This is the second floor

And the elevations...

I would like more counter space in the kitchen, maybe a bigger island. Bedroom #2 I would move the hallway door past the bathroom so the bathroom could be accessed from the hallway. Also, I would have another door from the front porch right into the mud room. Otherwise I really like the layout and feel of the floor plan.

Is the double door into the office necessary? Especially since it opens up partially into a wall just behind it? I say cut it.

Flip the pantry door so its closer to the kitchen.

Laundry room is a bit long and awkward, long trip from the washer and dryer to the counter. Maybe better use could be made of that space.

Too many materials on the exterior (you'll hear this), and I'm not an architect, but something seems silly and excessive about a mini-porch over the garage window. Is the garage roof supposed to change pitch slightly towards the bottom?

It is a cute layout.

Where to the stairs in the garage lead to?

In addition to an outside door to the mudroom, think about coming in from the garage. 3 seasons and summer nights, folks'll have gear on. You all troop in but have to wait till the last one's in to close the door to get to the mudroom to put the gear away, so it'll probably get dropped right there in front of the pantry door. So, maybe change the swing of the mudroom door to the other side, or have it swing out into the garage.

Do you think you'd find a sink handy in the mudroom for drip-drying mittens over, or washing muddy sneakers?

Flip the pantry door to the left and hinge it on that corner, so when you walk to it from the kitchen and open the door, there are shelves right in front of you and you don't have to enter it and reach around the corner.

I agree, the kitchen counterspace looks tight, especially on the working wall. Will you have a dishwasher? Where is it going? What is the little space, closet, cabinets, can't tell, between the kitchen and the mudroom?

How about a window on the stair half-way landing? The outside wall looks a little blank on that side, and it'll light up the stairs, too.

In the laundry room, is the sink a little far from the washer? If you soak laundry there first, then it drips as you toss it across the room (you know, to work on your dunk shots)

I don't think you need to move the hall door; that's a jill-and-jill :) bathroom, and the boy's bathroom does have a door to the hall.

What a nice family house to grow up in :) The nook will be popular spot for homework and coffee breaks, I'll bet.

The kitchen needs work. The 3 main items are way to close to each other. Post the kitchen on the kitchen forum.

Overall I like it.

Nitpicky suggestions:

I agree there are too many materials-- I think the way you're using the stone on the left highlights that the window there isn't inline with either floor, and I don't think that's something to highlight. I also agree that the fancy window on the garage is silly. You can dress up that part of the house with landscaping.

I think you should choose either a simple gable like you have on your dormer and main roof or the dutch gable you have on the porch and (I think?) the garage. Mixing them doesn't work, IMO.

If it were my house, I would either straighten out the stairs to cut costs, or bump out enough to have a window seat on the landing.

The double doors on the office mean that the lightswitch will be behind a door. It's awkward. I'd go with a single door.

I'd either eliminate the door from the laundry room to the master bath (maybe replace it with a pass through?) or move the door to the hallway so that it doesn't line up with the door into the master bath. I could totally see someone passing through the master bath while I was in the shower, and leaving a view clear out to the hallway.

But having said all that, I do like it over all.

I would seriously consider enlarging the office if your budget will allow for it. Even deleting the closet will give you a bit more space.

As I see it, you have no "away" space to go to; everything is wide open and will be noisy. I get it; I have six kids and we loved all that togetherness, but as they get older there are times when you just want to retreat to a quiet spot to read a book, watch tv, do paperwork, listen to music, etc. I don't know where you would go to find such a space, and it's not always practical for "mom" to hide away in her room upstairs to get some peace and quiet. :)

I would also imagine that a "cozy" room might be quite appealing on a cold Wisconsin evening. :)

Also, your "nook" idea sounds quite appealing, but will you actually use that space? It seems like you could make much better use of that square footage, even putting it somewhere else, if necessary. Imo, the only window seats that ever get a lot of use are right up next to a table or the window seat is extra deep and comfortable in a sheltered area where one can get away to read, etc.

Ask yourself if the plans you have for this square footage is deserving of its cost. :)

Good luck!

This post was edited by bird_lover6 on Thu, Oct 3, 13 at 13:18

I think you could save a bit of space, by putting the screened porch, where you have the nook. You also get a bigger kitchen!

Just a quick idea for the upstairs. If you can flip that dormer, one bathroom (with a double sink) should be fine for three kids...and you'd have room for a big tub, which the entire family could use :) {{gwi:1504836}}From Kitchen plans
{{gwi:1504837}}From Kitchen plans

Love your exterior minus the excess materials.

Love what LLass did to the kitchen. Definitely needed to be bigger.

Oops! Forgot the closet in the front bedroom. How do you plan to use the bonus room? It looks like you have a basement...are you going to have that finished? Maybe rec room, bathroom, extra bedroom, craft space?

If so, how do you plan to use the bonus room? Do you need it connected to the second floor? Not only would taking that off, give me room for the closet (LOL) but seriously, there are some concerns as to having living space over the garage. It has to be vented and heating/cooling can be more difficult, too.

Would you consider not having living space...or maybe a bonus room that's accessed from the stairs, in the garage? I'm not sure why there seem to be basement stairs in the garage, since you have them in the house.

I keep thinking of my nephew's love of drums right now! He plays them in the basement and my brother keeps saying he needs to get something set up, out in the garage :)

Oh, I think the nook is the "quiet spot" LOL.

I saw an open house recently with stairs from the garage to the basement. The purpose was, the dad and son play hockey, and the gear as well as outdoor stuff goes right down there, without ever setting foot in the house.

Instead of eliminating double-doors, how about moving the light switch to just beyond the open doors? I kind of like them there, it makes it a little more open as a playroom or, later, den, but easily closed for a guest room.