Everything looks lovely, one consideration I would suggest is in the dining/great room. If you want built-ins on either side of the fireplace (maybe a place for a tv besides crinking your neck to watch tv above the fireplace), I would consider shrinking the windows just a smidge to allow wall space between the built-in and the window. If no built-ins, then nothing to consider with windows.

Another consideration in terms of door swings would be with the mudroom closet, what are you going to store there? Stuff that is outside type items or inside stuff? If inside stuff then I would swap the door swing. As is, you would enter from the kitchen and open the door partially into your soon to be exit after you get what you need. Same thing with the den closet opening into the hallway, what do you plan on getting from the closet and where would you typically go next?

In terms of your bathtub concern - measure out a 7' space somewhere, tape out the two options for bathtubs and and see what you and your hubby like best.

Dreamhomebuilder! That is a great point about the windows! :) We are planning built-ins, and we are also putting the TV over the fireplace (there was a separate thread about this last month) but it will be a low landscape style fireplace with the mantle on about 3' off the ground.

The mudroom closet will store outside stuff, extra coats, jackets, shoes that sort of thing, and the closet near the den will be for the guests from the front door, so it would be front door, closet, living room. I didn't even think of that though, so it is a great thought.

On the plan it doesn't show a door on the linen closet near the kids rooms, however there will be one there. Which way do you think it should swing? I have been thinking of putting a pocket door there as well....

My vote: Pocket door on the linen closet near the kids rooms opening/sliding towards the shop garage just to make putting up shelving and such in the mudroom closet easier. If you go with a regular door, think - after you get what you need - where will you go next. More than likely, to the kids rooms therefore I would have the hinges of the door on the left (when you are facing/looking at the closet).

Oh, I love the secret garden! It's just as you described it :)

Right now, I only see two things that might be a concern. First, there's no bathroom near the mudroom...only off the childrens' rooms. Second, there's no privacy between the master bedroom and the guest room. Maybe consider putting double doors between them and keeping that the nursery/den...and putting the guest room in the larger den area?

If you don't change the guest room...I would think about bringing furniture into that room. It seems to have three 90 degree turns to enter, which might make it difficult to bring in dressers or box springs.

My concern, as always, is that you have the master toilet door swinging into the "room". For safety, it should swing out.

Also, do you need a foyer/entry closet?

Dreambuilder, good point about the swing of the linen door. It is an awkward one as when putting things in you are coming from one direction, but when taking things out you are going in another. Likely the pocket door is the best solution, though I had sketched it sliding the opposite way, which would have course interfered with the mud room closet!

You just saved me from two concerns, fitting in my built in cabinets, and hanging shelves in the mudroom! Thank you so much!

LL good point about the nursery/guest room area. In the long run it will mostly be used by us as an exercise room, or an extra office, though we are not really quite sure yet to be honest! It will be used as a guest room by my mother in law who can't climb the stairs, but otherwise guests will eventually be upstairs where they have more privacy. That room also has a patio door so there wouldn't be any issue with furniture.

As for the bathroom near the mudroom, we really tried to make one work, but in the end it just didn't fit, and we decided we could live without it. The pool bath isn't too far, and eventually there will be a half bath downstairs and a full bath upstairs, giving our house 5 full baths and 1 1/2 bath! Was just to crazy to give up any space in order to keep it.

Kirkhall, this may be a silly question, but why is it better safety wise for the door to swing out? I had actually wanted a pocket door there, but the designer didn't like the idea and I let him talk me out of it. If the door swings out would you worry about it hitting the glass shower door?

Regarding the entry closet, that is the closet that is around the corner near the Den. Originally I wanted it in the entryway itself, but this worked out better space wise, especially since I have all the space we need for our family stuff in the mudroom. Also, we are in California and guests wear their shoes inside and seldom have jackets to hang up!

Oh, and we sign off on Friday, it appears I didn't know what day of the week it is!

Bathroom doors that swing in could trap someone inside should they pass out and land in front of the door. A pocket door takes care of that issue. Seems silly until you are on the wrong side of the door trying to help someone.

Oh, that makes sense, for some reason I couldn't wrap my head around why without the explanation! Thanks!

I really like the desk area for the kid's rooms...but is there any chance that could go on the opposite wall and you could redo the bathrooms into one larger bathroom, with hall access? That would give you a bathroom closer to the mudroom and a quick place to take the kid(s) as you enter.

Also, those two bathrooms won't even be used, until you have children in there. Maybe that would be the downstairs guest room for now? Then, a hall bath would still work fine...just an idea.

Finally...you said something about the baby and then "HE" does that mean you know it's a BOY??? Congratulations!!! :)

LL - yes, we are having a boy! :)

I think you misunderstood the use of Bedroom 2. At first it will be a nursery, and likely stay that way until our second child is ready to move to the other side of the house, during that time one of the bedrooms at the far end of the house will be used by guests.

Hopefully by the time our second child is ready to move to his/her permanent room we will have the upstairs finished as the main guest area (there may be a kitchenette up there as well). That said, Bedroom 2 will be a guest room for my MIL who can't climb the stairs, and we will figure out the final use of that room and the arrangement of it when we get to that distant point! :) I'm not at all concerned about the privacy of sharing the wall, as we are much much happier sharing a wall with a seldom used guest room than the great room! :)

Oh, and as for the desk area, don't you think it would be in the way of the hallway if we moved it?

If you moved the desk area, I would also move the Bedroom 3 closet and have it against the bath or stair wall. Then the bathroom access from the hall and the door to Bedroom 4 could be even with the closet doors.

Basically, that side of the hall would all line up with wall between the bathrooms and current desk area. So, the desk area should be fine, but you might lose a few inches in the bedrooms...but gain easier access to the bath. It all depends on what you're most comfortable with and how you use your home :)

Thanks LL, I see your point, though, after much deliberation we decided that we don't need hall access to a bath at the side of the room, and we have already made the bedrooms as small as I am comfortable with.

You got your explanation for why not to do an inswinging WC door. And, it is precisely right. You have to totally destruct the door or "kill it" to get to someone who has passed out on the other side since the hinges are also on the other side. Besides the cost to repair it, it can waste valuable time in getting to a person in need of medical attention.

Thanks Kirkhall, that is something that never crossed my mind at all!

Any last thoughts before we sign off with our designer? :)