I think that a coffee station is a master closet is a bit weird, considering the kitchen is equal steps away from the bedroom.

Why do you need to close off the 2 closets with 2 more doors if they are already behind a door? There's a lot of wasted space in that "coffee stn. foyer" that could be used for the master closet. Dump the 2 closet doors and put a pocket door from master into closet and gain all that area back.

Do you really need a pocket door into the toilet? It means adding a second fan in the bathroom and again, takes up space.

I would dump the door from kitchen to side porch and put double French doors where the middle window (across from island) is.

Do you really need a door from master suite to side porch? It removes usable wall and room area there and how often will you use it?!

Thanks dallasbill! We agree that the coffee station is a waste. That will likely come out. And I like your ideas for just making the master closet bigger. I'm the only one that drinks coffee - and I can easiy go right to the kitchen.

As for the pocket door into the toilet - are you suggesting we not have a door at all? I think we want a door into that area.

We have dogs and plan on using the door from the master onto the porch in the morning and before we go to bed. It is more of a nice to have - so if cost doesn't allow for it, then it will go!

And the French door from the kitchen - we dscussed this and wanted to be able to pull a screen door out. We also have cats and need a way to talk to someone outside without letting the cats out (hence the screen). We are going to make the other "windows" atrium doors that just don't open. I think it will give us the look we are going for.

Thanks again for your feedback!

I would rethink that corner oven -- it really is very space inefficient and I think that corner would look "heavy" compared to the rest of your open space.

You can get screen doors that work with french doors. Check them out before eliminating that feature. 3 sets of french doors onto that porch would be a fabulous feature for opening up the house and letting in cool or warm breezes. Or screen in the porch and then the cat can get treat of being outdoors while still being safe inside.

I agree about the coffee station. Another option instead of making the closet bigger it to make it a bit smaller and create a dressing table.

Don't forget to provide access to that under-stair space from the laundry room. It will make a nice bit of storage.

There is no entry space. You walk right into the great room or the dining room.

I would not want everyone's first view in the front door to be across to the kitchen, which it seems like it would be. I'd switch the study with the great room, and have the GR, DR, and kitchen all surround your beautiful porch as a continuous unit.

Anne

It seems one of my posts didn't post....so I will try again.

The entry may be modified to add a half wall and switch the swing of the front door...creating a little entry space.

As for switching the GR with the study - that was the original plan, but we switched it because we wanted one big open concept room. Hopefully this design gets us there!

Hello Gordo!

Actually, there are some things about your plan I like a lot, and in fact may steal one or two ideas. What a very fun project!

@ALnicole is right about the space under the stair landing. Is there a similar landing on the basement stairs? What area is excavated for the basement? Does it extend beneath the side porch?

Do you have any perspective or elevation drawings? Is the second floor only above the the MBR, stairs, laundry, mud, MCL? With such a large garage, do you also have a "bonus" room or space above it, accessible from the second floor? I'd really like to see those perspective drawings.

~Allen

I'm not sure why you feel you need to close off your master suite even more by putting a wall/door for the toilet. Can't a person just close the bathroom door? How much privacy do you need? And, you will need a fan in there, too.

Our bathroom layout is identical to yours, sans toilet room. It enables one big room, and a sealed, glass-walled steam shower that adds immensely to tension-reduction AND resale value.

It's also a hell of a lot easier to clean, cool and A/C without another little room in there.

Minor note but builders hate pocket doors. They can warp and bind, moreso inside a bathroom. You could just put a raised ledge there for a bit of privacy.

I like the plan, including the coffee station. You definitely want the door to the WC in the bathroom, whether it's sliding or swinging. You might try to add a closet to the study in case whoever buys it in the future wants it as a bedroom.

Such great responses! Please keep them coming!!

I already got the sense that my builder wasn't a fan of the pocket doors. If he is really adament about it, he can convince us otherwise.

But the door to the WC is a must!! We are constantly getting ready together and really like the privacy. We are setup that way now and really love it. Seems more like personal preference. The added cost is worth it to us!

We'd like to put in a steam shower and are hoping the finances allow.

It seems my posts keep going missing too. ugh :( I had posted pics of our elevation, second level and basement. If anyone needs a re-post, let me know. Otherwise, i'll let the IT Gods figure out how to get my post back:)

If you leave the door to the toilet maybe eliminate the door entering the bathroom and it would feel more open and more like a suite.

OK - so I think this message board hates me:)

Let me try posting these pics for a third time:

Basement

Second level

Exterior

It's a craftsman style home

As someone who has a door to the toilet compartment and a door to the bathroom, I can speak from experience. Keep the door to the toilet. With a bathroom big enough for two, you do need the privacy. As for skipping a door to the bedroom, don't. You want to keep the humidity generated in the bathroom out of the bedroom.

There might be other reasons to keep the door to the bathroom, but coming from one living in Houston Texas humidity is not a reason to keep the door to the bathroom. We don't have a door (I have mixed feelings) but the humidity is not a problem.

I like the clever plan and wouldn't suggest any changes of substance. I am surprised that the same level of cleverness isn't evident on the exterior. Perhaps a gable roof would help.

Just a super plan! I have mixed feelings about the corner range, but nothing major. Don't know if tweaking it a bit (you would gain some dead-corner storage in the cabinets) would be worth it to you, but I would draw out both with fully-detailed elevations and see how it felt.
I would like to see a creative, functional space-defining "something" between the living and dining, like an arts & crafts style colonnade, built-in china cab with stained glass on both sides lit from within, or some other detail. I think this would actually give more room to each of the spaces, create a "zen view" and shelter to the kitchen and dining; not being able to see everything at once, and not seeing the kitchen from the front door.
It's such a great house in form, space and flow.
Casey

I too was a little "eh" on the exterior until i saw it in a book (where they got the basic design from). Then it looked a lot better. I would still like some "umph" added to it but i'm not sure how far i'm going to get with this architect. He's really great - but doesn't seem too willing to change the exterior. And as much as it might not be super perfect for me/us, it is really nice. And since this isn't our forever home, i'm not sure i'm willing to shop this around to see if someone can do better. I think I will just settle and create a nice paint scheme and exterior lighting. That might help a lot.

thanks for all of the comments!

I stare at this plan every waking moment thinking through how we use our current space and how we would use this new space. Stuff like where I put my glasses when I shower and will I have a similar spot in the new design. Or the fact that my husband often comes home from business trips at 3am...how can I leave a light on for him that won't disturb me, then how does he shut it off without walking through a dark house to get to our room. We have solutions for these two in particular, but it's these little every day inconveniences that make or break a space for me! Oh - and another one...we created the exterior door to the porch in our master bedroom. But if we have a house alarm, we really need a panel in our room. Otherwise, I have to leave the room, turn off the alarm, then go back in to go outside?!? Uh - no...if I have to do all of that, I might as well exit the house somewhere else! Again, it's these little things that are the things I hope we don't miss!!

I love your plan and think it has some uniqueness that gives it character.

Since I just had my alarm installed a couple of days ago I can help with your last question. I have a keychain fob that I can have in the car as I approach the house or on the nightstand so that I don't have a panel in the bedroom. It can arm/disarm the alarm.

I'm sure different companies do it differently, but the only thing I have hard-wired is from the phone line in the mech room to the alarm panel by the garage entry door. Everything else is wireless.

That said, it was just installed so I haven't lived with it yet.

I would either get serious about the Craftsman Style and use a gable roof with shingles that wrap the corners (no corner boards) or I would stop trying to force the Craftsman Style on this house and let it be a Colonial/Colonial Revival of some sort.

I forgot to add that I would like it better with a lower-pitch roof like a 10/12, instead of the as-drawn 12/12.
Casey

From a family perspective, my wife and I had specific needs in our new build.

1. Mud room at rear entry. You got.
2. Good size laundry where we can hang clothes and in a convenient location. You got.
3. Room for a work bench and perimeter storage in garage. If you have third car that might be consideration. It could be nothing more than deepening the garage.
4. Kitchen pantry. There are great storage solutions nowadays but it's nice to have the extra room/closet.

The kitchen/dining overlooking a large deck. We did something similar but it's not as beautiful as yours.

Interesting plan, for sure. Could you post a side elevation that shows the porch on the left side of the house?

I really like that your plan minimizes hall space- I'd always prefer to have less wasted space (to build, to clean, to heat). I also like the stairs you chose- space-efficient, but also easier to walk up than winder stairs (although, I really like the winder stairs look).

Do you really want the kitchen to be visible from the front door, however?

Also- and this is just a note for thinking about families with kids- would it be better to have the kitchen adjacent to the great room, rather than having the dining area (and big table, etc) in between? Also- do you really want the 2-story kitchen/dining room? (It is a beautiful plan and I'd love living there I'm sure.. I do tend to prefer more traditional rooms (foyer, dining, etc rather than 2-story great room idea).

Thank you for sharing and best of luck!!