It's not an odd plan; it's a standard one that shows up with minor differences on many internet plan sites often in multiple architectural styes.

But 3 classical Greek pediments, each with a different height cornice return, adhered to a giant medieval French hipped roof ... that's truly odd.

Instead of New American, I would call the style Confused American.

There is another plan that we like..what we like about it is that it has 2 living areas..since we have little kids it will be a big plus. Again i dont know what to think about that kitchen beign in the middle of 2 rooms???
WE plan on putting brick on no matter what house we choose and modifying windows a little bit so they are on so big( we are building in town with neighbors and people driving by)..
So which plan do you guys think is better?

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.thehousedesigners.com/plan/eastwood-4008/?1=0amp;reverse=False#top

Of the 2, I like the second one better (for a family).
But, I do think it odd that the secondary bedrooms are right off the kitchen. It is nice, to have the family room near the kids rooms though, since that is where the toys are likely to pile up.

What I don't like about the first plan you posted is that all family traffic has to go through an already small kitchen from garage to the rest of the house.

With all the designs that are available for free on the internet you should be looking at sites with a higher design standard.

Architects often provide photos of their work on their web sites although not usually with the plans but that is a better place start. There are many books with architect designed houses too. There is no reason to limit your search to amateurish pre-designed house sites.

Renovator8, perhaps you could direct the OP to some sites you feel are higher quality?

I suggested architect web sites as the best resource so they should do that first. There are several good commercial pre-designed sites but I would need to know more about the site and what they like. I see no style similarities between the examples they posted.

Do you like any of these?

http://www.simplyeleganthomedesigns.com/Pine_%20Creek_Cottage_Home_Design.html

http://retrorenovation.com/2013/01/23/8-cliff-may-inspired-ranch-house-plans-from-houseplans-com/

http://retrorenovation.com/2012/11/28/build-an-eichler-ranch-house-8-original-design-house-plans-available-today/

http://www.hothumidsolutions.com/2011/10/26/ezzie-pearl-3/

Oaktown i appreciate you taking time to show us some plans, but thats not exactly what we are looking for.

We need to tell our builder what we want to build this Monday, so we are quite short on time..
RENOVATOR- can you tell me websites you are talking about?
thanks

Why do you need to tell your builder on Monday?

Given the extent of the investment you're about to make in a new home, I would encourage you to take the time you need to find a plan that really works for you.

Having said that, here's a plan I like that I think meets the criteria you've listed. I'm thinking you'd turn the bedroom in front into a den, and have it open to the foyer.

Here is a link that might be useful: a house

zone4newby thank you, but my husband does not like the exterior..he wants it brick with some stone.

Unlike me he is set on the plan i am attaching now...we saw it after we've narrowed down to previous plans and he loves it..

Really would like to know if you guys think its a good layout...because he loves it and i am again not sure about the kitchen..i love L shaped kitchen..but dont know how to make it happen in this plan...so will the kitchen still work well as it is?

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.familyhomeplans.com/plan_details.cfm?PlanNumber=59117#image-slideshow

In the last plan you posted, there is no way you can have hanging clothes on opposite walls like is shown in the 9-8 x 5-2 closet in the master bedroom. Not only is 5'2" is not wide enough for hanging clothes on both sides, it isn't even wide enough for hanging clothes on one side and a shelf on the other side.

kat81-are those pics supposed to be of the kitchen as shown in the plan? They don't appear to be identical to me. Of the PHOTOS - what stands out to me is that the island is a barrier between the fridge and the rest of your work triangle and the biggie (for me anyhow) is that the microwave is across the kitchen and around the island from the fridge. Most things we use the microwave for come out of the fridge in the form of leftovers or frozen items that need a quick defrost. I think that would get old fast (remove from fridge put on island, walk around island pick up and put in mw-or think of cooking and having to get something out of the fridge quick - add to your meal in process at the stove and then return to the fridge around the island).

As DRAWN on the plan the island is kinda in the way of the stove which I'd think you'd want your water source a more direct path there.

I agree with your love of the L-shaped kitchens but not sure I will end up with one either. :/

You didn't ask but I'm also wondering about 3 doorways off the master - entry, closet and bath. That is a lot of wall space eaten up by doors.

Good luck - I am not an expert by any means but thought I'd offer what stuck out to me right away.

There are hundreds of versions of this plan on the internet; we see one or more a week on the forum. They all suffer from the same deficiencies: all the spaces are clustered around the main living space so there is very little light penetration except in the perimeter bedrooms. That would be enough to cause me to discard it so why it is offered for sale in endless variations is a total mystery to me. There are many better ways to organize a house and fortunately they all avoid the huge hipped roofs full of trusses needed to efficiently roof this plan.

I don't like the kitchen; it would be uncomfortable to work in because it is necessary to constantly walk around the island to cook; there is little continuous counter space or zoning and there are no windows. The kitchen may be central to the plan but it is somehow still a second class space.

The relationship of the Foyer, Dining Room and Great Room seems accidental. A big formal room with a "Trayed" ceiling should have a more formal relationship with the adjacent spaces. My old boss would have called the plan "chewy". Things that seem to be aligning don't quite make it and strong shapes and forms do not close like a kind of design erosion.

The fireplace fills the exterior wall and covered porch and the direct gas vent is probably on the porch wall with a big label that says "HOT". It belongs elsewhere with a vent through the roof.

I have never understood why these internet designs treat light and spacial relationships as secondary. These are the building blocks of architecture and there is no reason to ignore them when designing a home.

Are you looking for a house design to buy and give to a builder or do you want a design to show the builder so he can copy it?

something didnt feel right about the plans and you guys confirmed it, so i kept looking and found a plan that has everything we need. I know that this is "the one". It has normal size bedrooms (not 10x11 like many other plan have) , pantry, 3 car garage, 4 bedroom, entry closet etc...

i am not looking for anymore plans, just ideas on how to make this one better in the kitchen dining area...

What you think???

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.eplans.com/house-plans/epl/hwepl08691.html?from=search

if i redo the kitchen to something like this and make dining room a little bigger (connect it to garage) will that be better or leave it as it is?

I would turn the rectangular island 90 degrees and separate the kitchen from the living room with an 18" wide room divider 42" high with shelves or cabinets on the kitchen side and paneling on the living room side. A pair of columns at the ends of the divider supporting a beam might be good. I know this works well because I have done it many times. The columns might be repeated at the entrance from the Gallery.

An island doesn't need to be wider than 25" for the cabinets below plus an overhang for stools of 18 tp 20 inches. A 4 ft wide island gets difficult to reach across.

The link and photo below is an example of a typical architect's website. Even the bad ones are better than most of the pre-designed plan companies and you can certainly ignore the ones you don't like. Notice that there are no cheap "mutton chop" or fake classical cornice returns. This is the English Arts & Crafts Style at it's best which IMO is a step above the American Tudor and Craftsman Styles.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lowell Thomas Wynn

I don't like that the patio opens up to your living room--I would have it open up to your dining area. I dislike when doors open onto carpet though--assuming you are having a carpeted living room. At least in the dining room wood floor/tile/etc stands up better to dirty shoes, etc. To me it looks like you have 2 large "hallway" areas are awkward and seem to use up too much space IMO.

Dreambuilder great thought on putting the outside door into the dining area (i am going to connect it to the garage so it will a little bigger)...

RENOVATOR, i only wish i could have an architect design my plan...we are too tight on the money at this moment and i just had to accept the fact that right now, buying and slightly changing a plan is only option. One day if things go well and we can build our dream house i will settle for nothing less than an architect.

So i think i understand what you are suggesting about rotating the island, but if i do this the island will be pretty small 3x5 and i would not be able to sit at it (which is important to me)..
Is there another way to define the space well (between living and kitchen) without having to rotate the island?

By the way, we dont have to have vaulted ceilings in living room if a column in the middle of a problem.

Renovator, if i understand it right this is what you are suggesting...I really would like to be able to sit at the island so i am not sure which way is better..is there another way to separate living/kitchen area and have an island we can sit at?
Thank you so much for helping

Make the separator 8" narrower, the island 6 " wider and both of them 18" longer.

42" is fine between the counter and the island.

If that doesn't work starts with the kitchen you want and design the house around it. Kitchens are important; don't force them into a space left over after the other spaces have been sized.

What doesnt work with the first picture? I obviously have never built before so i dont really know the difference between good and bad. But if i do cased opening or arch between two areas and do different ceiling heights (9 in kitchen and vaulted in living)..i can also put a column in the middle of the island..just trying to understand why doesnt it work so i can learn!

It is just my opinion that the relationship between the kitchen and the nook should not be the same as the relationship of the kitchen to the Living Room and I'm not referring to the design of the ceiling.

Frankly I would never design a kitchen island where occupants in the Living Room could look at the backsides of those sitting at the island. Casual living is fine but I would not want my clients to feel they were in a Tavern nor would I want the kitchen to appear to be stuck in a corner of a larger space; I think it deserves to be in it's own identifiable space.

When you find that the kitchen cabinets and counters stop arbitrarily and the living room begins you should know you have missed a big opportunity or if you like you can call it a mistake.

I have been doing this for so long that when I am moving plan elements around I am thinking of the edges, transitions and sight lines from all angles to the extent that I sometimes have to stop and take a walk to clear my mind.

This post was edited by Renovator8 on Sun, Feb 24, 13 at 8:27

Ok i see what you are saying...i think i can move the kitchen more into garage...How much room do i need between an island and the separator to be able to put some chair behind it? If right now there is 4 feet between an island at the separator....Also is 3x5 not too small island?
Thank you so much for helping!

Reno is very detail oriented and true to design styles. And there is nothing wrong with that at all. I on the other hand tend to throw out typical styles "requirements" (unless the owner/design truely requires it) and go with what is extremely functional but just flat out looks good. If it looks good and feel right to me, then it works, regardless of ancient design rules set in place overtime by various periods. I try not to force styling onto something because then it just looks....forced. I think most of these plans you have posted appear that way. They take generic, highly inefficient layouts and force them into various failed styles to try and appeal to a larger amount of people.

For example if an island is open to a living room or dining room with seating, and the owner likes that (my personal home design has it because that is how we function) then that is the soluation. However I agree with Reno in his suggestion of adding the bank of shelving. It seems to fit your needs/functionality, and styling of the home (that is not forced mind you).

With that being said, I am sure he will agree with me....your instance I truely think you can greatly benefit from the services of an architect. If you need to save some money, discuss was to reduce scope with them. However a home is your biggest investment...why are you trying to find things that you feel are so so and make them work? Your plan and design is the most important part. Finishes (in and out) are secondary. You will need to flow through the house every day. You will need to cook in the kitchen every day. Make the plan fit your needs. An architect can achieve this for you. He/she can make a plan that works with your needs and then add the design to it you both will be happy with. If cost is an issue, look at ways to reduce costs on your construction. There are tons of areas you can save small amounts that can go towards hiring an archy. You can swap out finishes later if need be, but you can not easily change the layout of your home after its built if it does not work for you.

I would make the island 3-6 x 7-0 and the width of the kitchen 14-10. That would allow a counter dimension of 2-1, clearance to the island top of 3-6, an island top width of 3-6, a passage of 4-6 and a separator top width of 1-3 housing 12" deep shelves or cabinets. If you want an inch or two more clearance you need to make the kitchen width 15-0.

The kitchen in the photo has a overall width of 16 ft. with an 8-0 island and it often accommodates guests for a dinner party of 14 and two very large dogs.

ok i am not sure i understand it..here are the dimensions..it is 14x11 ...how exactly should i place the island/separator so there is enough room to sit behind the island?

Here's one way to do it.

Here's another way.

These are not kitchen designs they are just ways to separate the two spaces so they each have some architectural identity and character.

does the exterior need to have so many rooflines? it's a little choppy. i find the houses on the internet have way too many roof lines. the exterior of the home renovator 8 posted is handsome on the outside. it flows and transitions smoothly. could you push some of the exterior lines to line up with each other, so that there aren't so many rooflines? this would change some of the inside spaces, but I think it would be worth looking into.

Modern builder/developer roofs are made with trusses so they are usually tall and hipped. The houses look pretty odd unless they are French Inspired but they more commonly have front facing gables sometimes multiple overlapping ones. the odd thing about the design the OP posted is that the cornice returns are classical but the eaves are flared; sort of a breakthrough in neo-eclectic design.

RENOVATOR thank you very much for the drawings..i definitely like the first one and that what we are going to do..thank you so much for helping..
Is there anything else in the plan that you would tweak before we take it to the builder tomorrow?