I've wandered back to this forum, so I haven't seen the earlier iterations.

My first observation is that you can't get from the bonus room to a bathroom without going downstairs. That means it wouldn't ever be usable as a bedroom or guest room, and it would even be annoying if a group of kids was hanging out there watching TV. Looking closer to where the powder room is, I'd find it really inconvenient.

For the windows, I have windows in my office (formal dining room) and DH's den that go almost to the floor--and they really hamper furniture placement. I probably wouldn't do that again just because it's so hard to arrange furniture in there. They look great from the outside, but we live in our houses on the inside.

I'm not a big fan of J&J baths in general, so that is a bias. Having said so, I'd rather see a hall bath and a way to get to the bonus room from the upstairs, which means you could do away with the extra set of stairs and actually have a larger more useful mud area.

I like it! The only thing that I could think of to change the back would be to add dormers. But they cost money and with you being already over is square footage it will be an unnecessary cost. You could see if you could add a gable...but again it will cost you.

I would like the stairs switched around so the kids can run upstairs straight from the back. It would probably make life a tad bit easier.

As far as the JJ bath, I have one. Mine has their vanities in their rooms with the toilet and tub shared. It cuts down on costs and I actually like them. I grew up in a house with a hall bath and for me it was a drag. Being naked running through the hall dripping wet because I forgot my towel (hey I was a kid it and will happen often!)...running back to my room because I forgot my special comb (have thick curly hair)...my dad randomly walking by telling me I was getting water on the floor when my hair and feet were wet...I could go on and on. Sorry I want a bath attached to my room. Even as a child!

Ok done with my rant...lol.

I do think yours is shaped kinda quirky, but I think you could make the most of it with some wainscoting and towel racks or a picture wall.

Just to give you hope that you will some day be able to pull the trigger and since we have the same architect this is where we are today. Yes I LOVE the house and YES I am still nitpicking. It really never ends...I added 3 windows this morning...lol.

The stroller is like 90 feet closer to me and 6 feet higher off the ground so it makes the perspective kinda skewed.
{{gwi:1509570}}

Just checked my front windows...they are 6'2" in the dining room (the lower part of the gable). The triple windows on the far right are 6'2" with 16" transoms on top. They feel great to me. I have 10' on the main. I would agree with him on that one. We are putting the windows in about a week or two from now. So I can take pics from the inside.

georgia! AWESOME house! I'm SO excited for you! you are making some fabulous progress quickly (at least it feels quick to me, not so quick to you I'm sure - ha!) I agree with you on the j&j. I think as long as the girls each have their separate sink area, it will be fine. All 3 kiddos share one bath as it is now - so this will be a total luxury for them!

So funny that you added more windows. Dh counted ours yesterday and seems to think like we have way too many - but we don't really! What kind of windows & exterior are you doing? I think I missed your thread on your final decision. I'm also wondering if I should make my transoms deeper - 16 or 18"? I really don't care for skinny looking transoms. We have 9ft ceilings. We are considering Marvin or Andersen windows. Dh is acting as our builder/gc so we have to do all our homework ourselves - ugh. He also has a full time job, so needless to say this is going to be a S.L.O.W. process!

beth - thanks for your thoughts. We thought about having access to the bonus via the upstairs, but I nixed that idea. The bonus area is going to be my mom cave/peace & quiet area and I know that if the kiddos (9,7,5) could access it from their rooms - they would be running in there every 5 minutes. I really want the separate space. We have a basement and plan to finish off a bedroom/bath down there in the future for guests.

I do think I'm going to have to change the windows for functionality reasons - which is funny because usually I always choose looks over function, ha!

any one else have any suggestions?

Well...
I am not a fan of the awkward toilet placement just to get a window in the bath.
What is the purpose of the window in the bathroom? Normally it is for natural light *at the vanity*. To have a window over a toilet doesn't seem necessary to me.

Next, what is the purpose of having bedrooms connected to the bathroom? Normally it is for quick/easy access. But, what you have here is a winding, LONG path from either bedroom that shares this bath to the toilet. So, I don't think the plan fits this bill either.

I know you have chosen to set up your bonus room this way. So, I won't comment on that further.

Downstairs--
what is your vision for your passthrough hallway between office and master? With the double doors, it really is just a hallway now (I don't think you can hang a single thing in there except maybe on hooks as it isn't wide enough for shelving or a rod.)

Are you concerned your kitchen may get cold with the wide open back entrance? I think before, we kind of envisioned (or I envisioned) having that a little more closed off to the kitchen rather than a really wide, almost room-sized, opening/"hall" there between your pantry and 1/2 bath. In this area, having a few casings/doors might be a good decision come winter cold.

The screened porch looks great, in this version. The cross breezes will be nice and the access is better, IMHO :)

I think that back bedroom (upstairs) is going to be rather dark. Any chance of making that a true gable? Maybe add a few dormers in the attic space? One over the master and one in the hall bathroom...where you have the closet?

Also, I agree with Kirkhall...that upstairs hall bath needs some work. It seems awkward as it is, right now.

Any chance of making that little attic space off the bedroom (upstairs, left) into a reading nook?

kirkhall - thanks for your thoughts. I agree with you on the bathroom upstairs, but I'm just not sure how to change it without messing up the roofline. Do you think I could scoot that back bedroom to the right so the window is more over the kitchen window below?

Here is the bath from round #1 and I think it's fine although I still would love to somehow get a window...
{{gwi:1493930}}

I do agree that the side entry should probably have some door casings there instead of so open. I was sorta envisioning a little message center on the wall or spot for a retro wall phone or something...

lavender - thanks for input too. I'm going to ask my architect what the cost differences would be to create a true gable over that back bedroom - and I agree about the j&j bath, it's not ideal so hopefully we can rework that somehow... Not sure I'm understanding what you mean by the other gable over the master? My master is vaulted so I don't think I can put anything over it?

I do love the idea of a nook in the attic space, but I'm already WAY over on sqfootage so I need to leave that as 'attic' right now (although I'm thinking my 4 year old will probably turn it into his secret hideout area or something :)

You don't have a side elevation posted yet, but is there a roofline issue with putting a window over the toilet in the original layout posted above? It looks like it will line up in the side gable of the house over the gable of the breezeway roof. But maybe I'm missing something. Also, have you thought about extending that part of the house to connect with the staircase wall and give you a little more room to fit both a linen closet & the toilet in that space?

Very nice plan...lots of good ideas. I love your kitchen & tried for awhile to get doors to each side of the range...just never worked in our floor plans.

I agree with others about the bathroom upstairs for the girls, don't know if you would miss a window or not. We have never been able to get a window in the kids' bathrooms.

I would definitely work on the windows in the front of the house...I love to balance the form and function! I think in those two rooms it is very important to have that valuable wall space. In our new build we have those two rooms in the front of the house. The laundry/craft/homework area's window happens to be on the front porch too & it worked out to raise that window without taking fromt he overall look. Like you, our office will have a setee in front of the window. I will have to check the window height off the floor. I'm sure the back of the furniture will block some of the window & I'm fine with that. Sort of the look when a bed is the focal point in a suite in front of a window...it can look very nice!

Also, perhaps it is just me(mom of 6 boys) dreaming with you. I was just wondering how you will use your mom cave. Will it be for tv, computer, exercise, crafts, etc.? Just curious:)

Best wishes in your build...you are getting so very close!

Laurensmom- I was thinking (as mentioned above) that a few dormers would give some interest to the back of the house...and let in more light. But, they are more expensive. And, would you want a dormer for the vaulted master bedroom or living room?

thanks everyone - I just got off the phone with my architect and we decided to make the back bedroom a full gable with the bed nook centered on in the room. then I told him to just nix the window in the girls bath and make it like the original bath from drawing #1 I posted above.

My new worry is our transoms. I really hate the look of squatty transoms, and I'm scared that's what I'm going to have if I keep my 9ft ceilings. He has them drawn at 12" and said the tallest I could get would be 14" if I modified my headers or whatever. I'm clueless on all that...and dh is our builder so need to do some more homework I guess...

mommyto4boys - I'll have to go back and take a look at your front windows. Do you remember their dimensions? I really think I'll end up changing them, just not wanting to tell my architect :)

on the mom cave - my dream is to have an art studio up there, maybe a lounge area, big comfy chaise, perhaps a tv. In reality it will probably be a glorified junk zone or something... I'm sure it will be the last room in the house to get finished!

I agree with you, on the transoms. They do look a bit 'scrunched' so maybe eliminating them and just keeping the windows would be a better idea...and save a bit of the budget for another project.

However, I really like your square windows, between the two front gables! :)