getting closer - critique round 4 please!

11 years ago

Here's the latest round :) Don't have much time to write tonight but wanted to get these posted quick to get your thoughts. This is my first time seeing the back elev. - what do you think? I'm thinking there's not many windows in the upstairs back - does it look weird? SHould I try to do clerestory windows or something in the great room (although dh is already concerned on costs..so maybe no).

Sq footage is 3588 and we wanted it more around 3000 but not much we can really do now, I think... I don't think there's much wasted space anywhere. The girls j&j bath is slightly quirky because I asked him to try to fit a window in there somehow. Is there a better layout with a window that you can think of?

Guest bath closets will probably go back to 2 closets like previously. dh isn't a big fan of the walk thru :)

My architect is really trying to convince me to keep the sizes on the front room windows (office & craft rm) but I think they're too tall - he has them at 6'2 with a 12" transom. I love the look, but functionally I don't think they'll work. In the office/den I'm putting a couch in front of that window and in the craft room I really want a counter under the bank of windows so I can sit there and sew/paint/blog whatever.... Also privacy is an issue so we'll probably have to have some type of coverings anyway. what do you guys think? will it kill the look if I shrink the height of those windows a bit?

thanks so much everyone! your feedback is much appreciated!

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Comments (12)

bethohio3
11 years ago
I've wandered back to this forum, so I haven't seen the earlier iterations.

My first observation is that you can't get from the bonus room to a bathroom without going downstairs. That means it wouldn't ever be usable as a bedroom or guest room, and it would even be annoying if a group of kids was hanging out there watching TV. Looking closer to where the powder room is, I'd find it really inconvenient.

For the windows, I have windows in my office (formal dining room) and DH's den that go almost to the floor--and they really hamper furniture placement. I probably wouldn't do that again just because it's so hard to arrange furniture in there. They look great from the outside, but we live in our houses on the inside.

I'm not a big fan of J&J baths in general, so that is a bias. Having said so, I'd rather see a hall bath and a way to get to the bonus room from the upstairs, which means you could do away with the extra set of stairs and actually have a larger more useful mud area.
gaonmymind
11 years ago
I like it! The only thing that I could think of to change the back would be to add dormers. But they cost money and with you being already over is square footage it will be an unnecessary cost. You could see if you could add a gable...but again it will cost you.

I would like the stairs switched around so the kids can run upstairs straight from the back. It would probably make life a tad bit easier.

As far as the JJ bath, I have one. Mine has their vanities in their rooms with the toilet and tub shared. It cuts down on costs and I actually like them. I grew up in a house with a hall bath and for me it was a drag. Being naked running through the hall dripping wet because I forgot my towel (hey I was a kid it and will happen often!)...running back to my room because I forgot my special comb (have thick curly hair)...my dad randomly walking by telling me I was getting water on the floor when my hair and feet were wet...I could go on and on. Sorry I want a bath attached to my room. Even as a child!

Ok done with my rant...lol.

I do think yours is shaped kinda quirky, but I think you could make the most of it with some wainscoting and towel racks or a picture wall.

Just to give you hope that you will some day be able to pull the trigger and since we have the same architect this is where we are today. Yes I LOVE the house and YES I am still nitpicking. It really never ends...I added 3 windows this morning...lol.

The stroller is like 90 feet closer to me and 6 feet higher off the ground so it makes the perspective kinda skewed.
{{gwi:1509570}}
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thanks for all your suggestions. I'm just torn what to do - whether I should try to make this plan work or have him work up something totally different. My dh will probably kill me if I start over again. houseofsticks - you are right about all the porches. I don't really envision us using the front porch at all, but I do love the curb appeal it provides. but I could probably make it a little smaller to save $$. I'm also not sure about the back porch yet because he hasn't given me a back ext drawing to look at. I feel like we need to have something back there otherwise the whole back of the house is nothing but a flat expanse. I do love your porch pics - I have a ton of similar pics on pinterest :) kellhuck - I do really like your idea of creating more space in the mudroom but dh is already worried about sqfootage so I need to try to reduce things and not add any more (although I love your idea!) naf naf - thank you SO much for taking the time to email me your idea! that was so nice of you! I do like the ext with the breezeway and really need that extra hall space in the mudroom for my 3 kiddos' stuff (shoes, coats, backpacks. etc..) I'm going to try to do a built-in w/cubbies in that hall somewhere. but thanks again for your help! mydreamhome - thanks for your thoughts. I don't really need a table to fit that many people to eat. We're casual and many will probably just eat in their chairs or on the sofa or whatever we put out there. But I do need room for a least a 6ft table or so. I can't really run the porch around the back, because I want to be able to look out my kitchen windows and see yard, not the inside of my porch. My windows/sink will be on the back side of the house - not looking into the porch like he has them drawn. any other ideas? thanks again!
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I think a more accurate term for the island would be bowed. I just went and measured it, and it only comes out 2 inches at the center and that's stretched across a 3 foot width. It just softens it a little and adds a little interest without being too obvious or taking up much room. The fridge wall is all 24" deep. We have a utility cabinet (step stool, dog leashes, dustpan broom and hand vac) with a divided cabinet above for trays and cutting boards. The second cabinet is a 24" pantry with rollouts and a shelf in the upper portion. The one on the right is a 12" pantry pullout tower with wire baskets. I really love this pantry arrangement. There are 2 27"high storage cabinets above the pantry/utility (one cab with doors made off center to match the cab below) and the fridge. You can see the bookshelf turned sideways over the end pantry. We didn't think anything that narrow and deep that high up would be very useful, so I have a row of cookbooks on the bottom shelf (I can just reach them, so these are not the most used books) and display above. We have about 44" between the fridge and the island. I think we barely had enough to push a fridge in before (can't remember if we had to take off the door), so it feels like a huge space to us now. I wasn't sure exactly what you were asking about the cabinets, so I hope that covered more than you needed to know. ;-)
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We've seen lots of barrier islands and worse from KD drawings here, Remodelfa! ;-) But it's not a barrier as long as it has a prep sink. I hope that you will not lose that, Madsmama, in the medium and small island options? I'm hoping it was just forgotten in the translation, but not intentionally left out? How do you foresee the seating being used? Often? Having seating right in front of the fridge could be a big pain. How many seats do you want and need? There is a lot of difference between the 2 too-tight seats on the medium island and the 4 that will comfortably fit at the peninsula. I'd want to move the range to the left a bit for 2 reasons...Not having to navigate around the island corner to go back and forth from fridge to stove, and so it is situated fully behind the island. I think it will look better as a focal point if the island and range, plus hood, all line up. OH! I just reread your previous post. Part of what we were trying to accomplish for you was getting your fridge closer to the action, and you haven't achieved that in any of these plans. What about swapping the oven/fridge area for the closet, so the closet in the next room is moved right, and the fridge and oven get the prime spot closer to the range?
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gaonmymind
11 years ago
Just checked my front windows...they are 6'2" in the dining room (the lower part of the gable). The triple windows on the far right are 6'2" with 16" transoms on top. They feel great to me. I have 10' on the main. I would agree with him on that one. We are putting the windows in about a week or two from now. So I can take pics from the inside.
laurensmom21
Original Author
11 years ago
georgia! AWESOME house! I'm SO excited for you! you are making some fabulous progress quickly (at least it feels quick to me, not so quick to you I'm sure - ha!) I agree with you on the j&j. I think as long as the girls each have their separate sink area, it will be fine. All 3 kiddos share one bath as it is now - so this will be a total luxury for them!

So funny that you added more windows. Dh counted ours yesterday and seems to think like we have way too many - but we don't really! What kind of windows & exterior are you doing? I think I missed your thread on your final decision. I'm also wondering if I should make my transoms deeper - 16 or 18"? I really don't care for skinny looking transoms. We have 9ft ceilings. We are considering Marvin or Andersen windows. Dh is acting as our builder/gc so we have to do all our homework ourselves - ugh. He also has a full time job, so needless to say this is going to be a S.L.O.W. process!

beth - thanks for your thoughts. We thought about having access to the bonus via the upstairs, but I nixed that idea. The bonus area is going to be my mom cave/peace & quiet area and I know that if the kiddos (9,7,5) could access it from their rooms - they would be running in there every 5 minutes. I really want the separate space. We have a basement and plan to finish off a bedroom/bath down there in the future for guests.

I do think I'm going to have to change the windows for functionality reasons - which is funny because usually I always choose looks over function, ha!

any one else have any suggestions?
kirkhall
11 years ago
Well...
I am not a fan of the awkward toilet placement just to get a window in the bath.
What is the purpose of the window in the bathroom? Normally it is for natural light *at the vanity*. To have a window over a toilet doesn't seem necessary to me.

Next, what is the purpose of having bedrooms connected to the bathroom? Normally it is for quick/easy access. But, what you have here is a winding, LONG path from either bedroom that shares this bath to the toilet. So, I don't think the plan fits this bill either.

I know you have chosen to set up your bonus room this way. So, I won't comment on that further.

Downstairs--
what is your vision for your passthrough hallway between office and master? With the double doors, it really is just a hallway now (I don't think you can hang a single thing in there except maybe on hooks as it isn't wide enough for shelving or a rod.)

Are you concerned your kitchen may get cold with the wide open back entrance? I think before, we kind of envisioned (or I envisioned) having that a little more closed off to the kitchen rather than a really wide, almost room-sized, opening/"hall" there between your pantry and 1/2 bath. In this area, having a few casings/doors might be a good decision come winter cold.
lavender_lass
11 years ago
The screened porch looks great, in this version. The cross breezes will be nice and the access is better, IMHO :)

I think that back bedroom (upstairs) is going to be rather dark. Any chance of making that a true gable? Maybe add a few dormers in the attic space? One over the master and one in the hall bathroom...where you have the closet?

Also, I agree with Kirkhall...that upstairs hall bath needs some work. It seems awkward as it is, right now.

Any chance of making that little attic space off the bedroom (upstairs, left) into a reading nook?
laurensmom21
Original Author
11 years ago
kirkhall - thanks for your thoughts. I agree with you on the bathroom upstairs, but I'm just not sure how to change it without messing up the roofline. Do you think I could scoot that back bedroom to the right so the window is more over the kitchen window below?

Here is the bath from round #1 and I think it's fine although I still would love to somehow get a window...
{{gwi:1493930}}

I do agree that the side entry should probably have some door casings there instead of so open. I was sorta envisioning a little message center on the wall or spot for a retro wall phone or something...

lavender - thanks for input too. I'm going to ask my architect what the cost differences would be to create a true gable over that back bedroom - and I agree about the j&j bath, it's not ideal so hopefully we can rework that somehow... Not sure I'm understanding what you mean by the other gable over the master? My master is vaulted so I don't think I can put anything over it?

I do love the idea of a nook in the attic space, but I'm already WAY over on sqfootage so I need to leave that as 'attic' right now (although I'm thinking my 4 year old will probably turn it into his secret hideout area or something :)
mydreamhome
11 years ago
You don't have a side elevation posted yet, but is there a roofline issue with putting a window over the toilet in the original layout posted above? It looks like it will line up in the side gable of the house over the gable of the breezeway roof. But maybe I'm missing something. Also, have you thought about extending that part of the house to connect with the staircase wall and give you a little more room to fit both a linen closet & the toilet in that space?
mommyto4boys
11 years ago
Very nice plan...lots of good ideas. I love your kitchen & tried for awhile to get doors to each side of the range...just never worked in our floor plans.

I agree with others about the bathroom upstairs for the girls, don't know if you would miss a window or not. We have never been able to get a window in the kids' bathrooms.

I would definitely work on the windows in the front of the house...I love to balance the form and function! I think in those two rooms it is very important to have that valuable wall space. In our new build we have those two rooms in the front of the house. The laundry/craft/homework area's window happens to be on the front porch too & it worked out to raise that window without taking fromt he overall look. Like you, our office will have a setee in front of the window. I will have to check the window height off the floor. I'm sure the back of the furniture will block some of the window & I'm fine with that. Sort of the look when a bed is the focal point in a suite in front of a window...it can look very nice!

Also, perhaps it is just me(mom of 6 boys) dreaming with you. I was just wondering how you will use your mom cave. Will it be for tv, computer, exercise, crafts, etc.? Just curious:)

Best wishes in your build...you are getting so very close!
lavender_lass
11 years ago
Laurensmom- I was thinking (as mentioned above) that a few dormers would give some interest to the back of the house...and let in more light. But, they are more expensive. And, would you want a dormer for the vaulted master bedroom or living room?
laurensmom21
Original Author
11 years ago
thanks everyone - I just got off the phone with my architect and we decided to make the back bedroom a full gable with the bed nook centered on in the room. then I told him to just nix the window in the girls bath and make it like the original bath from drawing #1 I posted above.

My new worry is our transoms. I really hate the look of squatty transoms, and I'm scared that's what I'm going to have if I keep my 9ft ceilings. He has them drawn at 12" and said the tallest I could get would be 14" if I modified my headers or whatever. I'm clueless on all that...and dh is our builder so need to do some more homework I guess...

mommyto4boys - I'll have to go back and take a look at your front windows. Do you remember their dimensions? I really think I'll end up changing them, just not wanting to tell my architect :)

on the mom cave - my dream is to have an art studio up there, maybe a lounge area, big comfy chaise, perhaps a tv. In reality it will probably be a glorified junk zone or something... I'm sure it will be the last room in the house to get finished!
lavender_lass
11 years ago
I agree with you, on the transoms. They do look a bit 'scrunched' so maybe eliminating them and just keeping the windows would be a better idea...and save a bit of the budget for another project.

However, I really like your square windows, between the two front gables! :)

getting closer - critique round 4 please!

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getting closer - critique round 4 please!

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