I'm either totally blind (a distinct possibility), or your designer forgot to include access to the Family Room from the main floor?

The plan seems really maze-like, so I may just be a bit disoriented, trying to figure it out.

You have 2 kitchens, right? One up and one downstairs? With the bigger/nicer kitchen being upstairs?

I'd be concerned that the entry/foyer doesn't give me a particularly welcoming feeling... Flanked by an angled garage, and then just kinda dumping you into The Maze. :-(

I totally hate to say this... Oh, man... I'd start over with someone new. So sorry. :-(

There have been some good improvements but a piece of this puzzle just isn't fitting. The lower level apartment is creating a lot of issues that are not well resolved necessitating the extra set of stairs as the only access to the family room. The family room will be orphaned and seldom used.

The entry has improved from the original plan and the L shaped stairs at both locations are much better than the earlier straight run stairs.

With a little adjustment you have enough space at the jack and jill bath to make separate bathrooms for each bedroom for little additional expense.

The decks are too small to be very useful. In snow country decks take a lot of wear and tear from sun, snow and ice. Decks should be carefully planned, useful and minimal. Think of them just like you would any other room.

Have you considered using the space over the garage for bedrooms or master suite and freeing up some space on the upper level for a family space?

There needs to be a secret passage between the separate spaces on the lower level.

https://hiddenpassageway.com/

I've been asked to do that. Passage to secret studio...

I think it’s too convoluted and doesnt flow well. I dont like the long hallway to the master either. I agree - there’s no way to get from the garage to the rest of the first floor without going up and back down from the kitchen.

I stayed in a hotel once where the door to the bathroom was percisionally notch to clear the watercloset. If the door was not notched, it would have been obstructed by the watercloset by a full inch. I was amazed by the craftsmanship that was used in making the notch in the door for the clearance could not have been more than a sixteenth of an inch.

If the lines in the bedroom closet represent hanging clothes, how would one retrieve the red garment?

Mark Bischak, I grew up in a house that had closets like the one you mentioned - that red garment? Slide everything to the left and voila!

I'm sorry but this is just too convoluted. There is no flow between spaces.

Do yourself a favor and print out a couple of copies. Then take different colored pencil colors and trace the paths you'd use to do everyday tasks. Make a path with a colored pencil from the bedrooms to the laundry room. Make another coming in from the garage to the kitchen and pantry to put away groceries. Etc.

I grew up with a closet like that too. Always thought someone would have been smarter and put wider doors on a wide closet. As a result all the closets I design have doors that maximize closet accessibility.

As a guest, I'd go to the red door thinking it's the front door. It's obviously not judging from interior plans. The brown door between the garage doors looks like a service door since it's between garage doors. I think this may be the front door... it's a maze, a messy maze. Scrap and restart.

One Devoted Dame: we agree with your "maze-like" assessment. The second kitchen downstairs is for a mother in law apartment.

Summit Studio Architects: Yes, the MIL apartment seems to be a very complicating factor for the bottom level. We've tried it in 4 different configurations now, but haven't yet landed on one that works well with everything else that is on that level.

Agree about the stairs being much improved.

We did ask him to make the Jack and Jill into two separate bathrooms, but he seems to have either ignored that request or forgotten it. It's helpful to know you feel it should be an easy change.

I agree deck could be bigger in some spots and minimized in others.

Funny you mention claiming some of the square footage over the garage for the master... we just thought of that the other day, too. Need to contemplate what could best go there. Could be part of Master, or even the office.

Mark Bischak, Architect: Yes! We had actually asked the designer to create a passageway through the MIL that could be used to access the family room when needed. We are thinking the apartment will normally be used for family members or friends, in which case, having free access to the house makes sense... but we could lock doors when needed (if renting out to stranger for a stretch, for example)

Notch story = excellent. And I take your point about closet, too.

The MIL apartment seems like the "tail wagging the dog" here.

The issue here is simple: a draftsperson simply drafts whatever they are asked or told to do. They have no basis for judgment or professional design experience.

Consumers, who go to draftspersons, usually don't have a basis for judgment or professional design experience either.

And...often the result is like this one...a muddled and confused set of ideas without any sort of organizing concept or sense of architectural design. Result: just a set of rooms bumped together with a roof over them.

What to do?

Find an architect who knows what they are doing and stop wasting time and money!

The more I look at the design, the more I agree with Virgil.

Looks like we are hiring an architect. Thank you ALL for the advice. I feel indebted to you for your honesty and your input. I am looking forward to posting new plans one day when we have them.

I'm sure it feels hard to let go of all this work that's already been done for you - but you obviously have a unique situation and it makes sense to have the best people for the sitch work for you!

Good luck - look forward to seeing the next set of plans!

That's great. Just make sure he/she has the clouds right and think you'll be fine.

Exciting times lie ahead!