With the large bar area, it already will feel very open (one continuous space from kitchen to fireplace. If you open up the corner of the dining room, you'll be standing in the kitchen and able to look out the front door. I'd say make the desk area another pantry. With the large bar area (which is great, by the way), you don't have many upper cabinets. I wouldn't try putting any seats at the island. You don't need them, and the kitchen isn't wide enough. I'd rather see the wall where the dining room borders the foyer open up with columns or a large set of fixed plus operational doors (I can send a pic I like). It might require a hefty beam overhead (LVL header), so if you're thinking 8' ceilings, then you'll likely have to keep a regular door opening or supportive columns.

If it were me, I'd be concerned about fitting my family room furniture in the great room; looks like you have about 15 feet by 16 feet in that space, which may not feel very large with furniture in there. Also, I'd not like the location of the powder room, but realize that the options are few (without increasing SF). In my current house, the powder is near the garage and I do not like it there. Good idea to have laundry on 2nd fl and mud room by garage. Lastly, dining room size is pretty small. Will it be large enough with your dining set, etc.?

I'm trying to figure out how the furniture will be configured in the great room. Will there be a TV in there? Will there be one or two sitting areas?

Also the proportions intrigue me. There's about as much garage space as living space (realizing this doesn't include bedrooms). If that fits your lifestyle that's great, but make sure you're putting your money where it benefits you most.

LOVE your workshop/garage setup!

Could you put the pantry where the desk is, and make the other pantry a mail sorting/map & travel storage/recycling location?

My powder room is the same layout as yours and in the same location. LOVE having it by the garage. 42" wide is a better size than 36" since it's easier to clean and feels more comfortable with just the extra 6" of width.

15' x 16' is about how much space I have for my furniture, and it is fine. My DR is also 13' x 13', and it's fine for the size family I have. These sizes depend on your furniture size, as well as life style & family/friends so each of us has different needs.

I agree that you wouldn't need the 2 seats at the island. I'd make the island larger in the direction of the chairs.

Anne

As shown, you have a barrier island. You cannot walk in a straight line from the refrigerator to the sink, you have to walk around the island.

Thanks for all the opinions so far. We will be putting the TV over the fireplace.

I think it is a great plan for your family. I would consider the "dark" factor of having a wrap around porch. I would find it makes the home too dark...

Good luck

To me, this plan seems very functional and a house that can really be lived in. May I ask how many in your family and total sq. ft. of the house?

I have a powder off the garage in the exact location like yours and I prefer it there. I would definitely nix the kitchen desk and do another pantry. You would never regret it, one can never have too much pantry space. Island is a barrier, but if the fridge could not be moved closer to sink, so be it.

And to echo peytonroad: My current home (which we did not build or design) has a large wraparound porch like yours, plus an extra wide overhang. Our house is dark, even on sunny days. I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder and need bright, sunny rooms and it makes me gloomy and grumpy. I have to turn on literally every light and lamp in the house. In my last house I had large windows, no porch, and I could go the whole day without turning a single light on. Just sayin'.

Nice layout though. I would love to see elevation pics:-)

We have a covered front porch on our current house. The exposure is NW. The living room is on that side of the house, and it is miserably dark. I have to turn lights on just to read, even in the daytime.

One of the things I am really looking forward to in our new house is light, lots of it, in the great room area, which is on the porch free south side.

I like a nice covered porch, but it doesn't belong on the same side of the house as the rooms in which the at-home occupants will spend a lot of time during the daylight hours.

I like the shop area in the garage.

When you move the laundry are there any other changes? I usually think a mudroom has direct access to outside but in your case it will just be to the garage. Perhaps move the bathroom to the laundry add a shower, for those really muddy days. Then the closet bathroom could be a large pantry? Just trying to think outside the box here.

Are the doors on the dining room to make it more formal by hiding the kitchen? Just learning about lots of these small design features myself.

I think the square foot of that total plan is 2900 including the bonus room. However I think we have scrapped that plan and are opting for this one below. My husband and I designed it so I know it will need some tweaking. The family room is 20x 20, kitchen 15 x 15, dining room/breakfast room 13 x 15. Please let me know your opinions. I am also going to post this up as a new plan to see what everyone thinks.

For reasons of view, I'd relocate powder room to mud room / kitchen area. Also what is the concept for the diagonal corner on the study?

Thanks. I thought the angled study would open up to the FR. What do you think?