I'm not really a fan of stacking gables like this on such an expansive house. It just seems like the center is very vertical compared to the low slung wings on either side it. My rough paint rendering isn't the solution, but you should consider lowering and widening any gables you choose to have facing the front, and perhaps extend the front porch over to meet the side porch on the garage to further help ground the house make the elevation more cohesive.

Thanks Nicke, I really appreciate the time you took to draw that out. I like the idea of widening the front porch.

Would it be possible to make the top level a long shed dormer somehow?

I think the 1.5 story look would be great for your plan, and probably be very cost effective as well. A longer shed dormer would work well, or you could divide it up into individual dormers. You could also do a miniature shed dormer, maybe half the height of the main house dormer, above the center garage door to add a bit interest or light into an attic area.

Ooh, I like those!! Forwarded pics to husband. I also like the idea of adding a shed dormer in the garage. Thank you!!

It is difficult to know how the large side gable will look. Is there any way your architect could produce a 3D drawing of the house?

Losing the industrial scale garage wing would make your problem much easier, is there any way to move it elsewhere or scale it way down and put a separate storage barn elsewhere on the lot? It really unbalances what is otherwise a pretty nice design as well as focusing a lot of attention on what should be utility space, not primary facade.

Renovator, no, she doesn't do 3D unfortunately.

There is nothing wrong with stacking gables as long there aren't too many of them and they are detailed well. There's a strong historical tradition for an interlocking pair of front facing gables but it is Victorian so this house seems caught between two styles: Queen Anne and Craftsman.

When I see this I automatically think of the Shingle Style that successfully combined elements of these styles. But I can always find a way to use that style so I can't claim to be objective about it.

The house seems quite nice but what bothers me is the large side gable and the masonry feet of the porch posts.

A 2 story disguised as a 1 1/2 story.

Renovator, what you drew is kinda freakishly akin to my own craftsman-ish home...It too is a 2-story pretending to be a 1-1/2 using a pair of dormers :) Double casement windows with grills and huge front porch and all. I'm in love ;)

Renovator, I'm quite attracted to your drawing. But are you saying that you prefer the first one? And if so, what would you do to improve it? I think what bothers me the most about it are the left master wing and the abrupt way the upper right side cuts off. What about hipping those two roofs? Or, what about a gable over the master wing?

Thank you!!

I have been designing buildings on a computer in 3D for 20 years and for 20 years before that I relied on hand drawn perspectives.

IMO a house this complex is impossible to visualize from elevations. Elevations not only don't show the relationships of the sides and the shape of the roofs but there is no foreshortening so the roof seems to dominate the building. It is a view you cannot see in the real world. An elevation is really only useful to your builder.

If I can find the time I will try to put your house into Sketch UP.