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jonivo

House Plan Review

jonivo
9 years ago

We are about to start building and would like feedback on our first floor plan. The ceiling height is 10" with higher ceilings in the living room and master bedroom. Window placement plan is not yet complete. Our lot is a narrow corner lot - not much yard space beyond the courtyard.

All opinions are appreciated!

Comments (12)

  • mrspete
    9 years ago

    I would open up the staircase a little more JUST SO I could have a wonderful place to hang greenery and lights at Christmas. It would serve no functional purpose, of course.

    I'm not sure I like the breakfast room. It's going to be a major thoroughfare through the middle of the house, and even a small table will be an obstacle.

    I would flip the master bedroom to the back-back of the house so it could enjoy lovely windows on all sides. This would also give you a chance to have the closet and laundry room next to one another.

    I like everything else about the house. Nicely laid out.

    This post was edited by MrsPete on Sat, Jun 14, 14 at 21:24

  • bpath
    9 years ago

    The master is really in the best spot, since the view out the back would be the road or alley, and this way it looks out on the courtyard, which will surely invite early-risers out there for morning coffee.

    Will there be kids in the house? What's upstairs?

    How do you plan to furnish the porch? Just thinking of walkways between house and garage, will you be walking around something against the wall, or will the furniture be out further?

  • dekeoboe
    9 years ago

    Is there no mudroom or drop zone when coming into the house from the garage? That would never work for us, we are too messy.

    How will privacy be handled in the master bedroom with regards to the windows on the porch?

  • Michelle
    9 years ago

    Yeah, I would be not like those master bedroom windows on the porch....that's the front door right?

  • kirkhall
    9 years ago

    That is not the front door. The front door is on the "bottom" of the image, between the dining and the study.

    For 2 people, I don't think you need much of a mudroom. But, if this is a family house, you might want to make the garage a little deeper and at least consider a garage cubbie area...

    I share the concern that Mrs. Pete has about the eating area being a major thoroughfare, and always stumbling around chairs. I think I would strongly consider a combined dining/island in this space (those aren't generally my favorite, but for the flow of this house, I think it would be beneficial). If LL sees this post, I am sure she has a few on Houzz that she could link to.

  • palimpsest
    9 years ago

    The only closet in the house is accessible through the master bedroom. (Not counting the small linen closet outside the hall bath).

    Privacy for the master bedroom could be handled with window treatments. People used to actually cover their windows sometimes, remember?

  • bird_lover66
    9 years ago

    I would prefer the washer and dryer on the outside wall. I have cabinets above my washer and dryer, and a window that is roughly 36" X 12" between cabinets and w/d for natural light. This give you a bit more open floor space in the laundry which you will appreciate when you open the washer and dryer doors.

  • jonivo
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Truly appreciate everyone's feedback.
    The house will be built in a small development (about 30 lots) geared towards retired folks and those without kids. Our kids are grown and gone so it will just be me and my husband.
    Upstairs is quite simple, just 2 bedrooms and a bath. The study downstairs will have a door framed into the small hall leading to the bath - it is showing as an actual door on the plan. We will close the wall in the entry and open up the door frame just in case my mother ever needs to move in with us.
    My hope is that the storage area under the stairs and the pantry will be adequate for our needs.

  • kirkhall
    9 years ago

    If your mother needs to move in with you, you'll want to make sure that the door is wide enough for at least a walker, if not a wheel chair. And 90* turns make that need even wider. You have an 90* turn to get her into the bedroom, then a 90* turn to get her from the bedroom to the bathroom. Both of those doors are going to need to be fairly wide.
    The secondary bathroom isn't particularly elderly-friendly, but it will work ok. An extra foot of depth might be nice though, and would facilitate easier entry into that study/bedroom through the door too.

    Something to consider.

    Also, of course, your master water closet (toilet room) is set up dangerous, if at a standard depth. Optimally, you'd want an outswing door on that small of a room. (to keep an incapacitated person from being locked into the small room and unreachable due to them having fallen in the only floorspace available--the door swing area.)

  • palimpsest
    9 years ago

    What if you shifted the family room "up", made the wall of the family room continuous with that side of the porch and added that space to the study to get a closet in there and to make the bathroom bigger and more accessible?

    It wouldn't hurt to make the back wall of the house straight and add that depth to the garage, either.

  • kirkhall
    9 years ago

    Oh, and you know... I think there will be a pinch point between the vanity next to the toilet (in Master BR), and the tub. Can one of the vanities ("his") be shorter to give a little more walking space?

  • palimpsest
    9 years ago

    Actually there is a fair amount of wasted space in the master bath with a dead end on one side of the bath and shower that isn't really necessary for anything but a sort of symmetry. The room is already not symmetrical due to the toilet compartment, entry door and window placement, so I don't think you need it on the tub/shower wall. I would rethink that layout.

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