Thanks, Autumn 4! We have a large covered porch right now, and although I love it, I can't say it gets much use. I think if it didn't open onto such a ho-hum yard, we'd use it more. I'm a bit up in the air about a covered porch for our new house. On the one hand, it would require a change in our roofline, and that ups the cost. And the downside of our current covered porch is that we get less light in our kitchen /dining area than I'd like -- so that makes me think that the answer'll be no. However, we are planning a pool and nice patio out back. We're in the South, so such a spot would get plenty of use. I'm leaning right now towards a covered area NOT connected to the house, but located 10-15 feet back -- to be closer to the pool. This would have a nice, substantial roof, a built-in cooking area, a fire place and an eating area. Then, when we have large groups, we could add more tables outside the covered area. If I had to pick right this minute, the desire for a light-flooded kitchen/dining area would trump the convenience of attached. In the end? I'm not sure. Which direction will our house face? That's a good question -- one to which I've turned my attention numerous times, and I haven't decided yet. We have a little over 40 acres, so our options are not limited: If I do the easiest thing and place the house near the main road /facing the main road, the front will face East. So that'd give us sun in the bedroom /living room /study in the morning . . . and hot western afternoon sun on the patio. IF we do this easiest thing, I'd probably flip the whole plan so that the garage would be to the North and the side of the bedroom side of the house would face South. This easiest thing would also cost less because we'd need less driveway. Finally, the large trees are laid out in such a way that this would mean less clearing. Honestly, I think this is the way we'll go -- too many things seem to conspire to make this the easiest, best choice. The only thing holding me back from saying, "Yes, this for certain" is that hot, harsh afternoon western sun. Or, I could do a little in-road onto the property and could face the front of the house either South or North. I see value in facing it North. That'd mean that the kitchen/dining area and the patio/pool area would have the Southern exposure. If I do that, when you turn off the main road, you'd approach the garage, which would give a little privacy from the main road -- but with this relatively large piece of land, that isn't something we need badly. Also, this would cost more because we'd have to bring the driveway and the utilities farther onto the land. And I don't think this option is as attractive as having the house simply face the main road -- regardless of how far off the road we may choose to build. The whole piece of land is fairly well flat, and any number of sites would do for the house. We're set to pick "the house spot" the first weekend in November, so I guess we'll be making up our minds about the house's orientation then. I'm excited for that day to arrive and to walk the land with an expert and hear his opinion.

NL - is she sure? I mean that is always the thought with the open living concept but consider that just because the hubby is in the living room that is completely open to the kitchen does not at all mean that you are 'together' or having a conversation. We built what you are considering and I really don't care for it at all. I like to hang in the kitchen too but I also maybe want the radio on, maybe I want to start cooking/dishwasher whatever and the pots and pans and the commotion is loud. All that does is make for dueling noises - TV vs the kitchen vs the radio? What radio. No way do I want radio plus tv plus cooking. So maybe she will love it but I'd really think on it. I call it all for 1 living. You'd better all be wanting to listen to watch the same things or else it just doesn't work. Besides that there is just no privacy and I only hang out in the bedroom when it's time to sleep! If I were to do it again I'd want it open but sort of an L shape so the kitchen is the short end then it's open to the dining room but you have to peak to really see the living room. Does that make sense? Open but not the same room (for goodness sakes - oops sorry I really just really do NOT like it). I realize now how much I like the kitchen to be a KITCHEN and not an extension of the living room. I'd stick with your original - for ME. At least with the dining room there you have some sort of semblance of a separate space. By the way we built a 1.5 story (as you described it and that is what I call ours too - maybe regional?) in Michigan on a wooded lot. :) Our home faces West. We have a similar-ish layout and those 'dead' rooms in the front really shield us from heat. I'd try to figure out how to get more southern light into the house. North is darker and the woods - darker yet. But the woods themselves are awesome - love it.

The Cook's Kitchen: I just re-read your comment. Yes, we would put our kiddos upstairs and convert their rooms into an apartment with a separate entrance. There is already a bathroom that just needs to be converted. We definitely want to make this long-term friendly for him, expecting a wheel chair down the road. We will look into the selling both homes idea... I see that as being more complicated, honestly, since buying a larger home would be contingent on the sale of 2 homes.... There are currently only 6 homes (that meet price and size) for sale in our desired area...

My husband and I are currently working with architects to design a home that is very similar to what you've described (1.5 stories, 2 bed, 2.5 bath - one tub, one shower). However, in order to accommodate our needs (a study on the first floor, a pantry, etc.) we ended up a little above your stated size preference (1700 square feet). We've been cautioned against building small for some of the reasons mentioned here, but honestly we would pay more for a smaller home. We'd prefer a small place with high-end details to a larger home. In the area where we live there are not older homes this size on the market, although we waited for about ~2 years seeing what would come available. Ultimately, we decided in our area, which has a high percentage of retirees and child-free couples, a smaller house could sell if/when we have to. But more importantly, we didn't want to compromise on living in a house we didn't like trying to anticipate market trends 15-20 years down the line.