My husband and I are beginning the building process having just closed on a 1/2 acre steeply sloping lot (not unusual in our area and most builders have experience with these kind of lots). Our chidren are grown, so we have two bedrooms upstairs and the potential for two bedrooms and a bath downstairs in the unfinished walkout basement. Because it is a view lot we want the kitchen, living/dining room and master bedroom on the view side which faces north with the best view to the north/northwest. I'm concerned about the space for the steps and I would also like the laundry room closer to the master bedroom. We don't particularly care how big the master bedroom is - I'd rather have that space in the great room area. Below are two plans I've developed on Floorplanner - your comments would be appreciated.

This second plan is has basically the same measurements as the first, with the bath and steps to the basement rearranged. The house is roughly 1800 square feet and we can go no wider than 70 feet on the lot.

There will be a deck off the north side of the house and a patio on the south side, surrounding the front entry and virtually no yard except for the front patio.

1. The family entrance through the garage is through a tight laundry room. There is no where for you to put your coats/shoes/purse/etc, and nowhere for you to sit down while putting on or taking off shoes. The only place I can imagine this working is Phoenix in a home with all ceramic floors where you wear shoes inside the house.

2. When you enter your sanctuary, the first thing you'll see is dirty laundry. You deserve something a little more special. :)

3. Your guest entrance has a closet and no where for guests to sit while putting on/taking off shoes. It's actually a LOT like my current house's entry, which we HATE. I do not like guest coat closets--I think a bench with a wall of hooks are more guest-friendly.

4. I would pick ONE entrance onto the deck (probably the dining room one). Every entry point will be an entry for dirt/debris.

5. I'm not sure I would spend the money having windows on the side of the garage. It depends on where you live, but I have noticed that in my parents garage with windows, flies get in, then bang their heads endlessly on the windows trying to get out. My garage has no windows (not even on the doors) so the flies are able to escape through the same spots of light through which they entered. Kind of a random observation, but it is SO nice to never have flies in the garage (which means we have a lot fewer in the house as well).

6. Is that a fireplace or a TV in the great room? If it's a fireplace, think about where you will put a TV. I don't know anyone who enjoys watching a TV mounted over a fireplace because the angle is so awkward. I do know some people who simply don't watch TV, so they have the furniture arranged to stare at the fireplace. That's charming, but just not realistic for us because we are movie fans. :)

7. I like your kitchen work triangle (prep area, sink, stove). That's how I cook, with just one trip to the fridge/pantry at the beginning of the recipe. I see that you do NOT have a pantry. Will you do a cabinet-focused pantry? I love the look and functionality of those, but they are either inefficient OR you spend a lot of money designing them to use the space efficiently.

Take out the stairs, and expand the bathroom into that space. Include your laundry in this room.

Move the stairs to the right side of the foyer taking some of the space of the coat closet and the laundry room.

See if that fits for you.

The goal: You still are turning your stairs to under the bathtub. That just simply won't work. A tub bottom is not forgiving when it comes to shaping headroom for the stairs...

Here is a new plan with the stairs moved to the garage and the laundry to the guest bathroom, but I need suggestions on how to arrange that bathroom - I'm not crazy about having the laundry in the bathroom. Could it be sectioned off or maybe enclosed with doors?

Thanks again for your help.

The hall bath could be a bit smaller (keep the door with side lights...it looks great!) and put the closet where you hve the toilet now.

I really like the bigger kitchen island, but I'd think about putting the pantry on the other side of the fridge and adding a corner sink to your layout, where you have the pantry. It's nice to have water closer to the fridge and it would be handy to the range, too. Just an idea :)

Also, your placement for the stairs isn't really what I was thinking. Not sure if it would work, but you can decide that.

I was thinking to have them run "N-S" (top to bottom, in this drawing, assuming N is top here), and put them along the foyer right wall/garage left wall.

Remind me, upstairs? or downstairs only?

Is there a reason you are wanting to use a single double door for the garage instead of 2 single doors? Using 2 single doors might solve your "off center" problem and also be more functional.