The main item I need help with is the kitchen being in the middle-afraid there is not much light & would love the study to be more accessible so we can use as a room to go when kids are all there & we dont want to hear the TV. Thanks!!

We need more info. Like asked is it a full time home? If it's full time, what's the weather like? What area of the country? Do you do lots of cooking or will barbecuing be a big part of what you do? did you come up with this plan or take it off a website? What made you choose it?

It seems you have no real good access to the outdoors and it also seems like you're not taking good advantage of what I assume are beautiful views.

If I'm correct, the only views to the backyard are if you're in the study? Wouldn't you want to take advantage of the views?

For dumb, I forgot to attach the picture!

cpartist, my guess is that the lake is to the right in the drawing. We've always considered the lake side to be the front, and the side facing the road to be the back. I get the impression beachy is the same way.

This is Pa. It may someday be a fulltime home. Usually 8-10 people there on the weekends. I will attach another picture so you'll see front porch which faces the lake. There is a road between house & lake. We also will have a boathouse. This plan came from a house designer.

Where they put the stairs really confused us. That side of the house will get the most light coming in becasue this is a corner lot with only 4 homes using that side street so we're not terribly concerned with privacy. The back part of the house for me, just doesn't seem right. I really appreciate the feebback. The porch would be 26 X 12.

Where is it you will be coming in when you drive in? And you said the side where the fireplace and stairs are get the most light? which way faces north? And lastly, what are your setbacks on the two sides that face neighbors? I ask all that because the way I'm seeing it, you might want to totally switch the way the house is oriented around.

I love the porches! If you have 8-10 people there on weekends, you might need some additional seating, but probably not 3 different areas. Could you perhaps move the dishwashing sink to the window area where the breakfast area is now? I would keep all the windows on the wall by that sink, which I'm assuming has an rest views too, and place cabinets & dishwashers under the counter Keep the island bar area, but slim it down (I'd feel trapped in there) for storage on one side/prep & seating on the other. Also, add a small sink in the island. Then you'd have a cooking zone, a prep zone, a tasting zone (or moral support zone) and a clean up zone. So everyone can help with the food prep and clean up.

For the study, you could do a walk through storage/butlers pantry (make it pretty with a window) and enter the study from that area as well. Usually I don't like 2 doors into a room as it eats up wall space... but with that many people in the house it might be a good flow for you?

The stairs: I actually like stairs in a bump out like this if there is good natural light in the stairwell. You could add more windows, but a windowed stairway of some kind (your designer gave you 2 at least (are those teeny tiny ones on the sides? - unless there are more on the 2nd floor?). It can also let light into the rest of the house since it is so open. But it's really a preference. You could also flip the plan and put the kitchen/dining on that side of the house.

Just some thoughts. Have fun planning!

Oh and for the seating in the family room, I think you could do: 1) A super big sectional. But I don't like the look of this and it's hard to move around it. If your family loves sectionals... that's perfect. 2) This would be prettier though: Place a super large sofa in front of the fireplace. You have room. Place 4 smaller scaled, but comfortable chairs (or recliners) around the coffee table in front of that. Preferably with room to move between them. And then another 2 chairs and a table in the window by the back porch. Maybe a chess/checkers table? But with comfy chairs. That should seat 8 comfortably. With a few people left puttering around the house or on the porch or in the kitchen. It could work. Especially with that back porch serving as a backup when the weather is nice.

CPARTIST- We will drive up in the backyard and come through back proch through mudroom. Sometimes people will come in from the lake in front-through porch that covers entire front of house. the setback are slim-we will be close to one neighbor-I think 25 feet between us & then 20 feet off street. I believe street side (where stairs are currently placed) is 20 feet off street.