Modified version ...

It looks like this plan at least meets some of the criteria that was important to you. I think this garage will be nicer than what you had before.
The powder room and breakfast nook seem really small. The breakfast nook will be particularly small after enough kids to fill up the bedrooms!
I would consider swapping the master wing and the kids wing. I think it would great nicer windows for the secondary bedrooms, since the one bedroom is smooshed up against the garage.

Nostalgic Farm,

Thank you ... great points!

Your laundry room looks very narrow. I can't remember if you have kids at home but if you do, to get laundry to and from the bedrooms to the laundry room you will have to go through the great room, into the master, through the master bath, through the closet, into the laundry. .Seems like a lot of walking.

No offense, but that is one ugly exterior!

I agree that the dining area seems really small, and the laundry room location will be unhandy when there are people living in bedrooms 2 and 3. It seems to me that the plan is trying to squeeze too many rooms and functions into a too-small space. I think your just-previous plan was better.

Pokes Fan,

Thanks, good points! Was thinking about putting a door from the foyer to the utility room for additional access. Also, may need to widen utility and/or powder rooms. Maybe it would work better with the w/d backing up to the exterior wall.

Did the architect do this drawing? I think the single garage needed that extra space of the laundry room/courtyard...I don't know if you could turn a car sharp enough to get into that space. Or is it for storage?

"No offense, but that is one ugly exterior!

I agree that the dining area seems really small, and the laundry room location will be unhandy when there are people living in bedrooms 2 and 3. It seems to me that the plan is trying to squeeze too many rooms and functions into a too-small space. I think your just-previous plan was better"

Littlebug - Haha! No offense taken! Thanks for your (brutally) honest opinions about this versus previous plan. Still trying to decide ...

LL,

Nope, I did it (hence the amateurnish). Emailed it to builder late this afternoon for his thoughts ... haven't heard back yet.

I see what your saying about the garage angle. Won't be much of an issue for us since I'll have my project car in there that won't get taken out very often, but could be an issue for resale. Thanks for pointing that out!

LL - Not that it means it wouldn't be a problem, but I did look through some other plans from the same design firm and at least a few (like the attached) have no space between the split 2 & 1 car garages. Of course, the corner lot makes it a 90 degree turn into that space.

I think it would be fine for storage, a golf cart, etc...I just don't know if you could get a car in there, very easily.

I like the facade, though! If you want something a little different, good for you! As long as you keep posting 'fairy tale' style homes...I'll keep looking at your plans :)

Thanks LL! Any suggested modifications on the floor plan?

By the way, here is a pic of someone that used that plan. Obviously, they made some changes.

I also like storybook/ fairytale style. Maybe you could incorporate some of the window styles in these beautiful homes:

[Traditional Exterior[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-exterior-home-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_736~s_2107) by Beverly Interior Designers & Decorators Siemasko + Verbridge

[Traditional Exterior[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-exterior-home-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_736~s_2107) by Weston Architects & Designers Oak Hill Architects

Thanks for the ideas Cas!

Been doing some work on this plan (F1601) and speaking with our builder. He sounds like he's going to be able to do it within our budget with some modifications. A couple of those will be ... (1) He says the study (and roof over it) as drawn will be expensive. (2) He didn't think the split garage would work on our corner lot. (Good call LL!) So ... here's my latest revision. Thoughts/suggestions?

You guys are making me want to go out and build a cottage home!

Harmon- You need a window in your bedroom! You could either swap bedroom and bathroom....or, could you push the garage forward a bit, add an enclosed breezeway between hall and garage...and then a courtyard? That would give you window from bedroom and access from breezeway. I love courtyards! Small, maybe with an herb garden? Very fairy tale :)

Also, do you have plans for the inside to be as 'fairy tale' as the exterior? If so, do something special with the fireplace...maybe an inglenook...or bench on one side?

Be sure to add some architectural features that will continue the look of the outside, as you go through the house.

And, with this kitchen, I would move the sink/dishwasher under the window...with a prep sink on the island. The range/cooktop should be where you have the oven and I'd move the fridge to the end of the counter run. Maybe a hutch or an oven/baking area where you currently have the fridge, with a small pantry.

It would be nice to line the walls of breezeway (if you add it) on the kitchen side with shallow pantry storage. Just an idea :)

Before you get too excited, this plan as your builder made it really looks bigger than your 65 ft requirement. Remember your interior and exterior walls have width too.

LL,

Great ideas as always ... thanks! I had to google "inglenook" ... guess I learned something today! :)

Good point about carrying the exterior design theme to the interior. Other than furniture selection and placement we have not done a great deal of planning in that regard, but I will make sure to keep that in mind. BTW, I'm attaching an exterior pic of a local house that used this plan. Obviously, there would be some differences, but you can get an idea ...

Moving the sink and dishwasher to the window seems like a no-brainer ... done! Now the question becomes do we leave the island a solid slab of granite or include a prep sink? I like the solid slab look, but think the prep sink might be very useful. Not sure what the additional plumbing costs would be. Obviously another sink, faucet, and garbage disposal would be required.

Can you explain why you would move the other appliances in the kitchen? GF wanted the cooktop centered with the island for aesthetic purposes, and I tend to agree that would look best. If we did move the cooktop, where would you then put the oven/microwave?

Part of my reasoning for putting the fridge where I did is that I am still (not so) secretly trying to find room for the Frigidaire all fridge/freezer combo, and they require a 66" wide opening.

Re a window in bedroom 3, I'm still trying to figure out how that might work. If I swap the bedroom & bathroom I don't see how to avoid having to add hallway space or require walking through another bedroom/bathroom to get to bed #3.

I love the breezeway/courtyard idea although space and budget limitations may not allow that. Not sure what the cost would be but we only have 3'9" to play with north-south although I suppose instead of moving the garage forward I could slide the bed/bath area back. There is space (probably 8' or 9') to slide that area back before it is even with the master bedroom ... hmmm.

Thanks again!

Nostalgic,

Yeah, it does look wider. Part of that may be because I drew it not the builder, and when I narrowed bedrooms 2 & 3 I don't think I went back and re-drew those walls. I just changed the written dimensions. I focused on the numbers more than the drawing because I know my drawing skills with MS Paint are less than exact.

I calculated it this way: Original plan is 75' wide. There is 21' 8" from the edge of the original double garage to the far wall of the original single garage. I cut out everything to the left of the original double garage getting my width down to 53' 4" (75' - 21' 8"). I then slid the, then double now triple, garage over 10' making my total width 63' 4".

Looking at interior dimensions it looks like it is 62' wide (22' + 10' 3" + 17' + 2' 5" + 10' 4") plus two exterior and two interior walls. That sounds about right to me. If you see an error in my math, please let me know!

Those combo fridges are beautiful, don't keep your desire a secret! If you move the kitchen forward a bit into that little courtyard (it's adorable, but too small for much to grow well, and not a passage to anything so it won't get used much), and move the entry to that back hall, you could have your fridge and eat from it, too!

The fireplace is in more of a castle, not fairy tale, location, in the entry. I don't think you'd be able to gather furniture around it, without the furniture blocking passage.

Is the master bedroom door wide enough as drawn? It looks smaller...

About the back hall...when you or GF come home from work, are you carrying things like briefcase, tote bag, purse, dry cleaning, keys, umbrella, etc? What's the first thing you want to do, walk through the entire house, dropping things as you go? I'd lose my keys between the door and the living room. I suppose they are destined for the study and closet, but still, seems like you'd want a spot to hang a cap before you come in. Any way to fit a closet or drop zone back there? If you move the hall entry to the back of the house, you could come in and walk directly to the master bedroom without skirting the living room furniture and without dropping things on the island (trust me, you'd clutter up the island in no time) and you could hang stuff on wall hooks, but they wouldn't be in the way of someone heading to the guest bedrooms from the house.

bpathome,

Thanks for the excellent suggestions and for the clever way you made them! I'm still digesting and considering. A couple of things ...

(1) Yeah, I'm not sure about the fireplace placement. There's only a couple of places to put it. We prefer a corner placement, but the builder did mention that was the one thing that might need to be changed on my drawing.

(2) Master bedroom door probably is not wide enough. Maybe we can move the bedroom wall a foot to the left to make that work. I'm not sure what square footage I'm currently at, but I think it's about 2300 or slightly below.

(3) Re drop zone. That sounds like a good idea. Not sure where we would put it. Maybe a small one for keys, etc in the kitchen next to the stairs?

Thanks again for your suggestions!