Haven't seen Summerfield around here in quite awhile.

This is the only time I plan to bump this up. I've been getting some help, from my friends on the Smaller Homes forum and wanted to show Summerfield my final design. It's a cut and paste of three plans, but I think it gives us all the things we really want, without going way over budget. We plan to build a separate garage, with a greenhouse addition on the front, facing southeast. It will be only steps away from the mud room.

So, Summerfield, if you do stop by, please tell me what you think. I value your opinion, very much! :)

If anyone else would like to add their comments, ideas, etc. that would be great, just please remember, this is a farmhouse, 30 miles from town, with lots of snow in the winter and mud in the spring. We want to grow more of our own food, have horses but no kids...but lots of visiting nieces and nephews...so we will have two bedrooms and a bath upstairs. The basement has a rec room space under the living room/bedroom and there's a storage area/furnace, etc. under the kitchen/dining area.

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Hi lavender lass--
Have you tried emailing Summerfield through GardenWeb? You & I both know what good work Summerfield does. I'll take a stab at this for you...

-I think the kitchen is going to be too tight--13' wide - 2' for cabinetry - minimum 3' for island itself - 2' clearance for bar seating leaves only 3' on either side for walkways. You're good when no one is sitting at the bar, though. It would be better if the wall behind the island seating wasn't there but then you'd lose all that storage space.

-I'm having a hard time making out the dimensions on the Master Bedroom--it looks like 10'6" x 14'. I'd like it to be at least 12' x 14' especially if that's a queen bed in there.

-Do you really want everyone walking through the laundry room to get to the powder room?

-Love the large mud room!

-Great sunroom space!!

-Living room looks good to me

-That hot tub off the master is going to be so cool!!!

I know you've been through a number of revisions--how does the house feel to you? Is there anything in particular you're worried or unsure about? Anything that you wanted to incorporate that hasn't been? Are you worried at all about longevity of being able to live there as you age? Is the current design set up for the required minimum clearances for navigating with a walker or wheelchair if need be?

Mydreamhome- You make an excellent point about the island, which is why I decided to make it a work table. I'm hoping to find an old library/trestle table, about 3' x 5' and put a marble top on it. If that doesn't work out, I'll look for a nice table with a butcherblock top.

The dining room table will have leaves, so it can get bigger and I can turn the island/work table, so there's more room for the table to expand. I'm hoping to use chairs, from the sunroom, because ideally, I would have the work table a little taller than average (slightly lower than counter height) for baking, etc. I'm tall (5'10") so I don't want too short a surface :)

The master bedroom is rather small, but the closets have a built-in armoire between them, for the TV and extra storage. We have a smaller room now and it's worked okay, so this will seem big, in comparison. We're trying not to add too much to the original farmhouse, so the only additions are the mudroom and sunroom/porch, with a few feet added to the hall bath, but that needs to be redone, anyway...and a few feet on the vestibule.

As for the laundry room, it's a farmhouse and it's not fancy, but comfortable, so it doesn't bother me that people will walk through the laundry/utility room, to get to the sunroom/porch or the powder room. There's also the hall bath, which would probably be used more, by company...unless they're in the sunroom. It will also give me a good reason to keep things organized and looking nice in the laundry area (LOL)

I'm excited about the sunroom, because not only will it give me a great place for plants (without kitties chewing on them) but it will also provide a cheerful, sunny space to watch the snow fall in the winter and see the horses run around in their pasture!

The mudroom is a favorite of mine, too...it just gives so much more storage and a place for all those winter coats and boots. The hot tub is for my husband (it's all he really wants, besides the basement rec room) and having the deck screened will keep out the mosquitos, barn kitties, and the occasional racoon or porcupine! Life on the farm :)

I want the house to be easily accessible for all family/friends to feel comfortable, but it is a farm, so if we can't get around anymore, we'll probably find a cute little manufactured home, put it up nearby and the house will end up with one of the nieces or nephews.

That being said, my grandmother was in a walker and later wheelchair and we're planning to have 3' main doors (including the one to the sunroom) and large enough doors to the bathrooms (30"?) to make sure someone with a walker or smaller/travel wheelchair, can easily access them. The front door is almost ground level, so hopefully, that should make it easier for wheelchair or walker access, too. Plus, I think it just makes sense to use rocker light switches, wider doorways and have at least one bathroom accessible, without going up or down stairs...for any home.

lavender lass--I like the idea of the trestle table in the kitchen. That would be perfect! You do have lots of storage in the mudroom--I am so envious!! I noticed the built in armoire in the bedroom, but wasn't sure what your plan was for it--it sounds perfect! With the armoire being recessed, it helps alot.

As far as handicapped accessibility for walker or wheelchair, we were told ideally 36" or greater doors & doorways, preferably 48" hallways. 2'8" is probably the smallest you can reasonably go on doors and still have access--remember, the door is 2'8" but you lose at least an inch with the door stop trim + the extra space the depth of the door takes up when open. If you go with 30", you'll be down to 29" with the trim, maybe even slightly less than 28" with the door depth added in.

A pocket door would help solve that problem to some extent as you don't have to worry about either of those. You could do a 2'8" - 3'0" pocket door on the hall bath I think-- it would slide into the staircase wall. Oooh! I just realized the door to the powder rooom opens in to the bathroom--that's very tight without a wheelchair or walker. I would consider making that door swing outward into the laundry room or you may have the option of a pocket door there as well keeping it 2'8" - 3'0" in width.