2nd Floor

Front

Do you have a first floor plan? :)

I was confused until I realized there was no first floor.

One note already, the two bedrooms sharing the two sinks. Privacy concern with the doors that way? Aside from that, it looks efficient upstairs.

Edited... sorry!

CTSNicholas, how would lay out the jack & jill bathroom?

I'm not really sure I like 2 entry doors on the front. I'd rather the entrance to the mud room on the side of the house. I doubt we'd ever use that 2nd front entrance. I'm not sure I like the open dining area, either.

This post was edited by BobbyV43 on Fri, Jan 30, 15 at 14:56

I'm not sure what is going on with the island....I'd simplify that if possible. Also, there is a ton of wasted space in the center of the house with all those hallways.

The island is just a representation. The architect drew it and I domt know what it's supposed to be either. Obviously that will be addressed in the kitchen design. As far as the wasted space, do yiu have any recommendations on how to address this?

Just a couple of things that jumped out at me. I would hate to make my guests go through my mud room to use the bathroom on the first floor. Maybe you will keep your mudroom nice and clean, but for our family, it's a dropping zone for all our stuff when we come in and it isn't always as clean as it should be. Also, I like windows to be balanced in a room and in the study, there is just one small window on the left wall that is off to the side. I would either put one window in the middle of that wall or add a second window to balance that wall. In the master bedroom I would put a door between the bedroom and the closet/bathroom area. That way if someone has to get ready before the other person get's up, they won't wake up the person as the go back and forth between the closet and bathroom. If you do this you won't need the doors that enter the bathroom and closet, but you could keep them if you prefer. And on that note, it would be nice to actually have another door that enters into your closet directly from the hallway, which prevents anyone from having to enter or re-enter the bedroom to use the bathroom or closet if someone is else is sleeping in there. And finally, the kitchen island is definitely funky, but it sounds like you will address that problem with your architect. Also, I love the door that directly enters your mudroom, it's so convenient for kids coming home to enter the house directly into the room where they will drop their coats, shoes, etc.

I have several concerns about this design.
* So much wasted space on hallways.
* A house this big and guest have to go to the mudroom to use the bathroom.
* A house this big should have walk-in closets in most bedrooms.
* A garage that large could easily accommodate 4 cars.
* Upstairs Jack and Jill bath - windows over the sink - really? - those should be mirrors. Also, when you flush that toilet, I'll bet you can hear it through the whole downstairs.
* Master suite does not seem that private. Also, the closet is huge, but does not seem that there would be a proportional amount of rod space.

Do you WANT 3 eating areas all right next to each other? If you don't, then if you lose the nook, move the DR over there, between GR & K, move the stairs to where the DR is presently, then you can slide the front of the house inwards by the width of the present stairs, slide the mudroom out a bit, perhaps to be flush with the new stairs and the whole, or most of, the central corridor vanishes while still giving you plenty of room in the foyer and hallway and in front of the stairs.

The above allows you to move the Powder Room over to the Foyer side because the stairs are not as wide as the present DR. If you do that then you can flip the orientation of the mudroom, so instead of pushing it out you push it into the present PR space.

If these are preliminary plans, then if I were in your shoes, I'd instruct that massive redesign take place.

Now if you instructed the architect/designer to include 3 eating areas right next to each other, then obviously the above suggestions won't work, but you're still left with the non-functional square footage which I don't see serving an aesthetic purpose.

On the 2nd floor, if you flip you master suite with the master bath, then you a.) have a common plumbing wall between the master bath and B4 bath, and b.) you develop more buffer space between the two bedrooms to help with sound privacy.

All of the concerns mentioned above are valid and we are addressing them. We do like a couple things about the plan, but it needs a major re-working. The designer through those windows above the sinks thinking we might like it... we do not. We do not want the dining room to remain as it is now. We don't want it open at all and it will be enclosed. I agree about the wasted space. We plan on addressing that as well. I am not sure I like the location of the mud room, either. We might but a double wide garage door in the middle so the garage can accommodate 4 cars.

As for the elevation, we don't like it all and have asked for it to be re-done.

- The entryway sight line is rather uninspiring.

- As others have said, lots of wasted space downstairs. Excessive hallway space, especially through the middle of the house.

- I'd eliminate the dining room. It's pretty far from the kitchen, and I can't imagine it getting much use. You have a good-sized eating area between the kitchen and the family room PLUS seating at the bar, and I suspect seating in the covered porch as well. I just don't see alllll those spaces being used.

- If you're going to bump-out the stairwell, I'd want windows on the side walls too. You know, really bring in the sunshine and make it a focal point.

- Bedroom 4. Since that person has his own bathroom, why chop it up with a door in the middle of the bathroom? It only adds expense and separates the toilet from the sink. And why two doors?

- I'd consider moving the master to Bedroom 4's position. If the master were on the corner, you could have windows on two walls . . . and if you bump the two bathrooms closer together, you'll save on plumbing costs.

- The powder room being accessible only off the mudroom is a 'no' for me - mudrooms get dirty, and I'd prefer guests not see my mess.
- I don't see the point of the angled wall on the study - it will only make bookshelves and furniture more difficult to fit, and you appear to have sufficient hallway space near the stairs.
- PLEASE check your fireplace-to-furniture placement and spacing. Many fireplaces require 3ft between the fireplace and furniture, as a safety requirement.
- I'll never understand the need for kitchen counter seating immediately next to a dining nook...especially with a formal dining room as well.

I agree with many points already made. The only thing that jumps out to me is the placement of the laundry room. I love the laundry being on the floor with the bedrooms where most laundry is generated. I don't love that it's in the back corner. I can see people avoiding taking their laundry to the laundry room because it's not convenient and not on their way somewhere. And then a huge laundry dump of multiple loads happening

When the kids were growing up, our laundry/bathroom combo was at the top of the stairs. It was easy to train them to get their dirty items into proper hampers daily so laundry was easy to keep up on.

Also, if I was on laundry duty but doing stuff downstairs, I would appreciate being able to run just to the top of the stairs to move from washer to dryer or other quick tasks instead of also having to go down the hall.