Is the house already built?

Tell us a little about who will be in the house? Kids? Ages? Do you entertain? Have overnight guests? I saw you want to turn the den into a guest room. Will you need a desk or office somewhere?

@bpath The development is still in the clearing ground stage and is expected to be complete by late spring/early summer 2021. It's myself and my husband with our 3 daughters (7, 14 & 16), a medium dog & kitty). We like to entertain family and friends. People don't sleep over often but we like to have a sofa bed as an option just in case. I would need my desk with w/2monitors in there too 😬. I'm excited to hear your feedback!

@Mark Bischak, Architect Thank you for sharing your feedback. We are purchasing the home within a development so we are limited with modifications. We cannot make too many structural changes. As for the bi-fold doors, are you referring to the french doors in the den? The "public" spaces should have views to the lake as there are no walls in the way. Except for where the kitchen and family room are which we cannot change. We also have to keep the jack & jill which I like for my two daughters...

Seems that the master bedroom will be blocking views to the lake when you're sitting outside or in your kitchen. Why does the master shower get some of the best views and why would the bed be facing away from the views?

Closets need a minimum of 7' for hanging on opposite walls.

Too bad you can't make too many changes as the layout is far from optimal.

Thank you @cpartistfor your feedback. Yeah, it's not a custom home. The home is part of a community so there is only so much that can be done. There are two small windows in the Master bedroom to allow for the bed in between. There are plenty of windows and a sliding door from the living area/dine-in kitchen. We'd be able to see the view from the kitchen island as well. I will be enjoying relaxing baths🥂 lol!

The plan looks good to me, only thing I'd get rid of is the 3rd car garage on the far right, its awkward and takes up room which could be better used as an office or making your living room larger.

So, do you need 3 dining areas right next to each other? I'm sure you'll want to keep some island seating even if just as a perch. Where the larger table is shown now is kind of awkward, being right in the middle of the house and everyone's walkway. Is the breakfast nook alone big enough for your needs?

Or, can you use the living room nook as a dining room?

If you plan for a tv in the family room, the seating will face away from the windows. If you can extend one of the walls from that block of closets by the JnJ, into what is now the dining table, you can put the tv there, and have sofa on the long wall. Maybe swivel chairs perpendicular to the sofa.

Can you ask for one sink with two banks of drawers for the JnJ? The girls will need the extra storage and counterspace more than two sinks. They will rarely be in there together anyway.

(You'll want to keep that extra garage. There's really no good storage in the house for seasonal decor, household tools, and "stuff".)

The bifold doors Mark mentioned are the closet doors. Regular doors will work much better, especially for walk-ins.

For the master bedroom, your bed will face away from the views but be on view from the great room. Is there room to put it on the wall of the bathroom? And, replace the double doors with one door. So much easier to manage, and easier to reach the light switch.

Is it a recreational lake? Where will you store the fishing gear, kayaks, canoes, floating trampoline, etc?

Bifold doors are not meant to be used for rooms that are entered. The hardware for bifold doors are usually poorly designed and manufactured. I have had clients direct me not to use them on their project.

In my head, I'm dying to convert the one-car garage and living room to a small master suite, the great room to dining, the breakfast nook to small seating area, and the master bedroom to a wonderful family room with great views and lots of light. (While I'm at it, I'd change the bedrooms so they don't all open off the public space.)

BTW: Only if you have sub compact cars is that 2 car garage big enough for 2 cars. And I hope you don't have anything like an SUV you will need to park in the garage because you will not have enough room to maneuver around.

Do you have any pictures of it built or the dimensions of the rooms? Their layout is funny... Unless this house is huge I don't see the point of two dining rooms and two family rooms so close to each other.

The open areas from the Great Room to the Living Room, and possibly the Office (if doors remain open) will have no visual or sound privacy, and smells will be readily noticable throughout all of the spaces.

Since you like to entertain a lot, all of these spaces will have to be picked up and maintained in an orderly manner, which may be very difficult with three young children.

The children have no private spaces other than their individual bedrooms, so it will be very challenging for them to have a children-only group or communal space. Similarly, there is no adult-only space other than the office (perhaps if not made into a bedroom).

Are you sure that you and your family can live long-term in such a space?

Do they have any other plans you can choose from? This one is pretty bad, IMO!

Thanks everyone! Try to ignore the “furniture” they included in the floor plan. There’s plenty of room to put our dining room in the kitchen nook or even use the “family room” as a dining area... keep the suggestions coming :)

Do you want to be able to see out the back windows from the great room sofa/other seating? Do you watch tv as a family, and want the screen in the great room? Or do you want to watch in the living room?

We’d like the TV in the great room area so the “living room” is open which we currently use as a game area in our current home. Thanks again everyone!

You’ll need to accommodate not only your sofa and tv and coffee table or ottoman, and probably end table, but pathways from especially the girls’ bedrooms. And you don’t want the furniture to have views into any bedroom, unlike the sample layout. So, maybe an L sofa with one back against the wall, and the other with its back to the master bedroom. Then, extend a wall from between bedrooms 3 and 4, for the tv. Maybe a shallow console table between sofa and wall for a lamp, with art above.

So, the walkways are, bedroom 4 behind the wall. Bedroom 3 between coffee table and tv at wall. Bedroom 2 behind the sofa.

Will that be enough seating? There wouldn’t be room for much more. If needed, you could bring chairs over from the game room or dining nook when you have company.

I prefer to have the garage closer to the kitchen so I don't have to carry the groceries so far.

I don't like walking through the laundry room from the garage.

I agree with Mark about disliking (detesting, actually) bifold doors and would pay extra to have single doors in their place.

Anne

I have just built a custom home that is an open plan. The issue with furniture placement is to not overly complicate the space. It should be very clean and easy to look at. IMO you have a home that is set up as a normal house with missing walls.
I would move into using more pocket doors where they can be slid aside to create openness when required.
I am concerned with walking into a foyer and then seeing a dining room table in the middle of the entrance. You should be able to walk in and have a clear sight line.
The first family room should have a wall and door to close it off. With children every time you walk by it it will be cluttered. And that is normal living.
I understand the desire for a jack and jill bathroom with two daughters sharing the space but I would close off one door to allow for a chair/bookcase combo.

Re: garage - it shows no steps going into the main floor. That is RARE - and as soon as you add tips - it rapidly encroaches into the garage space - making a tight garage unusable for 2 cars. As the question about final floor elevation in the house vs the garage and if you want it without stairs - it's goin to take some work and you'll need to specify it. It's also an even bigger problem in the one car.

Have you seen an actual model of this house built, and have you walked through it?

One option you will have is to arrange the living area and dining area furniture to take advantage of the activity on the lake through the windows and in the master bedroom through the double doors.

The "living room" on the right seems awkward and I venture to say it will rarely be used. Perhaps it could be turned into an office/library with floor to ceiling book shelves and some nice armoires to conceal your computers when not in use. I think you will really find yourself at a disadvantage without a dedicated "work" space if you are accustomed to having one. Just out of curiosity, what is the square footage of this house?

I also agree about the living room, I would shift the kitchen to the back on the bake patio wall and the wall it is on and get ride of the wall for the living room all be open maybe fit a walk in pantry in part of the area that was going to be living room,

All - if I’m not mistaken, the poster was looking for feedback on suggested furniture placement, not a redesign of the floor plan. She has mentioned several times that this is not a custom home and that floorplan changes - flipping rooms, extending walls, etc., - cannot be accommodated.

Our home is open concept. We taped the floor for our furniture to see what we could put where and what would actually work. It was a great exercise and helped us purchase and place things well.

I think it looks good. I personally would not need that many garages or that big a house, but I also don't have 3 kids. I like the Jack/Jill room. I think that making the living room into a sitting room/kids playroom is a good idea as they do not have very many "private" spaces to go. I also think I would adjust/turn the sectional near the kitchen bc if that is a TV on the small wall then ppl would be walking between the viewing area and that would be irritating. If you turn things and either move the TV to the window area somehow or in line with the foyer then you may have a better walkway created. I understand wanting to think the whole thing out before moving in, but I also really wouldn't worry about it until moving in because you will figure out what works best for your family once you are there.

And this example is the reason why I don’t get the popularity of open concept plans. Instead of simplifying, they complicate home life. Beyond creating furniture placement challenges, with no individual rooms dedicated to specific purposes, there’s no quiet place dedicated to privacy or sanctuary or coziness. Loud noises and sounds emanating from multiple TVs, sound systems, gaming equipment, computers and actual conversations compete with one another... cooking smells, dirty dishes and messy eyesores reverberate throughout the one cavernous space. And don’t get me started on people “perching” in the kitchen while I’m trying to concentrate while cooking and running around the kitchen, pulling everything together for dinner parties and holiday get togethers. I’m considered “rude” if I ask them to go into the other room and join the others, but dammit, I’m trying to get this done and the distractions from those thinking I want to chit chat while working - although coming from a good place - are extremely frustrating.

I dunno, I suspect this whole “open concept” trend has been hoisted on us by the home building industry because it’s a cheaper option to build than houses with dedicated rooms, hallways and other hallmarks that differentiate a home from a warehouse. And then marketed to homebuyers used to traditional homes as a better way for “families to get closer” and for “moms to keep an eye on their kids while cooking”.

I would use the existing furniture arrangement on the plans as your guide to furniture arranging as it seems well planned. You can choose the individual pieces based on your preferences and needs. Measuring the space and marking with masking tape is a great way to plan, as well as, paying attention to the dimensions of furniture is so important to achieving balance in any space. If you want to keep your views consider lower backed more modern furniture for the living and dining spaces that face the lake. Good luck!

I really appreciate all the feedback. Our existing floor plan has a similar “family room” as illustrated in the floor plan where we made it more “game room” friendly to make a space for teens. We put our Christmas tree in front of that window. I’m liking the idea of putting the dining room table in the kitchen nook. We skied through a model and it was very big. I included a picture of dining room table as well.

Think about pocket doors where you can (bathroom/closets; bifold for laundry- you need the elbow room)- be aware they cannot be placed where wiring or pipes are located. Just keep it simple with furniture placement. Do be aware of garage dimensions.

I would think about a very large U-shaped sectional. We love our distressed brown leather sectional (it’s a L-shaped.) It can fit farm/rustic/tropical-think British West Indies. Everyone likes to lounge; and it holds up to lots of abuse. Keep the living room- just a tad more formal. The first photo is our living room; the second is from Houzz- a little more formal but, still relaxed, and an inspiration. Enjoy your new home!!! How exciting!!!

edit: apparently the photos didn’t post. Sorry.

My suggestions are: Make the dining area in the kitchen more flexible by choosing an expandable table, a side bar or buffet for storage, and enough chairs to accommodate family and guests. Use the extra chairs in other rooms until needed. Center the TV in the great room on the long wall (which is probably about 8 ft.) and surround it with storage and shelves to minimize the bedroom view issue. (And, of course, those doors can be closed for privacy as needed.) Add U-shaped seating facing the TV. Place a game table and storage for games and puzzles where the dining table was shown on the plan. This table could also be used for homework or projects, Add a computer niche in the blank corner behind the half bath. If you have only occasional overnight guests, keep the office with a sofa bed for guests. (After the girls are grown, you could convert the living room to a guest bedroom or use bedroom 2 for guests.) For now, make the living room a flexible room for adults when the girls and their friends need more space or for anyone in the family who needs a retreat for reading, studying, a private conversation, or watching a favorite TV program. The flex room could include bookshelves, a small TV, a comfortable love seat or sofa, and a couple of upholstered chairs . And finally, add outdoor living space beyond the covered porch at least to the corner of the house and possibly across the back of the house. Add an outdoor sofa and chairs, lounge chairs, a bistro table and chairs, an outdoor kitchen or grill, an outdoor dining area, and an outdoor fireplace or fire pit, and, maybe, even a pool. This lake house will provide everything needed for family living and entertaining all year!

@pkatzz as a mom of three with an open concept home I can tell you I love it. It’s totally okay that you don’t but also okay I do. Not everyone likes closed rooms and not everyone likes open. I love, in pre covid times, having friends and family in the open spaces and me not being hidden away in the kitchen. I like all the hustle and bustle. That said in our open plan we also have an office with a door and a rec room in the basement that is off on it’s own. The key to open spaces is having cozy ones nearby.

Two additional suggestions—when my husband and I planned our somewhat open concept house, we specified the use of sound insulation in all interior walls. This insulation mutes sound transmission from open areas to more private areas. (In the house we are discussing, sound reduction will be especially beneficial to bedrooms, the living room, and the office. It also reduces sound transmission between bedrooms and bathrooms, and is appreciated by light sleepers.) Surrounding the TV with built-ins, and the use of soft furnishings and sound-absorbing window treatments such as cellular shades also helps. (NOTE: Sound insulation of interior walls is NOT typically standard in builder development houses, but should be an inexpensive upgrade.) In the kitchen, a high-quality vent hood, should take care of kitchen odors.

HGTV features and promotes "open plans" in large measure because they photograph much better (and easier) than smaller individual rooms.

Have you noticed on every renovation program on HGTV the stars of the show begin their tour and inspection of an existing home by saying, "We'll take out this wall, and this wall and that wall"?

Open plans can work well--if thought and provision are given to spaces for different ages (kids and adults), spaces where messes can be left while other spaces remain orderly, and there's space for the necessary "getting away" which occurs in everyone's life. Unfortunately, these spaces are too often ignored.

I have a family of 5 too, and I would choose to use just one big dining room table, rather than a separate smaller kitchen table too.

My kids and husband could spend all day lounging on couches, but I find myself drawn to the table. I’m either working on a laptop or spreading out with a project. I bet you can picture your family and where/how they prefer to gather.

We have a “split garage” like this, and I think it helps to be intentional with what each one is. I used to park the family car in the “big garage” and the project car in the “small garage.” Then the project car found a new home, making the small garage the home for yard tools and the garbage cans. Now my dream is to convert it to a larger utility and storage room, more insulated and bug-free. As my kids get older, it feels like we have more and more to store, and less that we need for our daily life.

Throughout history families have lived together in simple single-room dwellings. Early pioneers first built single-room dwellings. As the family grew or money was available, additional rooms were added.

By pre-World War II, most homes used a basic floor plan with a center hall leading to rooms with separate functions. The kitchen was a utilitarian room in the back of the house off-limits to guests. However, the seeds for open-concept living were being planted by architects, like Frank Lloyd Wright, who designed homes that combined living and dining areas. The kitchen was still separate.

The true open floor plan began to take hold post-war when formality gave way to casual living in the homes built for young families. Open kitchens made it easier for young mothers to keep an eye on the children while they worked. Other changes were made as population density increased. (Smaller homes no longer had the luxury of separate libraries or studies.) In addition, innovations in building materials like steel beams, central heating, and dry wall made open plans more practical.

By the 1950’s mid-century modern open plans gained popularity. Since then, there has been a slow, but steady movement toward more open concept homes. By the 1990’s open plans trended toward the norm for new construction, and that trend is holding steady.

Obviously, the trend to open-concept living occurred over time. Today, families increasingly turn to existing housing to meet their needs (living closer to work, moving to a small town, or navigating housing shortages). HGTV home renovation shows play an important role in helping families find ways to adapt older homes to today’s casual lifestyles, but they obviously did did not cause the movement to open-concept housing.

Y’all have some nice furniture u should hook up with the game design homes y’all’s furniture is high end but much more reasonably priced

which direction is the lake in this drawing?

if you can't change anything, I'd stick with the general idea of the furniture they have shown.