Have you considered talking to a local architect to design a home with you that meets your needs and fits your site?

Taking a house that was designed for someone else (maybe nobody) somewhere else (maybe nowhere) and trying to fix it can leave you with 'baggage' from the original design that is useless but lingers, and it restricts creativity. I believe starting afresh will give you the best results.

This house was designed by an architect who i have been following for years. She is an expert in passive solar. The layout is almost exactly what we have been looking, just need to make some minor adjustments.

Mark, I appreciate your comments and totally get what you are saying. 90% or more homes built in the USA do not involve an architect. Only one architectural school in the USA teaches classical design. Even Taliesen closed!

Building codes are abysmal and finding any pro in our area that knows anything about high performance or passive solar is laughable.

Cost is a major concern so purchasing a modified (by original architect) plan makes sense. Architect already stated it would be an economical build.

I am not fond of pocket doors for aging in place. As you get older the urge to go can come on more suddenly. You want to be able to get in and close the door quickly. Even well designed and well installed pocket doors can be more fidgety than a swing door, which is challenging when you are in hurrying to get to the throne. Using pocket door hardware also require more dexterity, which may be more of a challenge for arthritic hands. For these reasons, I would stick with a swing door to your bathroom.

No pocket doors, all will be hinge or swing. Thinking swing for master bath but seeking input on that.

After reading your other thread, from what I understand your question solely revolves around how to make your husband shut the bathroom door when using the toilet, and absolutely nothing else is of concern.

This has nothing to do with a pocket, "double swing," or "saloon" doors, all of which are poor solutions for an ensuite bathroom, it is simply habit. To counter his habit, it can remain a swing door and have a self closer installed (either a hinge or arm). Then the door will always close on it's own.

Since you are removing the stair and wood stove, the bathroom layout will change. While you are at it, the secondary bathroom could move so a guest doesn't have to walk by the front door. As well as adding a 3rd bedroom ("bunk" room), all of that will change. And the expanded Laundry will now be larger than the Great Room. As well, expanding the Master 7.5' just to fit a king bed messes up the room proportions and closet. In general, a desire for a passivhaus does not work well in taking an existing design and editing it. Things like the high roof, fenestration, etc will be bastardized enough to defeat the original purpose.

3, you are correct that the main concern is closing the bathroom door.

The master bedroom would not have to expand that much but want to keep the house 4 corners. Corners are money no matter how you build. Want to keep the roof as simple as possible. The roof will be much lower than in the pic as no 2nd floor, no clearstory windows.

Not interested in receiving any Certifications such as passive house etc. Just aiming for a pretty good house.

The laundry being large is to accommodate large exercise equipment.

All the door openings will be 36". Bunk rooms are not a regular bedroom just a fun space for kids to have sleepovers.

Will discuss with the architect the changes and see what her suggestions are.

I wish the bathroom had a different entrance but compromises need to be made.

Sorry if its not visible but desk will be a batwing pantry. Both baths can expand into the space of the stairs and a little beyond.

If anyone has ideas that keeps the master bath with those parameters I would be interested. No to shower on outside wall due to window.

I appreciate your comments and totally get what you are saying.

The house was designed without knowledge of your site, so you do not get what I said.

90% or more homes built in the USA do not involve an architect.

Less than 10% of the houses built in the USA are designed well. That sounds about right but I have no way of substantiating it.

Only one architectural school in the USA teaches classical design.

Which one would that be?

Even Taliesen[sic] closed!

Taliesin did not teach classical design.

How many local architects did you interview?

What is the cost savings you expect to experience by fixing a design compared to having a house designed for you and your site, and what do you base it on?

I love a simple shaped house- the fashion for a million bump outs is so odd. But how can we help redesign your bath when you can’t show a plan with dimensions? We see your inspiration but with stair removal, extensions etc it’s changed a lot. There are a ton of creative people on here that could help you if you choose to provide updated plans with dimensions.

Since you're making changes, I'd like more width in the living/dining/kitchen side with a ceiling height in proportion.

My vision on using the extra stair space but lines up the bathroom so that we could see into the bathroom from the bed. Not a hill to die on.

Regarding the living dining. It's seems like there would be plenty of space. We used a huge section on this layout where as our current furniture is much smaller. Plan calls for 9ft ceiling height.

Mark,

It fits site perfectly as the site has a clear view of the east and southern sky to max solar gain. West has some shading and no glazing which avoids overheating. The position gives us max views.

I believe Notre Dame. Yeah Taliesen was not classical just good. 😉

The cost savings can be substantial. Someone paid for a custom design and Architect will modify to fit others needs at a greatly reduced cost.

There are no Architects in our area that specializes in passive solar.

Here is the thing, I've been searching house plans, drawing house plans and researching this for many years. If I asked you to design a house for me I would describe this house. Passive solar, common area on south, living and master on east, bedrooms on north side, etc.

Major decision made. We will do a pocket doors. The kind that has a soft close. We agreed that this may help with the closing the door issue. Still want to nail down the layout if the bathroom. If needed the shower wall could push out another 2 ft. The door placement can move to another location.

Just wanted to say that closing a pocket door is a lot more effort and time than closing a regular door.

I’m concerned that you will end up with a more expensive product that is counterproductive to solving your problem.

Worse still, no self-close hinge can be added.

As a mom who has to remind people

constantly to close the door to the pantry/laundry adjacent to the garage, I cannot even imagine how much worse the problem would be if it had pocket doors!

3, I've seen several examples of self closing pocket doors. Here is just one example https://www.pocketdoorsuperstore.com/product/eclisse-self-closing-system/?srsltid=AfmBOoraIX4-sla31zVEZvHdOmdrUX-2gO_k83_fluzS5xOE8y2V-VEO

If that self-closing system is long-term dependable it could be an asset in a lot of designs.

At least a couple maybe 3 feet would help the kitchen design of the island. Wider island and wider counters, say 29". It would add an open feeling for movement through the space to the dining area. You'll need the correct size overhangs on the south side to block summer sun but allow winter. Based on your location.

The roof design is higher by a lot than necessary for your single story instead of the original two story.

It seems that self close pocket would certainly help with your husband forgetting to close the door. Is there a way to choose to keep the door open if you wish? I think about how many times I walk back and forth between the bathroom and bedroom when I'm ready. There are times I'd hate to not have the door open to always have it closed and need to open it. Do you have the choice with a self closing or is it always closed?

I think a better description of it would be soft closing, where you only give it a little push and it closes softly. Like what most people have on thier kitchen cabinets.

Dan, by my estimate the island is 40x60. It will have a prep sink. Did you mean to say make the island bigger? We only need seating for two there, mostly it will be the main prep area. The cleanup sink by the window will be a single bowl maybe 30".

The desk will be a bat wing pantry and the fridge a 30". I know that is smaller than the typical 36" but we have 36" now and there is usually alot of empty space. Would rather have a larger pantry.

Where it shows mv will be a wall oven with mv over it. Next to it an induction 30" cooktop. The lower cabinet next to dw shows at 18" but will be 24" for a nice sized coffee tea station. Only upper cabinets will be over coffee tea station, over wall oven.

Alll right, im going to pipe in. you say this is the house you would design if working with an architect. have yiu considered the awkwardness of the 2nd bedroom? i know you said its fir guests but they will have to walk past the front door ( and living space) to get to a bathroom . your kitchen has an island blocking your path between fridge and sink. there is a built in desk tucked into a dead wall and your main bedroom has a door that opens into the living space. all things that I would call less than ideal design elements.

For empty nesters there is no issue with the bedroom off the living. No kids up late watching tv. It helps with air circulation too. The other option would be off the foyer but I prefer this.

The guests who are family will have no issues with not having a connected bathroom. House can't be seen from the road or other houses so no one peaking in front door.

Many passive / passive solar homes have similar layouts. This is by far the best I've seen. I talking about homes designed by architects not out of a book. Fitting all your dreams and desires into a rectangle isnt easy.

Desk will be a batwing pantry. As for island I have it like this now and like it. I take out overthing I need from pantry and fridge and put on island. Then prep on other side. Keeps people who are just getting a drink out of the work area.

Try a bath layout turning the shower 90 degrees and putting the toilet and shower side by side, in other words the toilet goes on the wall that was the stairs. Many people don't like to have a view of the toilet through the door when it's open (though I understand you have a hardware solution for that, still worth a look imo)

UPDATE: after reading all your posts and hubby and I having an indepth talk about the housr, we have decided to pass on this plan. The square footage kept getting bigger and bigger and the house longer.

Going with a different plan from same architect. It offers a smaller footprint but still 2 bedrooms 2 baths. The bunk room we wanted will be eliminated instead the decent sized sun parlour will host the grandkids sleepovers. The weightlifting space which was designated in the extra large laundry room will now move into the garage.

A few changes will be needed including the kitchen layout. I'll post all that soon.

Thank you!