This is the new plan that I came up with after I was unable to figure out a way to incorporate the changes recommended here. The basement will be unfinished but roughed in. The lot slopes perfectly to do the drive under basement and walk out in the back. The exterior will take cues from the bottom pic and be hardiboard with a brick veneer foundation unless the cultured stone price comes in within reason. The builder has the plan and is giving me a rough estimate before I finalize the plan, so I would like to keep any changes minor and within the current footprint. One thing I'm not sure on is where to place the door from the garage to the mudroom, the builder wants to drop the garage floor a couple of feet, not sure where to put the door because we will need some sort of landing and steps. Do I move it to the right so I have a straight shot from the exterior door which will conflict with the basement door, or move to the left and come around and back up to the landing?
If you see anything else in the plan that doesn't work or could work better I appreciate all criticism.

I agree on windows. But, I am a Seattle/WWashington person at the moment, and also welcome every ounce of sun.

Also, being Seattle area, I would be concerned about your drainage to your lower garage. That will run water right to your garage foundation/wing down there. Will this be a problem in your area?

Since you have so much activity planned (eventually) for downstairs, I would try to move the stairs and make them more easily accessible from the living room and kids' rooms. That would also allow you to move some things around and make it easier to place your garage entrance.

As for the downstairs...it's very nice, except for the garage under the master suite. You'll need more insulation on the master floor and you have to be careful not to leave cars running (to warm up in winter) or be working on cars, in that area...because the fumes will likely go right up into the bedroom, unless you plan to have some kind of ventilation system in the garage.

It's actually a fairly good plan...if somehow you could do without the study (maybe move it downstairs?) and put the basement stairs by the entry...and get the hallways out of the kitchen, I think it would work very well for you.

Hope this helps!

I also think the mud room might be small. If someone comes in the garage door while you're sitting on the bench, you're going to get your knees bumped. Do you have children? Nice pantry area.

Think about moving your master closet door closer to the bathroom door. That looks a little inconvenient to me.

Our basement is similar to yours. We have two long windows to light an area like yours, and I sure wish there was more natural light. I know you can always turn lights on, but you have a nice walkout. I wish I had taken better advantage of the natural light. Your basement will be so nice, and it would be nicer if your basement stairs weren't tucked way in a corner. Any visitors you have that will go downstairs to play pool, or watch a movie, will have to go to your mudroom.

Will you have a driveway across the front of the house, or will your visitors have to walk around the garage to get to the front door.

Good luck on your build. It's going to be a beautiful home.

On to the input.
Dseng: I do keep going back and forth about the extra windows in the extra bedrooms. The new house has more windows in the bedrooms then in the current house. Maybe I just don't know what I'm missing because I don't have it now.
Kirkhall: Kids are on the way out, and my garage hasn�t flooded yet, you just have to make sure the concrete goes back up before the garage door, which is what the current house does.
Athensmom: Not sure what you mean unless you are talking about that opening just to the right of the breakfast bar. That is just a pass through not an entrance; my cad program draws them kind of funny.
Lavendar Lass: The traffic through the kitchen does concern me but the two halls and the entry hall already make my head hurt, halls almost seem like wasted space to me. I did try to keep the sink and stove out of the main way and have kept at least 42 inches between all the counters. The garage in the basement is pure man cave, I have an old 52 jeep, I brew beer and a little bit of everything else, it won�t be used like a normal garage. I will insulate the garage ceiling though that is how my current one is. I did have the stairs over by the entry at first but realized all of us are pretty informal, hardly anyone uses the front door, I see people coming over entering through the garage and heading straight down stairs. As for the deck stairs I agree completely alas my cad skills are not up to what is in my head.
Mydreamhome: I agree 100%. I think the builder is concerned about the drive to the lower level being too steep and was hoping to cheat a couple of feet at the top.
Motherof3sons: I'm going to give that a try on the plan and see what the wife thinks, my only concern is losing 48 inch of cabinets by putting the washer and dryer on the window wall.
Sorry for the long post keep the great inputs coming.

This would give you a five bedroom house (four and an office/study) which will be better for resale and probably work better for you, too. If the kids are that old, I'd put them downstairs (who wouldn't want to be by the pool table and your own hang out space) and have the guest room, in the back bedroom.

This would allow you to put the stairs, where you have the study. Bendback stairs would be great...and you'd have room to move the hall, behind the kitchen (between the kitchen and pantry. This would give you room to reconfigure the pantry, laundry and mudroom to give you more space, where necessary.

I understand what you're saying about the relaxed entry (we live on a farm) but if people have to walk through the garage, mudroom, past the laundry, through the kitchen to sit down in the living room...it's a long walk. Why not make the front entry casual? A bench against the basement stairs (half wall) and some chairs on the porch will set the right mood. Front entrances are only formal (IMHO) if they are decorated in a formal way and lead to formal rooms. Otherwise, they're just a closer entrance to the living room :)