I need more info. But if I understand your concern, it would take a major modification to this design to make that type change. Walls between floors create HVAC issues as well. Most anything can be done. The question is cost vs benefit.

I don't understand the problem with seeing the foyer from the second story. I doubt you'll be seeing the foyer as you sleep : ) Nor anyone seeing you. Close a bedroom door? Who will be in the foyer, or are you worried about a front door privacy issue easily remedied?

The design of the home is to showcase that dramatic staircase. It's a look some like but it's not for me as I see it as a tremendous waste of space and energy sucker. It appears you don't like it either. Without completely redesigning the movement from floor to floor and the aesthetics of the design, not sure a box plan can be changed. Is that the only plan this builder offers?

That staircase is definitely intimidating. I agree with@tozmo1 that the drama of it was a deliberate design move. If you hate it, I can’t imagine how you can live with it. I doubt there are inexpensive changes that can be made, as @Flo Mangan said.

Keep looking since this is big deal to you the house is not the right one.

I see those two stairways and the small halfway-up landing area and imagine trying to move large dressers or mattresses up to the bedrooms…..I hope the upstairs landing is quite large. Seeing the foyer from upstairs (or vice-versa) is the less important issue.

Hi Deborah-

I too, despise homes that have a stairway right in front of you when you open the front door.

It is poor design for many reasons, not the least of which is that it invades privacy.

That design would be a deal breaker for me.

It would be fruitless spending a whole lot of time and energy and beaucoup bucks putting lipstick on that pig.

It would be a fair assumption that the draftsman who created the plans for that house (most probably not a licensed, experienced architect) has made other significant technical and tasteless mistakes you may not have yet discerned.

Please show us the plans and we will be happy to point them out to you.

You cannot make a silk purse out of this sow's ear.

Your instincts and tastes are fine, so to the left, to the left.

Perhaps an intermediate solution if you really like the rest of the floor plan is to have the builder drywall the sides and leave the 3-4 foot sections on either side of the stairs with railings as shown.

Instead of all the traditional ballusters and railings at the top, pony walls can replace those but you can still have the traditional look below in the foyer.

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Love decoenthusiaste's idea. Plus, it would probably save money, not cost more. We did something similar with our floor plan although our stairs aren't right by the foyer, and we saved money by replacing a railing section with a half wall. Our goal was to create a bit of an enclosed feel for our great room. We are glad we made that change.

Our house had similar open two story foyer with stairway. We hated it!!! Mostly because of noise. Noises from upstairs seemed to amplify in that empty open
space. We ended closing it in and adding a bedroom there. With 9ft ceilings on the main floor it is open enough.