A few more ideas: 1) consider flipping the kitchen and the dining room, this would enable you to better coordinate pantry, laundry, and utility spaces (what is that space next to the washer/dryer)? And would also help concentrate plumbing. In addition, it would give you a "clean" wall in your dining area, where I would put a bench (against the wall), w/ a rectangle farm table. This would give you enough seating for company, but leave you with plenty of space everyday. 2) I would also improve the layout of the master bath and closet, I think a better use of space is to have one well planned closet (versus 2), and, if possible, include a pass thru to the laundry area. 3) since space is tight, I would use pocket doors throughout the interior (except for bedroom entrances) 4) that back bedroom is really small ,,, I would consider having the front and back bedrooms the same size and (without knowing your ceiling height), I would include built in storage on top of the closets, which I'd keep at minimum depth. I'd also widen that section a bit and shoot for slightly bigger rooms. I'd re-work that hall area, seems like there is wasted space and I'd consider angled doorways (be sure it's not so tight that you can't move in furniture). 5) The second bath can be laid out more efficiently to give some space to the bedrooms. I'd just have a bath/shower combo, a stool, and vanity/sink. I would omit a linen closet and instead include built-in's ,,, both in the shower (for shampoo etc.) and around the room e.g. medicine cabinets and storage cubbies. In terms of layout, I'd have the door open up across from the sink/vanity, with the tub turned, and the stool on the outside wall (that's a classic bath layout, and it's classic for a reason). 6) With cement floors, I'd consider radiant floor heating. 7) I would have the left and right sides of the house 13.5 feet wide and then the middle section would be 18 ft. I'd also consider lining up the entrances to the bedroom areas on each side of the house across from one another. I'd also consider a built-in opposite the bar where one side is a book shelf (opening to the living area) and the other side is a buffet/server/china cabinet opening to the dining area. I like symmetry. 8) although I like the front door in the middle from an exterior perspective, it would not work for me from an interior perspective. Slide it down off-set to the french doors in the back of the house. I would then add two windows to the living room. Along with symmetry, I like windows. I strongly recommend that you finalize a detailed house plan, BEFORE you start building AND to include in your written contract with the builder. Good luck.

We've worked for ourselves for over 40 years. DH works from home and his truck (it stays a mess!) At one time we owned two large office buildings, so we had an office there to give him a place to go during the day. I stopped going when we moved out (took almost an hour to get there, another back). So I've been totally working from home all this time (with the exception of going into the office for a few years). He does all the legwork (checking on our commercial real estate properties, leasing, dealings with tenants, problems) and I do all the paperwork (leases, accounting, increases, etc). I've worked all morning (end of month, first of month) at the kitchen table, in my pajamas. Dogs at my feet. Cats on my paperwork. Can't beat that, especially since it's raining today. DH leaves daily, although he doesn't need to. He likes to work. He's gone by 4am. Walks, swims, showers. Checks on properties Usually goes to grocery store on way home, and is back here by 10. Sometimes earlier, sometimes later. We are slowly retiring, and should be fully retired by 2020. DH would like to travel more. Me? I'd rather stay at home. The only problem is as soon as he comes in the door, the TV is turned on. I like quiet. Especially when I first wake up... okay, all morning! He can't hear as well, so it's too loud for me. I think he gets bored sometimes, so we are trying to decided between pool or no pool, so he can entertain himself a few times a day. Working from home has always allowed us to make our own schedules. Taking time off for traveling is easy. When our parents were all living, it was extremely helpful. I think it is seen by some (one friend in particular) as being cushy, not much to do, we don't work our a$$es off. Maybe not as many hours as she and her DH (both residential RE agents) do, but we are always in working mode. It never fails on the way out of town or while traveling, we get phone calls. All times of the day. Not to mention, not being able to turn off our minds sometimes.

Hi Jack, It is definitely snowing and has been all day. Those seeds that I started two days ago are nearly all sprouting already. If I didn't know better I would say that some of those have germinate rates at 120% - HA! That caught me by surprise. I did not expect such a rapid emergence. I am not really so far behind though. In years past it was quite common for the ground to still be at least partially frozen by mid April. Can't work outside yet and this is actually my fourth flat for the garden. The earlier one for the hardy stuff has some lettuce with three leaves already with broccoli and napa not far behind. I need to do one more flat: the tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and basil. I expect to have beds ready by next weekend for outside seeds and the hardy transplants as soon as they are ready. I do not think tender transplants by mid May is too late, and the sweet potatoes by the first of June. I kinda went overboard with some 4 different types of lettuce, 4 or 5 of various colors of sprouting broccoli and three colors of cauliflower. The broccolini types intrigue me and the sprouting cauliflower also does. And the variation in colors ... I intend to treat my vegetable garden visually like a flower border with different colors, textures and heights. The biggest surprise is the size of the scallions that have wintered over for me again this year. They stand nearly knee high already and are as thick as small leeks. Originally they were scallions right off the supermarket shelf with roots attached. I just stuck em in the ground and away they went. Pardon the babble. We have stay at home orders here in Minnesota and my employer has ordered us to work from home; so I am for all practical purposes a shut-in and it is a drag!

Light neutral tan or cream colored carpet, but if you have kids or dogs, go as dark as you need. Wood floors would look best but you didn't mention that as an option. I'm not big on window treatments, I would do simple 2" faux wood blinds from selectblinds. If you get a wood floor, get the wood look blinds in the same color. Likewise if you do carpet, find whatever blinds look best with the carpet color (there's lots of shades of whites and creams in the blinds selections). I'm excited for you, you'll need to show us how it turns out!