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equallydivided_gw

First Floor Critique Please. I need your advice and expertise!

equallydivided
11 years ago

Please take a look at my floorplan and let me know if you see anything that could be a problem later, or if there is something that you don't think will work very well.

I welcome any and all opinions, advice, critique - whatever you want to call it.

Thanks to all,

A

Comments (8)

  • equallydivided
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Zoomed in a little more. Hope this helps.

    The total sq footage with second floor is going to be around 3500 sf.

    Do you think that the living room, informal dining, and kitchen being linear is a problem? I am trying to picture it, but it seems odd to me.

  • equallydivided
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I guess I could also include the second floor?

    Thanks again.

  • Houseofsticks
    11 years ago

    I do like your plan with the accessibility to the covered deck. The only thing I'm looking at on the first floor is the distances from:
    Kitchen to dining room-I'd opt for a walk thru butler's pantry to the area.

    MB to MB toilet-I'd prefer to move these closer and the shower and tub further back.

    I'd add more windows (I like rooms to have 2 sides of natural light.).

    With that many bedrooms upstairs I'd put a laundry upstairs too or at least a chute.

    I'd have to see the front elevation but I think I'd rather a window on the left where the MB closet is...not sure if your a window in the closet person.

    Would Bedroom #3 be a guest room? If not I'd move the the Bath closer to the bonus room since it's quite a walk. (I however have a small home so I might not be the best in judging this.).

    I like the spaciousness of this plan, your connection to the outside and the kitchen island but I feel like the island might be a bit too large to clean easily. (My arm stretch is 4' 8" so this is the max on my island width.). Your rooms are a very nice size.

  • kelhuck
    11 years ago

    Hello! For your first floor, I'd prefer to see more windows in the kitchen, and I'd add a window in the master closet as well.

    An idea:

    I'm not sure about having the dishwasher off to the side in your island? (I'm actually not a fan of sinks in the island at all.) You definitely want to take your kitchen plan over to the kitchen forum. They may also have you switch your ref and the cabinet run to it's right.

    With all the bedrooms, I assume you have a young family. No mudroom? Or is that the storage room? Backpacks and shoes need a dedicated area or they'll explode all over the house! :)

    I wonder about the size of your lot. If you have lots of space, I would move the garage to the side with a covered breezeway (which could be your mudroom) to get it off the front of the house.

    Be sure to play around with furniture placement in the great room. I wonder if the ceiling fan will be off center with regards to your furniture.

    Good luck with the build!

  • jamnich314
    11 years ago

    Overall I really like your plan. I do have a few suggestions though...

    1st floor:
    I would turn the storage room in the garage entry area into lockers. This way all of the kids will have their own area for coats, backpacks, shoes, boots, hats, gloves, etc.

    I would also add more windows wherever possible like others have said.

    2nd floor:
    Maybe it's just me but all of the closets for the bedrooms seem ridiculously large. You could play with the sizing of those as well as the hall bath to see if you could put another full laundry room upstairs.

  • kirkhall
    11 years ago

    Well, as usual, the toilet room door needs to be switched from in-swing to outswing in the master bedroom.

    Are you aware of the cons of a J&J bathroom with a shared toilet with 2 doors?

    It seems odd that you have so many storage spaces (closets, pantry, etc) on corners of the house and exterior walls such that it limits your window opportunities... What kind of climate do you live in? This house would never work for me because I live in a darker climate and would NEED the light that those closets and storage spaces use up. If possible, I'd arrange it so that the rooms were on the corners and the closets interior.

    Also, are you aware of the cons of a straight staircase (no turns)? Make sure you have a really anti-slip stair surface and really good railings.

  • gaonmymind
    11 years ago

    In addition to the suggestions above, consider re-orienting the pantry and laundry so that both can have a window. I posted a pic below...although it is a crude paint mock-up you get the idea.

  • equallydivided
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thank you for all of your advice. I have changed the mast. Bath to outswing (THANKS!).

    We are building in GA, have one child, and have covenants that require the home to be 3500 Sq. Ft. We don't require a mudroom, but the Storage Room will be used for winter coats/Storage and a general oversized storage area.

    I am not a fan of natural lighting in the closet, for fading/loss of hanging space issues. I do prefer the toilet to be to the deep interior of the Mast. Bath so that there is some privacy when using the toilet while the significant other is sleeping (it's an issue!).

    I have fought for more windows, but he does not like a lot of natural light for some unGodly reason??

    I do not like J and J's at all! This will be primarily used for guests. It's unlikely to be used at all.

    I'll be playing around with the kitchen island to have symmetry with the sink and also room for the DW to be placed NEXT to it, and not around the corner.

    My idea for the kitchen is to be a hard working one, with large and rarely used items placed in the pantry on a counter, with storage shelves on the opposite wall.

    Thank you all so much for your suggestions. It gives me an idea if we are going in the right direction. I have so much to learn!

    A