I have re-compiled the original list, adding recent suggestions. Closet & Organization Outlets in closets Make sure your closet has enough space for both double hung rods, and singles to accommodate long clothes Full size broom cupboard in pantry or laundry room to hide all the cleaning items away from sight. More closet/linen space than you think you'll need (one user suggested an island in the closet for packing suitcases or folding laundry) Cubbies in mudroom with an outlet in each one Motion sensor on pantry and closet lights Plan where you’ll charge personal electronics (tablets, laptops, etc.) Plan where you’ll park the vacuum (in homes with small children or pets, you may want to keep it near the eating areas). Bath Outlet in master toilet closet for night light Outlets inside vanity cabinets (upper and lower) in bathroom for dryer etc. (Consider making these switched outlets, so hot tools are more likely to be powered down when you leave the room.) Heated towels racks Don't caulk the bottom of your toilet to the tile, as it may hide leaks. Make use of the pony wall in a bathroom by turning it into storage. If you have a central vac system, add vac pans for hair in bathroom. Appliance garage on counter Laundry access via master closet, and a second laundry room Exhaust fans vented to outside Consider shower/tub preferences e.g. thermostatic valve, hand-held sprayer, steam Grab bars and easy tub/shower entry for aging family members Shampoo niche in shower where it is only visible once standing inside shower Eye-level side lights are more flattering than overhead lights. Outdoor Run conduit under the driveway for future wiring or plumbing needs Prewire speakers both indoor and outdoor (this 9-year-old suggestion may be outdated now, as more speaker brands offer wireless systems) Ensure you have hose outlets and power on all 4 sides of your house, and on top of any raised areas Hot/cold outdoor water is good for washing pets Motion sensor pre-wire for selected exterior lights Keypad entry on garage door (Keypad entry on front door is great as well, both are easy to retrofit) Gas line to grill Lighted outdoor pathways and steps Illuminated (or highly visible) house numbers to ensure EMTs and packages arrive safely If your electric utility and budget allow, request underground distribution lines, rather than above ground poles. Kitchen Outlets in kitchen pantry for charging, or for items that may end up living there Recess the fridge, or make adjacent cabinets deeper, so cabinet faces sit flush with body of fridge With deep islands, put cabinets on both sides. While they are not easy to get to, they are good for storing seldomly used items. Built-in paper towel holder Custom storage organization in kitchen drawers Warming drawer in dining room Pantry entrance near both kitchen and garage Rough-ins for both gas and electric appliances Pantry door on swivel Pantry light on motion sensor Copper tubing for your ice maker from the freezer and until it's out of the kitchen wall Drawer microwave Knife drawer Pull-out garbage/recycling/laundry (for dirty dish towels/napkins/bibs!) Paper towel holder in drawer slot Drawers for all lower cabinets (more efficient use of space) Two soap pumps at sink (one for hand soap, one for dish soap) Easy-access place to store frequently used appliances place to hang hand towels & aprons Exhaust fans vented to outside For windows above counters, maximum height possible Plan dining seating area to be expanded when hosting large number of guests. Locate garbage disposal switch in a way that someone could not possibly turn it on while someone’s hand is near the unit. Electrical & Plumbing Prewire security system & cameras Run wire and prepare roof for future solar Run a 2" PVC pipe up from the basement to the attic for future wiring needs, some suggested double conduits. Separate 20-amp circuit with outlets at waist height in garage to plug in tools Separate 20-amp circuit for TV and a/v equipment (this 9-year-old suggestion may be outdated now, as modern televisions are not quite so power-hungry) Identify areas for low voltage rack (this 9-year-old suggestion may be outdated now, as alarm systems, network servers, modems, and routers are more compact) Prewire speakers both indoor and outdoor (this 9-year-old suggestion may be outdated now, as more speaker brands offer wireless systems) iPad controllers in the walls to control whole house music systems (this 9-year-old suggestion may be outdated now) Pre-wire for generator to essential areas Carbon monoxide unit on the wall upstairs Make sure plumbing in bathrooms is done correctly. One commenter's toilet was placed too close to the tub pipes so they couldn't get the deeper tub because they didn't allow room. Cast iron pipes for the plumbing drops from the second floor cuts down on noise Take pictures of all the walls before drywall goes up, so you know where all the wiring and studs are located. Include a 220V to garage (tools, future electric car etc) Measure the location of anything under the slab, and various utilities out in the yard. Run an electrical line with a few floor outlets, particularly in open floor plans. It may be best to have floor outlets just outside your planned rug area. Plumb for outdoor drinking fountain. Tankless water heater with recirculating lines. Label electric panel switches, and if you prefer items to be grouped in a certain way, discuss with electrician before they begin. TV outlets at appropriate height (for TV to be centered at eye-level when seated on a sofa, outlets should be ~42” from floor – note that TVs mounted above fireplaces are not ergonomic – with a standard mantel height of 54”, TV ends up centered ~70” from floor). Water main shut-off valve in case of plumbing emergency. Whole-house surge protector at electrical box for major power surges, but sensitive electronics like TVs/computers should be plugged into power strip surge protectors. Exhaust fan in laundry room for faster air-drying, and eliminate odors if you air-dry sport equipment. Lighting Light switch to the attic in the hallway (and remember lights in attic in general) Solar tubes in areas that don’t get natural sunlight In-cabinet lighting Make sure you check the cost ratings of ceiling fans Check all remotes for ceiling fans prior to construction completion 3 way switches where helpful Master switch from master that controls all exterior lights A master switch at each exit (front, back or garage), that turns off all of the power to the switches/lights in the house, so that you can turn off all lights without going to each room and/or light switch. Timer switches and light sensors for selected lights, both interior and exterior In general, recessed lighting for function, pendant lighting for form. If you run ceiling fans frequently, be aware that a ceiling fan will give your recessed lighting a strobe light effect. Dimmer switches in rooms where you may enjoy low-lighting. Master Quad outlets near the bed in the master Light switch at the head of your bed so you can turn out the light once you are in bed. Holiday Exterior holiday light outlets under eaves, with a switch inside to turn on and off. Interior holiday light outlets: over cabinets, in stairway, in porch ceiling, under eaves, fireplace mantle Enough storage for Christmas decorations Seasonal closet with hangers for wreaths, and space for rubbermaid storage boxes. Heating, Cooling, and Vacuums Central Vac with vac pans, if you have hardwood floors get a Hide A Hose (This 9-year-old suggestion may be outdated, as some homeowners prefer robot vacuums over central vac units.) Hepa filtration for allergy sufferers WarmFloors heating Zoned heating/cooling When choosing thermostat/vent locations, plan ahead for furniture/art. Don’t let the builder decide without your input. Install high R-value insulation, windows, and doors. Wall vents painted wall color, rather than left white. Overall Make Your House Do the Housework by Don Aslett - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/590386 Better Houses, Better Living: What To Look for When Buying, Building or Remodeling by Myron E. Ferguson - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/206474 Receptacles for fire extinguishers. Maybe plan some cutouts so they are flush to the wall. Pocket doors where possible Secondary dryer lint trap http://www.reversomatic.com/category/Accessories-Catalogue/Lint-Traps.html Soundproofing where needed A phone by the door leading into the garage for those pesky calls when you are getting in or out of the car (This 9-year-old suggestion may be outdated now, as more homeowners forgo landline phones.) An inside button to open and close your garage door for when guests arrive and it's raining. (This 9-year-old suggestion may be outdated now, as it’s easy to retrofit WiFi-enabled garage door openers that you can open via app.) Additional support during framing on the top side of windows for curtains Power outage flashlights and keep in outlets around the house. Recess these into the space with each fire extinguisher. Mailbox sensor to alert you whenever your mailbox is opened so that you're not running out of the house checking for mail when it's not there. Ensure builders don't "box" off spaces, where storage or shelving could go Make copies of manuals prior to installation and give the builder the copies so you can keep the originals. (This 9-year-old suggestion may be outdated now, as it may be preferable to save digital manuals, as they are easier to search when troubleshooting an already-installed appliance.) Minimal walls, and lots of windows. A laundry room. Not just a hall, or closet, a room.Plan for how laundry gets from hampers to laundry room (e.g. chutes, cart) Laundry room/closet (ideally located near the bedrooms, but could also be in a main bathroom or hall closet) w/ in/on wall folding ironing board, drying rack(s), shelves for laundry supplies and a "laundry hamper sorting station": space for 4 tall laundry hamper/baskets -- to pre-sort laundry. When a hamper is full it's a load of laundry. Spindles and handrail made that can be removed for moving furniture Handicapped accessible. Plan an elevator shaft in case you want to install one later, in the meantime it will serve as storage closets. Plan ahead for wish list items, and rough-in lines for electric, gas, plumbing Anticipate where guests will enter your home after parking, and make that entry comfortable. Guests will take the shortest possible path from their car to the home (often entering through garage or side door), rather than walking around to the official “front door.” Make a “house manual,” including paint brands/formulas, tile brands/styles, etc. Pets Plan a specific place for pet food. Place for the kitty box, including an exhaust fan. Place for dogs to be bathed. Place to store dog crates. Regional considerations Ante-room, with coat racks and shoe storage, and a way to keep the heat in. An entrance to the basement from outside for salt delivery, repair men etc so they don't track through your house. Storm shelter to weather the threats your area faces. Mosquito system http://www.mistaway.com/watch-the-mistaway-video.html and http://www.mosquitonix.com/mosquitonix Covered niche for bear spray at/near each entry. Drain in the garage to get rid of the excess water quicker from vehicles after it snows Pest line (brand name Taexx) a small tube is run around the perimeter of the home through the framing, and then pest control can spray within it. Heated outdoor walkways, steps, driveway Whole-house generator if your area regularly has power outages that last more than 24 hours. Connect to natural gas line or propane tank. Separate electric panel. Footbath or shower, if your backyard activities (e.g. pool, beach) will require a rinse before re-entering the home Plan landscape lighting and irrigation (consider choosing plants that thrive in local zone without additional irrigation) In dry climates, rain barrels to help irrigate, greywater system to reuse household water to irrigate; cistern or well If forest fires are a risk, install exterior rooftop sprinklers For northern climates, heat the garage (pay attention to local ordinances to ensure heating garage doesn’t require finishing garage as a “living space”). For rural areas, do not have any windows in the garage. Instead of getting stuck in the garage and banging on windows, flies and bees will exit through tiny daylight cracks. For dry climates, a whole-house humidifier. For hard-water areas, a whole-house soft water system. (Hose bibs should not use softened water, as it can harm plants.)

I have been counseled that a cheap embroidery only machine will annoy you in time, and you will use it a lot more than you expect, as we all know well. Free and cheap designs are widely available all over the web. A good combo machine (both my machines were good, bought used), according to Consumer Reports review three years ago, does the regular sewing tasks much better than a sewing-only machine, so it is not going to sit, no matter what. I can certainly sympathize with the economy, but it is better to wait and buy a better used machine than to spend maybe half that on a machine you come to hate and don't use. If you check your local sewing store (not a Joann, that has a sub contract with Viking for their larger stores), they usually have machines from people who have traded up just like buying a used car from a new car dealers trades. They often have all different brands, because they take anything in trade, and I have seen some incredible bargains in combo machines from Janome, Elna, as well as Babylock and Brother - at a time when I wasn't buying. Take your time about it, even if you have the bug, and check back often. You can get some real gems from trades.

Hi Kurln! Maybe a sofa table under the window is a good idea. I don't like that empty space. And put the couch backing up to the opening I think wouldn't be "inviting" for those who are entering the space. I've heard that it's always good to have the space opened for those who are entering, so they feel welcomed.

I really enoyed planning my kitchen (with help from here). It's not perfect because there are always constraints in any project, but I'm really happy with how it all came out. I remember your post from before. Do you have an updated layout to post? One thing I was thinking is that you could extend the run on the right side of your drawing to fill the available wall space up to where the patio doors start. If you want to extend further you could make the patio access just a single door instead of double. Your trash can move to your prep zone and be a pull-out. That spot might be good for the kid-stack. Here are some of the things that I feel we got right: (You should definately read all that design stuff that Buehl posted and start making a long list of all your thoughts so you can prioritize and widdle the list down later 1) Measure: This is free. Measure all your items (such as cookie trays, serving trays, casserole dishes, crock pot, prep tools like cuisinart, blender, juicer, stock pot, pots and pans, slow cooker, etc, basically everything). Then you will be able to design drawers the right size so you have a place for everything. If you're building a pantry, you can plan to store some of the large items in there, but you still have to measure them so that you build the pantry accordingly. Also, are you storing seasonal things in the kitchen such as holiday dishes and serving items? Plan on where all that will go. 2) Ask: This is free too. Ask your family members if there is something that they really want to be incorporated in the kitchen. For our family of 6, only younger DD and DH each had a specific request. DD (age 9) was just getting into baking, so she wanted an additional electrical outlet away from the all the zones, so that she could plug in her mixer without being near me if I'm prepping, cooking or cleaning. There was a perfect place behind the trash pull-out in the island seating area. Now we call that side of the island the baking zone. DH wanted to be able to access his blender and juicer without having to get down on his hands and knees to dig through a cabinet. He got a tall drawer where those items can stand up straight and are easy to access. 3) Hide the MW: We like cheap not-built-in microwaves because we don't use it very much. Cabinet builder made a spot for it where we can close the cabinet doors if we want to. The doors slide back out of the way when it's open. But if you are a heavy microwave user, then you might want it built-in or above the oven so that it is more prominent and accessible. 4) Almost all drawers, maybe a cabinet if you need it: Agree about having lots of drawers. I do, however, have two shallow cabinets in the island where the stools are. It's wide but not deep. We ended up doing that because the island is 4' wide and on the opposite side there are drawers. That left a wasted space on the stool-side, so we put cabinets there. In there I put things that I don't use often, such as long serving trays, a long skinny bread basket, and extra casserole dishes for Thanksgiving and other gatherings. These would not fit well in a drawer. Also in there go vases and other things I want to access but not often. Sometimes one cabinet is needed somewhere. It just depends on what you are storing. 5) Trash can at the prep zone. 6) "Kid/sports stack": For school age kids and people that are always packing coolers for sports, having a stack for them is great. I call ours the "kid stack." We put in a 4 drawer stack at the end of a run. In the top are the school lunch totes, school cutlery, wet wipes, etc. Next drawer has small lunch tote sized water bottles, insulated food bowls for school, reusable snack and sandwich bags. Next drawer is the snack drawer. In there we have all manner of snacks that they can grab while packing their lunches. The bottom drawer has sports water bottles. After the kitchen was finished they actually started packing their own lunches because it was all set up to be easy. Also when people are leaving for sports, they can load a small ice chest (kid stack is right by ice maker), throw in some snacks and water bottles. This stack is not anywhere near my cook, prep, or clean up zone so we're not tripping over each other in the morning. 7) Coffee/tea stack: If you are coffee and tea drinkers, see if you can put a drawer stack under where you keep your coffee maker. Ours is a 3 drawer stack. Top 2 drawers are all about coffee and tea, and the bottom drawer has dishtowels. 8) Bright LED lighting on dimmers. It's so frustrating to not have good light in a kitchen because it is a work zone. But at night or while entertaining you want to turn it down, so have everything on dimmers and try to incorporate under cabinet or over cabinet lighting if you can. 9) Cleverly placed electrical outlets: Place your outlets as low as allowed and turned sideways. Try to match them as well as you can to your backsplash material so they blend in. If you have an area where you don't want to see the outlets (for us this is a long run that is away from the zones, and has glass cabinets and such, so it's the "pretty part"). There I didn't want to interrupt the pretty backsplash with outlets, so we put an outlet strip up under the cabinets. This works for outlets that don't have something always plugged in. But for things that are pretty much always plugged in such as coffee maker and toaster, it doesn't work bc you'd see the cord; for those a low/sideways outlet is best so the cord is hidden behind. Note about that -- since the outlet strips are there (where under-cabinet lighting would normally be installed), we turned the under-cabinet lights around backwards and mounted them under the cabinet, but in the front rather than the back. 10) Venting: Have an appropriately powerful vent over the cooktop. My DS has NO venting in her kitchen. It's awaful and this is a $$$$ house. It's so stupid that the builder did that and the previous owner never addressed it. 11) Niche above cooktop: Before the remodel, our cooktop was in front of a window and I got in the habit of putting the salt, pepper and olive oil on the window sill. When we remodeled the cooktop moved to a regular wall. So we made a niche with a sill where we put these things. I like having the basics within easy reach. Mistakes/oversights: - I forgot to plan a place to hang the dishtowel. This really bugs older DD. - I didn't think about the paper towels. We have them on the counter. But after we finished, I saw a picture where someone had built the paper towel holder into the place where a drawer would be under the counter. It was such an awesome idea, but too late for me. My thoughts on your layout: