I'm finding the floor plan difficult to read, so if I say things that don't make sense, blame it on my increasingly bad eyesight:

- First, the entryway seems cramped. You have a large, expensive staircase, but since it is "enclosed" on both sides with a wall, you're not going to get the sense of a large, grand stair. Since one side is the garage /mudroom, you're clearly not opening up that side . . . then on the other side you have -- is that the master bath? Your entryway, which should lead to lovely, guest-worthy spots . . . is opening into your functional areas.

I think you could improve the whole house by moving the entry to the other side of the kitchen/dining area. Let the entry fall between the living room and the kitchen.

- Upstairs, the bathroom is way oversized. It'll not feel comfortable.

Beyond that, I can't really see the details enough to have opinions.

Overall, I think it is a good plan. Seems a little long and narrow to me, but I don't know what kind of lot you have to work with. I do like to have a little bit of a foyer or entry before the master bedroom instead of having the door right in the living room. I don't much care for the long walk to the master bath from the bedroom. Master bath seems a little closed in compared to the rest of the rooms in the house. I am also not a fan of laundry rooms on the second floor. Make sure the floor joists are spaced pretty close (I have seen some homes where you can feel the floor shaking when the washer is going). Looks like it will be a fun house to build. Good luck with everything.

Hi, I'm new myself so I don't know if this has been posted elsewhere. If so, my apologies. I think that if the foundation and basement walls are done, there isn't a lot of room for change, only because it gets expensive once the wheels are in motion. I would focus on getting good insulation, getting the highest U-value doors and windows you can afford and air sealing for a more energy efficient and comfortable home. It's best to do it now because it's not easy to retrofit down the road.

Poly seal is already pretty much code everywhere, and U value is the overall measurement of heat loss in an entire element such as a wall or a roof as a whole, not a single object. I think you mean U factor. If the foundation is poured you are limited to you enevelope of exterior walls, but there is room for movement on the interior. It is getting a little late for that, but better now than regreting it later.

This post was edited by MethodDesigns on Tue, Nov 12, 13 at 6:07

I always suggest posting the kitchen on the kitchen forum. It is very difficult to read your plan and it doesn't open up when clicked on.

It's a long walk from your bedroom to the toilet. Could you swap the bathroom and closet?

I've always wondered how parents plan to use a kids' entertainment space next to bedrooms. My oldest kids are only a little older than yours, but I wouldn't want to put a mixed gender group in a place with that much privacy even now. And when it's just our family here, I'd rather the kids were actually hanging out with us.

I think the flow of the house isn't what I would choose, but I really like that it's not too deep.

Thank you very much for your thoughts. I don't know how to post it so it will be bigger. I will work on that.

Long story short we were originally working with the footprint of the existing house that is why it is so long. As far as the space upstairs I don't know what else to do. We really don't need anymore rooms so it really is just filling space up.

I agree I don't like how the master is set up but I'm not sure how else to reconfigure it?? Ugh!!

This was put together mishmosh so I'm trying to do what I can now before its to late.

I really appreciate the opinions.

FYI it is set on the back of 8.5 acres overlooking a pond on the the other side of the lot.

Which way is the pond view? What climate are you in?

upload your plan in the biggest size you have possible to photobucket. Then insert the plan here using the photobucket linky html code. Then when it's inserted here, if someone clicks on it the photobucket pic opens, and it's expandable.
The other thing you can do is isolate your kitchen plan and upload that section into photobucket, and go through the same process to post your kitchen plan for review over on the kitchens board.

I don't have the link information for posting photos, but a search here should turn up very specific instructions if you need more than what I've written.

Until the bigger photos are available, just offhand: I do like the entry between the living area and the garage, very handy. But everyone will walk not only right into the kitchen, but right in front of the cooktop, not cool.

You and dear spouse will walk all the way to the bedroom door, make a sharp U-turn, then maybe another sharp U-turn depending on where you're headed next. I can't see the dimensions of the closet/bath; if they are a little smaller maybe you can reconfigure the passage through the kitchen.

In the master bath, I can't tell if the shower has a glass or solid wall next to it's door. If it's glass, where will you put your towel so it's ready when you're done?

Is that a shower in the back utility area next to the garage? Perhaps you'd like an outside door in that space?

I kind of like the upstairs space. They can do their own laundry (remember to teach them to check their pockets first, don't ask me how I know this!), or at least get it out of the dryer in the morning :) If they're going to be playing video games or musical instruments, that's a good space. Then they can play hockey or whatever in the basement!

How nice to have a pond view.

Ok still working on trying to figure out pics.

The pond view would be at the corner of the living room. So if your looking at the plans the pond would be off to the left. If the lot was broken into 4 quarters the house would sit in the top right and the pond the lower left. If that makes sense.

Ugh I know you need to see pics to help me! I really don't like the way the master suite is set up or the kitchen. Maybe change the entry to the bedroom? Maybe have the door blend into the cabinets on that side of the wall?

This post was edited by maxcare on Thu, Nov 14, 13 at 19:49

Does this work?

Here is a link that might be useful: Floor plans

Link to full size photo of first floor plan

Here is a link that might be useful: Full size first floor

Thank you so much!!

Odd, I still can't read details like dimensions, so this idea may not work. Warning: it loses the walk-in pantry: I added a door from the foyer to the master suite. Since it doesn't go directly into the bathroom it's not too obvious to someone in the hall, and you'd probably keep it closed anyway. Actually, with a door there swapping the bath and closet might work well.

I'm not a kitchen guru, but my mom has a set-up like the change I made, just moved the sink over, put the cooktop on the same counter run but still plenty of prep space there and on the island.

Where are you going to store the dishes? I see the china cabinets, but are they for everyday dishes, too? Kind of far from dishing up and putting away. Or are you planning on dish drawers in the island?

Oh, I gave you a back door in the utility room just for convenience (and to practice my copy-and-paste skills).

So, that's all I was thinking of; I've only just figured out how to use Paint, and I can't really read the text on the plans. But I love a house with a water view!

My biggest thought is -- you have a grand master suite, why not have a grand entry to it? What about if you switched the bath and closet, then had double doors from the dining room leading to a hallway, with the master on the left, closet on the right, bathroom door just out of sight of the French doors or maybe even coming right off the master.

This is sort of what I mean by an entry onto a hallway

[Modern Hall[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/modern-hallway-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_743~s_2105) by Seattle Architects & Designers Stillwater Dwellings

How formally or informally do you live? Do you mind people coming right into the kitchen?

One thing this house could use, IMO, is a quiet office or 'away room' for the adults which could even be a small study or sitting room inside the master suite.

I too have been trying to figure out how to get the entryway in between the living room and dining room. looking at the fixed foundation I haven't gotten there yet...

This post was edited by robotropolis on Fri, Nov 15, 13 at 0:33

Here's a start on an alternate master suite layout and kitchen layout.

Wow! you guys/gals are awesome! I need to show dh and see what he says. I wish I could see in my head how all this was going to layout. Maybe I need to figure out how to do the 3d thing so I can visualize it.

I think I prefer the stairs in the back as if someone comes to the door they are not in my family space.

In the mud room opposite the dog shower there will be a craft desk/computer?