Actually, on Hollyspring's member page she says, "Im on the Board of Directors for my local Humane Society and work as a vet tech to assist in the low cost spay/neuters that a local vet provides. I also volunteer as a tutor in literacy programs and aid in fundraising to assist with finding a cure for Multiple Sclerosis. Being a vet tech, volunteering as a literacy tutor, and helping to raise funds for MS are all wonderful contributions to society and I'm sure HollySprings is a fine person... BUT unless she is also a trained architect on the side, she is no more qualified than any of the rest of us amateurs to trash someone's dream by calling it a "travesty". Renovator8 is a trained architect and I'm sure his tastes are very refined. When he offers advice and makes an attempt to explain WHY one design choice is better than another, it can be very helpful. That said, I can't help but think that perhaps the reason why there are so many internet floor plans with a similar "great room with kitchen to one side with an angled bar dividing the two spaces and a breakfast nook toward the back" is that so many people LIKE this layout and find that it WORKS so danged well in everyday homes where everyday people live and raise families and entertain friends. Is that particular layout a little bit hackneyed in the sense that it is lacking in freshness and originality? Maybe. Will a house with that particular layout ever win any architectural awards for creative design? Probably not. ---But then again, after taking look at the home designs selected by the American Institute of Architects for their prestigious 2011 AIA Housing Awards (linked below), I for one happen to think being a tad less creative is a GOOD THING! The bottom line is, a house with that particular layout be beautiful and functional and a very warm and welcoming home. Okpokesfan, I am not an architect - but I did successfully design my own home (without having to beg for mercy from any approval boards because my design failed to meet some of their requirements) and I get scads of compliments on my home from every person who visits. I like your design. There are a few things I might try doing a little differently but overall, I think it works. Here is a link that might be useful: 2011 AIA Housing Award winning designs

I agree with kirkhall. Maybe that foyer door is centered for symmetry but it could slide down and a great credenza, console, bench, dresser or something could go to the right of it. It would give you more room for that. Plus the eye would go to that then past the door to whatever is then on the hallway wall past the door (artwork, photos, etc) instead of into a bathroom which will end up open most of the time. I also notice the puzzle of bedrooms and bathrooms. It seems you have a modified jack and jill of sorts going on for BR2 and BR 3. You have a powder room. So the full bath by the guest room is really for guests? If that's the case then why don't you place the door opening IN the guest room instead of in the hallway so they have their own private suite and don't have to come out when they want to shower or use the facilities? We're doing that in out house and have gotten so many positive comments from people that will be overnight guests in our upcoming home. This will eliminate the hallway foyer viewed door issue as well. I also agree about the sink and cooktop. I know it says that design is coming later with the kitchen designer. But it's something to think about. A lot of people do put them back to back for symmetry not thinking about the practicality. Also think about where you will actually store your everyday dishes and put the dishwasher on that side. You don't want to be loading/unloading on your cooking/prepping side. That's the side you want your trash on.

Above, Huango said: "sorry to counter, but "cooktop (or slide-in range) in the island" is generally not supported by GW." Does "GW" mean "garden web" or is there some kitchen design authority I am not aware of by those initials? I haven't been on this forum in quite some time, (but just visited the other day, when I was home sick, looking to see if I could find photos of something specific--but was disappointed that there is no longer a search box specific for the kitchen forum now that it has merged with Houzz.) I didn't realize that now only GW officially "supported" kitchen design concepts were allowed on this open forum! Seriously?? (tongue-in-cheek.) Everyone's cooking and "family style" is different. Because the original poster had teens, and the solution has worked well for me and others I know, I only suggested "considering" a cook-top in the island as something to "think about", in case she hadn't given it much though before. (I don't think anyone here should be giving "absolute" answers to questions that are based on personal preference anyway, and it goes without saying that those posting questions need to be very, very careful about weighing the free advice they receive from "who knows who" on open forums like this. I know there are professionals that post here (at least they used to--but even professionals disagree among themselves and have differing abilities and tastes (I am an architect, btw--I speak from experience.) I personally HATE cooking at the stovetop with my back to "all the action". But, I am no gourmet or fancy cook, either. In my opinion, a cooktop in the island only works with either a raised snack bar behind it, or a very large island so that folk sitting opposite of the cooktop can't possibly get fingers burned or spaghetti sauce splattered on them. I've been in kitchens with both set-ups and seen it work well. It would require a major reconfiguration of Mary's space; I didn't mean to suggest just "throwing" a cooktop in the island as shown. But, as others have pointed out, the 4' walkway isn't enough to comfortably have people seated at the island and be able to pass behind them, so it needs to be reworked anyway. Just keep in mind that the island most likely will become the major hang-out space for your teens. In my experience, it will be hard to get them to want to eat at the table at all. At the very least, Mary might want to seriously consider moving the range to a side wall (such as shown in Lavender Lass's plan with the pergola), so that when she is cooking at the stovetop, she would only have to turn sideways to communicate with everyone in the family room and breakfast room. But the same could be said for the sink, too. (again--just something to think about so her back won't be towards all the action, but maybe she would prefer not to be distracted when cooking and doing dishes? Everyone is different. At least, in my world, I seem to be spending the majority of my time in the kitchen at the sink or range! Best wishes on your new house, Mary.

Why light windows? With the Georgian style of the home in a historic area of greater Philadelphia, sticking with a more traditional look feels right to me, plus I like traditional. Additionally, dark windows on a house like this feels trendy to me, and with all the other renovations we want to do, I don't want to redo the windows until we have to. Lastly, I think dark windows look best without shutters and for the proportions of the house (as well as the architecture) I think the house needs shutters. My husband and I agree dark windows would look killer in the back but not in the front. I really do like the idea of green accents or shutters. There's a house in the neighborhood that I always admire with sage trim and no shutters but their brick and window layout is different than ours. And like I said, I think we'd have to get the color just right for it not to be just a green version of what we have now.