Consult your architect or acquire one if you do not have one.

Ideally I would like the closet, utility and bath to connect. I also don’t want the bedroom against the kitchen wall because of noise issues.

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The utility room needs to stay in that location, but everything else is able to be reconfigured.

If the utility room can't be moved at all, and you want the utility, closet, *and* bath to connect (I like that arrangement, too), there isn't a way to connect those three rooms and avoid having the bedroom against the kitchen wall.

If you'd reconsider moving the utility room to share a wall with the kitchen, then you might be able to rearrange things... But as it is, I'm like you, I just can't see everything you want happening in this space, given the limitation of the kitchen and utility room flanking the master suite.

The hall might be able to be eliminated, if the master closet were turned 90*, allowing the bedroom to absorb the master hall... And then, line up all of the doors to create a "spine" for good flow... But that's all I got, lol.

What will go in the utility area? A utility area can also be a big source of noise ... endless repetitive noise. I wouldn't want my bedroom next to the water heater, hvac units, hot water recirculator, etc.

Unless you have some compelling reason to angle the garage, don't.

Simplification Step 1: Become aware that "triangular" and "other angular" shapes are expensive, inefficient and simply don't function well. Nothing can be done to make a triangular utility room (or any other room) functional.

Simplification Step 2: Straighten the plan and eliminate all angles;

Simplification Step 3: Seriously consider consulting with someone with design experience and talent who can lead you in a better direction...

Your master bath and kitchen need help as well...

Good luck with your project.

You could use the help of a professional..........an architect..........

There are so many factors in designing a house that you should be taking into consideration. Little things make a difference like drawing your project with wall thicknesses instead of thin lines and the fact that a 10' wide closet is a waste of space.

Consider hiring an architect to make sure that you are spending your money in the most practical way possible and maximizing the opportunities that your project has.

The angled garage is causing another problem: you need to move the door into the house if you want to open it wide enough to actually enter the house.

Does the utility room hold the only laundry machines? So when you wash table linens, guest linens, rags, etc, it goes through the master suite? If, for some reason, someone else is doing laundry, they are also going through the master suite? I know, it isn't likely, but we've had family helping with a load of laundry from time to time, and the cleaning lady, too.

I'm sorry but what this shows is you don't know what you don't know.

The example of the master closet is a good one. 10' wide means you then have 6' of space between the clothes. Why would you need 6' of empty space in a closet?

The funky pantry shape and location is actually giving me butterflies to look at it. I am sorry, I think you need to start over.

If the utility room is 18x18x25, the math doesn't work. Does it? Architects? Or is it too long since I took geometry?

bp, I measure 26'.

Hmm, more like 25.5. 6" doesn't seem like much, but in design it's everything. Isn't there a thread in Kitchens or here about a wall being 6" off and it's throwing off appliance access, door width, etc.?

What's in the utility room? Do you really need angles? Keep in mind framing and drywall... that stuff takes up space, too. (What is your lot like??) People here are "harping" on architects... but for good reason. Try a good one, he or she may keep you from going down a road you may wish you hadn't travelled.

The project and method deserve a rethink.
i.e. There's a better way to go about it than sketching yourself.

Trashing this and drawing up another plan in the same way is unlikely to yeild a better result. But going to an architect with a bunch of your needs, site factors, and such, should.

The good news is, you've started to identify important issues and how you want to live. This kind of thinking will really help when you meet a design pro.

I agree with the others that this plan has more problems that can not be solved by a few tweaks. The hallway to the master bedroom is awkward - unless you have an outside door in the bedroom, you'll never get furniture in there.

Typically, folks make garages too small. This one might be too big. My parents had a 2-car garage, 26' x 26', and it had room to store a small boat in the front, and still have room for 2 cars with all the car doors open at once. 30' x 40' is enormous.

Also if that is the main family entrance, you might want a real mudroom space so you’re not tripping over shoes and bags every time you go to/from your master suite

The plan doesn't deserve the trash can........It becomes your "wish list" from which to begin the conversation with an architect.........

I had no intention of building our house from these plans. I posted on
here to get an opinion, not a beat down of how terrible my plan was.

Most folks who post their plans really *do* want to build them, and everyone here was just trying to discourage you from making a very expensive mistake. :-)

Some of us are more gentle in our deliveries than others, but sometimes it's impossible to know what kind of person the original poster is... Will they respond better to a more diplomatic approach, or do they need it given to them straight, no fluff?

It's good that you want to work with an architect... And if creating your own plans helps you figure out what you like, what you don't like, etc., then that's cool. The only things you really need to take to a good architect are ideas/photos of houses/spaces/styles that you like, your budget/timeline, your land/lot (if you have one), and a general idea of how you like your home organized.

For the most part, you can leave DIY or internet plans at home. :-) Architecture is half science, half art, so let the artist do his (or her) thing! Oh, and for the best results, hire a builder to sit in on the design meetings, to keep everything on budget.

Good luck. :-D

Kari, you might find it more productive to "mind-map" your house-to-be. No dimensions, just connected circles in relative sizes. The closer the connection, the more related the functions are. So for your master bedroom area, you'd have a big circle for the actual bedroom, 2 smaller circles closely connected to it for the closet and ensuite and a smaller circle for the utility room. (btw, I'm still not clear on why you want access to a utility room from the master). Inside each circle, you put a list of features and maybe a few "mood" words. So, the bedroom list might look like this:

• kingsize bed
• wall of windows
• warm sanctuary
• reading corner

When you take a "mind-map" to an architect, you instantly convey the features and feeling you want from your home. But-- and this is the important part -- you don't limit his vision by imposing your layperson's understanding of architecture on him. It's very hard to ignore a plan (no matter how flawed) once it's in front of you.

Best of luck on your adventure!

You can also look into adjacency matrices, bubble diagrams and programming. There are a few articles floating around on Houzz and plenty in other places.

"My next step in this process is to, in fact, consult an architect."

What step was this?

"...you might find it more productive to "mind-map" your house-to-be...."

In architecture, we call this sort of thing adjacency planning and bubble diagrams. There's several good articles in the archives on this and how to do it...

Any store that carries magazines -- even a grocery store -- is likely to carry those with floor plans. They usually focus on different categories -- small or large or two story. Spend some time looking through those that look as if they might meet your criteria.

You might also do some house hunting -- if not to buy, to see what's out there in your price range.

Afterward, when you invest in some graph paper and #2 pencils and a good large eraser and a ruler to draw your own, you'll have a better idea of not only what you like and do not like but also what will and will not work before contacting a pro to create your dream home plan.

A better way to connect a garage to a home is with a covered breezeway or screened small screened porch ... and without the rooms with odd angles.

The closer the "find architect" step is to "1", the better off you will be.

Kari,
Got it everyone. Guess this plan deserves nothing but the trash can.

Doesn't need the trash can.....the problem occurs when people try to tell architects and designers HOW to do their job. You will have much better results if you can take the information you have begun to address with this plan, step back and extrapolate the information you are creating.
Example:

• why the size of the closet?

• how do you want the closet to finish out/kinds of built-ins?

• do you really want one closet?

• do I want to walk back and forth between the bath and closet or do I want those closer together?

• does this double as household storage? (I've had clients who want to store all the luggage, seasonal items, etc. in their master closet - it functions almost as a warehouse for family seldom used items) If yes, should it have another entrance for those items?

Go through the "what do I want this space to do?" process with each of the rooms you've drawn. There is obviously thought and action behind your associations - if you can make those a verbal description of your needs and what you want to achieve....you will end up pleased with the results with your design professional.

It will also help you to begin the process of communicating with a design professional. To me, you have strong ideas about how you want your home to work for you. I would really want to hear those thoughts and ideas, so I can create a plan that reflects you, not just my design aesthetic. But I find that clients who try to tell me how to achieve those needs and wants usually has less than stellar results.

This process should also help you in your search for the professional. Communication is key and there are a million ways to do it. If you get the feeling that you are not being heard....find someone who does "get" you.