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heatherkb6

New here! Floor plan help from any and all please! :)

HeatherKB6
11 years ago

We are building a home and breaking ground in September. I was curious if any of you had any thoughts on our house plann, either positive or negative. My husband and I have had this house in our minds for a couple of years now and hand-designed it with our builder. Any final suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Here is the main floor, with the upper level to come in the following post. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks in advance!

Comments (60)

  • HeatherKB6
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks for all of the thoughts! We DO have 4 under 5. Crazy, but fun. :) We feel like our family is complete now and are looking forward to settling into our "forever" home. I do like the idea of an upstairs playroom, but we figure with all of their bedrooms up there and starting off with an unfinished basement that will be toy/kid central, they should have enough place to roam. Any thoughts on kids' bedroom size? Any other questions about room dimensions? Thanks so much again!

  • HeatherKB6
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I could use some help with the front porch/entry areas. We're doing two front doors- with the front door/porch leading to the foyer, and the other just as a side door leading to the mudroom/laundry/powder room for easy access from the driveway and such as a family. Do you think we should try and connect the two porches? I like the idea of that, but how would that work with the roofline? Any drawings or suggestions would be awesome. Thanks again!

  • HeatherKB6
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    BTW chispa, this house will definitely not be like "everything other" house or builder-grade by any means. We're doing 10 ft. ceilings with beams, stone archways, rustic wood floors and barn doors throughout. It's going to have a very warm feeling and be great for raising our kids. Also, it's over 4,000 sq. feet, so I don't think there will be a problem for getting some quiet time in. We want to be together as a family more than anything else, and I think the openess of this will lend itself to that perfectly.

  • auroraborelis
    11 years ago

    A couple small things
    - if you want a door for the mudroom you could put in a pocket that slides into the the wall at the half bath

    - I would reconsider your kitchen layout to see if you could figure out a way to get a window on the wall to the right. It is a shame to leave an outside wall like that without windows!

  • HeatherKB6
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    That is a good point about the window on the wall in the kitchen, although I don't know how that would work for sure. Here is a photo of our kithchen design. The ceiling is 10 feet with beams, the island is 10 feet, the cabinets to the right of the fridge are a "hidden" pantry, and the window and the door to the left are to the sunroom. Let me know what you think. Thanks again all!

  • gaonmymind
    11 years ago

    I think it is a lovely plan. Just a few thoughts.

    I would center the range, remove the upper cabs beside it and put two windows on either side instead. Also remove the cabinet above the window. It seems odd and I am not sure what could be stored there.

    If you need extra storage put cabinets on both sides of the island. You have enough clearance to make the island a foot or two deeper to accommodate this.

    I know you like an open plan....but jMHO that is valuable floor space that your kids can use as a playroom. It would be very minimal cost to close it up as floor space. Also the boys may want the basement space for wrestling or whatever and the girls could have the upstairs princess area. Or something creative that your kids would like. Or who knows if you needed it for a small business space, crafts, storage...give yourself the flexibility of the space. Also because there is an office on the first floor if you want to get any work done you will need some separation.

    On a side note I personally would not buy a house with 2 story spaces. They are a pain to me with kids. You may have loved it as a child, but as an adult your perspective will change.

    Also I remember growing up like this and my father used to blast the tv. I could even here it in my upstairs bedroom. He started to have hearing problems and liked the volume up. Many disagreements with him about that.

  • mjlb
    11 years ago

    Re: the kitchen layout: I don't care for the up and down movement of the upper cabinets -- especially with a beamed ceiling. Also it seems that the refrigerator would work better at the end of the right cabinet run. With such a large walk-in pantry, I would think the tall cabinet next to the refrigerator could be eliminated.

  • HeatherKB6
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    mjlb, just to clarify, are you referring to the tall cabinet to the left of the refrigerator being eliminated?

  • sweet.reverie
    11 years ago

    I would second adding windows to the kitchen. As a mom of 4 under 5, you will probably be spending some time in that room! lol. I have 2 under 2.5 and I already feel like I live in the kitchen doing snacks and dinners and cleaning. Having natural light in that room would inspire me to hang out longer :)

  • HeatherKB6
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I'm liking the idea of the windows flanking the hood. You're right about me spending a lot of time in the kitchen. :) Keep the suggestions coming!

  • chispa
    11 years ago

    The bedrooms upstairs will NOT be "quiet and removed" in this type of plan.

    You DID ask for positive and negative responses, but seem to be getting defensive. If it works for you great, but you did ask for opinions.

  • HeatherKB6
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Oh deary. Not looking to get defensive or have my building a house to be anything but a fun and positive experience. I grew up in a house very similar to this and never once felt or complained about hearing my family members. I just felt that your comment was solely your opinion without any direction. All negative, no suggestions. Doesn't really help anyone much. That's all.

  • gaonmymind
    11 years ago

    I think that tall cabinet should go too. Putting the fridge there will give you the room to slide the range over and add the windows.

  • HeatherKB6
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Do you mean the tall cabinet to the right of the fridge? That is actually a disguised pantry-those cabinet doors swing open to a walk-in pantry. Any more suggestions for the windows would be great though!

  • HeatherKB6
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    gaonmymind- was curious what you meant about floor space? Our upstairs loft area is going to be very much a playroom/tv space. We're not planning on having a tv on the mainfloor to encourage games and conversation, but saw the upstairs loft as an area for the kids to play and hang out as a family. Are you thinking having the railings would prohibit that? Curious to hear your opinion. Thanks in advance!

  • dekeoboe
    11 years ago

    The dimensions of the girls' closets are 4'8" by 6'8".

    That means they are not wide enough to hang clothes on both sides. Clothes on a hanger take up about 24", so you don't have enough space to center the door on the wall.

    Does the upstairs hall bathroom really need two doors? If so, consider changing the inner door to a pocket door. It is currently an inswing door that, from a safety standpoint, is not the best. However, it cannot be changed to an outswing door because that would result in door conflict with the outer door. A pocket door would solve the problem the best. And, as a bonus, there would be more room for towels in the tub room.

    The master bathroom also has an unsafe inswing door on the toilet room, but I don't have a good solution to solve that problem.

    Where will the children play outside? Will you be able to see them from inside the house? Say if you are inside preparing dinner and they are playing outside.

    I'm curious, where is the adult space in the house? They won't be little forever and when there are 4 teenagers in the house, you might want some quiet time away from them. Not to mention having adult friends over.

    Can you post elevations?

  • HeatherKB6
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thank you for the other suggestinos! We do plan on finishing the basement fully with an entertainment room, game room, exercise room, guest room, kitchen and family room with a full walk-out. We do want two doors in the upstairs bath for privacy for the girls as the get older. We definitely do plan on adding pocket doors where possible too. Thanks for the advice!

  • gaonmymind
    11 years ago

    I know your are very set on the open idea....so this will be my last comment about it. I just felt it was an opportunity for more sq footage...and from the experience of many it is a tough space to live in with children. Look up 2 story rooms on hookedonhouses.com. So indulge my last comments if you will.

    I pulled up a pic of the Duggars house. It is very similar to your plan. If you ever watch the episodes it is noise and choas central. Although they are very well behaved and disciplined it is an acquired taste to live like that. They have a first floor playroom that is closed off as well. That said I think they are an awesome family.

    Anywho I just think it would be a very noisy. Like your kids screaming and having a good time while you are trying to talk on the phone in the office. It will be heard. If that space gets messy...There is no door to close so you don't have to look at it all the time. The tv noise upstairs will carry downstairs. Also your kids may be very well behaved, but the temptation to throw things over or jump might be there.

    Also lets just say the kids have a sleep over or you want to send them up to watch a movies while you entertain. Or better yet you are entertaining and the kids are in bed. The noise will travel to their bedrooms from down and from the loft to the downstairs.

    I also was thinking that the 2 story space was an opportunity for more sq footage. Even if you just used it as storage for now. But that is just a personal preference as I am not a fan of 2 stories.If you wanted the feeling of height without the open noise issues maybe you could vault the ceiling.

    I cannot make out the room sizes, but I see an opportunity to give every room a walk in closet. If the rooms were redistributed and used some of the loft space. Then use the 2 story space as a play area.

    Again much of my opinion is biased...lol. You have your own plans and dreams so I am not here to put a damper on them.

    Now as far as the kitchen pantry goes...I think your layout is different than the floorplan shown. Because the floorplan shows you entering the pantry to the far left then the tall cab then the fridge...no?

    For the porches I would need to see the elevation to get a better idea as to how this would look.

  • HeatherKB6
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    gaonmymind- thank you so much for taking the time to think this all through with me! I appreciate your insight and your ideas. Definitely lots to think about. :) You're correct- the house plan is different from the kitchen design. We're going with the kitchen design as of now. Here is the house elevation. The dor on the right will also have a porch, and the back deck goes further to the right than shown. Let me know what you think. Thanks!

  • gaonmymind
    11 years ago

    I don't see a problem connecting them, but one of the better gurus on here could give better insight. The only thing I noticed is that one has a railing and the other doesn't. Also while it may be a very small expense it would be an expense. So think about if you want to spend the extra money for it. They all add up very quickly!

  • HeatherKB6
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Both porches should/will have railings, just not in this drawing. You're right though- things are adding up very fast! :)

  • dekeoboe
    11 years ago

    Ah, so you are having a walk out basement. Do you have a sloped lot? Which way do the back windows face? Hopefully not west.

  • HeatherKB6
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    It's a full walkout a flat front yard and a flat backyard, with just the right amount of a cut-out for the full basement. The back windows face Northeast.

  • frozenelves
    11 years ago

    I agree with the comment about the business of your kitchen cabinets. Even though, it seems to be a trend to do that, it doesn't look good in your drawing, especially with the beams. If you love it, then this won't matter, but I would remove the cabinet above the window (it looks awkward), remove the ones beside the stove and add windows, and then level all the cabs at the top. You could even put skinny windows beside the stove and reconfigure the surrounding cabinets without losing too much cabinet space. The other thing you could do is add a glass door or two if you make the changes above.

    My 2 cents about the loft. I have 7 kids from 17 to 9 months. The worst thing I ever did was put in a loft and have too much "open" space. As they get older, they do want to watch different shows at the same time and such. Bedrooms are fine for some things but not others. Stuff is constanty being thrown off the balcony, even if you think your kids won't, their friends will. The scariest thing though is when they pull up a chair, bin, box, etc to lean over and see below. It's not like we allow this and it's not just the younger kids that do it. It may have been fine when you were growing up, but it only takes one accident to make it not a good idea.

    Another thing. The angle upstairs I think is fine. The one downstairs in the office I don't think is needed. The flow of traffic is fine without it and actually I think would look better. If you square it off and connect it to the stair wall (like an arch) to create more of an opening, it will naturally invite people into the great room. There has been many discussions about that concept in the design world. I hope that makes sense. I'm not good at describing what's in my head.

    Other than those 2 things and a couple of minor things already pointed out I think you have good plan.

  • frozenelves
    11 years ago

    Oops, forgot to add. I think you should keep your porches separate. I think it looks better and defines each space more.

  • pps7
    11 years ago

    Hi there! Congrats on starting to plan your dream home.

    A few questions/comments.

    You mention you want things nice and open and for everyone in the family to be together, but...

    Where is your family of 6 going to eat it's everyday meals? Do you plan on using your dining room? But this room is actually quite far from the kitchen and great room for everyday use. Or are you planning on a kitchen table between the great room and kitchen? There might be enough room, but the plan will need some tweaking. I would not want to eat everyday meals as a family at the island. It's not condusive to conversation, nor is it very practical for very young children. Or maybe you are going to use the 4 season room?

    Is there a way into the mudroom from outside? Again, with young children, this is a must. They want to run in to use the bathroom or grab a glas of water or get the basketball. This is my personal bias, but I prefer the walk out to be to the side of the home, not the back, so that more of the back yard can be in grade with the main level. Just think about it, your children will be too young for some time to play outside by themselves. Even when they're older, You won't be able to see them while washing dishes. One child will be hungry, or thirsty or need a diaper change or a bandage. You will be constantly going up and down the deck stairs. Or you will live in your basement. I never understood the point of building a beautiful 4000K square foot home and then living in the basement.

    I'm sure you are tired about hearing about the 2 story family room. But my preference would be 10 foot ceilings in the family. With the beams, barn doors, rustic wood floors, it will be wonderful. Again, I am all for togetherness, that is why a suggested a practical dining area and easy acess from the kitchen/great room to the yard. That is where the togetherness occurs.

    Or master bedroom is also next to the great room with a similar layout of bathroom off the bedroom and closet off the bathroom. I wish I had done a master wing. A door to the master hall with the bedroom, closet and bathroom coming off of this hall and none of these rooms connecting otherwise. This is bc my husband and I work night shifts at times and if the rooms were separate then we wouldn't disturb each other. Also my husband will lock the bathroom door if there are kids running around for privacy, but then he's locked me out of the closet as well.

    Completely agree with adding windows are either side of the range. And moving the fridge right next to the pantry. You may want to add a prep sink to the island as well.

    I'm not a big fan of the 3 gables all stacked up in top of each other in the middle of the front elvation. I would get rid of the smaller 2nd story one.

    I hope what I wrote makes sense and it's useful.

  • HeatherKB6
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks so much frozenelves8! I really appreciate your input. I'm definitely intruiged to think about the cabinet layout. As of now just to clarify, all of the square cabinets up top are a "watered glass" glass cabinet. Does that make a difference? Our cabinet designer thought it would be good to have these glass cabinets above the window to connect the cabinets and have them flow? Do you disagree? I would love any opinions or suggestions for what to do in this area. Thanks so much for all you gave me to process! :)

  • HeatherKB6
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Awesome thoughts pps7! Thanks for taking the time to look at things with me! We are planning on eating our meals in teh dining room. The opening from the kitchen to the dining room will be a 6 ft. opening, so my hope is that the "flow" will be easy back and forth, as we do enjoy eating nightly meals together as a family for sure! This 2 story stuff has got me thinking. :) We'll continue talking it over and processing things. The mudroom does have both the garage door and the front right access door from the front yard. I can only imagine how many times that front powder room will be used with the kids in and out! :) Thanks again for the suggestions and giving me things to think about! I wonder how many hours the average couple spends talking about house plans? :) hehe

  • kelhuck
    11 years ago

    Hi Heather- I've got 4 kids who are 7 years apart....looks like you've got me beat! :)

    I see others are suggesting the windows around the range. I totally agree, because I like that look! :) Here's the inspiration pic I'm holding on to:

    Hope it helps you visualize what everyone is suggesting.

    (To beat a dead horse: an old high school friend almost lost her son after she sent him to a friend's house to play. He climbed over the 2nd story balcony and fell, suffering a traumatic brain injury. Things were touch and go for a while. He pulled thru, but may never be completely "right" again. IMO, 2 story balconies are not only noisy, wastes of heating/cooling, and outdated.....they are also dangerous.)

    I think your first floor looks great!

    Good luck! I saw on another thread that you're hoping to break ground next week. Hope you get everything figured out asap.......

  • HeatherKB6
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks for the opinions and thoughts! I'm becoming more open to the idea of not doing open railings with the loft. But, I'm really not a fan of 2-story high flat walls. We DO want a lofted feel in the great room, so I'm not willing to put any rooms above that. Any ideas how to design the great room ceiling and/or walls in order to get the height without staring at a straight piece of drywall 20 ft. high? Thanks in advance all!

  • gaonmymind
    11 years ago

    I think this is to die for! How would this fit into your house?

    [Living Room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/living-room-ideas-phbr0-bp~t_718) by Other Metros Architect Wright Design

  • gaonmymind
    11 years ago

    I did a search on house for vaulted great rooms. Browse around and see if you find anything to your liking. Beams...beadboard...paneling. There is so much that can be done to give the room height and character without it feeling like a drywalled "elevator shaft". Some of these are so beautiful.

    Here is a link that might be useful: [http://www.houzz.com/vaulted-great-room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/vaulted-great-room-phbr0lbl-bl~l_61480)

  • HeatherKB6
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Oooh I do like those a lot! Which way would you suggest the v of the ceiling going? I really want to keep the high windows if possible, and here is our initial design for our fireplace (the "window" above it is actually a mirror". Thank you SO much for looking into this with me! It's totally the feeling of the house!

  • chicagoans
    11 years ago

    Be sure to research the best ways to heat and cool the 2 story space so that all the heat doesn't end up at the peak with a cold downstairs. If you Google 'heating and cooling 2 story great room' you'll find some info, and be sure your builder is familiar with how to do this. If you could talk to some of his previous customers with 2 story rooms they might be able to provide some additional information.

  • gaonmymind
    11 years ago

    I think if you let it start to slant about a foot above the bookcase windows would be nice. Similar to the second pic. They have all windows instead, but you can see how it would have a similar effect.

  • gaonmymind
    11 years ago

    Oops thought the top of the bookcase was a window. But I think the effect would still work very well. A ton of homes around here vault the "keeping" room and has a wonderful effect of height.

  • summerfielddesigns
    11 years ago

    please send your plan file directly to my e-mail , here ... i cannot see the dimensions ...

    thank you :-)

  • HeatherKB6
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Summerfield, I sent you an email! Thank you SO much! :)

  • HeatherKB6
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Any other thoughts anyone? This has been such a huge help thus-far. :)

  • gobruno
    11 years ago

    Hi Heather,
    I apologize if my comments are redundant since I didn't read through all the previous comments. We have 5 kids, and we have a similar upstairs loft type set up, but ours doesn't have the open railing along it. We have a 2 story great room similar to yours, and the railing is open between the foyer and the great room. We like the 2 story great room, although it can be challenging to decorate. One thing that we did that I love was make the "cat walk" the upstairs hallway overlooking the great room and the foyer extra wide. Ours is 8 feet wide. It makes that hallway feel less scary with openings on both sides, and it feels welcoming. I know this is personal preference, but with kids, I would close off the overlook from the loft to the great room. I'm imagining that you are giong to use that loft space for toys and video games, etc., and it is nearly impossible to keep that looking nice at all times. Plus, the noice traveling down will be difficult to control. Also, my kids have thrown or accidentally dropped things from the "cat walk" which is around the corner from the loft (like your set up) to the great room. I know that there would be many more things being thrown over if that railing were open all the way around.

    The other things I was wondering about was your 1st floor laundry room. In our house, the kids generate the most amount of laundry, and it is a TON. Our laundry is upstairs and it makes it so much more convenient to gather up their clothes and put them away. I couldn't imagine hauling baskets and basekets of clothes up and down the stairs.

    The other thing I agree with are the windows in the kitchen. I'd try to get more natural light in the kitchen, and have windows on the wall with the fridge (since they aren't covered by a 4 season room). I worry that your kitchen will be dark otherwise.

    Finally, since your dining room is your main and only dining area where you will put a table, I wonder if you'd want to have a sight line from there to the great room. We have only one main dining area as well, and I know it's nice for us to be able to have a sight line into the great room. Although we start dinner as a family, kids start taking off/wandering off while we're still eating since it takes the adults awhile to eat since we don't sit down from running around untile everybody is practically done. Anyway, as much as we'd like everybody to sit at the table the entire time and engage in lenghty dinner conversation, the reality is that we're just glad that we got everyone around the table for some part of dinner and that we can still keep an eye on them in the family room and feel like we're still having dinner together.

    Anyway, best of luck. It looks like it's going to be a wonderful home.

  • HeatherKB6
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    gobruno- thanks so much for taking the time to think through things with me! You definitely gave me some good thoughts.I think I'm leaning towards doing what you did with the foyer and "catwalk" area being open and looking into the great room, but doing an angled vault in the great room and closing in the loft area. I appreciate your insight. It's good to hear others' experiences with little kids too! Thanks for the advice and encouragement!

  • auroraborelis
    11 years ago

    Regarding your kitchen, I think windows on either side of the stovetop is the perfect solution!

    However, I would remove the cabinet over the window, having a cabinet over the window works when the cabinets go all the way to the ceiling, but in your case I think it takes away from the rest of the design.

    Also, it is personal preference, but I think the cabinets with varying heights looks a bit dated, and that it would look better to keep them all the same height. OR Soffit down the ceiling to meet the cabinets (to me it is just a place to collect dust that I would rather avoid). If you were to soffit the cabinets to the ceiling then you pay be able to add a cabinet over the windows...

    [Traditional Kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by San Francisco Architect Studio S Squared Architecture, Inc.

    [Contemporary Kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2103) by Charlotte Design-build Case Remodeling

    [Contemporary Kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2103) by Charleston Kitchen And Bath Carolina Kitchens

    [Mediterranean Kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/mediterranean-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2109) by San Francisco General Contractor JMA (Jim Murphy and Associates)

    [Traditional Kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by Vancouver Kitchen And Bath Old World Kitchens & Custom Cabinets

  • HeatherKB6
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I really appreciate the pictures! I'm a visual girl! :) Thanks for the thoughts on the windows and cabinet heights. We're currently working on a new design to compare and see what we are drawn to. Thanks again!

  • summerfielddesigns
    11 years ago

    tweaked your plan ... added more storage , and an additional bath , upstairs ...

    i would suggest the additional bath , as the center bedroom occupant is forced to be on display going and coming from the bathroom ... and it keeps the genders separated ...

    enclosed the playroom and added porthole windows to the living room ...

    reconfigured the windows , and changed the front door to double doors ... the porch roofline , and the elevations will need to be modified to accommodate this ...

    let me know your thoughts ...

  • gaonmymind
    11 years ago

    Summerfield....you are a ROCK STAR!

  • gaonmymind
    11 years ago

    If you decided to go without the open living room you would just vault it at like 15-16 ft.

  • HeatherKB6
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Summerfield- seriously, awesome! I don't know who you are, but you are such a blessing for taking the time to go to this extent of work for strangers! You have some awesome ideas that we will definitely be implementing. I love the idea of the windows to the great room from the playroom/loft. The extra bathroom is fabulous too. You made just the right amount of tweaks, while keeping it the look and style we're going for. Thank you so much! Let me know if you have any more thoughts on our plan as a whole or suggestions. Thank you SO much!

  • Parkview603
    11 years ago

    Heather - I love the plan! We are also considering a 2 story great room with a walkout basement and we have 2 little ones. Just wanted to know I have seen your plan a few places and that I am following along since we have some things in common!

  • HeatherKB6
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thank you Parkview603! It's a crazy/fun thing building a house with little ones, isn't it? It'll be fun to see your house progress too!

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