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Please review our new build floorplan

Wilson Ator
4 years ago

Family of 4 and a dog. Inlaws who will visit for extended periods frequently. House is located in the caribbean on a canal lot. Thanks for your ides in advance!




Comments (14)

  • Wilson Ator
    Original Author
    4 years ago



  • Wilson Ator
    Original Author
    4 years ago



  • Wilson Ator
    Original Author
    4 years ago



  • damiarain
    4 years ago

    Some general questions from a quick look...

    - How do you plan to use the family room vs the media room vs the living room (vs the gym)? The living room has a lot of traffic going through it - I could make to-scale versions of furniture and try some layouts.

    - Not sure what's going on with that powder room - soooo small! two doors! right next to the front door! (also, what is that small closet(?) that's under it?

    - Way too many of the bathrooms have two sinks (and therefore zero counter space).

    - Do you need both a separate tub and shower in the hall bathroom?

    - When your in-laws visit, would they stay in the main house with you or the small suite? (and is it above the garage?)

    - Can't quite tell from the image of the lot - will there be a pool in the backyard? If so, might be worth planning better access to the mud (laundry) room for towels & bathroom relative to the backyard

    - Not loving the entrance to the Master - there's a lot of doors just in that spot - and because of the angle, you won't really be able to leave the bedroom door open if you want to access the bathroom (would seriously consider pocket doors for the closet...)

    - The above garage suite: I wouldn't have two doors into the bedroom - instead have one and then there's room for a bit more furniture (it's nice to have a dresser to unpack a bit) - maybe the closet could get moved out of the bathroom

    - The dining room seems very closed off and tight. And not loving the plan for the island seating - could be a much more gracious and inviting space - with plenty of room for your family (local and visiting)... could you square off the house (ie remove the covered patio)? that would alleviate some of the issues to give you more space to work with

    Wilson Ator thanked damiarain
  • Mrs Pete
    4 years ago

    Random thoughts:

    - Thinking about natural light ... the living room is probably the room where you'll spend most of your waking hours, yet it is in the center of the house where it'll receive little light. In contrast, the media room, a room where you want to keep things dark, is on the exterior. Same thing for the gym, not a room where you really focus on light.

    - Why two same-sized eating spaces within reach of one another?

    - Is the pantry wide enough to enter comfortably? It and the utility room look cramped.

    - How big is that downstairs powder room? It looks quite cramped ... you don't want to go minimal on bathrooms.

    - The toilet in the upstairs hall bath ought to turn 90 degrees. Also, I'd lose the duplicate sinks in the kids bathrooms ... it'd be better to give the kids some drawer storage in these bathrooms (same thing's true in the master). The bath in Bedroom 1 looks very small ... and does it have a divided toilet closet? Why?

    - The master suite has little natural light ... if you move the closet to the interior of the house, you could have windows on two walls.

    - Several door swings are problematic. One example: If you enter the master suite and want to enter the bathroom, you must close the bedroom door and walk around it.

    - Is that an outdoor kitchen? I suggest flip-flopping it so that the "entrance" to the "U" is closer to the house. It'd be more comfortable than walking around the "U" to enter.

    Wilson Ator thanked Mrs Pete
  • samarnn
    4 years ago

    I think master shower at 10'7" x 3 too large for comfort & not very proportional "feel good" sort of space. I would shorten it by 3-4' & put a large linen closet in that corner as handy place for suitcases as well as linens. And then there could be more generous surface area at vanity, which is definitely "feel good" when two people are getting ready at the same time.

    I don't see why master closet needs two doors, but perhaps his & hers entrances? And if that is the case, dividing the closet into two separate closets would have more hanging space &, more importantly in my household, limit counterproductive marital commentary.

    I can't quite figure out the guest apartment orientation, but I would think that in your climate they would appreciate at least a little balcony with a small coffee spot? Perhaps simply extend the entrance landing at the top of the stairs to include a small sitting area...and that would make that entrance more attractive as well.

    I do like the service pathway from the garage to the service entrance & backyard. Not a dog person, but that looks to me like a fenced in safe space for dog play area? Or a salad & herb garden. In either case, please put a water spigot there, and maybe even a foot-& dog washing basin...or even a planting bench.

    Depends partly on the age of your children and guests, but I question safety of children's play yard directly abutting the pool.

    Suggest you work out backing & turning radius required for a car entering or leaving the carport. Optimally, the drive can be designed to allow both easy access for the carport and also surplus parking for guests. But is that carport also going to be parking space for kids bicycles, strollers, wagons, etc? Your garage doesn't seem to be any too generous in size for that as well as general storage & garden equipment.

    What is function of family room? Kids toys? Another tv? Poker night? All those things look to me like they would combine well with a media room. As could a gym, or so it appears from my local. At least create a passthru type interior window so exercisers could watch/hear the big screen. There appears to be sufficient room to enlarge that powder room to include a shower & a closet, which might make your gym more functional for both the gym & guests, and also make it a potential guest room for overflow.

    Take that kitchen to a kitchen forum, as it looks like very tight work area in a very large kitchen space. I would want a window over my prep area to look out into the adjacent garden. I would want one less breakfront & put that space into a more generous pantry. Many people don't use a "kitchen desk" & instead prefer to do homework at the breakfast bar. But maybe it is really a printer/charging station, not a desk?

    Do you have garden designers and specialist nurseries and garden services on your island? I am so envious of all the possibilities on your site plan.



    Wilson Ator thanked samarnn
  • Wilson Ator
    Original Author
    4 years ago

    Thanks for the feedback. It's very much in line with our areas of concern.


    1. The 'family room' we intend to use as a kids play room (kids will be approx 4 and 2 when we move in).

    2. The living room will be more of a great room. Not so much for tv watching/lounging

    3. The gym won't have a door to the downstairs half bathroom. We had toyed with the idea of having a shower in the bathroom as well, hence the door in there.

    4. The covered terrace we intend to have a motorized retractable screen that comes down to screen it in if needed.

    5. Master walk in closet - completely agree about not needing 2 doors and it being a waste to have it against an external door. Trying to figure out a better layout for it but have come up short on ideas so far. And also the entrance door to the master bedroom. needs some reworking - if anyone has ideas that would be great.

    6. Double sinks - agreed. We'll only go for a double sink in the master - all others can be singles.

    7. The kitchen island - it is a poor representation on the plan. We essentially want a very large kitchen island to offer more workspace, and a grander feel to the kitchen. A couple of barstools but not the 6 seats shown there.

    8. We'd probably look to have a wide but short window between the countertop and cupboards (where a backsplash would be) along part of the length of the kitchen to help bring in light,

    9. In terms of landscaping, We haven't put a hole lot of thought into it yet. I like the idea of the pool being an L shape and wrapping around the far side of the outdoor (sunken) kitchen so that it can have a swim up bar feel.


    Thanks again for all the ideas so far


  • User
    4 years ago

    A very large island makes a kitchen look crowded, not grand unless the kitchen is also very large, with lots of space around the island.

  • Naf_Naf
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Where in the Caribbean?

  • Wilson Ator
    Original Author
    4 years ago

    Grand Cayman

  • User
    4 years ago

    The two tables are central to the design concept but make little sense. Why would you want to eat that close to a sink and why would you not want to eat breakfast at the dining table?

  • Wilson Ator
    Original Author
    4 years ago

    Yeah as mentioned above we're planning on just having that as a large island with a couple of bar stools. Not a full table as pictured in the plans.

  • K H
    4 years ago

    Hall bath upstairs I would do a shower/bath combo which would allow for more counterspace if it was arranged differently.