I'm not expert, I'm usually the one asking for input. :) But here is my $.02.

I like the mudroom. Not sure about the two closets facing each other. Seems like the doors might get in the way of each other in a narrow space. I can't see the dimensions. Maybe eliminate one and have more cubby or bench space?

The kitchen and pantry look great to me as well as the master bedroom.

The only thing I might change is the way the garage doors face -- I would orient them to the driveway side. Seems more natural since that is the side the front door is on as well.

shelly_k thank you for your input. I need it. I hadn't even thought of the mudroom layout. You are right. Will change that. I have struggled with the garage issue. It sticks out so far from the house, we were creating that courtyard in the front to give the front of the house more architectural interest. The front facing garage not ideal but, that's where we were going with it. Going to use carriage style doors and dress it up. It is not very visible from the road if that makes any sense. Thank you for your help. Anything else you see?

Some quick impressions:

You could have a fixed French door in the DR.

Do you care if your garage has three windows or is a blank wall?

Most homes this size have at least a 3-car garage. (We don't but we're considered quite 'odd'. Also, our house is only 2900 sq ft.)

MBR closet too removed from the master bath. You'll tire of the 'end run'. Either put a door in the upper right corner of the closet or...push the whole suite over into the present closet space and extend the suite enough to have his and hers closets flanking a hall from BR to bath. (Our bath layout is the same as yours, but has a short hall and flanking closets.)

Finally -- as self-appointed Teardown Queen, I can't resist -- have you seriously looked at the numbers to see what this extensive remodel will be worth vs. a teardown and new build? Asked a realtor?

Chisue - great suggestion, I hate the closet door there. I told him that like 50 times. I had a closet adjacent to the bathroom in my last house and loved it. I have seen all your post about teardowns and as a serious number cruncher, I have tried and tried to justify it but, the numbers don't allow the teardown. The previous owners upgraded and added on enough to take the value up and mess up the layout i. e. they added the garage and kitchen wing that whole side of the house is 7 years old. I have consulted realtors and builders. It's a "no go" for a teardown here in Baton Rouge. Although lots are scarce, property values for land are not high enough. Too many old quaint cottages going to high prices per sq foot. so remodel it is. Luckily, the kitchen only needs surface remodeling. Some college kids lived her right after the last remodel and the cabinets are new, just like new, never used them. The kitchen remodel is only going to be $10k or so for new counters, paint cabs, new appliances. So I have to remodel. I am excited about it though. Just want to feel like for that much money I get what I want. It's really hard. Been struggling with it for over 5 months. Back and forth with the architect. To fix the exterior is the largest expense. that and the bathrooms. Seriously it's been crazy. But, I digress. Need to fix the layout, that is within my control. anything else you see? Thank you so much for your help!

Kimmieb: Our garage is set up like yours too, except with 4 stalls. We opted for the courtyard garage setup. Here are our elevations:

OK, I hear you. The house is already somewhat updated. Good.

I'm a little concerned about the way the Great Room's French doors are not symetrical with the foyer. We planned three sets of three French doors along the south wall of our house: one set in the DR and two sets in the LR. The day they made the cuts for the doors I walked into the foyer and, instead of my eye going out to the big backyard, it stopped at a wall *between* the sets of doors in the LR. We were able to change this by making three sets of two French doors in the LR, operable on the ends and fixed set in the middle.

I see that the foyer is not centered on the courtyard, either. Who will use that entrance? Where will guests park? You may want to revisit having the garage doors face into the courtyard and add parking within the courtyard. (I don't know what exists outside of your plans, of course.)

I'd put the pool house on the other side of the house, leaving an open view from your MBR.

Will your family eating area have a view?

chisue I see what you mean about the visual break in the rear wall with the french doors. Can you elaborate on what type of french doors you are talking about you used. I am not sure what you mean?

There is a circle drive outside the front of the courtyard for the guests.

The pool house is already there blocking our view to the back yard. I was thinking of making a little courtyard/garden area in between the house and the pool house making a visual with a fountain or something and putting another window in that middle and taking out the fireplace. What do you think?

Thanks for your help. I was expecting a lot of feedback and you are one of the only people helping so I really appreciate it. This board is really great.

I've looked at your plan several times, but have found it difficult to come up with ideas since I'm not clear on what can be changed, and it's hard to see the measurements. Looking at your second plan, it's guesswork to see what the old plan was. It would be very helpful to see the original, existing plan. But I'll take a stab at it.

What is it that you don't like about the MBR, besides the location of the WIC door?

You said you're redoing the bathrooms. Can their fixtures be relocated?

Can the kitchen cabinets along the dining room wall be changed? Seems like there must be a better way to do the butler's pantry, which is inconvenient in its present location. Can the locations of the appliances be changed in the kitchen?

The great room seems huge--what are the measurements? Do you really need it that large? The reason I ask is that it seems like you have space in it for the dining table at the end towards the kitchen. If so, I'd go back to the 3 car garage, and just attach it to the house. Then I'd rework the present dining room, mudroom, and butler's pantry.

How many people/ what ages are living in this house? Is there a reason the mudroom is so large in Baton Rouge, especially with the laundry elsewhere?

I assume you need 4 active bedrooms, and wouldn't want to convert one to a study/guest bedroom?

Living in the north, I don't know much about life styles in Louisiana. How much of the year are the doors and windows open, or do you mostly close up and use air conditioning down there?

Which way is south on this house plan? How wide is the lot, and how close to the lot line are the doors of the present 3 car garage?

More info and the original plan will help!

Anne

The plan has obviously been carefully worked out. I noticed the dead-end master closet too. The mudroom is ok as long as the family always enters the house through the garage. When you need to enter through the mudroom on foot would you open the garage door? This is the kind of house where furniture, artwork, ceiling treatment, and lighting will be very important.

To say much more I would need to see the elevations and a section.

I don't care for BR fireplaces, but that's just me. Maybe you'd like a loggia with shady vines connecting the MBR to the pool house. Maybe less 'porch' on the pool house? (It's such an odd place for the pool house -- so far from the kitchen, for one thing.)

If you move the MBR to the left and extend the suite out to the side of the house (putting in a hall and flanking closets), there will be more space between the MBR and pool house.

Maybe it won't bother you to have the Foyer off center with the Great Room, but that room seems SO evenly *proportioned* with the evenly spaced sets of French doors, the coffered ceiling, the centered fireplace. (Do you need a guest closet in the Foyer?)