation that your plan was fabulous and when you didn't get it, you got huffy and accused us all of bullying you.

The truth is hard to hear when you're not willing to listen.

" I actually don't think the law firm is the best analogy, as you're asking for something very different from an architect. But to use that analogy, I imagine most clients don't come in saying, "I want you to file for a type whatever injunction using this specific argument, and also make motions x, y, and z. Do you see a problem with that?" Rather, they come in saying they want a will, or they want to make a competitor stop using their trademark, or they want compensation from the person who ran over their fence. The lawyer then figures out the best path to get to their goal. You're trying to figure out what motions to file, rather than just stating your desired end goal and letting the expert pick the path."

That's so well said it bore repeating!

I'm so confused. Were there a lot more posts of reply by the OP, and they've deleted them? Usually you don't all go on and on without some feedback, like has happened in this post.

Kirkhall...Yes I think Boomer 6303 has left the building. All her posts, including the one about how things work in her law firm, are now gone.

It's always a shame when that happens as we're just trying to help....and free help at that.

I actually had a derivative of her house sketched out opening up the back more and sent it to one of the regulars yesterday (you know who you are!) but now glad I didn't post it here.

And I have to agree with the other poster who noted that "L" shaped configurations are usually (but not always as I'm working on one now that's on 20 acres but "L" shaped) for small lots where a bordering area is desired to be shielded off. Here's an example where the "L" not only blocked a neighboring property but created an "outdoor room" bound on two side by the house. Maybe that's what she's shooting for. But with no site info who knows?

In any event, to Boomer, the best of luck with your project. Exciting times lie ahead!

Yes, the way the house is configured, you will feel closed in when sitting on the back porch.

Hey ARG, I was going to post my plan, so again, great minds think alike (;! And yup, the OP left, and even with all the free advice to boot. We are still waiting for the construction drawings. Can't wait to see our home in 3D.

by the way, people ought to note, not only the clouds but the smoke from the chimney. DH wants 2 wood burning fireplaces...

I totally saw the smoke first!!!!! lol

Was it white smoke??

I'm so confused. Were there a lot more posts of reply by the OP, and they've deleted them? Usually you don't all go on and on without some feedback, like has happened in this post.

Yes she did.

I tried to delete the entire post but this program would not let me and I could only delete most of my replies. I know what I want and I want this plan. Everybody is not like you all - we all have our own taste whether you like the plan or not and I am sure you have created floor plans for folks who loved it and you most likely did not, but you did it anyways because you need to make the customer happy.

I have been following this plan since 2012 when it all began. I know it was moved and recreated on a small lot. I love the "L" shaped plan - that's my thing. Again, when I visited the exact same house being built with the same compass readings as how my home will be sitting on the land, I found that it was full of light inside because of the amount of windows. I hate garages in the front of the house (as noted above in ARG's drawing). I want my home to be seen, not the garage.

If anyone is near Tennessee, I can give you the address of where this home is almost complete and you can go see for yourselves.

I have looked at hundreds of plans and actual custom homes being built but I kept coming back to this one. Just like you all, I do not like the closed in feeling it gives with the wing and back porch, but my husband have talked a lot and we are pretty sure we have a solution.

My post to this site was to see if anyone had a different opinion on how to open it up BEFORE I met with my architecture (I like my "ducks in a row" before I proceed). I had my own opinion, but I wanted to get further insight. A lot of the replies went off the board into another direction that had nothing to do whatsoever with moving the wing.

You all can stop now and if you need to continue talking, you can do it via email to each other. Thank you.

Well sorry Boomer but this is an open forum and if we decide we want to we can continue to talk and post to this thread. You do not dictate what we can and can't say.

You asked for advice but it was obvious you didn't want it which was just confirmed in your statement above ^^^ (notice this time I also copy/pasted it below so it doesn't look like we were talking amongst ourselves but were actually responding to you and so others reading this thread have a reference to your comment in case you decide to remove it again). You wrote above:

"I have been following this plan since 2012 when it all began. I know it was moved and recreated on a small lot. I love the "L" shaped plan - that's my thing. Again, when I visited the exact same house being built with the same compass readings as how my home will be sitting on the land, I found that it was full of light inside because of the amount of windows. I hate garages in the front of the house (as noted above in ARG's drawing). I want my home to be seen, not the garage.

If anyone is near Tennessee, I can give you the address of where this home is almost complete and you can go see for yourselves.

I have looked at hundreds of plans and actual custom homes being built but I kept coming back to this one.

My post to this site was to see if anyone had a different opinion on how to open it up BEFORE I met with my architecture (I like my "ducks in a row" before I proceed). I had my own opinion, but I wanted to get further insight. A lot of the replies went off the board into another direction that had nothing to do whatsoever with moving the wing.

You all can stop now and if you need to continue talking, you can do it via email to each other. Thank you."

All you were seeking was validation that the house you chose was a good one. You came onto this forum expecting us all to compliment you on your excellent choice for a house. Even your comment about how your husband feels it's closed in and you don't reconfirms that you are not seeking contrary opinions, not even from your spouse. You are set on this plan and nothing, not even your spouse is going to dissuade you!

What you wanted is called confirmation bias. You were only seeking for us to tell you how wonderful it is. I'm sorry but as we pointed out, it is not (for the reasons stated) and while you are closed minded to hearing differently, when someone from outside the forum comes on wondering if it's a good plan or not, they can read about the plusses and minuses and make an informed decision.

One last comment mostly for the lurkers.

The type of house really does need to fit the lot. For example, I'm building a U shaped house on a 9000 square foot lot. It will envelop us so we feel we're in our own private oasis. However if I were on more land and especially land with a view, I wouldn't be building the house I am building now because it wouldn't work well for a larger lot with views.

This is why the experts on this site (and no, I'm not one of them) keep harping on how the house has to fit the site.

...when someone from outside the forum comes on wondering if it's a good plan or not, they can read about the plusses and minuses and make an informed decision.

Exactly!

The two acres we have is mostly cleared and level. We have trees in the distance that are within the borders of our land and we can see trees from just about every place we look out of a window. We want it MORE open to have an even better view of the trees.

Thank you everyone.

cpartist - you know so much but you know so little. "Even your comment about how your husband feels it's closed in and you don't reconfirms that you are not seeking contrary opinions, not even from your spouse. You are set on this plan and nothing, not even your spouse is going to dissuade you!" Even though I really like this plan, my husband is the one who is pushing it. He didn't feel that way until he saw it in person as it is hard sometimes to visualize things on paper for some folks. I asked for help on this forum to help satisfy his need. Last night I showed him what you all wrote and he said you all were crazy! This made me laugh. :)

I think he's right, I think all the other people in this discussion are crazy too.

I think he's right, I think all the other people in this discussion are crazy too.

Glad to see I'm in good company!

It's true: most of the other folks here are certifiable. Me and dog are OK, though...

^^^ well, at least Lulu....

J, one of the charming and appealing characteristics of the Spinone breed is that they are certifiably...goofy! Really Goofy in the best sense of the word. Her owner on the other hand...simply certifiable!

See? I told you I was in good company!

Y'all slay me!! Here I was getting all indignant at her quite rude comment concerning your free advice, and now I am laughing! :)

Oh my gosh - I just looked up Spinone to see what they looked like. I'm in LOVE! Just reading the Wikipedia page about them, and found they're good hunting companions. My DH would love that, although we have our hearts set on a Springer. Or so I thought. Last line of "temperament" on Wiki: the Spinone can have a tendency to slobber. HAHAHA