Is that a railing over the front porch?
You need to find someone that can help you with the elevation.

We usually have 27 for Christmas, and serving that many dinner is a challenge. Where will you serve everyone? Buffet style from the island? When I'm cooking for a crowd I sure don't want everyone walking all the way through my kitchen, not to mention having to keep the island completely clean for the platters and big bowls.

Perhaps it's because of where the words are placed, but do you intend to center the dining table on the window? That would give room to set up a buffet between DR and Kitchen.

Where do you store tableware (plates and flatware and glasses) for 30?

That's a vast plain/(plane, too!) of counterspace along the garage wall. I should think that would be a great place for the range, and use the (former) range counter for partyware, bar, serving counter. Keeps everyone else out of the workspace. (The following question will prove I'm not a KD: Do vent hoods vent straight up, or out the side? Either way, putting it on the garage wall seems like a better place.)

--naf_naf: Yes, there's balcony above connected to the sitting room, and yes, the elevation needs a lot of help. I've been working mostly on the layout.

--bpathome: The front island has a raised bar, and we're planning on serving buffet style from that. The window placement was pretty much a first draft. I'm hoping people here will help with it. The plan is to center the dining table in the "Dining Room" rectangle.

I would move the range to the center of the kitchen wall against the garage/workshop. This will give you a great area to work and plenty of storage. I would add a prep sink to the island, so you can prep facing out.

I would also add a prep sink to the 'baking area' (?) against the mudroom wall. You need sinks for prep, especially with multiple cooks. This is such a big kitchen....I put in a peninsula for the stools and extra prep. It will give you more room than a second island, but whatever you like :) {{gwi:1506965}}From Kitchen plans

This post was edited by lavender_lass on Wed, Oct 29, 14 at 19:09

Just me, because I'm under 5'5", but I find it hard to dish up from a raised counter. But maybe you all are taller than I am ... many people are :-)

I like LL's kitchen. It can be a T shaped island instead of a peninsula. You can seat 10-12 there.

Thinking of the kitchen first: I think it's too big; for everyday use, you'll be knocking around in that oversized, expensive space. I'd build a comfortable space for what you really need every day . . . and it'll stretch fine for gatherings -- I feed groups that size without any problem.

With groups in mind, here's what I'd include:

- Space in the pantry to store items (rising bread or dessert) until it's time to use them.
- Space to store fold-out tables and chairs, which can be brought out for large meals.
- Floor space to set up fold-out tables and chairs for large meals.
- Plenty of storage space for the tableware for these folks.

Don't forget to carefully plan parking space and space for those guests to place their coats, keys, sunglasses, etc.

I'm not crazy about the t-shaped island. Just too big.

I usually love Lavendar Lass' designs, but in this case, I don't like that the peninsula separates the kitchen from the back door. I probably feel that way because we are big grillers, and I'm thinking of walking around that peninsula time and time again.

However, the wet bar in that rendition is nothing short of brilliant. With a group, drinks always need a "home", and this space will allow guests to serve themselves . . . without entering your kitchen.

I definitely prefer the door centered in the dining room. Much nicer!

Is that a washer/dryer in the garage . . . and another in the craft room? Reasoning?

Sitting room, office, loft, and craft room . . . do you really need ALL of these spaces? It's a lot of space, and I wonder if some of them couldn't be consolidated.

In contrast, your master closet looks rather modest in comparison to the rest of the house. I think I'd steal some space from the office to make it more comfortable.

The two tubs are great, and I like the location of the shower. But the bathroom is huge -- huge because of the large walkways around the tubs. The tile is going to cost a fortune, and such a large room may be cold. You might consider heated flooring. The plumbing is also strung throughout pretty much every wall, so it's going to be expensive.

I like the T-shaped island! It might be a little too big, but it's a great idea. This kitchen is huge and I don't want to lose too much entertainment space...but I'm not thrilled with the peninsula either. Too much 'stadium seating' as Marcolo would say (LOL)

So, here's another T-shaped island and an inspiration picture. If you decide against the work shop, you could have the extra windows by the range :) {{gwi:1506966}}From Kitchen plans
{{gwi:1445040}}From Kitchen tables and vintage kitchens

Awesome, everyone, thanks for your feedback. Let me give you the thinking behind the kitchen, and maybe you can help me find a better way to get what we're wanting. The front island is designed for me. I want a smaller space with everything in reach. There's a stove, a sink and a prep area. The ends are bent in to give a bit more counter area and shorten the reach. I like the idea of being able to be a part of what's going on in the rest of the area while I'm cooking. My DW, prefers wide open spaces. She wants to be able to set out as many things as she needs and still have counter space to spare. The back part is set up the way she likes it. It would definitely make more sense to move the range to the back wall, but I'd prefer to keep it out if I can make it work.

--Lavender Lass: Thanks for your redrawing -- and we definitely need a wet bar out where people can help themselves without going through the kitchen.

--bpathome: Good catch. We were thinking of trying to force parents to serve their children, but we've got to make sure it's not too tall for the 5'2"s in the family.

--MrsPete: Great feedback! Yes, the kitchen is probably too big overall, but I'm not sure what to cut. Lavender Lass' design is more effective (except that you hit the nail on the head with the grilling issue).

group stuff:
Good call on the "food waiting area".
The large closet off the living room is for folding tables and chairs.
We'll move the furniture in the living room out of the way to set them up.
Stuff can go in the coat closet on the left side of the hall, in the mudroom, and in the cabinets in the pre-powder room area.
I don't know where the tableware is going yet.

LOL. The washer-dryer in the garage is actually the garbage and recycling bins that go to the street. I forgot to remove them when I took out the rest of the furnishings.

All the spaces: Need no, use, yes. The sitting room is my DW's retreat. We both have large computer spaces, and that's what the office is for. The loft is for the kids. There will be computers and a TV for watching and video games. The craft room is for. . . (deep breath) sewing, costuming, jewelry making, plaster casting, miniature painting, a bench for computer repair, Lego, and whatever other hobbies we pick up in the future. After the kitchen, this is the room we're most looking forward to.

The master bath is extravagant as it is. I'm certainly open to suggestions on how to change it.

Thanks again, everyone, for your help and taking the time to consider how this plan will work for our family.

Overall I like it, but I agree with Mrs. Pete about sizing your home for day-to-day needs, and then getting creative for big parties. You don't want to feel like you're living in an event center.

Extravagance aside, it's going to be a long walk from the master bed to the master toilet if you need to get up in the middle of the night.

Also, I think the master sitting room is so tucked away it will likely never be used. How do you envision using it?

--zone4newby: Good thought on the toilet distance. If we keep this layout, I'll add another doorway next to the exterior wall. The sitting room is DW's retreat. She'll use it mostly as a reading location.

Are you sure your wife wouldn't consider moving the range? I really like our 'group kitchen plan' we came up with :)

The best part...you don't have your back to people at the table, when you sit at the island. And, you can converse with one another, while sitting at the island! LOL

My few comments:

The main floor guest room seems quite large to me, even if putting in a king bed for guests. However, your desire for furniture in this space may necessitate the need for its size.
Another poster made a good comment about closet size if elderly relatives may come to live with you - can you see both of your parents sharing that small walk-in closet? Also, the main part of the guest bath looks Accessible, but the shower may not be.

Id reverse the swing on your garage-mudroom door, so that it swings against the pantry wall.

If all of your guests head out onto the backyard from the dining/kitchen area, you may want a designated area for shoes/coats etc, so that you aren't tripping over them.

LOVE all of your hobbies - I have around that many myself (or more ;) ).

How do you envision the sitting room being used, tho? At a little over 7ft wide, a 3ft deep couch will leave 4ft7 in front of it, which wouldn't easily allow for a table for tea, etc (unless you put them on either side of the couch). Bookshelves will take up further space, as well.

Dual tubs - a good long soak is awesome, are you guys gonna hold hands while soaking and watching tv? ;)
I'd caution on the steps though - they are a fairly big no-no and falling hazard, esp as we age. If nothing else I'd add a railing. This is a very large home, so if you want to keep it into old age, I'd recommend designing the master bedroom (or at least that main floor bedroom) to be fully accessible.

Your 2nd floor guest closets are just deep enough to be impractical. Reach-in closets just over a foot deep are the easiest to use, and have the most economical storage. at 4ft deep, you could -just- step into yours, but it would be a very tight space.

Sigh. I do like the group plan, and it is more sensible, but I'm the one who wants the range where it is. Seating at the bar isn't really the issue, though. If we're entertaining, the bar will be the buffet and no one will be sitting there. If we're eating at the bar, there generally won't be anyone behind at the table.

I'll have to think about the kitchen some more.

BTW, I must say I'm incredibly flattered. Frequently when people post their plans here, there are responses pointing out glaring errors, spaces that just don't work, and suggestions for whole-house redesign. Since the feedback so far hasn't been about major things, I'm feeling pretty good about my first effort.

Thanks again.

Ummm....not to burst your bubble, but some of the regulars haven't checked in yet. I'm sure there will be some criticism, but take it all as being well intentioned :)

As for the kitchen, I have also considered an island cooktop. The downside...a hood blocks the views, there is more concern over splatters and people will want to set up the buffet and the burners will be in the way.

My SIL has this in her kitchen. She doesn't have a lot of space, so her options were limited. It would be better for parties (my DH is one of nine kids) to not have the burners on the island.

Just something to consider....

The bathtub steps could be replaced with a narrow ledge for extra candles. The steps actually make it harder to get in and out of the tub, and they are in the way of getting to the commode.

One of my sons' closet is 40" deep, and probably 6+' wide, double-door opening. I wish it were mine. It's deep enough that he can hang his robe, ties, belts, and more on the sides. Since they are bypass sliders, he usually has just one open, and the closet becomes almost a dressing room. He has elfa drawers that slide all the way open, no walls or doors in the way. He has a stack of file boxes at one end, but there's still plenty of room to move around. My point is, I love your kids' closets, especially if there will be occasional sharing going on (I,don't know if all four kids come at once) but give them wide doors.

Re the guest room, I imagine if two people do move in there, you could simply expand the closet into the LR closet. In the meantime, will you have it set up as a "den" type space? Our set up is somewhat similar to yours (not the kitchen, though) and at Christmas people like to use our first floor guest room as a secondary gathering place to get away from "the crowd" and we used to set up the Thomas table in there for the littles.