Highly recommend hiring someone with design expertise to meet the needs of your family. Self design isn’t ideal for a new home

A local architect would be a good investment for you.

I'd love your thoughts

Slow down :)

You are not ready to order windows. You are about to spend lots of money. Shouldn't you build the best home possible instead of rushing?

That's a good dose of reality :)

Thanks for the messages folks :) I would like to slow down. I'd like more time. The trouble is that our father needs a home right away, and by building he will live on the main of our house (and the kids upstairs). It makes a pretty big difference to be able to have him here as it's his farmland we live on.

The benefit of the second plan, with the kitchen, dining, and living room on one side, is that it is almost an exact replica of our current home, 20 ft from the build site. It is an old Eaton's catalogue home. Instinctually I prefer it, because it is familiar. I know how our family flows in that space, yes, even with three kids and one two door bathroom. The other one is my attempt to change things up a bit with the living room at the front.

Our architect helps tighten everything, but for the conceptual decisions like this I am hoping for some help. He pretty much is used to designing for city folks who want the kitchen at the back, and we are the opposite. I need to see the whole south and east yards from the kitchen for when the kids get home.

"Our architect helps tighten everything"

Can you explain that please?

Your architect should be meeting with you and your family and designing a unique home that meets your families needs and the sites needs. You will regret not slowing down and doing this right. There is a perceived rush but it’s only that. If you take the time to do this well you will love the home and live in it well. A few extra months of planning and thought will make a lifetime of enjoyment.

The trouble is that our father needs a home right away

New homes are not built "right away", they might take a year or more.

It is an old Eaton's catalogue home. Instinctually I prefer it, because it is familiar

You are planning a new home based on a plan designed prior to 1932?

our current home, 20 ft from the build site

What happens to that home?

In Canada, I would want the home spread out along the east/west axis exposing it to the winter sun, and I would not want the garage on the north side.

You have more options than you think. Rent a mobile home and put it on your land. Then take the necessary amount of time to plan and build a home that will make you and all your family truly happy.

"Finally, why does the bathroom have two doors? We are an active family and we run in circles all the time. It is of utmost importance that the floorplan have a circle in it somewhere so we can run around."

Does your current home have one central bathroom with two doors? If so, have you ever had any issues with someone forgetting to unlock one of the doors before they exit the bathroom? If you do not currently have one central bathroom with two doors, do you really expect everyone to remember to unlock both doors before exiting the bathroom?

"Do not let your current 'good' ruin your future 'great'."