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lexmomof3

Final floor plan review (open floor plan) What do you think?

lexmomof3
11 years ago

This is it. I'm tired of messing with but I'm putting it out there for review anyway! Please tell me what you think. I originally wanted to eliminate the back stairs and move the entry way stairs more towards the family room. It caused way too modification to the plan because this is a 1.5 story house and the roof line wouldn't accommodation that modification easily. All that said, I'm fine with the placement of the stairs for those that may remember that post. The family room is 16' wide to the edge of the fireplace, not the wall so I'm ok with that width. The plan wasn't an open plan originally. I opened the wall between the family room and kitchen and put in a free standing island instead of the connected angled peninsula that was there. Please let me know what you think. I'm ready to get this process moving. Thanks so much!

Comments (17)

  • lexmomof3
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Here's the second floor

  • gaonmymind
    11 years ago

    I think you have a winner! IMHO

    Make sure to have the water closet open out for safety...forget which GW member recommends that. I know how you feel about getting things moving. We break ground next week and it feels like I am waiting on having my first baby again. I am over the pregnancy and just want the baby for crying out loud!

  • gaonmymind
    11 years ago

    Also wanted to say that other will always have tweaks for your plan. Just the nature of things as everyone has different quirks. But if you are happy then I think you should take any comments with a grain of salt and unless it is major...move on. There is so much second guessing when it comes to such a huge endeavor it can overwhelm you. Again JMHO...but I am sure someone will disagree...lol.

  • kirkhall
    11 years ago

    It is hard to tell, but it looks like you have inswing bifolds on a pantry in the kitchen?

    If that is the case, consider making them outswing... You'll just have to close them when not in use. But, I prefer outswing on corner pantries because then you can store stuff on the floor as well. If you need the floor space for inswinging doors, well then, you can't put any water bottles, etc on the floor. (and you'll block 1/2 of your shelves any time you open 1/2 of your door).

    Also, yes, please reverse the swing on your w/c door of your master bath and your hall bath upstairs.

    :)

  • ILoveRed
    11 years ago

    Like your plan a lot. Can we see the front elevation?

    I really like two stairways. Personally, I think it's worth sacrificing a little space for the second stairway.

    Like the side porch not coming into the laundry room as mine does.

    Like that you can use the living room for guest room if you desire, since there is a full bath.

    Wish the family room was a little bigger. How many sq ft do you have? Can it be stretched just a little in that area, to add a little width?

    Really like your house. Did you design it?

  • lyfia
    11 years ago

    I like it overall, but there is something about the back area with the laundry and mudroom that I would have avoided if I could. Might be too late or you might not have the space.

    I absolutely hate walking through the entry point from the garage and mudroom area to get to my laundry. We're in the south and not so much snow/slush/rain to contend with as other areas of the country, but the entry area still ends up being fairly dirty with gravel/sand/dry grass etc. that is dragged in on shoes that we do wipe, but our kiddo sometimes doesn't. I have to walk through this to get to the laundry. I don't do laundry every day so not a huge deal, but being that your powder room is back there too you'd have a lot more traffic, unless your plan is to use the other bathroom most of the time since it appears more convenient and the powder room only for outside access.

  • pps7
    11 years ago

    Nice plan! A few little comments.

    How deep is the front porch? I would make sure it's at least 7'.

    Do you think you will have enough room in the breakfast area for a table and in swing French doors? Maybe make these sliders.

    I might make the side porch a little smaller and the back porch a little bigger.

    It would be great if you could go into the kitchen directly from the foyer instead of going through the family room.

  • gobruno
    11 years ago

    I really like the plan. The only things I would maybe want to tweak are the windows on the 2d floor. I think that that front bedroom will be pretty dark with only one window at the end of a fairly long gabled (?) window. We have a bedroom like that, and our window is wider (2 double hungs) and we have a window on the other side of that room, and the low natural light in that room bugs me. I've contemplated adding another window elsewhere in that bedroom. Same issue in the playroom. Any way to add skylights to that long room that only has one window at the end of it? Finally, could you add skylights to the Drs. bathroom (I'm assuming daughters and not doctors ;)).

  • lexmomof3
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks for all of the reviews.
    I will make sure to change the swing of the bathroom doors and will most likely make the pantry door a single outward swinging door.
    As for the family room, it's 18 x 18'2 including fireplace and built-ins. I'd like it a little bigger but we're tweaking an original plan and trying to only make minor changes to keep the costs down. I think since it's an open plan, I'm ok with the size. I've measured the size against our current family room and I've seen pictures of the family room in a built house and it seems large enough.
    lyfia, I hear what you're saying about the location of the laundry room but it doesn't really bother me.
    As for the front porch, I think it's 7' but that is the one last thing I have to confirm. I agree that 7' should be the minimum.
    Yes, we'll change the french doors to sliders. That works much better.
    gobruno, I hear what you're saying about the bedroom with the small dormer as the only source of natural light. Unfortunately, in order to keep the elevation the same, I don't think there's much we can do. I'm going to look at pictures of larger dormers to see if we want to make them larger. There are skylights in the playroom but I think we're going to add a large dormer instead.
    Thank you all for the reviews!

  • lexmomof3
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    red_lover:
    The plan is a modified version of the "Abbeville" plan from southernclassicdesigns.com It is the first plan on page one. The front elevation will be closer to the "Marion" plan on page 9. The two single windows in the living room and dining room will actually be a large "door size" window. I'm trying to keep the changes to the plan minimal because my husband likes the plan as is and I want to make the changes to make it a more open plan. Besides, you will see that there is an exercise room. I would much rather have that side porch to watch the kids plan in the driveway. We have to make the 1/2 bath outside the living room a full bath because we'll use it as a bedroom.

  • gaonmymind
    11 years ago

    For a dark second floor room you could always add a skylight or a sun tunnel. My building is only charging $100 labor to install one.

  • lexmomof3
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    thanks gaonmymind, I'll look into it.
    The website for the original floor plan is southernclassicdesign.com (no s at the end as I typed earlier)

  • ILoveRed
    11 years ago

    Lex-thanks. Love your elevation. Very pretty. Your house is going to be nice.

  • Annie Deighnaugh
    11 years ago

    Just one thing strikes me ...I wouldn't want to have to go past the potty to get to the living room...maybe add a door in the foyer?

  • chispa
    11 years ago

    Lex said the LR was going to be used as a bedroom. I would go ahead and rough frame an opening (under the sheetrock) from foyer to LR. It will make it easier for you or a future buyer to add a doorway later on.

    You will not regret adding a large dormer to the playroom. A skylight over the back staircase might be good too.

    I would try hard to do something about the window in the front bedroom. All our bedrooms (except one) have windows on 2 walls and it makes a big difference. This is the one big disadvantage I see in this type of plan, where the second floor gets buried into the roof. It looks good from the outside, but you get a dungeon feeling in the rooms. It feels more like dark basement space, instead of bright/light second floor space.

  • PRO
    JO Designs
    4 years ago

    NEVER put your master off of kitchen or living

  • Kitty Rocha
    4 years ago

    why you commenting on a 7 year old thread?