Could we see the whole plan? Can't quite see some key measurements for the kitchen.

The mudroom /corner pantry /fridge area needs a rework.

The bathroom closet master area could use a tweak also but need to see the whole plan 1st. Just at 1st glance we could take some space from the master with a single door verses a double door (which are not very functional for a master anyway), and create a more functional en-suite for you.

These questions are too big to not hire a local designer to help you out. Try finding one who will charge you a few hours of design time to really talk through all of the option thoroughly.

There are also things the designer would need to speak with the builder about in regards to load bearing walls and such.

Do a long row of shallow pantry cabinets where the fridge is like this

Then move the fridge to where the corner pantry is. I personally do not like what a corner pantry does to the architecture of the space.

As for the master closet I personally prefer the closet being separate from the bath as it makes for two people getting ready at the same time much easier.

You may want an island that has 2 to 3 max stools at the end like this

It's more social and gets the working zones free of stools. Your builder should have a kitchen designer that could charge you a nominal fee to do an accurate layout with all the bells and whistles. Good luck!

Move fridge to sink wall and take out the corner pantry. They take up so much space you could put in shallow floor to ceiling cabinets on your current fridge wall instead. Look at corner pantries before and after.

You need a kitchen designer ASAP and a designer to help with the BR/Bath layout .

https://www.google.com/search?q=remove+corner+pantry&oq=removed+corner+pa&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l2.6969j0j4&client=ms-android-verizon&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=1

Just to get some perspective. Corner pantries really close off the room as well I think more counterspace in that corner and again shallow floor to ceiling cabinets were current fridge is

On the kitchen - it will work for the barstools, but you are correct it won't be the most comfortable. I'd suggest changing where you place the barstools. Place them towards the dining room on the end like in this image:

In the bathroom - there are several options but at a quick glance and without knowing the full structure of the home, place the toilet where the linen closet is. Take the vanity and place where the toilet is, allowing you to slide the door into the bathroom closer to the wall shared with the closet. Then add in a door to the closet from the bathroom side. You could get creative and put the linen closet so it takes some space from the closet.

Downsize your master bedroom double doors to a 36” single and you can do this layout.

Look here on Houzz for images of sinks in front of windows. Totally doable if you indeed want double sinks.

thinkdesignlive, thanks for the sketch! I don't think I'm crazy about the vanity in front of the window, but in your design do you think I would need doors? Based on how you enter each space from the bedroom you wouldn't be able to see into the bathroom or closet and since the toilet has a door my first thought was the entry doors are overkill. What do you think? Also our shower will be a walk in shower so I won't need a space for the shower door.

Again, thank you so much for your advice!

I agee about moving the fridge and using the far wall for the pantry. Also the idea of having the end of the island for stools makes more sense for this arrangement.

You could put slider doors on the vestibule so the whole bathroom closet suite could be closed off. I wouldn’t do no doors at all. Think of the times when one has to get ready and the other is sleeping.

If you like the sketch I did which favors more closet space and a little less square footage for the bathroom then I think you will need a shower door as the shower I drew is about 42" x 48". Not quite big enough to avoid water splashing outside of the shower. Just FYI

I found some graph paper so now we’re all in trouble! What do you guys think of this bathroom design?

Nope. Closets are way too small...you actually need double the space you are showing. Going to make a dark hallway experience on your way to the toilet. Double sinks are too cramped and no linen. I'm checking out of this one....good luck.

You are obviously not working with an architect. And you need to be. Very much need to be. This will be the most expensive purchase of your life. You can not afford to not have an architect involved. Bad design costs way more than good design.

Thanks for all your advice. We met with an architect and decided that we really liked the his and hers closets and a shower that didn’t require a glass door. Here is the updated floor plan. It looks way better to me and I’ve tried to incision walking into the bathroom and getting ready and I think it works but just looking for some approval from the experts! Thanks in advance.

Open showers like that can be cold, so keep that in mind.

Also, I’d add at least a pocket door to shut the bathroom off from the bedroom so if one person is up getting ready the light and noise won’t bother the other person as much.

Yeah we have heard that about the shower, planning to put a heat lamp in there for warmth, thanks for reminding me to put that in my notes. We are also planning on some sort of door to close off the bathroom just haven’t decided on that yet, open to suggestions.

My suggestion is not a barn door. I have yet to encounter one that reliably behaved in terms of opening or closing quietly, or that is good at blocking light and noise, which would be the whole point of this door.

Signage on the stool will solve the problem.

"Warning: the occupant of this stool may be required to assist others in the use of the refrigerator"

No need to thank me.

Mark, I’ve read your post a dozen times and I have no idea what it means. Can you clarify?

Is your suggestion the toilet room is too small? Should the door swing out instead of in? Or should I use a pocket door there? Or since your a pro, do you have other ideas that I haven’t thought of? Thought that was the whole purpose of this site? Maybe I’m wrong.

Mark is pointing out that the passage between the side of the island where the barstools are intended to be is too tight. The person sitting by the refrigerator will constantly be asked to turn 'round, open the fridge, and access or replace an item needed by anyone else in the room.

Thanks for the clarification. We knew that was a problem right away and will either be moving the fridge next to the dishwasher or having the overhang on the counter on the end of the island.

You're welcome. I speak fluent "pithy." :-D

Please see starcraftcustombuilders.com/kitchen.design.rules.htm and check all clearances.

You appear to be tweaking a standard construction home plan and instead need an architect to develop a custom plan. Their are loads of issues that will become very costly to change rather than ripping this up and getting it right from the get go. Especially since this is your first home do sit down with a good architect. You will be amazed at how much better a house you will end up with.

I second Flo's advice. The second floor seems to have a lot of room for improvement, and can only assume the first floor does too.

You mentioned you took the plan to an architect and like their layout of the bathroom better. I assume the original floor plan was not laid out by an architect. Why don't you let an architect design a home for you and your site from scratch as Flo advises? Starting with a preconceived plan and taking it to an architect impedes on the architect's ability to come up with a design solution that truly meets your needs and fits your site. In your case you may think your bathroom problem is solved, but you still have a 10 square foot window in bedroom #3 and a 17.5 square foot window in the laundry (which has a poor layout), among other areas of improvemant.

Yes the original floor plan was designed by an architect and we are working from that. There is a house in our neighborhood that is already built with the original floor plan and we really liked it so we are making slight changes to hopefully make it better.

I see your point with having the architect work from what we already have and maybe we should start over. Here is the main floor plan that has been modified slightly. There are still a few more things we are changing that aren’t reflected on the floor plan yet. The mud room closet door will be a pocket door and the island overhang will be on the end of the island toward the dinning room. Still haven’t decided if we are moving the fridge to the outside wall next to the dishwasher. we’ll be adding a closet in the den. Also two windows on either side of the fireplace. Front of the house faces east.

I think you and your architect can come up with a better plan for you (no, they did not pay me to say that). I try to avoid expanses of exterior walls without windows, the ability to sit in a half bath and have audio and visual contact with the living room, awkwardly shaped and sized rooms that lose efficiency (laundry, foyer), clothes closet rods that turn corners, large irregularly shaped kitchen work triangles, and bedrooms with only one window.

Mark's right....the powder room toilet has a straight shot view of the family room fireplace! Yet there is enough square footage in the foyer to allow re-arrangement to create a more private powder room entry. As just 1 example.