This is much better! I like it.

The 2 suggestions I have are:
make your side porch less shallow so you can widen the entry into the LR (right now, when a guest enters, it would be tempting to walk straight down the bedroom hall--all the door/hallways are the same size. But, if you enlarge the entry to the kitchen (which takes away wall space) or LR, then people'd be more likely to gravitate to the side.

And, of course, make sure you end up withOUT an inswing door on your MB WC.

I have no idea why that posted twice, and then it was wrong. Sorry!
What I meant was make your side porch less deep.

Kirkhall,
Thank you! If I made the kid's hallway only 3' instead of 4' would it make any difference in the feel? I wanted the side entry to also serve as a dining porch but I think it may already be too small for that and a clear pathway to the door. If I make it smaller I'll just do a couple of adirondack chairs.
I was going to eliminate the corner in the kitchen and make it a full glass door for serving and light.
Yes, I'll change the MB WC door:)
I like this plan too but it's mostly mine so I welcome the approval as well as any room for impovements! The lockers will probably have to be moved due to structural support for the existing home and the WC there is where my electrical panel is so that bath needs reconfiguring.

Should I include a dining area or omit it (apporox 100sq/ft) since I have island seating?

Thanks again Kirkhall!

I would suggest, for an outside eating area, to consider a little space on your screened porch off the FR.

As for the dining area--only you can say how your family eats. The island wouldn't be enough for my family (or probably most families) because we eat together and there are more than 3 of us. And, it is so informal, and you aren't facing each other...so no, just the island wouldn't be sufficient for me.

Tell me more about the sliding glass doors you mentioned in the kitchen for light. I am not sure what you mean/where you mean.

I was thinking, you might be able to do a built in nook/bench seat along the right wall between the FR and Kitchen and put a table there... But you might have counter there (it is a little hard to see).

Also, are the lockers part of that kid hallway? That might also entice people to move that direction. I think I'd forgo the thought of using the side porch for casual seating/dining and make a better functional entry there (find a spot for your lockers there, perhaps). Unless your lockers will have cabinet fronts on them to make them look more like built-ins.

Just some thoughts.

On the dining area, I think we need one but it is a consideration on cutting costs. I'm going to keep it for now and get the bid with it since I think it would work well for our family.

On the kitchen- I hate the corner (dead end) space and would rather a standard full glass (36" door there if we keep it as dining porch and entry. The opportunity costs of this is the lack of pantry and lockers at the entryway I'm thinking I could do a small one instead of the windows on either side of the glass doors; one for pantry, the other for guest coats. I'm wanting open lockers for now (probably IKEA's) since I might want to door them later if the visual of all the bags/coats drives me crazy.

Here's the side elevation (driveway side).
[IMG]http://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o515/houseofsticks/IMG_0001.jpg[/IMG]

Rear elevation:
[IMG]http://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o515/houseofsticks/IMG_0002-1.jpg[/IMG]

The link contains pics of my current home. Any advice is appreciated. I appreciate your assistance.

Here is a link that might be useful: Current home pics

Sorry, side elevation.

I'm having some trouble reconciling your elevation and your floorplan--specifically in that porch area--and I worry your porch will be filled with snow/rain (I'm not liking the runoff here...) Is your porch covered (like I assumed in your drawing) or is it open?

How is your precipitation like in your area, I don't remember.

Porch is covered and screened as is the patio. We are in SC it only snows on Christmas day:) We do get rain. I was thinking about this earlier though large gutters would be ok, none are on the elevation sketches though. Here's the rear in case you see anything wonky. I appreciate your feedback Kirkhall.

I am still looking at making the porch less deep or fixing the side entry issue with no closet and the laundry would only have a small pantry with this layout.

Okay. I have a thought.

As nice as it is to have a walk through laundry, you really don't need it. and you are losing a lot of space to that second door (probably the master side door).

I'd close that wall off. Turn your folding counter to where the door was, and put in a small pantry cabinet in the corner (between W and folding counter, accessed from kitchen side).

That gets you a larger pantry which you have mentioned many times.

I'm needing 1' more of laundryroom width for a decent pantry use as is. I do love the easy access to the kids rooms as they are still small.
What if I added the 36' door instead of the double entry and did a locker area on the exterior wall or a butler pantry? Too odd to walk through such and informal area or OK since my home is so rustic and casual?

1. Should I remove the door in the boy's room on the front side to eliminate a passthrough room?

2. Should I remove the wall in the playroom to open it up or leave it for a bedroom use possible or rec are once they outgrow the playarea?

Kirkhall, thank you sincerely for all your assistance.

Another idea
Would it be too far away to put your son in the "playroom" and have the passthru room be the playroom? Then, they each kind of get their own bath too. (you could really give them their own baths if you swapped the laundry and the other bathroom and let there be a bath off the girl's room.

The larger laundry could be a mud/laundry or removed pantry/laundry space.

The playroom is too small for a an older child's bedroom (it's currently my daughters and we make do but if I made it the boy's room I'd have to make my daughters the same size (to be fair) it's only 9 1/2 X 11 so it'll make an ok office or guest bed if anyone in the family is in need of home care in the future...just enough room for the bed but not much else. Yes, so wish the front room was the larger one. I'm good with them using the same bathroom.
After mulling it over I'm keeping the door and wall as I can always change it later (contractor said it's cheap work).

The MB/Bath seem a little luxurious/large to me I think I could cut it down to MB 15 X 14 and be fine on the bath just a standard tub not a garden and no door on the WC since it seems quite private with the head on entry and and exterior door might hide the window.
On the other plan the shared bath was the mud laundry and pantry but I feel like it's too removed for use as a pantry. Maybe it just seems like it because everything is so close now...

On the pantry-I don't have ovens-just the stove/oven combo so I could make that left side cabinetry pantry and dishware floor to ceiling and use a step stool.

It wouldn't be smaller if you incorporated the "hall" space...essentially bringing the wall to be in line with the guest bath wall--and making it the bedroom "suite".

KWIM?

Oh my gosh Kirkhall, I was right there with you until the "KWIM?" I had to look it up, lol.

Yes, we tried this scenario and it requires another half bath in addition to the plan we had. Plus the low window and strange door transition made it right off the entry door. But I appreciate your thinking.

I really think I like this plan best but, I have to change the configuration of the new hall bath as the electrical panel is where the toilet goes. I think that the recessed lockers is a bit too structurally adventurous on the current home so it'll be a 36" door and just wall.

I'd like to get an additional 1' of laundry width (for a pantry).

I think the MB/Bath and Bedroom is a bit large.

The fireplaces are going to be bid out but they will be the first to go if we are over budget. We have one woodburning in the living room.

I *think* I'll open the entry to the living room to 6' (instead of the 4' on the plan).

Kirkhall, thanks for taking the time and effort with me, I'm thinking everyone else is either feasting on leftovers or gave up on me coming up with a workable plan:) In either case, I appreciate you.

At this point the old kitchen (new bath in hall) is the only portion of the old house that I want to alter.

Congratulations! Isn't it a good feeling when you finally feel like you (and others) have thought of all the alternatives that you still like what you have best?

You are welcome.

The only way fro the "girls' room" to the playroom seems top be either through the "boys' room" or the long way through the house.

This is conflict waiting to happen.

Swap the rooms so the playroom is in the middle, with access from both bedrooms.

Thanks lazygardens, I know I'm asking for trouble but the size of the smaller bedroom is far too small for a decent bedroom. I was going to wall the door to my son's room but it would make for a convient bathroom trip to an almost dedicated bathroom for him. I appreciate your comment.

Lazygardens, I'm rethinking your playroom passthrough idea. My daughter has started a few friendships in the neighborhood but all boys:(. So I don't want them hanging out in her room.

I need to shave off some sq footage. Here are my thoughts:
Smaller Mbath/closet and shaving 1' down the left side MB and Child's room.
Can anyone help me with tightening up the side entry to include mud room, pantry and possibly create a booth or window seat area with dining table.
We are limited on adding to the right any further (driveway). The existing structure is a log home.

I'm trying to do from top to bottom: living room, kitchen an dining or just kitchen, dining then the vaulted living room (existing home). Thank you for any suggestions and assistance.

Here is a link that might be useful: Existing structure

I'm afraid the image you have posted is too small for me to make sense of. If you have photoshop, you try taking the original image and cropping out all the excess white areas and then enlarging the remaining image by 2.5 to 3 times. Then try posting that.

Thank you.

The addition starts north of the vaulted living room. The bathroom is wrong as there is an access door to the panel under the stairs. I think It will be laundry instead to maintain access.

And enlarged.

Just a thought....I always like the idea of a closet between a MBR and child's room. Since there will be a shared wall, do you plan good insulation between the rooms?

I was thinking if I can shave/ tighten the side entry I could put the bath between the rooms. I agree, also I'd like a second window in the girls room. I also worry that the 33' is not enough for kitchen dining room and living combo and feel like it might be cramped. Thanks for the observation peege.

what is your reason for shaving off sq ft? Budget or something else?

If budget, maybe you can shave off some other things such as finishes and the outdoor areas such as fireplace etc. Maybe wait to do the screen parts of the porches. Ie get the shell good and add over time the missing elements. Don't do some of the window seats now, but have the space for them etc.

Check with the builder on various things you could do to the shape too to save money. Would removing some of the jogs in the foundation help etc assuming it is the budget.

Hey Lyfia, Yes, budget and I want this to be a forever home so not too large but, with 2 kids we need more space. We are waiting on foundation stone, it will be just block. Also waiting on bench seating, finishing laundry room myself, and. Furniture:). We are doing hardieboard, metal roofing, granite,...
I'd also like a pantry or butler's pantry between the kitchen and vaulted front family room if our dining is also there.