LL I totally understand your fears. I HAD to sell the wonderful hot springs home we had after the flood. I was too freaked out to live there.

On the other hand isn't this farm house away from the road further then the trailer that got hit? I also have some fear here since we are right on the road at the almost bottom of a hill on a curve. Well if they hit us then it will be curtains because they will plow through the propane tank first. Can we say BOOM!!!!

I do not see your master bathroom or bedroom and claw foot tub you liked so well. I only see one small bath. Or is this only part of your floor plan? I am confuzzled.

Shades- A flood...that would be scary! I hope we're never in this situation again, but I don't want to stick my head in the sand, either. Plan for the worst, hope for the best...right? :)

I'm totally stumped on the master bedroom and bath, so it's not on the plan, but would be to the left of the laundry area. I know what I want, but I can't make it fit into the space, at least not the way I would like. Ideally, there would be a bathroom (and I have no problem if it's accessed from a hall and can be a second bath for the whole house) but I'd like a nice sink with vanity (marble would be lovely) claw foot tub, walk in shower and toilet. While it would be nice to have the toilet in a separate area, it's not an absolute.

As for closets, I don't have tons of clothes, but I can always use more storage! Right now, my Christmas presents and decorations are in my bedroom closet. LOL

The bedroom...it would be great to have a window seat, either facing the back or the right side (since the bedroom will probably go past the mudroom, out back). What I'd really like is a little fireplace, but we don't have gas out here and I don't know if I want wood, in the bedroom. Maybe an electric one, that just puts out a little heat and looks like a flame? I've heard there are some new fireplaces that burn bio-fuels, I believe...and I've seen some cool little fireplaces on Divine Design, that are popular, in Canada.

Oh, and a hot tub would be great, on a little screened deck, like we had in the last plan. Besides the basement space, it's the only thing my husband really wants. He works so hard, taking care of the farm...and our horses, that it would be a nice feature!

The small bathroom is in the same place as the current one...and with the master addition, I probably won't put a bathroom upstairs. There's one bedroom and an attic, up there now. That would probably be plenty of guest space and I'm trying to keep most of the every day living, on the main floor. The only exception would be my husband's 'man space' which is under the living room/den area. The area under the dining room/kitchen is the old cellar and mainly storage and furnace.

Remind me again, what is the original footprint of the house as it stands now? Do you have a sketch of the current house?

I did on Photobucket, but I lost all those pictures. I'll try to do another one...but basically, the living room, bathroom, bedroom, dining room and most of the kitchen is at it is, now. The current porch starts about the middle of the french doors, so that would be extended to the corner, about six feet. The vestibule would be bumped out three feet, since it's currently even with the dining room. That is the older part of the house and the living room/bedroom/bath were added on in the 1950s...which is why that part of the basement is finished.

The additions would be the banquette space in the kitchen, the laundry area, and the master suite. The sitting area in the kitchen, is actually the old bathroom (the second one was added in the 1950s) but it needs to be completely replaced (that little addition from the 1920s is actually pulling away from the house) so why not start over and make it part of the kitchen space? :)

LL, I understand your current fear, and I like your new plan as well as the last, maybe even better. But I am going to give you some unsolicited advice: don't make these changes yet. Give yourself some time to get over your fear. The chances of it happening again are slim to none. Now if cars were careening off the road onto your property on a regular basis, that might be different, and even then, it might be easier and cheaper to put barriers on your property line along the road.

When our car was shot while driving down the road many years ago, it was a very long time I could pass a car with it's windows rolled down, or let one pass me. It was pure grace that my life was spared that night and I suspected every driver in every car on the road for a long time. But eventually I did get over it. And you will get over this too.

Bottom line is, make your house plan according to the way you want to live, not the way you want to hide from trucks.

Marti- Yikes, that would be really scary! It would be difficult to drive around, after something like that happened.

I appreciate your advice, but honestly, I'm kind of liking the bigger kitchen...and having the sunroom in the front. I wanted to keep costs down, but I think the second bedroom is important, too. And, this way the master suite will be all new construction, which I think will be a lot better. We can include some of the features that just wouldn't fit in the existing space...and I don't have to do any building, by the lilac hedge.

One of the big advantages to this plan, for whatever reason I drew it up, is that the woodstove, the laundry and the claw foot tub, are all going to be in the new addition...which means less weight on the old foundation. It also means we don't have to put in an upstairs bathroom, which should be much easier, too.

I wrestled with a separate dining room, for a long time and didn't know if we'd use it enough, to justify the expense. But, since this whole 'truck incident' I think it gave me the push I needed to start thinking about options that included leaving the current dining room, as is. And, since we have the original dining room table and chairs, up in the attic (and in much better shape, than I had heard they would be) it seems like a good decision.

I'm glad you like the new plan and I can really see us having a little more room to spread out (especially when we're stuck inside, in the winter) and a lot more space for family get togethers :)

LL NOW I get what you are doing. Guess I was too tired reading the other night and flipping from plan and back to what you were saying I missed the master bedroom part. Sorry.

I do agree with Marti things will calm down after awhile for you and your fears. We did have to move but it was more than the random car driving off the road, which IS bad. We still lived on the river and I just could not take it any more. We lost close to 60 foot of ground in front of our house to the river.So we were even closer. The people that bought it are still there and just love it and the house is save and armored against another flood.

I also think barriers of some sort for you would be a great idea just for peace of mind. I saw some really nice looking ones they put at the bank after a car chose the wrong entrance for drive up and made it a drive IN. THAT was a total mess. As much as we love lilacs you can plant them around the barriers and they would never show. Some how they drove steel beams into the ground then there is caps over them to make them look nice. OH it just hit me the pretty cottage stone wall around them.

I think the master out in it's own wing would be fantastic. Saving the build of a second story bath is also good and also good to have the guest room on first level. There have been times one or the other of us have been injured or surgeries and needed to sleep in bed alone. Would not have wanted to climb stairs for either of us. You might break even on the cost of the addition verses the upstairs bath.

I do hope you can get all your insurance claims settled. Remember stress is so bad for you so do try to keep as calm as possible. Yah I know easier said then done.

Here is a link that might be useful: Flood 1997

Shades- Those pictures are so scary! I would not want to live in a house that flooded, either. Was that the flood, from the ice dams, in Idaho? I think our town got flooded that same day, due to ice dams. Rockford had a lot of flooding by the creek, but we're high enough, it didn't flood our area, but it did take out the culvert, under the road, at the end of our property. I can see why you moved and you have such a pretty place, now!

I do want to plant some more lilacs, so that's a good idea! We have so many little starts all around the bigger shrubs, I'm already planning to add some to the back side, of the kitchen garden. I'll post some pictures, next spring, when we get it all done. Do you want any lilac starts? Let me know if you're in our area, next spring :)

Good point about the main floor guest room/study. I think as we all get (a little) older...we start thinking about less stairs, for every day living. It's nice to have some extra living space, but it's nice not to have to climb stairs, to reach the bedroom or bathroom. I became more aware of this, as my grandmother got older and had a more difficult time with stairs. I never noticed before that...how many split level homes either have lots of stairs to enter...or stairs to get to the powder room.

LL not sure about the ice dams it was Jan 1, 1997. It was wide spread through Idaho. We did not actually get water in the house it just took the foundation away,EEEKKK We WERE trapped inside when this was happening.

We might have to make a trip up to you.I would love lilacs. I moved some from our last house but a person can never have enough lilacs.

Yesterday there would have been no way I could climb up a step much less a whole stairway. I could barely walk. Never know from day to day where this dang sickness is going to hit me. Today I can walk very careful and slow with lots of pain involved.Left leg swollen from hip to foot. Last night I cried when I had to consider I might have to get a walker. I am not ready for this to be happening to me. I MUST get well. I have too much I want to do.

Are you just waiting for spring to start your remodel? do you have snow yet? We have none. For me it is a good thing.But I do miss my beloved snow.

LL - Are you in IL? If you are, that area was a rain magnet this year! I have friends in Rockford and Belvidere that thought they were going to float away! Hit by a truck? Oh my! Reminds me of a bar/restaurant that was at a junction of two highways by Peoria. That poor place was hit by many runaway trucks!

Motherof3sons- No, we're in Washington state, but my grandmother is from Illinois (not far from Peoria, in Canton) and has friends in Rockford. Our Rockford is much smaller (about 500 people) and we live on a farm, outside of town.

Shades- You were trapped in the house, while it was flooding! Now, that would be very scary :(

You can stop by for lilacs anytime! We dug up a bunch of little ones for my BIL and his fiance, which all transplanted very well.

I hope you feel better, soon. Is there anything the doctor can give you, to help with all these symptoms? It's so unfair that you've been having all these problems...and I hope you get much better over the winter. I know how much you've missed, being out in your garden.

Did you see we're supposed to get snow, starting Christmas Eve and Christmas? The news said it's supposed to snow a little, every day, next week. Are you getting the same forecast? I hope it doesn't snow too much, before we get the house fixed, but we should be able to start next week. Then, I wouldn't mind a little snow, since it will be much better for the plants, with all this cold weather we've been having!

Lavender - This is getting too weird! I am in a neighboring county of Canton. Happy holidays!

Motherof3sons- What are the odds? :)

My grandmother grew up in Canton, then lived in Paris, Lincoln and Urbana...with a move to Colorado somewhere in the middle, and then back again, for family. She eventually moved out to Washington state and really liked it (less humidity) but still missed her friends...and the earlier springs! We don't get bulbs blooming, until late March/early April.

I should have specified, Eastern Washington state. We have hot summers, cold, snowy winters and late springs...but not very much humidity, like many mountain states.

Of course, this is nothing like the western side of the state, which is much milder and has more humidity. We're a lot more like northern Idaho/western Montana, than the other side of the state. On the garden forums, most people think anyone who lives in Washington, must live in Seattle :)

Slight change to the floor plan. I decided to try it with the wall oven, on the same wall as the range. Since I have pantry space and the second sink, in the laundry area...I think I'd rather have more room for seating at the island/work table. It seems too tight to do this, in the first plan. What do you think?
{{gwi:1517746}}From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures

Same work table as above, from the movie "It's Complicated" but with people (Steve Martin and Meryl Streep) sitting there. I think the back wall in the plan, against the stairs, would be great for calender, message board, etc. {{gwi:1517747}}From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures

Dekeoboe- Here is a version, showing the additions to the house. There would be 3' added to the front, to make the vestibule and 6' added to the porch, to bring it down, even with the dining room. The back of the kitchen area, laundry and master suite (not shown, since still working on that part) are all added on.

The hall bath is currently the small bath off the downstairs (master) bedroom, which is shown as the study. This bedroom is just too small to fit in a bathroom and closet, so we thought it would be easier to add on to the back (plenty of room) than to try to work on the east side, by the lilacs and well. The area with the wood stove and two chairs is currently the main bath, but this addition needs to be taken down and redone...so why not change it into another space? Hope this helps :) {{gwi:1517748}}From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures

Yes, that does make it easier to understand. So the laundry room and sitting area in the back is part of the addition that is pulling away from the main house and you decided to just take it down? How does that impact the upstairs? It looks like the stairs lead to that later addition. And is there a load bearing wall that needs to be considered when opening up the kitchen?

I agree with you on the master bedroom issue. That room appears too small to add closets and carve out an area for a bathroom.

Actually, the only existing area of that entire back addition, is the little seating area, about 8' x 12' which is the current main (original) bathroom. It's pulling away from the house and is a single story. The second bathroom, which I'm keeping for the hall bath, is part of the 1950s addition.

The rest of the 'proposed addition' is not there...so there is no upstairs over that area, at all. The upstairs consists of an attic area, over the living room and bedroom side...and a big bedroom, over what is the dining room and original kitchen (10' deep) and that's it. There's a cellar under the dining/kitchen area and the 1950's addition has a family room and bedroom, under the living room and bedroom areas. The porch is a cement slab, so it shouldn't be too difficult to add on...but I wanted an area that wouldn't need any plumbing.

Although it is a bigger addition then I had planned, in some ways it may be eaiser, since I'm no longer taking down any walls, load bearing or otherwise. It shouldn't be too difficult to add on to the back and it's an easy area to access, with the bigger equipment.

Now, I just need a plan for the bedroom...and a trust fund! But seriously, I think the changes will be affordable, since I'm not opening up walls or adding to the upstairs or changing roof lines. Also, I don't have anything really heavy in the existing footprint...the new fireplace/wood stove and master bath, laundry, etc. are all in the addition.

How many family members are you feeding to need 3 places to eat? Use the DR table as the table with the banquette and just make it larger if you need to in order to accommodate the table. The DR space can be another bedroom or office space.

And, exactly what have you done to stabilize or repair this falling down building since you started dreaming on here 2 years ago? Did you fix the roof leaks? The foundation problems? The electrical or plumbing issues? Or is it just sitting there getting more and more damaged and more expensive to repair?

Hollysprings- I hope you had a Merry Christmas! We had so much fun and still the New Year this weekend :)

My husband has eight brothers and sisters, most of them are married and many have children. I have a smaller family, but since we also seem to have more friends driving out lately (even in the winter) I think the extra table space will be great.

As for the house, thank you for asking...but it's holding up beautifully! There wasn't a foundation problem, but there were a few roof leaks that we did repair and now that I'm not changing the roof lines, we should be able to put a new roof on at least the 1950s addition, as soon as the weather improves.

Actually, I've been planning the remodel for more than 2 years, but we're finally getting to the place where we've been able to start work. Cleaning out the house has been so much work, but also fun...so many treasures and interesting finds...and junk, too! LOL

It's also given me a much better appreciation for the original floor plan and how the rooms were used, when my husband's grandparents lived there. And so many stories, from the family. They always had Christmas at the farm, so when they found out we were cleaning up the house, we realized we would need a lot more entertaining space, after all! :)

Here's what I've come up with, so far, for the master bedroom wing. I decided to make it a wing, rather than a suite, because I wanted to be able to access the bathroom, and the closet, without going into the bedroom. We only plan to have one other bathroom, so it would be nice to have access to both, during the day...but have this bath be more private, at night.

The french doors will be solid or frosted, to give some privacy. The laundry/pantry area has been changed a bit, since I moved that doorway. The mudroom is mainly extra pantry storage, with a bench and hooks on one side and a tool storage area, on the other. The window in between will be nice for light.

I need to work on the front of this wing, to make it look better with the sun porch and the rest of the house. Maybe lattice or some other material, to make it look more like a breezeway? I don't have any windows on that side, since it faces the road. The back is no problem...I like that it sticks out in the back, because it blocks the winds coming down the valley and gives us more privacy, on the deck.

Thanks for any ideas or suggestions. This has been a tough one! :) {{gwi:1517749}}From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures

Well, I think my laundry room looks a little large, but I do want enough space for at least two people to be walking around, at the same time. If everything is too close together, it's hard to open the dryer or freezer, without hitting a door.

Here's a quick sketch of my entire plan...one square equals two feet. I added a courtyard, off the sun porch, so that the bedroom wing wouldn't look like it was such an 'add on'. Before, it seemed to stick out, like a sore thumb :)

My husband really wants a hot tub, so I added a screened deck area, off the study, which is really his space. I'll probably have a door to the outside, which will make it esaier to access from the patio and deck, too. If I didn't screen the hot tub area, we'd be trying to get through barn kitties and racoons, to take a soak! LOL {{gwi:1517750}}From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures

Well, after showing my mom the plan, we decided that I was wasting a lot of wall space, in the kitchen. I like the idea of the island, but I didn't like my back to everyone, while I was at the range...so here's my new idea...with a few changes to the utility room. The laundry is now in the mudroom (not shown...ran out of paper) and the sink is on the same wall, to hopefully make plumbing a little easier!

That's a prep sink and the range on the 'stair' wall and there are no steps down to the kitchen, but you would walk under the last few stairs, up to the attic, which will hopefully give the entrance to the kitchen (from the hall) a little more of a cozy/cottage feel.

Oh, and one square equals one foot and I didn't add all the furniture this time, so it might be a little easier to see the layout. {{gwi:1517752}}From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures

Summerfield posted this on the other forum and I wanted to show you how wonderful it looks! Everything fits together, so much better :)
{{gwi:1517754}}From Lavender Lass farmhouse pictures

hi lavender lass. I am new to the forum, so not sure how this works. I would like to communicate with you by email in reference to eastern Washington. Our daughter recently married and is living in southeast Washington. We are considering retiring there and could use some practical information on the area. Thanks, iowablue

LavLass - This is evolving into a wonderful floorplan! Have you considered flipping the closet and bathroom in the master? The toilet is a long walk in the middle of the night. I would want it much closer! What door do you enter when carrying groceries into the house?

Motherof3sons- Thank you. It's so funny, my mom and I were saying the same thing yesterday...how many times do you get up to run to the closet, in the middle of the night! LOL Groceries are kind of a split, probably front in the winter (less driveway to plow out...and less steps up to the house) and the back when there's no snow.

Iowablue- I'll send you an email, after work. Where does your daugher live? Further south than Pullman?

Central Washington is pretty dry (east side of the Cascade Mountains) but parts of eastern Washinton start having trees, again. We live very close to Idaho (about five miles away) and are in an area with trees, rolling hills, creeks and some farmland, also pasture. Further north is more pasture and colder winters...while further south is often more farmland, especially on the Palouse.

Spokane is the largest city in eastern Washington (king of in the middle of the state, but only about 15 miles from the Idaho border) and about half hour away from Coeur d'Alene Idaho, which is famous as a summer resort. Coeur d'Alene Lake is one of the larger lakes in the area, but Pend'Oreille is up in Sandpoint, Idaho is also beautiful.

There are more lakes and rivers in the northern to central part, of far eastern Washington. One thing about living here, which I'm sure your daughter has mentioned...we have much colder winters (and longer) than you would in the Seattle area (western Washington) and hotter summers, too. That being said, much of eastern Washington and northern Idaho is absolutely beautiful. Further south, there are less trees, but more farmland. It all depends on what you like :)

Iowablue- If you want to, we can just talk here, too. Since this is my thread and I don't mind...it should be fine :)

Here are a few pictures of the area. First Coeur d'Alene Lake, from the national park side, not the resort... {{gwi:1517755}}From Kitchen plans

And here's a shot of the Palouse, during harvest. See how they have to plow, on the hills? That's what makes the crazy patterns... {{gwi:1517756}}From Kitchen plans

And here's a little shot, from our garden (we live on a farm) about mid-way in between :) {{gwi:1517757}}From Lavender's Garden

Here's a quick cut and paste, with the bedroom and bathroom flipped. I also added a small fireplace in the bedroom, which would probably be used, mainly for power outages...but would look nice the rest of the time :)
{{gwi:1517758}}From Courtyard Garden album

I like the bathroom closer! Washington state is just gorgeous. I envy your views on the farm! Mine are rolling fields of corn and soybeans, though I must admit they are a beautiful sight!

Motherof3sons- I'm glad you like it! I do love living here, but I'm really looking forward to spring :)

Where do you live, with rolling fields of corn and soybeans?

I found these pictures and I thought I'd post them. I like this fireplace, for the bedroom, without the wallpaper. Maybe put it, where I have the TV and the leather chair in the corner. {{gwi:1517759}}From Courtyard Garden album

Then, to balance out the rustic, a little romantic, with a window seat :) {{gwi:1400116}}From Courtyard Garden album

Here's the entire plan, with the bathroom flip. I also added an arbor, around the sunroom...and here's a few courtyard idea pictures :)
{{gwi:1400117}}From Courtyard Garden album
{{gwi:1400118}}From Courtyard Garden album
{{gwi:280024}}From Courtyard Garden album