Pineville rendering (front)

Braecroft floor plan:

Here is a link that might be useful: Braecroft

Braecroft rendering (front):

I like the second floorplan better. I like the orientation of the garage better, and the kids' closets are "equal" in the second plan. And I don't care for the corner sink in the first plan (though, if that were the only thing, it could easily be changed when it comes time to install cabinets).

Overall I like it: It's a spacious house, but the square footage is nice -- no wasted areas, as you see in so many plans. I like the bedrooms. Great outdoor living space.

I agree about skipping the upper floor. This is a large house for a family of four -- you have plenty of room to grow without that upper floor.

A few things I'd consider altering:

- Bathrooms are very expensive. Why have two half-baths? I'd eliminate the one by the garage -- I wouldn't want guests to wander down that twisty corridor searching for the bathroom. I'd just incorporate that area in to the pantry -- you can never have enough pantry.

- Or, if you reconsider putting the laundry room near the bedrooms, the second half bath could become a laundry closet -- it'd have to be a stacked machine, but it is an option.

- On the subject of bathrooms, the toilet in the master bath is a "sidle toilet". That is, you walk into the little room and "sidle" or scoot over beside the toilet so you can close the door behind you. Don't we all hate that? I would probably eliminate the door altogether and just let the toilet sit in a little "alcove".

- And I'd eliminate the little "hallway" to the His and Hers closets; rather, I'd just have one door from the bathroom, and you'd turn right or left, depending upon whose closet you wished to enter. Simpler is usually better.

- One thing I don't like about the kitchen: You have to walk past one table to get to another table; that is, you have to walk past the breakfast table to get to the dining room table. This is a personal pet peeve of mine, and you may not care.

Finally, I'd consider eliminating the door between the dining room and the porch. Doors are more expensive than windows (and are easier for thieves to break into), and this one doesn't seem to add anything much to the liveability of the house.

I don't think I was very clear in the note about the toilet above: It sounds like I'm saying that I'd make the toilet entrance inside the closet. Rather, I'd move the toilet door so that you'd enter it from the bathroom -- right by the sink area -- rather than having the little "hallway".

I would orient the garages to the side in both plans since you have room to do so . ..

I like the second. Laundry room is bigger and opens to the mudroom which is a bonus. I also like the switch back stairs in that spot. I don't like the kitchen island. That little bite out the corner is odd. For either plan consider adding quiet rock to either the mater or great room wall (preferably both)so that noise will not spill over.

mommytoc, both plans seem livable and attractive; there's very little difference between them in terms of occupied areas. I can't read the dimensions and room areas, so there may be some differences there. Seems to me the dining area is smaller than the study, which seems backwards to me.

The exterior wall on the master bedroom end of the house for both plans is very long and unbroken--this is the worst side and exterior view of the two houses (which ironically both illustrations just happen to omit). If that side of the house is important, you may wish to make some efforts to ensure a better appearing elevation there.

If I had to cast a vote, I'd most likely vote for the first (Pineville) plan because I hate to see the front elevation of any house dominated by the garage and garage doors which are always so out of scale with the rest of the house. Turning the garage at a right angle helps reduce the visual "scale-busting" bulk of the garage and triple doors.

Good luck on your project!

The Nook in both of these plans looks like wasted space to me. They may be decent sized at 12 x 14, but with all the doorways leading into the nook, is does not look like there is a lot of actual usable space. I would suggest trying to place some furniture in the rooms and see how it looks.

The alcove for the master toilet room is a good idea since the door is drawn as an inswing, which is a safety hazard and changing to an out swing may be problematic.

Thank you, everyone for your thoughtful comments...please keep them coming!

MrsPete - I had the same thoughts re: the kids' closets on the second plan, and the study doors. I'll have to mock up the changes you suggested in the master bath, but suspect I'll like those, too.

gaonmymind - I agree, the island would look nicer without the "chink", and we'll definitely have to quietrock the GR/master wall.

virgilcarter - That (exterior) side will be visible driving up to the house, so we definitely want it to look nice! What would you suggest?

dekeoboe - I'll definitely check furniture placement in the nook; our current (lone, and entirely too small!) dining area is bordered on 3 sides by a) our pantry, b) a sliding glass door and c) a staircase. I'm not planning on island seating, which should help, and would be fine with a sliding "french" door.

mommytoc, to get that long, unbroken elevation to appear more graceful and interesting, the long wall needs some variation to it, preferably not in the middle, forming two symmetrical walls on that elevation.

In the plan factory world the terminology would be to add a "notch-o and/or a bump-o" to the long wall, carrying up into the roof line, for some variation similar to the front.

For examples, look at the front elevation and the front of the garage for "notch-o's and bump-o's". Do the same on the long, unbroken wall.

Hope that makes sense.

PS: The back of the garage has the same problem, if it's visible as one approaches the house.

Good luck on your project.

Mommytoc,

Did you end up moving forward with either of these Mascord plans? We are in MN and really like the Braecroft as well... I've done some searches and can't find any interior photos or other renderings.

Thanks

I'm also curious which one you ended up building if either. My husband and I are interested in the Braecroft and are getting some bids to see what it would cost us to build.