Well, they are both nice, but if it were me, I'd prefer the 2nd elevation. Not only do I prefer the more dramatic entry, but it seems much more practical to me. A large seating area in the foyer for us would be wasted space, especially since you say you have lots of other seating areas in the house. Whereas with a larger dining room, you can really accommodate any size group and still have room for a nice buffet or built in. I love the idea of a balcony and think it would be nice to have a little private outdoor space like that. I also love the way it looks in the elevation drawing.

Sweeby, I forgot to say congrats and I'm so happy that you're able to do this now. No matter what you decide to do, I'm sure it's going to be lovely.

I prefer the 2nd option for both the interior space and exterior look. I like the way the balcony breaks up the large front facade and I like the elegance of the staircase as you enter.

The rest really depends on you...do you need more seating conversation space or a more useful DR? Form follows function....

Hey Sweeby,

I prefer the second also. The larger dining room for me seals it. But even that aside, the stairway seems to belong in the entry rather than nearer/in the dining space. And the entry seating doesn't feel right in the first version. Reminds me of a corporate or hospital lobby. I seriously doubt that seating would get much use, as it would be odd to sit on that couch facing the front door, doncha think? The less prominent pair of chairs in #2 covers the need for a spot to park the semiwelcome visitor while you scoot to retrieve the whatever they came for. I don't envision much other use for a seating area in an entry.

Yes, you lose the view to the back with the stairs in #2. Maybe windows to the side of the stairs? A peak to the back, rather than a grand reveal? I think a house unfolding is nicer than everything being right there right off.

I've debated the catwalk being centered or just above the doorway and whether that is a loss. I think centered will be more dramatic. Over the doorway reminds me a bit of kitchen soffits - not in a good way.

On the exterior - is that a upper balcony to the left of the door in #2. If so, I like that very much.

(trying to guess which of you favors which plan)...

So three votes for the Back Stairs plan. I'm not going to reveal my preference yet to not influence the vote. Some additional information:

- The relative uses of the spaces -- We probably would not use a 'parlor' space often except in cases of the 'semiwelcome visitor' as Celtic mentions. We probably also would not use the balcony. That space could be an interior reading nook or computer alcove that might get used more, and the facade would be like #1. The dining room would be used 5-6 times per year, during which times, larger would be better.

- The Front Stair plan has about 110 more usable square feet, which could matter for resale value, though that's not the #1 consideration. Trading the front balcony for a nook gets that space back. Since the house is not 'generic', a more appealing house would probably more than make up for a slightly smaller Sq. Ft. number.

- One concern about the center catwalk is that the beam-work on the entry ceiling would not be very visible from the front door, though with a relatively narrow room, it might not be all that visible front-to-back in any case. Another viewpoint is that the eye would be drawn to the stairway, then upward toward the ceiling.

- If the stairs are in front of the window, they would be of a very open design, so the view (nice trees and plantings) would be hinted at.

I also like the back stair option for the interior spaces. The seating area in the entry in option #1 looks a bit like a waiting room. With option #2 you still have a nice overflow area for parties, and standing room for more people is actually more useful than seating for a few as it keeps people moving to other rooms and mingling with other guests.

From an exterior perspective, I don't mind either design except the fact that your balcony appears to be wrought iron. It is a material, color and motif (trellis or diamonds) that doesn't appear anywhere else on the house and thus looks completely out of place. A green powder coated aluminum railing on the balcony would look better, as would a certain type of rough hewn cedar railing in the same stain as the doors. Regular pickets or stiles would create negative rectangular space, or you could even do a board amd batten rail or something equally solid to balance the lower level arcade of doors.

In general I like option 2 for function better due to the space usage as others have mentioned, but in all options I wonder about the distance to reach the main parts of the house with the stair location.

From the Kids bedrooms you have a pretty long distance to get to the stairs and and then downstairs another long distance to the main areas where the family spends time.

Any chance you can hug the walls with the stairs in the dining room and have the stair entrance/exit downstairs be near the bar area and the top entrance/exit be near the where the balcony door is? Would be more space in the dining than option 1 and be less walking back and forth inside the house too.

Another thing I would look at incorporating into the entry area would be a mudroom from the garage. I love having one even here in TX and they are becoming more popular in new construction too in TX. Great for kids backpacks, shoes, drop zone, etc. I really like it as I can get stuff ready the night before and put it out in the mudroom and not forget in the am without having clutter visible in the house. Not sure on best way to fit one, but I think it would be a plus if you had one.

Good points --

Kswl - Your point about the balcony not matching anything else makes sense, but is actually not completely true. There is a balcony on the southwest corner of the house (not shown) with a decorative steel (looks like iron) railing that I would match on the front. I just wasn't able to draw that in on this picture -- but here's what it looks like:

Lyfia - Your points about the distances from the stairs are right on target. (She's been here.) But from the 'general downstairs access' point, I'm wondering if there's really much difference between the two plans? (Currently, the stairs are in the top right corner of the yellow 'dining room'.) For the kids' rooms, you're right that the trek would be a long one: Up the stairs, across the catwalk, around the right and top of the dining room section, then either right or left to the bedrooms. The Front Stair plan eliminates the catwalk phase of the trip, but not the rest, so it's convoluted either way.

Unfortunately, your 'hug the wall' stairs idea can't work because of an upstairs bath. I do like the mudroom idea, but that would cost Hubby valuable garage storage space he really needs. I'll defer that decision to him --

Very nice decorative railing, sweeby! Repeating that motif would be the obvious way to tie the new balcony into the existing house. Yes to Option #2 then, on all counts :)

Just wanted to give you'all an idea of the kind of beam-work we're talking about in the entry room. We've got some simple dark-painted beams in the Great Room (catty-corner to the entry) that set the tone for the interior, and want to enhance that theme in this addition -- so the beams are a very important design element. (We're wanting to go 'rustic craftsman' in flavor.) I'm not sure exactly how the catwalk and staircase could interract with the ceiling beams and supporting columns -- a challenge and an opportunity, definitely.

[

[traditional kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by interior designer Joani Stewart-Georgi - Montana Ave. Interiors

[

[contemporary kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2103) by seattle architect David Vandervort Architects

Also, it should be pointed out that there is another eating area not shown in these floorplans (just above the kitchen in the drawings) if that matters.

Thanks for all the great comments so far! It's really helping us both to hear your thoughts --

I've been in several old houses with a staircase that had a landing and turned and they put either a large window there for view to stained glass for light and color. Always fabulous and the light draws you up the stairs.

Add me to the list favoring the second.

Like the others, I feel a large sitting area in the entry is wasted space and can actually be a negative. I agree the feeling of the entry would seem more open and inviting without a catwalk overhead at the doorway, and you can have windows over the landing or to the side of the windows and have light, view and architectural interest. And I would definitely rather have a larger dining room, especially one that could take a large round table. They really appeal to me, but I don't have the space for one.

I also like the idea of a balcony, but even more so if you created an overhang and made the balcony larger so you could actually use it. If it fits your front yard, I would put French doors in the dining room to mirror the entry and have a covered sitting area there as well.

The beams could be similar to the second photo with the catwalk running below instead of hanging light fixtures. That could be a really unique look.

But something not mentioned -- I would like the feel of coming and going through an open entry every day. Coming down the stairs in the morning in a dark, closed stairwell is more of a motel feel than an entry from the master retreat of a large home. In another location, it might be great, but it just doesn't feel right for me to be the retreat and entry into the house every day.

I'm not really seeing 110 sq feet difference. Some perhaps, but not 110. More importantly, the back stairs has a more spacious feel and more room where it is more usable. That front stairs has a dead zone in front of the stairs as well as a hallway disguised as a living room no one will use. An appraiser might say the 110 sq ft is worth more, but my guess would be that the front stair house would sit on the market longer and wind up selling for less. JMHO

Another vote for the second option, everyone has already covered my reasons above!

Funny that I just recently came back from a hiatus, too--about 6 yrs, and am finally trying to figure out my exterior facelift!

I do remember you planning this even back then and am so happy that it is moving forward for you!

I have another thought. I printed out your floor plan and tried it, and will get younger DS to help me scan it in, but perhaps I can at least basically explain it.

This is a variation on the back stair option. Move the staircase to the right, so that it sits in the top right corner of the foyer space - no need to bump it out into the back wall, either.

That should allow the catwalk to run across the front of the house, as in option one. It seems to fit fine in that corner, and still allows access to the garage door.

Then, move the front entry door to the left side of the space (rather than centered), and have two windows on the center and right side. It will give you about half the entry area as open space, so that your guests will have the feel of an entry - the staircase will be to the left.

With the catwalk over the front entry area, it will give you the feel of a FL Wright space, in that you enter into a lower ceiling, and then the room opens up to soaring space. This should allow for the full view of the beams and the center of the foyer space.

This gives you your larger DR, a foyer that could hold a round entry table in the center back of the space that could even be moved into the DR for extra seating in the case of a large gathering.

Just re-read my post, and in the 4th paragraph, I should have written 'the staircase will be to the right"

Sorry for the confusion.

Interesting idea Les - I've sketched it out below. I see a few challenges in that there are some big trees that would be right in front of the front door in that plan (that's what the brown circles represent), and the windows (the thick blue lines) on the wall opposite the entry might be a bit trickier to balance out, making them logical with respect to the stairs, the open space, and the great room from the outside (an important sight line, photo below). Also, the stair location imbalances Lyfia mentioned (distance from main living areas, trek for kids' rooms) increases. But on the plus side, the catwalk moves out of the open area and I get my larger dining room and an entry that makes sense. What do you'all think?

Lasca, the balcony would (does) have a roof overhang, and would be about 7 x 15, so actually, a very usable space. It's only our weather that would keep us from using it often.

And your point about the enclosed feel of the stairs in the Front Stairs plan is very well taken. Our current stairs are like the front stairs plan, and they do feel dark and enclosed. That's something I'd like very much to change...

How about turning the stairs so you enter from the dining room along the backyard wall in the foyer and then you have the view straight out from the front door. Also a bit of a blocker from a direct view into the house from the front door. Oh how I wish I had that.

You could also create on the right side a mudroom, would make the area not as open, but you could still keep the view to the back and not so much wasted space. I'm saying wasted because I don't see a sitting area there being used much.

I also love the second elevation, personally. But I know whichever you and your family select will be the one that is best suited for you. :) They are all lovely and I can envision your beams now!

i think it's a tough decision and think that les is on the right track trying to find another alternative... i would want the larger dining room, but also like the view and beam work of front option. i think future buyers would want larger dining room, but back option sounds like it would 'show' better...

i prefer the 2nd pic of 2nd elevation...with the additional windows on the 1st floor (garage?)

I think Hubby's come around to floor plan #2 -- the one with the back stairs centered in the box bay. (That was my favorite.) Your comments were very helpful and insightful, and I think hearing then from someone other than me was also persuasive.

What also helped was running into a guy over the weekend who designs and sells timber trusses. Hubby is a stone and timber and metal guy, and the idea that the staircase, catwalk, front porch and trusses could all be part of this grand master truss design is starting to catch on. I've been looking at a lot of inspiration photos on Houzz lately, and have seen some neat pictures where the catwalk is actually suspended from the ceiling trusses. There's got to be some way to do this that's drop-dead gorgeous:

[

[traditional living room design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2107) by austin architect Webber + Studio, Architects

So now onto the exterior: There'll be a balcony, like in the 2nd and 3rd sketches. Our main issues are windows on the garage/master bedroom section (far right), and dining room (below the balcony), and the front porch section.

The windows at the top of the master are pretty much set due to the placement of plumbing fixtures. They could go a bit taller, but frankly, I like the squares, and keeping them short and high up gives us privacy in the bathroom. The 1st floor area there is garage on the right, with a small garage bath on the far left. There really are a lot of trees and shrubs out front there, so whatever we do won't be terribly visible. (See the 2nd and 3rd exterior drawings for possible windows.)

The dining room will have very low ceilings, just over 7 feet, which can't be helped,(raised slab) so I'm thinking the room needs to be 'dark and dramatic' by design since it can never really be anything but dark, no matter what we do. So my thoughts are that the windows there should be more for what looks good from the outside. The windows shown in #2 & 3 match one on the wall to the left, shown on the floor plan right below the closet. But we're definitely open to suggestion there.

The front entry and porch is where we have the most design potential -- What I've attempted to draw is a copper metal roof over a grouping of French Doors and a 6-foot deep stone-floored porch. The wall behind the French doors would be stone on the bottom, and could either stay stone all the way up, or switch to wood siding above the copper. (Same wood is used elsewhere on the house.) We're also trying to decide on support columns, visible rafter tails, etc. to support the roof overhang. I'd like a 'woodsy craftsman' vibe, and Hubby likes lots of beefy structure... Also, if the catwalk stays centered, and is integrated into the trusses, it would be possible to lower the walls of that section slightly, giving us more height-variability on the front facade. Does that make sense? And is that a good idea?

I'd welcome your ideas --

I'm glad the balcony is large enough to actually use. I think you are also in the Houston area, so I understand that sitting outside isn't always where you want to be, but if you have a bistro set up there, you might find it a pleasant little retreat for a cup of coffee with the morning paper or a glass of wine before retiring. If you have a small outdoor fan above, the breeze helps cut the heaviness of the humidity and helps keep mosquitoes at bay. If you have an outlet, you can plug in lighting, holiday or otherwise, and keep a lot of options open.

I was also thinking about the side rear stairwell, but it wasn't quite clicking for me. Seeing the drawing, I'm even less fond of the idea. It, or a variation, might still work. I'm not an exert on feng shui, but from what I've heard, I think a stairway that ends right in front of the front door is not good -- something about letting the energy all out the front door, in case you are interested.

Have you considered having that back wall of the entry windows similar to your great room and then have an open stairway on front of it. Look at running it across in front of the windows, but floating more than blocking. It could flow across the space rather than be off kilter on the side. Does that make sense? That kind of look might tie in with your catwalk and trusses, but I can only see it as a concept -- not an engineer.

I had high square windows in a house and liked the light/privacy combination. Ours were also on walls where we would have seen the side of another house, so they avoided that and gave larger windows where views were better.

Thanks Lasca - I didn't know you're another Houston gal. I'll remember that next time we do a GWeb get-together. ;-) Definitely putting a fan on the balcony, and the outlets are already there (thanks to a GWeb post)

I've played with the 'stairs up the back wall' concept, and it's just not working... Remember, the catwalk has to connect both sides of the plan, so a straight staircase plus a catwalk turns into a 'two stripes' look, leaving only a thin 'stripe' of airspace overhead at the entry, which would, I think, make the space feel even longer and narrower. I hear you on the feng shui, but something's gotta give, and I think the #2 floor plan is as good as it gets. (Jack Nicholson anyone?)

We definitely considered having the entry windows match the great room windows. In fact, that was a 'box' we were stuck inside for a VERY long time -- but of course, there are some challenges that muck up that idea. First, the floor of the dining room (so therefore also entry) is two steps up from the great room floor level. And looking at the great room window grid, you see the wide horizontal band between the top and lower windows? That band should (IMO) flow around the inside corner, which would then make the lower windows about 14" shorter than the uppers, and IMO, compromise the symmetry of the grid. Also, the entry wall is 21 feet wide, which is the same measurement as the great room window span. That sounds good, until you factor in the extra 4 feet of stone wall below the great room wall in the drawing. The entry window wall would need to start directly from the corner, and I'm just not loving the glass perpendicular to stone wall. Shrinking the proportions of the entry window wall helps, and can reclaim the corner and match the 'band' elevation -- but then that leaves extra space at the top. Anyway, a long and convoluted explanation why the 'obvious' design answer just isn't working...

I'm thinking that with the stair in a box bay, we can do a beautiful 2-story window arrangement that 'pays homage' to the great room windows, but isn't so closely matching that the elements that can't match won't work.

Oh, it's never as easy as it looks at first. That keep things interesting -- and the pain relievers at hand.

Did you try an L-shaped stair or a Z rather than the block? If an L started across the back and turned toward the front so that it comes off the catwalk or nearly so?

I do think the rear stairs is the way to go, and I would love a DR large enough to handle a big, round table. That alone would sell me on the idea, but I like that entry the best too. I'd work with your truss guy to figure out the artistic and structural fit to work out the details. Sounds like it should be an exciting transformation.

bautiful home. I too agree that elevation 2 gives a grand entrance. The room seems to have been built as a walk thru style area, I mean you have an entrance to the garage, front door and large open space design to the dining room. If you feel the foyer is too bare you could plank either side of the french doors with large scale plants, to bring the feel of your landscaping in, and a large sized round table in the center of the floor, which would direct the traffic flow either to the right and up the stairs or to the left to your dinning room entry.
The large dinning area would be of more value.

With a center catwalk -- As much as I like the flow and the potential for architectural drama, especially if the catwalk runs through the rafters, I do have one concern...

Do you think there will be a subtle feeling that it's unsafe or unstable? As opposed to if one side is against the wall?

The way Hubby builds things, there is NO WAY it would actually BE unstable or unsafe. He's definitely an over-builder, and there would be sturdy timbers, columns, possibly visible metal supports -- so all sorts of visible 'reinforcements'. And the span is only 21 feet, so not a huge distance.

I'm thinking something along the lines of the truss shown below, with the catwalk running through the middle under the arches. Seems like that would be a really neat experience - walking through those. But I'm wondering how it would feel.

Another issue will be cost, of course. I've got to think those would be expensive, and I'm wondering how many we'd need, versus how many would be too many. Again, the length of the catwalk is 21 feet. I'm thinking about one at each end (or a non-structural look-alike), and two in the center?

I think that is largely a personal comfort kind of thing once you get past the engineering and actual safety. Some folks aren't comfortable walking across a 2 lane bridge while others can cross a rope and plank bridge. I've seen glass used in ceiling/floors and on some TV show saw a catwalk that was mostly glass -- not just a window. As cool as that is, it would take me some time to get comfortable with that, and you sure don't want it if your lifestyle is entirely deferred maintenance.

It seems like this catwalk is largely for the benefit of the MBR, so I think your personal comfort zone is the most important. The fact that you are asking suggests to me that you might be more comfortable with a more attached feel. If you did that, would you consider carrying the balcony across the front and put a door from the MBR to it so that you might actually use it and enjoy it more. It might give a nice view from the MBR too -- a bistro set, plants, a small fountain (would sound nice too).

Thanks Lasca - The catwalk would actually be used to access all bedrooms, so would need to be child-safe. Well, it would be child-safe in any case... And I'm pretty good on rope suspension bridges - so not a comfort issue for me. I was just wondering in general.