Hi Marsee,

I've been lurking for over a year. This is my first time replying. We just finished building a home, so I can feel your pain.

I'm sure your home will be lovely. The planning stage can be overwhelming.

Here are a few of my comments:

Have you considered having your side entry open into the mud room? It would contain the mess.

For such a large home, there doesn't appear to be many windows. Your garage has more windows! If it were my home, I would want more windows in my master, dining room and games room. (The outdoor storage is taking up space that could open up another window for the master)

I would worry about the noise from the utility room since it is so close to the bedrooms and shares the great room wall. The spin cycles on the powerful washers can make noise. It may limit the times you'll feel comfortable doing laundry. Can it be moved somewhere on the garage side of the house - maybe swap it with the office?

If your husband doesn't need that big of a closet, I would make the shower larger. Seems tiny for such a large home.

Good luck.

Personally I would change the office - pantry layout. By switching places and putting the pantry opening off the office area instead of a door in the hall you can "pop" in and out of the office from the kitchen area. I find myself doing this all day long. BUT if you want a private office your layout works better.

I agree with Boerboel, I would like a door into the mud room.

Is bedroom 2 upstairs? Just wondering because I don't see it on here but I see BR 3.

I agree with a door into the mudroom or locker area and windows in the MB. You could consider a transom window on the bed wall -- high enough that no one can see in, but there so you get some natural light.

In the mudroom I'd want to even up the walls by the shower and toilet so that you can put a pocket door there. Otherwise the loo is just a bit too open, especially if the side entry is changed to enter into the mudroom.

If you keep the side entry where it is, I'd want a pocket door on the PR there so you don't have doors smacking into each other.

Add big windows to both walls of the DR, or at least one wall. Bigger window in BR 3. Is the window in bath 3 right over the toilet? I would find that awkward and would never open the blinds. Maybe a high transom window there would be better.

Do you want a front closet near your front/guest entry? Maybe a small one under the high part of the staircase? Otherwise it's a long way to the lockers/mudroom if someone comes in with a wet rain coat.

The outdoor living space looks wonderful.

Thank you for responding.

My side entry is for guest. My driveway will extend past my garage and have guest parking. They can then use the side entry. My family will use the garage entry and have access to the mud room and lockers. I am not expecting anyone besides guest to use my side entry. I guess the key word is expecting. I could add a door in the back that would walk into the mud room but that would take up a lot of space. I will bring that to my husband and let him deicide. Maybe even putting a door into the bathroom from the storage area would work?

The widows are not correct. Sorry I should have stated that. The dining room will have a large window facing the front of the house. The game room will have windows on both exterior walls. The storage will be moved back toward my closet with a sidewalk added for access and my master bedroom will have a large window centered on that wall. The living room will have floor to ceiling windows from wall to wall. I was more concerned with too much light to be honest. I know that the porch is deep but that has more to do with the heat in the afternoon.

I rarely wash at night so I don't expect sound to be a problem. I really want my utility near my closet and bathroom. I am always running around half naked trying to get things from the utility to my room in my current house. Most of my friends think this is a terrible idea but I have spoken to 3 new home owners that say the best feature of their new home is the utility being near the master suite. I really think I will like it.

The shower is a good point. I will leave that up to my husband because they are both totally his spaces.

I want the office to be near my garage door because I always drop off paper work right as I walk in. I don't want mail, etc. in my kitchen and I think if I move the office anyplace else that's what will happen.

Thanks again for your comments. I know I have reasons for wanting most of what I have but it is nice to rethink them and/or come across something I hadn't thought of.

Yes I have 2 bedrooms upstairs.
You are right about the powder room. Most of the contractors we have talked to really discouraged pocket doors but we may have to use one there.
I have been thinking about the window over the toilet in the guest room. I am not sure what do to about that. It is defiantly not a good place to have one but I am worried about the front of the house. I am supposed to get a picture of the front elevation today so I will see if we can just do without a window there.
Honestly I don't expect anyone to ever use the front door. Maybe for formal parties but even then I doubt it. Most people in this area have a side entrance near the kitchen that is used for guest. We are in a rural area, on a gravel road actually so it's not like anyone would walk up from a sidewalk.