Here is level two and a link for more info

Here is a link that might be useful: House plan

Overall I like it, but I can see a few things I'd change:

- I'd hate to carry food around the corner from the kitchen to the dining room; however, I'd be very willing to give up the web bar to have a cut-through to the dining room.

- Bedroom 2 doesn't actually have a closet IN the bedroom. It'd be easy enough to move the door a little further down the hallway, which would also give a direct entry into the bathroom.

- The whole secondary bath area looks very complicated -- I don't like separating the sink from the rest of the bathroom. Simplifying this room would probably lessen the square footage and improve the area.

- The powder room looks too small for comfort. I think I'd open up the secondary bath to the hallway, eliminating the need for the powder room . . . and enlarge the closet a bit. Perhaps even create a doorway (or a pass-through) between the closet and the laundry. OR just a "back door" in the closet, making it super-easy to tote clothes to and from the laundry room.

- The master bath looks a little narrow, and the toilet closet is really tiny.

Thank you Thank you! I love taking the wet bar out and adding a door! I had thought about extending the pantry but making a door there is perfect!
I like what you are saying about simplifying the bathroom too! We both loved it at first but when I really started looking at all the doors and pocket doors needed it bothers me- esp pocket doors around the tub!
I will look at the narrowness of the bathroom.... maybe there is a way to move it and the closet without messing with square footage. I don't think I could comfortably lose any square footage in bedroom but I'm not sure.
I hate the toilet closet lol. I am fine with changing that entire room as long as I can keep a large tub (husband is 6'3) and a good sie shower.

The dining room is so far from the grilling deck, and your casual dining is "birds on a (curved) wire". Just because it's nice enough to cook out doesn't mean it's nice enough to eat outside. I think you'd like dining closer to the deck.

The kitchen needs a view of the outside!

Re the discussion on Davis' thread about children and houses. For me, i like being able to see from my bedroom door whether there's a digital glow coming from under the teens' doors at 11:45. Or whether the baby is waking in the night. And if the preschooler wakes in the night, in this plan she has a long walk, weaving through living furniture and around the kitchen island in the dark to get to Mama. The closets are ginormous for kids. So, I wonder if you can modify that wing so that the entry is on the other side of the FR fireplace, shrinking the closets a bit, and simplify the bathroom?

The master bath could be inconvenient when you are older. Even before my dad started using a walker, he would find that toilet closet unusable. Not to mention, imagine cleaning the floor in there.

There doesn't seem to be a playroom within kitchen view, or an "away" room for quiet work or relaxation (the bonus room is a little too isolated for that).

Do you need the third garage?mi wonder if there's a way to shift the master bedroom there (though that's even further from the kids) and turn the bedroom into a dining room, and the DR into a den?

Write down exactly what you like in homes you've lived in/visited, then write down what you like in this plan. See where they mesh, and where you could make changes.

Here are a few changes, some of them already mentioned above. This might add too much square footage, but if you decide against the upstairs area, it will give you a mudroom and extra storage.

Also, an easier access to the deck from the kitchen...and to the dining room, through the butler's pantry/pantry combination. And skylights to brighten up the covered porch. Just a few ideas :) {{gwi:1509449}}From Kitchen plans

Thank you all for taking the time to look over this with me. I have so much to think about now!
I was just showing my husband the lack of windows in the kitchen last night. The overall darkness I did read about in another thread with a house with porches. I'm not sure how to alleviate this in any house really. Honestly I'm hoping it wont be an issue. Covered porches are extremely common here so most homes have them and it hasn't been a problem, if anything it is noticeably cooler! But I think this will be a major concern when choosing appropriate lighting. I'd also if nothing else like a window in the kitchen! Another thought too- at least early on, we aren't clearing a lot of the land so it will be woody.

Yall have some awesome ideas and noticed some issues I really didnt see! Thank you! I really love the door between the kitchen and the dining room! Perfect! Thank you so much for taking the time to help! I also really like the mud room area!

I am going to continue looking over it! Someone asked what I loved- honestly the bonus space- potential pool table or hangout, the kitchen- I want an island type working area. Kitchens are my number one reason for not liking a houseplan, large closets- although the kids may be too big! Storage is a huge issue.

On seven wooded acres, I agree I would want to look out from everywhere possible. Also, I have a real love for windows that appear to "wrap" around corners. You have several precious corners allotted to garages and closets. I know you don't need direct sun beating in on you in warm climates, but it is nice to see out, plus rooms with light coming in from two directions just "feel" better, psychologically. Think about the difference between say, a hotel room with windows on just one side, and a corner exposure. Even a small room on a corner feels better to me. Of course, with an open plan, some rooms do "share" windows and views, but I recommend looking closely at that.

Also think really hard about the kitchen and imagine really using it. This island looks like it is dedicated to cleanup. Imagine 5 or 6 people across from you watching you... what? scrape plates and load the dishwasher? I do like company while prepping sometimes and I do like them on "their" side, so I get the appeal, but maybe the function of the island could be juggled. And having a hole (sink) smack-dab in the middle of all that lovely counter space always seems to me to compromise its use-- I like the feeling of elbow room at the counter!

We spent many years planning our house and I had a zillion clippings of floor plans I liked aspects of. We didn't really end up using any of them. We used them to help articulate what we liked and what we wanted. We figured out what relationship we wanted between some specific rooms, and because we knew our land really well, we were very specific about the kitchen with a north window adjacent to a dining area with an eastern and a southern exposure, etc... We didn't worry about which doors went where or how the closets were laid out until later.

We ended up using an architect, who based his design on discussions with us plus our answers to a long questionnaire about our life style and preferences. I don't think we ever even showed him any of our floor plan clippings, just some photos of things that appealed to us. Our house fits us and the way we live in a way I could barely have imagined when starting out.

I know a lot of people decide they can't afford an architect, but I would gladly trade square footage for a custom design that fits us and fits the building site. Most of the canned plans seem to be designed for narrow suburban lots, and since you don't have that, you might be able to get something really wonderful for no more $.

Good luck! You seem to be going into the project with a good attitude and an open mind and that will go a long way toward making it a fun process (some of the time) and helping you keep your sanity (some of the time)!

Thank you. I think yall are right about needing more sunlight! This will likely mean some big changes and we are okay with that. I get what you are saying with the kitchen bar completely. I agree that I would either take out the small sink or move it over- personally one sink seems plenty to me. My husband thinks it could be useful but I don't think its something I would ever miss. There are a couple more changes I would make in the kitchen including taking out stand up freeer and putting in a double over somewhere instead. I also think it needs some configuring in layout to get some windows.

The house will face the south and the house will he built more towards the western side of the land. On one hand I feel like we may need to focus windows more on the right or eastern side then but we bump up to hundreds of acres of woods anyway so I don't know that its a worry. Also I'm not sure we could easily get the driveway to the right side of the house if we tried to move the garage over there.... it may be something to discuss though.
I do think its important to incorporate some ways to bring sunlight in without losing the porches!

So the back of the house faces north, onto the woods? Then skylights on the covered deck might be a really good idea! Also, maybe a bay window in the master bedroom to take advantage of the view?

I moved the garage entrance down just a bit, so the master bedroom door is closer to the kitchen....less like you're right off the garage. Also divided the large front bedroom closet, so it's two smaller ones...maybe a large linen storage off the bath? And added stairs, if you decide you do want the bonus room :) {{gwi:1509450}}From Kitchen plans

This post was edited by lavender_lass on Wed, Oct 29, 14 at 13:53

ahh! You are awesome!! You have got me considering so many possibilities.

Why is the plan so square and compact on seven acres? I would be looking at plans that were rectangular and had direct outside views and the garages didn't "internalize" so much of the living space. It's essentially a one-story plus plan regardless so the roof area isn't significantly diminshed by the compact plan.

Thats a good question! Honestly probably bc I looked at so many that were that way. I want it squared or rectangled up more- by that i mean simplifying the roof lines to reduce cost and to give it a different look. I prefer a more country or acadian style exterior.
I think making it more rectangle may help to get more sunlight!

I'm not a designer so my opinion is less than amateur, but I just don't see how this house plan you're working with will make the most of your site. The garage and master bath in the upper right corner, totally kill the view that direction.

what if you moved the master suite closer to the other bedrooms and located your garage like this. It seems like the location least likely to waste view maybe? I also like the convenience of a circular drive, but that's just my thing.

[Traditional Exterior[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-exterior-home-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_736~s_2107) by Edina General Contractors John Kraemer & Sons

Thanks for that example! I will show my husband! I think you may be on to something. I'm going to play with it tonight.

I like the master bedroom "bumped to the right" so that you have windows in the kitchen. Do note, though, that this means you've lost cabinet space on that side of the kitchen . . . and you've lost the wet bar on the other side (in the interest of connecting the kitchen and the dining room). And the upshot is that although your kitchen will "feel" large, your work space is greatly reduced.

I have to disagree about the kids' closets being over-sized. Yes, they're large for small children . . . but the OP says the plan is to stay in this house, and one day those kids will be teens. I personally like the idea of large closets and modest bedrooms. A smallish bedroom is fine (and easy to keep neat) if you have adequate storage.

No, the great room won't be bright and sunny . . . but with a bit of planning, I don't think it'll be cave-like. I've looked at this plan before, and I'm pretty sure it has high ceilings in the great room . . . so plan tall windows with transom windows. The skylights on the porch are also a good idea. I'd consider losing that outdoor fireplace -- most people don't use them often, and it will block light from the porch. Use light colors, and your room won't be dark-dark.

Another thing I've just noticed: In the interest of furniture placement, I'd consider replacing the French doors with sliders (the new ones look just like French doors, but are cheaper).