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sarah_nguyen6315132

New Draft of SF Bay Area Home

girlguineapig
9 years ago

Hi everyone,

Since my first thread, our plans have changed significantly. We decided to delete the fifth bedroom upstairs, move the laundry room upstairs, and give the guest room a stacking washer/dryer. As a result, we have been able to expand the kitchen and add a walk-in pantry to the kitchen as well which is wonderful. The garage is also about 40 square feet larger now (could still be bigger?) and utilities moved to the garage as well (in addition to the extra 40 square feet). I believe the mudroom layout is much less awkward now. Lastly, the two kid's rooms upstairs now have ensuite baths and walk-in closets.

I would love any and all feedback. Feedback on the kitchen specifically is ongoing in the kitchen forum. We're still working on window placement and it basically random at this point.

My big concerns:
- Making sure the first floor is decently accessible (especially the guest suite)
- Where to put the laundry room (I will post two alternatives)
- Master bathroom may still be a little awkward and seems to waste space, but it's hard because we're trying to get a big window on the front elevation.
- How to optimize the garage. Cars stored in the garage in the worst case (size-wise) will be a two-door BMW, a minivan or SUV, and a Honda Civic (possibly to be upgraded to a Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid eventually). Basically, "cool car", "family car", and "everyday car".

There's still room to add another 150 square feet to the house/garage if need be, but I'm still interested in having a shed in the backyard so could take some up.

Background:
We are a young couple (age 23 and 32) in northern California (zone 9) who hope to have two kids after we finish our house. We're planning a two story house with a second floor master suite, but with a nice guest suite on the first floor which will mostly be used by my father-in-law and his fiancee when they visit (right now about 3 months a year) and by my parents occassionally when they come by to help (they live only 30 minutes away though). We hope to stay in the home for at least 30 years, so it's possible some parent(s) will want to live here as they age. All the parents are in their early 60s and in good health.

The lot is about 11,000 square feet in typical suburbia, facing west.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bigger version of floor plan

This post was edited by girlguineapig on Wed, Dec 17, 14 at 20:07

Comments (16)

  • girlguineapig
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Laundry room more on the side of the second floor.

    Pros
    + On the side instead of the middle of the house, so less noise issues from the first floor and from the master bedroom.

    Cons
    - Weird shape? Could downsize bedroom #2.
    - Lose a window in bedroom #2.

  • girlguineapig
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Laundry room more in the center of the house. I don't like how this laundry room is rather long and narrow, but I don't know if there's a way to avoid this. The other one still kind of has this problem too though.

  • girlguineapig
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Here's a link to the ongoing kitchen discussion.

    Here is a link that might be useful: U Kitchen with Island Layout Help

  • girlguineapig
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Exterior, just for everyone to get a basic idea...we're still working on the details, but pretty sure we will have siding and no stone.

  • dekeoboe
    9 years ago

    Do you have a view out the back? If so, I would consider moving the nano wall or placing a window so you have a view straight though to the back from the front door.

  • scrapbookheaven
    9 years ago

    As far as the laundry goes, I prefer option #2 for a couple of reasons. I prefer the central location and it being closer to the master, although I would switch it to the opposite side so it shares a plumbing wall with the bathroom. This makes the master quieter as well. And this would move the door so you do not see the laundry mess when you walk up the stairs.

    I do not like option number one with the bedroom 2 bath sharing a plumbing wall with the master.

  • Katie S.
    9 years ago

    Don't think the laundry room shape is an issue..you just need a comfortable walkway for one person. I prefer the second option so that the bedroom can have that corner space.

    Having those corners on your kitchen and family room is a great opportunity for light on two sides of those rooms, I would add windows on the range wall for sure, and isn't that your southern exposure?

    Like the house a lot overall.

  • girlguineapig
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    We are planning on windows on the sides of the cooktop facing south, just haven't bothered talking to the architect about it yet.

    Would you put a window on the family room wall on the right of the TV? Windows are great but that wouldn't be symmetrical. I'm not sure if that would look strange at all.

    We agree with everyone, laundry room next to the master is better. I also thought about flipping the door to the other side, but thought maybe that makes the door too close to the master room door? Not sure how bad that is or not.

  • Katie S.
    9 years ago

    I think if you decided you wanted a window on the north wall near the tv, you could use artwork on the other side to balance that wall. I like having multiple exposures in a room for cross breezes, changing light throughout the day, etc. But with windows flanking the cooktop I think it will be fine without it too. Hope you post the final plan when it's done.

  • zone4newby
    9 years ago

    A warning about the 2nd option for the laundry-- ours is about that location in our house and the spin cycle shakes the whole house. If that would bother you, putting the machines up against an exterior wall for greater stiffness would be a good idea-- also it's a better path for the dryer vent. Ours vents through the roof, and in hindsight that was a mistake.

  • kirkhall
    9 years ago

    I would turn the bench/or whatever is against the powderroom wall in the mudroom to be along the "bottom" wall of the mudroom, and put a second door in the powder room so it can be used from the mudroom side as well.

  • kirkhall
    9 years ago

    Tell me about the "accessibility" you want for the guest suite, also.

    Right now, I don't think it is possible to put in any bars around the toilet with it being against a vanity and the shower.

    So, would it be important for the user to be able to help themself off/on the toilet? If so, swap location of toilet and sink.

  • girlguineapig
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    @kirkhall: I wouldn't want two doors to any bathroom.

    As for accessibility, I have no idea. No one is currently currenly infirm/disabled in anyway, but we just want to be prepared...but maybe not necessarily install grab bars and all that until they're actually needed.

    This post was edited by girlguineapig on Sat, Dec 20, 14 at 1:42

  • zone4newby
    9 years ago

    Would it be possible to flip the house so the garage is on the North side, and the guest room is to the South? I think that would make for sunnier living spaces.

  • kirkhall
    9 years ago

    Even if you don't install grab bars now, if you want to later, you want to plan the major plumbing so that you can. Swapping the toilet and sink will give you the wall space to be able to install grab bars.

    I usually am not interested in 2 doors to a single bath, but in your case, I'd prefer to have easy access to the powder from the main family entrance. But, it is good to know what you want/don't want. I can see not wanting the only entrance to be through the mudroom.

    (But, one possibility I would consider is swapping location of the closets in that block with the powder room, and then making the only access to the powder through that "mudroom". When you do that, you get closet nearer the front entrance, as well as the ability to close off the mudroom and still have guest access to the powder. And, you hide the powder a bit more from your front entrance.)

    Just an option.

    I really like the elevation.

  • RobGT90
    9 years ago

    I like the laundry along only one of the bedrooms to cut down on noise while sleeping and running laundry. You can always sound insullate a wall with extra sheetrock. Easier to do one than 2.