We're verrry sorry for making you cry.

Riddle me this: What ARE you trying to accomplish?!

I think you got pretty helpful advice but have chosen to ignore it and focus on the style in which it was delivered. To put it on the simplest terms, if you insist on a house that looks like an old Southern movie set, choose Gone With the Wind or Song of the South but not both.

Okay, just for kicks and grins. Here is another home that Eventhecatisaboy showed me, which I loved.....similar in style of the Kousa Creek Southern Living home, but maybe not as disjointed as many of you pointed out.

But this is the overall look I'm going for....please don't try to put me in a box. I don't want to have to be Southern or Colonial, Traditional or Hill Country. I have an ecclectic spirit and I like "different>'

With that being said:

Do you think this home is ugly?

Here is a link that might be useful: Midwest Living Idea House 2007

Its similar, so you must like the overall style, but that also means some of the issues are the same: It's a bit of a mishmash, like a home that's been added on to from time to time without the bits and peices being integrated in a coherent way.

And it's got the same 'L' shape, with the garage doors right be the front door, a good solution on small lots but hardly necessary in your case. A lot of people just don't like that, so it will impact your re-sale. It can also add to your hassle factor when visitors [including the UPS driver] block access to your garage.

I love that house! The bottom line is just build what YOU want and don't look back. Who cares what everyone else says? They won't be living in the house or PAYING for it.

For better design continuity with the stone gable fronts I would get rid of the cheap looking siding and corner boards and wrap it with natural cedar shingles.

Nothing wrong with the accretive look if you like it. Indeed, it's often seen in Architectural Digest homes, a way of giving a history to something that doesn't have a history.

As for the particular linked model. I'm always sceptical of the skills of designers who throw in totally inappropriate shutters all over the exterior. And the kitchen in that home is absurdly undersized for 9,400 sf.

The subdivision the home is in shows lots of 1 3/4 -2 1/2 acres. So I don't understand why the tight L was necessary when the lots seem to be at least 250 feet wide.

I build infill, so I could see that design on a 125' lot. Canadian city lots are typically much narrower than those in the US. So much so that I long ago gave up on adapting something from a stock US plan book.

Here's another 'everything but the kitchen sink' look. If you like this look, build it.

I have a friend who loves to wear as much 'stuff' as she can layer on. It makes her happy. Just because I wouldn't pile on jewelry, ruffles, zippers, leather, patterned hose and sling-back shoes...doesn't mean she 'shouldn't'. There will doubtless be another 'you' who would also love and buy this house someday.

worthy -- Wow! A new word for me to apply to housing styles: "accretive". It's lots shorter and better than my lame attempt.

I do like this new design better. And MA's suggestion would certainly improve it.

I would be very tempted to enlarge one of those cupulas to be functional (comfortable sitting space for four people and a bottle of wine).

But again....I don't like the L.

db (overkill) LOL

You might like some of these houses by a firm in Boston. Scroll down three projects and check the different views.

Here is a link that might be useful: some nice houses

Good one, Dallasbill.

You're right: here we go again. You have asked for straight-out opinions so here's mine.

Is it ugly? Well, not as ugly as the first one. And maybe ugly isn't really the right word this time. How about pretentious? Ostentatious? Or even (dare I say it?) McMansion-ish?

I can see how you want something that is different and suits yours and your husbands style. We all tend to want to do that.

May I suggest you hire an architect to design the home for you? I don't think a stock plan is the way to go as many are made to fit on a smaller lot and wouldn't take advantage of your property at all as evidenced by the garage and tight footprints of what you've shown.

I think an architect could get you the unique look that you want along with making it work the absolute best for your property, its elevation, views and trees you want to keep etc. as well as taking into account driveway for kids to play on etc. and other wishes you have. I think you would definetly achieve something that is unique and more "you" than a stock plan would and have somebody else that shares your vision to bounce ideas off of.

I don't think what you desire is a mainstream style and many don't seem to like it, but that doesn't mean it is ugly to those that share the style you like. Just not mainstream.

I like victorian, craftsman, storybook etc. and older styles so for me this house would not appeal, but I'm guessing the styles I like wouldn't appeal to you either and you might call them ugly.

You're probably best trusting your instincts on what you like along with an architect that shares your vision than asking people here what they think of the exterior as what you like doesn't seem to be what most here like. Just accept that part and move on to get your dream started.