You are concentrating on interior issues and apparently haven't seen the odd exterior condition that will be created by the red-lined extension of the exterior pantry wall with the wall to the right (apparently some sort of family/living area).

The acute angle the will result will make for a very complicated wall and roof construction and an odd aesthetic.

A better solution may be to simply expand the pantry and study wall parallel to the exiting one, keeping it and the family/living wall perpendicular to one another. Hard to tell for sure since it's impossible to understand the second floor or roof framing above from the small plan illustrated.

Good luck on your project.

Virgil,

I see that alcove that is created. In fact, it actually creates a good pocket for the AC units. My builder just completed this house with the same modification so I have seen the completed house. Only in that house the rest of the plan remained stock. So, if you have any thoughts on the other questions I would be interested in hearing them.

This might be easier to read. What happens to the odd space created outside?

Thanks Renovator8. You were one of the folks who I hoped might chime in. As I explained to Virgil above, that "odd space" becomes a nice alcove to tuck the outside components of the HVAC units. Our builder, who is a good friend, just built the same house and made the same change to his floor plan. That space does not look out of place.

Clearly the pantry is huge, but allows for an ice maker, deep freeze, etc and plenty of storage.

I really wold like some help on how we can add cubbies, enlarge the laundry, and improve the powder room.

I like the thought of swapping the powder room and laundry which moves the powder room closer to the public areas (the dining room is on the otherside of the stairs).

How bout this? cubbies in hallway from garage?

Or keep the two rooms, and put the cubbies in the main hall?

shoulibuild, I think we all understand that your contractor has done this before. The architects are just suggesting that there may be a better way to accomplish what you wish to do, rather than simply do what the contractor has done before. Just a thought.

So many decisions for new homes are made simply by thinking about how to make a house bigger on the inside--add more space for cubbies, etc.--rather than how to make the house better.

Only a thought. Good luck on your project.

Good luck with your project.

Virgil,

I understand there are other ways of enlarging the pantry and I appreciae you pointing that out, but that is not the point of my post.

Any thoughts on fixing the issues I am trying to address?

Here is one idea I came up with today, Combines a mudroom with the laundry and hides the cubbies inside the mudroom. Does not completely solve my desire to hide the toilet in the powder room.

Thoughts?

Figured I would add the original floor plan so you did not have to link.

Other than the lower right corner and changes to the laundry, powder, study, and pantry, we plan to build the plan as is on the first floor. However, I am sure that all here will have some additional thoughts. Lets hear them. Thanks for any input.

Don't you still need the steps from the garage into the house? If so, your plan might not work because you moved the steps from the hallway into the garage. It also makes a convoluted walk to get to the washer and dryer and the part of the laundry/mud room that is along the garage wall is narrow and only useful for the cubbies. It is too narrow for someone to get past someone else.

Fair points.

What about this?

You last image is a better powder design than the one from 1/19 at 22:11. The reason is the door swing. The 22:11 door swing is an in-swing which besides being dangerous in your situation, would be next to impossible to use (you'd need to stand IN the door swing space to close the door; or you'd need to stand on the toilet to get the door closed.) With the outswing pictured in the last picture, at least it is a safe door swing, and it is usable.

I can't comment on your laundry/cubby area since nothing is labeled. But, maybe you'd benefit from a pocket door to the mudroom instead of an outswing there.

Thanks krikhall. The area to the upper left will be cubbies. The lower left is W/D. Other space will be cabinets and other shelving.