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alliebr8

Floor Plan Input Please!

AllieBr8
10 years ago

We live on a 130 acre farm...we have decided to do a major add on /renovation...instead of building new up on the hillside of our farm. We've grown to love the spot where our house sits. The small single story brick ranch home is what you see in the plans now as the kitchen and great room which is a vaulted ceiling. We liked our architects problem solving in that aspect. I'd love it if the kitchen could be closer to the garage but it would take it too far away from the diningroom. I don't think the space upstairs is being utilized as good as it could be. Lots of hallway space. As well I think I'm doing away with the jack and jill and putting one access door from hall. I think our master suite WICs need reworked. Open to all comments input!!! Thank you kindly!

Comments (19)

  • AllieBr8
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    2nd story plans

  • AllieBr8
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Front of new addition...exterior materials not yet decided yet.

  • AllieBr8
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    West Elevation...facing existing structure

  • AllieBr8
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    back of home....changes have been made to give a covered patio area off of great room doors to back yard.

  • AllieBr8
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    aerial...also a change has been made to pop out the master bath tub

  • zkgardner
    10 years ago

    No real advice, but your home is going to be so beautiful! How many sqf is it?

  • Kathy Beebe
    10 years ago

    Cool house! Unique with lots of light. I think you're going to love it, but it will probably be expensive with all of the corners, stairs, and windows.

  • AllieBr8
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you! It's approximate 5530. I pray we love it...we've waited 9 years to do it....going this route and building/incorporating around our existing home has been a challenge... I'm so glad to have found you all! The advice/input from this community is amazing!!!! To have all the extra sets of eyes on our plan is a great feeling!!! Thanks again! Architect added the stairs in master suite because I asked for it I felt too far away from my babies having to go to the foyer and then up a flight to get to them. We live in a small ranch currently and are all so close together...so it will be a big change. I'm thinking I'll be glad steps and quick access to them are there when they are teens as well? But I could be wrong. Another plus is quick access to laundry. Any input besides cost and privacy issues on master steps. This is all so nerve wracking. Thank you!!!!

  • zone4newby
    10 years ago

    My thoughts:

    1) It's a very large house. Have you lived in a house this size before? We're downsizing from 3800 sq. ft. because there were rooms that were barely used, and we didn't want to have to heat/cool/maintain/clean these spaces that we didn't need. Essentially, we lived in the kitchen and family room 90% of our waking hours, and all the other spaces sat empty.

    2) The master bedroom is really cut-off from the rest of the house. It would be easy for kids to get up/leave the house without waking you. Also, I wouldn't love having to walk through the living room to get between my bedroom and the kitchen.

    3) Both offices are in places you probably wouldn't want to hold a meeting. If you're going to have an office, it seems like it would be nice to be able to comfortably have a meeting there.

    My ILs built new homes several times, and would joke that you could always tell what they didn't like about their old house because they would overdo it in the next house. I am wondering if you are feeling very cramped by your current house, and that's leading you to design more and larger spaces than you'll really want once you're there. Of course I could be totally wrong, but I'm throwing the idea out there in case it's helpful.

    A more specific suggestion: I would want doors on the living room so it can be acoustically separate from the rest of the house. Especially with the piano in there.

  • AllieBr8
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Zone4...thanks for your input!! I appreciate you taking time to look at it and reply!! No we've never lived in anything this big before. Yes, we are busting at the seams right now. We are more than likely going to look at shrinking it down a tad. Particularly in the master suite closets and the sitting/formal living room. We will spend most of our time 'living' in the great room. The architect plays a piano and just put that there for ideas. lol. Though one day I hope my kids learn to play. We do not have a piano at the moment. I don't mind walking through a formal living room to get anywhere in house...it's no different to me than walking down my hallway right now to get to the kitchen. But I do see your point. Oh yes, I've thought about kids getting out. It worries me. It was why initially I didn't want a master down...but the idea grew on me. Again thank you so very much for your thoughts!! :) I think we may scale back a smidge. This was our 3rd round with architect....still lots of meetings to go.

  • AllieBr8
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Seems to be many of the floor plan experts are wore out from advising..as no more responses have popped up. Calling any and all floor plan input please!!! Thank you!!!

  • allison0704
    10 years ago

    Congratulations! It looks like a neat house. fwiw, we added an upstairs master suite at our last house (added partial 2nd story to ranch house). That left our 3 children downstairs. They were 1st, 3rd and 5th at that time, and all in college when we moved. With monitors and house alarms, we didn't worry about them and had no issues. If someone was sick, I could easily stay downstairs if needed.

    The main level laundry room sure is tiny. I would located the main w/d in a MBR closet. If you want one close to the kitchen, you could do a small stack unit (although I would skip this).

    I hope you will do an unfitted kitchen. It would look great in your farmhouse.

    If you leave out the 2nd coat closet at entry (right of front door) and that wall area, then the space with the piano will be more open going to the bedroom area - won't feel like you're having to wind through the LR to get there (as someone posted above), which will really limit furniture placement in the LR.

    The bathroom that is shared by the 2 bedrooms, the other bedroom will really hear/be bothered by the other person using the shower/etc. What about the tub/shower in the center and each bedroom having a sink/toilet room next to their room?

  • AllieBr8
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Allison...thank you!!! Definitely some things to think about. I'm staring at the entry/foyer area now. I'm wondering if taking that second coat closet away will expose our master suite entry point too much from front door? That would be my only reserve...otherwise it's a great idea. The architect is reworking the upstairs bathroom. I think he's putting one door in hallway instead of jack and jill. I had mentioned putting the downstairs laundry to the architect a while back and he talked me out of it....saying we have quick access to upstairs one from master and secondary stairs...the main level one is more for kitchen stuff....husband dirty hunting clothes...wet pool towels/swim suits. Thank you so much for bringing my attention to a few areas!!

  • allison0704
    10 years ago

    I completely understand. DH has a laundry room on our lower level for his workout clothes/towels and yard clothes. I saw the upstairs laundry and back stairs, but as large as the walk-in closets are, there is certainly room for the sake of convenience.

    How long (and wide) is the MBR hallway? It appears to be so far from the entry way to the MBR sleeping area, that I don't think the coat closet/wall will be missed.

    We have an L shaped hallway in our lower level. Hallway is 5 feet wide, and the first section of the L has a large niche with 5 built-in bookcases. The width keeps it from feeling tunnel like, along with the high ceiling. I'm assuming your ceilings will be at least 9 feet? Over 10 will feel better in such a long hallway. We later added 5 more bookshelves to second section of L hallway. It's wide enough so that bookcases and a bench still leave plenty of room for walking or caring things.

  • AllieBr8
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Oooooh! Great thinking with built-ins in the hall way!!! I'm not certain of the width of the hallway...but that is def important aspect!! THANKS!!! Oh I know those WIC are big...Need to think this through. All good points!! Thanks so very much!!! Also thanks for the comment regarding my kids being on a different level...you helped relieve my fears. Thanks!

  • AllieBr8
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Please help with my floor plan!! Thank you!!

  • beck55
    10 years ago

    Your totally plan is so good. Have you decided any builder? Have you consulted with any builder because your construction plan looking ready and the next step will be start the building.. I seriously have no idea about the floor plan .

  • AllieBr8
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks so much!! We have a few builders in mind. We will get a few bids once we are finished with the architect. We are excited. But don't want to rush this most important part of our dream house...the drawing board. That's why I'm here begging for all eyes and all your help!! thanks!!

  • AllieBr8
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks so much!! We have a few builders in mind. We will get a few bids once we are finished with the architect. We are excited. But don't want to rush this most important part of our dream house...the drawing board. That's why I'm here begging for all eyes and all your help!! thanks!!

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