it works out well for us...we have porches off the front and back and deck off laundry which has an exterior exit (3)

There are so many variables when looking at house plans! You have one advantage that I don't: Rear view! It seems like 90% of the house plans I'm finding have a great room situated at the back. Lucky for you! :)

As I said, we will have a beautiful view of a 5 acre lake in the entire back...on a 1 acre lot, in town. Our children all will live within 75 miles, so they won't be staying overnight very often...maybe the grandkids, but they are happy on the floor with sleeping bags. No, I do not do "formal" anything....just comfortable and cozy...What I was thinking was a great room with the LR area on one end and DR on the other. The kitchen will have plenty cabinets, as well as a large walk-in pantry...some space for DH and I to eat in the kitchen...but not on 30" stools...24" okay. I want a lot of storage space...without a basement or up-stairs, I will need that (or at least, I think so)....large utility room with room for my office/computer to be in there, as well as a mud room area. 3 bedrooms..not small ones.... and 2 or 2.5 baths....MB with walk-in shower, 2 sinks & vanity, no tub....but large walk-in closet. 3 car garage, covered or screened patio.

DH is a retired architect, but we are "locking horns" when it comes to these plans. The last time we built a house together, I said, "Never again", but our present house is way too large for us (about 4,000 sf) and we bought our future lot in another town over 2 years ago. We will need to sell this house before we start to build (when?). I keep telling him that with our ages, maybe we should think "assisted living" instead of building again. LOL '

Thanks for your help.

i don't have a drawing of it right now - and no way to put in computer anyway...

but coming in the front it has a 3x3 'entrance' (enlarge that) and you're in the LR/DR - which goes from the front clear thru to the back w/ sliding doors out to the back. this room is somewhere around 13 x 25 (dbf and I got different measurements from it... he tried to tell me this place WAS about 1900 sq ft, but i only came up with about 1400 for the whole place). there is a corner fireplace on the backside. that I don't like and will eventually take out also. this room i'll use for a 'sitting' room area (for company coming in) and DR (for /if anyone ever comes over to eat with me...lol!). i have big old antiques that do need the space.

to the left off of the LR area is the mstr bedroom (about 14x13 I think. this area also runs front to back. the bath is on the back of it and is a good size. there's a short hallway from bdrm to bath with BIG closets on either side of it. we measured and they were like 5 x 4.5. i think the bathroom is something like 8x12. it does have a garden tub (which i plan to take out) - but that'd give you more space for a double vanity and more linen closet space.

then to the right off of the LR is the kitchen. it is small about 9 x 10 (make it bigger). it's fine for me cause it's just me and the dogs and i seldom cook. there is room in it for my pedestal kitchen table and a chair or 2.

at the back of the kitchen is a hallway - it opens into the hallway so that makes the kitchen seem bigger. to the left in the hall is a pantry (4' x 18" floor to ceiling) then turn right and into the back 'hall' thru laundry room and out the back door. laundry room has space for w/d, freezer (or huge cab), furnace is in there, plenty of room over w/d for cabinets. and still plenty of room to bring my 70 lb dog in during our hot weather.

back into the hallway and to the right - on the left is a bedroom...then another bedroom. straight ahead is an 'indention' of about a foot or so (space to put a linen closet?) - the the right off of that hallway is the main bath and then another bedroom.

i plan to make the first bedroom (directly behind the kitchen) into my computer and tv room. I want to open it up into the kitchen and close off the regular bedroom door that is there now.
these 3 bedrooms are only about 10 x12 each (the closets are deeper than i expected tho...not walk in, but not real shallow like some i've seen).

so if you make the kitchen bigger and the bedroom bigger etc. it should end up close to or at your 2000 sq ft.

I plan to use one of the back bedrooms for 'storage' - my sewing machine, ironing board, exerciser and 2 huge cabinets for my crafts/sewing, computer stuff, wrapping paper, gifts i buy thru out the yr etc. plus there's the closet in there where I'll put things like holiday decorations (i have a lot - not that i use them anymore).

the other back bedroom will be my desk, bookcases, a rocker and the dresser and chest to my 2nd bedroom set (not putting the bed up). will use those drawers etc for out of season clothes...and that closet for more storage. This will also be a room for my boy dog sometimes. will put a dutch door on it so he doesn't feel totally closed off from me and his sister (my girl dog). She is usually in my bdroom with me. but they can't be together inside - they don't play well together...

and then i still have the 2 BIG closets in my room. 1 for clothes, shoes etc. and 1 for extra storage.

i don't have a basement or garage, so i need the storage also. i hope to put a fairly big shed outside and eventually maybe a carport.

if I could build i'd make it basically this same layout - I really like it. i'd just make the rooms a little bigger. those 3 bedrooms especially! i think making it about 2' more front to back and 4 or 5' wider would make up that extra footage.

you know even if I don't use graph paper and make to scale etc with your dh being an architect he should be able to take it from the general layout - right? i'll try to do that tomorrow.